Image forming apparatus and wireless communication device

• US 20080044195A1
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsugawa, Masaki, Sato, Kazuyuki, Aoki, Toyokazu, Higashiyama, Makoto, Koike, Kazumasa, Nishizaki, Shingo
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0855 the concentration being measured by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0863 provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0865 Arrangements for supplying new developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0872 the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1657 Wireless connection means, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1823 Cartridges having electronically readable memory

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a rotating member that is rotatable, a communication medium, and a receiving unit. The communication medium that is attached to an outer circumference of the rotating member stores therein information on the rotating member and relays the information on the rotating member via wireless communication. The receiving unit receives the information on the rotating member from the communication medium.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a rotating member that is rotatable;

a communication medium that is attached to an outer circumference of the rotating member, and that stores therein information on the rotating member and relays the information on the rotating member via wireless communication; and

a receiving unit that receives the information on the rotating member from the communication medium.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a supplying unit that supplies powder to the image forming apparatus, wherein

the rotating member is supported by the supplying unit in a rotatable manner and powder in the rotating member is moved to the supplying unit while the rotating member rotates.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the rotating member includes a plurality of the rotating members,

the image forming apparatus further comprises a control unit that causes each of the rotating members to rotate, and

the receiving unit receives information on the rotating members intermittently from the communication media while the rotating members rotate.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the receiving unit sequentially receives the information on the rotating members from each of the communication media as the rotating members rotate.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a second receiving unit that receives information on a specific one of the rotating members, wherein

the control unit causes the specific rotating member to rotate, and

the receiving unit receives the information on the specific rotating member from a communication medium attached to the specific rotating member.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a determining unit that counts a first number of successive receiving of the information on the rotating members by the receiving unit, determines whether the first number is a first threshold or larger, and determines, when determining that the first number is the first threshold or larger, that the rotating members are set at a wrong position.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the determining unit counts a second number of intermittent receiving of the information on the rotating members by the receiving unit, determines whether the second number is a second threshold or larger, and determines, when determining that the second number is the second threshold or larger, that the rotating members are set at a correct position.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the determining unit counts a third number of receiving of the information on the rotating members by the receiving unit, determines whether the third number is a third threshold or larger, and determines, when determining that the third number is smaller than the third threshold, that the rotating members are not set.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit causes each of the rotating members to rotate in any one of a first direction for supplying the powder and a second direction that is reverse to the first direction.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit is placed at a position so that, out of distance between the receiving unit and the communication medium that varies as the rotating member rotates, a closest distance is less than a communicable range of the receiving unit and the communication medium.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the receiving unit is placed at a position so as to be opposite to the communication medium.

12. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the receiving unit is placed between the rotating members.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the rotating member includes a plurality of the rotating members, and

the receiving unit is placed between the rotating members.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the rotating members is a toner bottle that houses a toner in a single color different from each other.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the rotating member includes a plurality of the rotating members, and

each of the rotating members is a toner bottle that houses a toner in a single color different from each other.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an alerting unit that produces an alert when the receiving unit receives from the communication medium information on the rotating member different from predetermined information.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising an alerting unit that produces an alert when the receiving unit receives from the communication medium information on the rotating member different from predetermined information.

18. A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a rotating member that is rotatable;

a communication medium that is attached to an outer circumference of the rotating member, and that stores therein information on the rotating member and relays the information on the rotating member via wireless communication; and

a receiving unit that receives the information on the rotating member from the communication medium.

19. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the rotating members includes a plurality of the rotating members,

the image forming apparatus further comprises a control unit that causes each of the rotating members to rotate, and

the receiving unit receives information on the rotating members intermittently from the communication media while the rotating members rotate.