Image-forming device and developer cartridge for use therein
First Claim
1. An image-forming device comprising:
- a body;
a developer cartridge accommodating developer therein and detachable from the body;
a motor generating a driving force;
a driving member disposed in the developer cartridge and capable of being driven by the motor a prescribed distance from a starting position to an ending position when the developer cartridge is mounted in the body;
a moving member provided in association with the driving member so as to be movable together with the driving member;
an information detecting section that detects the moving member as the moving member moves together with the driving member and outputs detection results; and
a controller that acquires information on the developer cartridge based on the detection results output from the information detecting section.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
When a new developer cartridge is initially mounted in an image-forming device, a toothed part of a sensor gear disposed in the cartridge is brought into meshing engagement with an agitator drive gear disposed in the image-forming device. The sensor gear is driven while its toothed part is in meshing engagement with the agitator drive gear and driving of the sensor gear is stopped when its toothless part opposes the agitator drive gear. One or more contact protrusions are formed on the sensor gear to be movable therewith. An information-detecting mechanism detects how many contact protrusions are formed on the sensor gear during driving of the sensor gear. Based on the detection results, whether the mounted developer cartridge is a new product or not is determined, and information on the maximum sheets to be printed with the mounted developer cartridge is acquired.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An image-forming device comprising:
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a body;
a developer cartridge accommodating developer therein and detachable from the body;
a motor generating a driving force;
a driving member disposed in the developer cartridge and capable of being driven by the motor a prescribed distance from a starting position to an ending position when the developer cartridge is mounted in the body;
a moving member provided in association with the driving member so as to be movable together with the driving member;
an information detecting section that detects the moving member as the moving member moves together with the driving member and outputs detection results; and
a controller that acquires information on the developer cartridge based on the detection results output from the information detecting section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An image-forming-device comprising:
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a body;
a developer cartridge accommodating developer therein and detachable from the body;
a motor generating a driving force;
a driving member disposed in the developer cartridge and capable of being driven by the motor a prescribed distance from a starting position to an ending position when the developer cartridge is mounted in the body;
a moving member provided in association with the driving member so as to be movable together with the driving member;
an information detecting section that detects the moving member as the moving member moves together with the driving member and outputs detection results; and
a controller that acquires information on the developer cartridge based on the detection results output from the information detecting section, wherein a first number of moving members are provided when an amount of developer accommodated in the developer cartridge is a first amount, and a second number larger than the first number of moving members are provided when an amount of developer accommodated in the developer cartridge is a second amount smaller than the first amount; and
the controller determines that the amount of developer accommodated in the developer cartridge is the first amount when a detection number of the moving members detected by the information detecting section corresponds to the first number and determines that the amount of developer accommodated in the developer cartridge is the second amount when a detection number of the moving members corresponds to the second number. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A developer cartridge that is detachably mountable in an image-forming device, the developer cartridge comprising:
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a driving member capable of being driven from an original position to an ending position when the developer cartridge is mounted in the image-forming device; and
a moving member provided in association with the driving member so as to be movable together with the driving member, wherein while the driving member is driven from the original position to the ending position when the developer cartridge is mounted in the image forming device, the moving member passes through a position where the moving member is detected by the image forming device. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A developer cartridge that is detachably mountable in an image-forming device, the developer cartridge comprising:
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a toothless gear capable of being driven from an original position to an ending position when the developer cartridge is mounted in the image-forming device, the toothless gear being formed with a toothed part for receiving a driving force from a motor, and a toothless part for not receiving the driving force from the motor; and
a moving member movable together with the toothless gear, the moving member being disposed within a fanned-shape including an arcuate portion having the toothed part. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A developer cartridge comprising:
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a casing;
a developer roller having a developer roller shaft rotatably supported in the casing;
a developer roller gear fixed to the developer roller shaft, the developer roller gear being rotatable with the developer roller shaft;
an associated gear rotatably provided in the casing, the associated gear being rotatable about an axis in accordance with rotation of the developer roller drive gear; and
a plurality of protrusions formed on the associated gear, wherein each of the plurality of the protrusions extends from a part, which is different from where the axis is, of a surface of the associated gear in a direction parallel to the axis. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A developer cartridge comprising:
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a casing having confronting side walls, the casing accommodating a developer;
a developer roller having a developer roller shaft rotatably supported between the confronting side walls;
a developer roller gear fixed to the developer roller shaft, the developer roller gear being rotatable with the developer roller shaft;
a supply roller that is configured to supply the developer roller with the developer, the supply roller having a supply roller shaft rotatably supported between the confronting side walls;
a supply roller gear fixed to the supply roller shaft, the supply roller gear being rotatable with the supply roller shaft;
an agitator that is configured to stir the developer in the casing, the agitator having an agitator shaft rotatably supported between the confronting side walls;
an agitator gear fixed to the agitator shaft, the agitator gear being rotatable with the agitator shaft;
a gear mechanism including an input gear, the gear mechanism transferring a driving force from the input gear to each of the developer roller gear, the supply roller gear, and the agitator drive gear; and
an associated gear rotatably provided in one of the confronting side walls;
wherein the associated gear includes;
a circumferential part in which a toothed part is formed; and
a protrusion extending from the associated gear, wherein the rotation of the agitator gear is configured to be transferred to the associated gear. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification