Cartridge discriminating system

• US 4,963,939 A
• Filed: 09/21/1987
• Issued: 10/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Imafuku, Tatsuo, Mifune, Eiji, Kurando, Shigeo, Makiura, Yoshinori, Komata, Hiroshi, Shigemura, Yutaka, Ooura, Junichi, Ido, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendegrass, Joan H.
• Application Number:
  US07/099,118
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 355/3 DD, 355/4, 355/6, 355/14 D, 355/209, 355/245, 355/246, 355/260, 222/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 399/12
• 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 2215/0675 Generally cylindrical container shape having two ends
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/068 having a box like shape
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0685 fulfilling a continuous function within the electrographic apparatus during the use of the supplied developer material, e.g. toner discharge on demand, storing residual toner, not acting as a passive closure for the developer replenishing opening
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0687 using a peelable sealing film
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0695 using identification means or means for storing process or use parameters

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for making discriminations between cartridges for housing toners to be equipped on image forming apparatus such as electrostatic copiers, laser beam printers, facsimiles, etc. in which while a cartridge indicating means is provided on a part of a toner housing cartridge, an indication detecting means for detecting the aforementioned cartridge indicating means is provided on the image forming apparatus proper side, so that the suitability of the type or position of the cartridge inserted is detected by detecting the cartridge indicating means by the aforementioned detecting means, when the cartridge has been inserted into the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus proper.

Claims

1. A cartridge discriminating system in which while a cartridge indicating means is provided on a part of a toner housing cartridge, an indication detecting means for detecting the aforementioned cartridge indicating means is provided on the image forming apparatus proper side, so that the suitability of the type or position of the cartridge inserted is detected by detecting the cartridge indicating means by the aforementioned detecting means, when the cartridge has been inserted into the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus proper and wherein the cartridge indicating means is a magnetic card and the cartridge indication detecting means is a magnetic head.

2. A cartridge discriminating system in which while a cartridge indicating means is provided on a part of a toner housing cartridge, an indication detecting means for detecting the aforementioned cartridge indicating means is provided on the image forming apparatus proper side, so that the suitability of the type or position of the cartridge inserted is detected by detecting the cartridge indicating means by the aforementioned detecting means, when the cartridge has been inserted into the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus proper and wherein the cartridge indicating means is a small container housing a developer of the same type as the toner and the carrier housed in the cartridge and the indication detecting means is a permeability sensor.

3. A cartridge discriminating system in which while a cartridge indicating means is provided on a part of a toner housing cartridge, an indication detecting means for detecting the aforementioned cartridge indicating means is provided on the image forming apparatus proper side, so that the suitability of the type or position of the cartridge inserted is detected by detecting the cartridge indicating means by the aforementioned detecting means, when the cartridge has been inserted into the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus proper and wherein the cartridge indicating means is an IC card and the indication detecting means is an analyzer.

4. A cartridge discriminating system in which while a cartridge indicating means is provided on a part of a toner housing cartridge, an indicating detecting device for detecting the aforementioned cartridge indicating means is provided on the image forming apparatus proper side, so that the suitability of the type or position of the cartridge inserted is detected by detecting the cartridge indicating means by the aforementioned detecting means, when the cartridge has been inserted into the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus proper and wherein the cartridge indicating means is a pattern printed on said cartridge, the indication detecting means is an optical sensor for detecting said pattern, and said pattern printed on said cartridge is a logo mark indicating the maker of the cartridge.

5. A toner housing cartridge equipped with a hollow container for housing powder toner and a cartridge indicating means for indicating the type or position of the cartridge, which is installed on a part of the hollow container and wherein the cartridge indicating means is a magnetic card.

6. A toner housing cartridge equipped with a hollow container for housing powder toner and a cartridge indicating means for indicating the type or position of the cartridge, which is installed on a part of the hollow container and wherein the cartridge indicating means is an IC card.

7. An image forming apparatus of a design such that an indication detecting means for detecting the type or position of the cartridge is provided in the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus proper and the aforementioned detecting means detects the suitability of the type or position of the cartridge inserted and wherein the indication detecting means is a permeability sensor.

8. A cartridge discriminating system of a design such that while a cartridge indicating means is provided on a part of a toner housing cartridge, an indication detecting means for detecting the aforementioned cartridge indicating means and a cartridge insertion preventing means which prevents complete insertion of cartridge are provided on the cartridge inserting part on the image forming apparatus proper side, so that when the cartridge is inserted in the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus proper, the suitability of the type of the cartridge inserted is checked by the aforementioned indication detecting means and only when proper cartridge has been inserted, the aforementioned cartridge insertion preventing means is unlocked, thereby permitting complete insertion of the cartridge.

9. A cartridge discriminating system of a design such that while a cartridge indicating means is provided on a part of a toner housing cartridge, an indication detection means for detecting the aforementioned cartridge indicating means and a cartridge insertion preventing means for preventing complete insertion of the cartridge are provided on the cartridge inserting part on the image forming apparatus proper side and, further, a reference indication storing means capable of storing the item to be stored corresponding to the item indicated of the aforementioned cartridge indicating means as well as freely updating the pertinent stored item is provided on the image forming apparatus proper side, so that when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus proper, the suitability of the type of the inserted cartridge may be checked by comparing the indication data detected by the aforementioned indication detecting means with the stored item of the reference indication storing means;

then, only when proper cartridge has been inserted, the aforementioned cartridge insertion preventing means is unlocked, thereby permitting complete insertion of the cartridge.

10. A cartridge discriminating system for an image forming apparatus comprising the image forming apparatus replaceably equipped with a developing machine for developing static latent image by supplying toner to photoreceptor, wherein while a cartridge indicating means is provided on a part of a toner housing cartridge, a developing machine indicating means is provided on a part of the developing machine and not only an indication detecting means for detecting the physical signal from the aforementioned cartridge indicating means, but a developing machine detecting means for detecting the aforementioned developing machine, when the aforementioned developing machine is attached to the image forming apparatus proper, are provided on the image forming apparatus proper side, so that when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus proper, the suitability of the type of the cartridge inserted is checked by comparing the indication item detected by the aforementioned indication detecting means with the data detected by the developing machine detecting means.

11. A cartridge discriminating system for an image forming apparatus provided with a toner housing cartridge of a composition such that the toner supplementing port is sealed with a flexible sheet folded in two plies and the toner supplementing port is sealed with a flexible sheet felded in two plies and the toner supplementing port is unsealed by stripping off the flexible sheet by pulling the turned-up portion of said flexible sheet, in which while a swingable lever form indication part for preventing stripping of the aforementioned flexible sheet is prvoded on a part of the toner housing cartridge, an indication detecting means for unlocking the stripping preventing state set by means of the swingable lever form indication part by loading the aforementioned cartridge in its specified position is provided on the cartridge inserting part on the image forming apparatus proper side.