JPH11212407A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide an image forming apparatus with excellent usability and in which a process cartridge is detachably mounted in an environment where a plurality of users use one image forming apparatus. Is provided with an input circuit 6 for setting print parameters. The memory 9 of the process cartridge 7 has a user area 12 available to the user.
The print parameters are set in the user area 12 from the host computer 3 and / or the input circuit 6. By writing printer parameters etc. in advance,
By replacing the process cartridge when using the printer, resetting is not required, and printing can be performed with the setting desired by the user.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic or electrostatic recording type image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine, and more particularly, to a memory mounted on a process cartridge detachably mounted on the image forming apparatus. And the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, there is a color image forming apparatus as an apparatus requiring image density control. In this type of color image forming apparatus, a process of transferring a recording image formed by charging, exposing, and developing on a photosensitive drum onto an intermediate transfer belt is repeated a plurality of times, and finally, a superimposed image of a plurality of colors is formed on a recording paper. There is a type in which a color image is obtained by retransfer. Hereinafter, the color image forming apparatus, that is, the color printer will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4, the color image forming apparatus is formed by integrally forming a photosensitive drum 100, a roller charger 105, and a cleaner box 113 for storing waste toner into a cartridge, and is replaced when the number of prints reaches a specified number. A photosensitive drum cartridge B detachably attached to the apparatus main body A, and a toner and toner storage unit and a developing means for performing development are integrated into a cartridge on the left side of the photosensitive drum cartridge B to form a cartridge for storing the stored toner. A rotary developing device C, which is supported by a rotatable support and is provided with a plurality of developing cartridges Dm, Dy, Dc, and Dk that are detachable from the apparatus main body A and that are exchanged when the consumption is completed;
At the time of development, the developing cartridges Dm, Dy, Dc, and Dk are rotated around the support rotating shaft 110, and the selected developing cartridge is made to face the photosensitive drum 100 to perform development.

In the photosensitive drum cartridge B, a memory 9 as a storage means is mounted.
The number of prints, the number of rotations, a unique number (manufacturing number), and the like are described, and the cartridge unique number, the number of prints, the number of rotations, and the like are rewritten when the printer is powered on and when the cartridge is mounted and removed at regular intervals.

Further, below the photosensitive drum cartridge B, an intermediate transfer belt (hereinafter referred to as "I") having a function of transferring an image on the photosensitive drum 100 onto the belt for each color toner.
TB ”).

In the above configuration, the photosensitive drum 100
Is 117.3 mm / sec by a driving unit (not shown).
Is driven in the direction of the illustrated arrow at the peripheral speed of. The photosensitive drum 100 is formed by coating a photoconductor made of an organic photoconductor (OPC) on an outer peripheral surface of an aluminum cylinder having a diameter of 40 mm. The OPC is made of A-Si, CdS, Se, or the like. Is also good.

A laser diode 104 and a high-speed motor 106 constituting an exposure apparatus 107 are provided above the main body of the apparatus.
The polygon mirror 106 and the lens 11 that are driven to rotate by a
6 and a folding mirror 115 are arranged.

The charging roller 105 is superimposed on a DC voltage of -700 V with an AC voltage of Vp-p (peak-to-peak) of -1500 V at an AC frequency of 700 Hz, and uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 100 to approximately -700 V. .

When a signal in accordance with, for example, magenta image information is input to the laser diode 104, the laser diode 104 irradiates the photosensitive drum 100 through an optical path 114. -10
It becomes 0V. When the photosensitive drum 100 further moves in the direction of the arrow, the laser beam irradiation location becomes the developing cartridge Dm, Dy,
The toner image is visualized by Dc and Dk.

The toner image on the photosensitive drum 100 is transferred to the ITB 103 by a voltage between the photosensitive drum 100 and the ITB 103 from a high-voltage power supply (not shown).

By performing the above steps similarly for cyan, yellow and black, a plurality of color toner images can be formed on the ITB 103.

The toner image formed on the ITB 103 is retransferred by the transfer roller 117 to the transfer paper 102 conveyed from the cassette 101 at the final time. The transfer paper 102 is conveyed via a conveyor belt 111 to a fixing device 119 that performs fixing by heating and pressing, which is conventionally known, and the unfixed toner transferred onto the transfer paper 102 is fixed by heating and pressing, which is conventionally known. The fixing device 119 performs fusion and fixation on the transfer paper 102 to obtain a color image.

After fixing, the transfer paper 102 is discharged to a face-up tray (image upward) 108 or to a face-down tray (image downward) 109.

The remaining toner on the photosensitive drum 100 is removed by a cleaning member 113.
The toner remaining on the transfer paper 102 without being transferred to the transfer paper 102 is cleaned by a known fur brush or a cleaning device 112 such as a blade unit.

An operation panel section 118 provided in the apparatus main body has a circuit for a user to make various settings of the printer. For example, when the host computer and the printer are connected by various interfaces, which interface is used for printing, what is the data transfer speed between the host computer and the print, the print output frequently uses a single color. And settings such as using OHT (transparent paper for overhead project) are set on the operation panel unit 11 of the printer.
8 on.

[0016]

However, when a single printer having the above configuration is shared by a plurality of users, such as in an environment such as a network printer, the use of the printer varies depending on the individual user. Therefore, every time the user changes, the setting items must be changed from the operation panel, and improvement of usability in this respect has been desired.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having excellent usability, in which a process cartridge is detachably mounted, in an environment where one image forming apparatus is used by a plurality of users.

[0018]

The above object is achieved by an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In summary, the present invention provides:
In an image forming apparatus having a storage unit inside a process cartridge detachable from an apparatus main body, the apparatus main body includes a print setting unit for setting print parameters, and the storage unit includes a user area available to a user, An unusable non-user area, and setting of print parameters in the user area is performed by an external device and / or
Alternatively, there is provided an image forming apparatus which can be set from the print setting unit.

The information stored in the non-user area includes a manufacturing number, a manufacturing date, a manufacturing location, a printing frequency, and a rotation number of the process cartridge. The information stored in the user area includes information other than the user's own. It is preferable to include a code for prohibiting the use of the print command and the print parameter. Preferably, in the user area, a plurality of user codes and print parameters corresponding to individual user codes of the plurality of user codes can be set. After the number of times the process cartridge has been used reaches a specified value, it is preferable that the process cartridge is collected and the initial setting of the apparatus is changed to a more frequent one based on the print parameters stored in the storage unit.

[0020]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, it is assumed that the present invention is embodied in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 4, that is, a printer. Therefore, a detailed description of the overall configuration and functions of the printer will be omitted, and features of the present invention will be described.

Embodiment 1 A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the block diagram of the printer according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a printer main body 8 performs sequence control of the entire printer, based on commands from an engine controller 1 composed of a CPU and the like, and commands from a host computer 3. A printer controller 2 is provided that transmits bitmap data to the engine controller 1 when the printer engine is ready to print by expanding the code data of the image signal into a bitmap.

The printer controller 2 and the host computer 3 exchange commands, statuses, and code signals for forming image signals via a signal 4.

The printer body 8 displays a display circuit 5 for displaying each printer setting parameter, displaying the status and command of the printer engine, notifying an error such as a jam, and prompting replacement of a consumable such as a cartridge. And an operation panel for performing various printer settings, that is, an input circuit 6.

A process cartridge 7, such as a photosensitive drum cartridge or a developing cartridge, necessary for an electrophotographic process is detachably mountable to and detachable from the printer main body 8 as indicated by an arrow 10, and has a non-volatile memory as storage means therein. A memory 9 is built in. When the process cartridge 7 is mounted on the printer body 8, the engine controller 1
Can access the memory 9.

The non-volatile memory 9 is roughly divided into two areas: a non-user area 11 and a user area 12.
And the conventionally used non-user area 11 is
The process cartridge ID number, the number of prints, the number of rotations, the date of manufacture, the place of manufacture, and the like are stored. The user area 12 includes the input circuit 6 and the host computer 3
Area that can be accessed externally through
The parameters of each printer setting stored in the conventional display circuit unit can be stored.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the ID number of the process cartridge 7 is input from the input circuit (S1). Whether the ID number has been correctly input is read from the non-user area 11 of the non-volatile memory 9 of the cartridge and collated. If the ID number is correct, printing is possible.

Next, printer setting parameters are input (S2). Next, it is confirmed whether there is a printer command (S3). If there is a print command, the print setting parameters stored in the user area 12 of the cartridge memory 9 are read out and set when the ID code numbers match (S8). When a print signal is input, printing is performed based on the print setting parameters written in the cartridge memory 9 (S9).

If there is no print command in S3, the printer requests re-input of the ID code of the cartridge 7 (S4). If the ID number of the cartridge input from the input circuit or the host computer is incorrect, the process waits until the cartridge is correctly input or replaced with a process cartridge having the correct ID number (S5 to S7).

When the ID code numbers of the process cartridges match, the print setting parameters stored in the user area 12 of the cartridge memory 9 are read and set as described above (S8). When a print signal is input, printing is performed based on the print setting parameters written in the cartridge memory 9.

As described above, in this embodiment, in an environment where one printer is used by a plurality of users, the user can exchange the process cartridges when using the printer without resetting from the operation panel or the like. Printing can be performed with desired settings, and usability can be improved.

Embodiment 2 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment, only one user can access the user area in the memory. However, in the present embodiment, a plurality of users can individually set a personal identification code and print setting parameters. .

The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the ID number of the process cartridge is input (S11). When the cartridge ID is input, the user can input a password (S12). When the password is input, the print setting parameters can be set (S13). One password and print setting parameters are input as a set, and are repeated until registration of all users is completed (S14). When the input of the personal identification code and the print setting parameters is completed, the process stands by until a print command is issued (S15).

If there is a print command, the user is prompted to input a password (S16). When a security code is input, the corresponding security code is searched for in the user area of the cartridge memory (S17). If the corresponding security code does not exist, the user must input the security code again, or replace the security code with a process cartridge equipped with a memory storing the security code, and prepare a corresponding security code (S18 to S18). S20).

When the password is confirmed, the printing is enabled and the corresponding printer setting parameters are read out from the memory 9 and set (S2).
1). After setting the print setting parameters, printing is started and ended (S22).

As described above, also in this embodiment, the first
The same operation and effect as those of the embodiment can be obtained, and each user can individually register and delete his / her own ID number and parameters of each print output method in the memory, so that each printer setting can be easily switched. be able to.

Embodiment 3 The usability is improved by collecting the used process cartridge, analyzing the built-in memory, summing up the print setting parameters of the user, and changing the initial setting according to the use environment to a frequently used one. Can be improved.

[0039]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the apparatus main body is provided with print settings for setting print parameters, and the storage means built in the process cartridge can be used by the user. A user area and an unusable non-user area, and the setting of print parameters in the user area can be set from an external device and / or the print setting unit. Also, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus having good usability.

Further, since user codes by a plurality of users and print parameters corresponding to the respective user codes can be set in the storage means of the same process cartridge, each user only needs to input the user code when using the same. Can print with customized settings.

Further, after the used process cartridges are collected, the print parameters in the storage means are totaled and analyzed, whereby the initial settings of the apparatus can be set in the order of most frequently used, and the usability can be improved. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an electric block diagram for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a conventional image forming apparatus in which the present invention is embodied.

[Description of Signs] 1 Engine controller 2 Print controller 6 Operation panel 7 Process cartridge 9 Memory (storage means) 11 Non-user area 12 User area

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising a process cartridge detachably attached to an apparatus main body and having a storage means, wherein the apparatus main body is provided with a print setting section for setting print parameters, and the storage means is usable by a user. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a user area and a non-user area that cannot be used, and setting of print parameters in the user area can be set from an external device and / or the print setting unit. 2. The information stored in the non-user area includes a manufacturing number, a manufacturing date, a manufacturing location, a printing frequency, and a rotation number of the process cartridge. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a code for prohibiting use by anyone other than itself and the print parameter. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of user codes and print parameters corresponding to each of the plurality of user codes can be set in the user area. 4. After the number of times of use of the process cartridge reaches a specified value, the process cartridge is collected, and the initial setting of the apparatus is changed to a frequent one based on print parameters stored in the storage means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: