Image forming apparatus with maintenance procedure

• US 5,200,779 A
• Filed: 06/06/1991
• Issued: 04/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nawata, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendegrass, Joan H.
• Application Number:
  US07/711,074
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 355/200, 355/204-209
• US Class Current: 399/24
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/553 Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job

Abstract

A copying machine including an image forming section, a control unit, and memory means. The control unit has a memory storing data for controlling the image forming section. The memory means stores maintenance data which is generated every time said image forming means is operated and which represents maintenance items to be performed on the image forming section. When the machine is set in maintenance mode, the data is read from the memory. At the same time, at least one of the components of said image forming section, which needs to be replaced by a new one, is selected in accordance with the data stored in the memory means. The selected component is locked at a desired position, thereby to facilitate the replacing of the selected component and to reduce the time and cost required for maintenance work.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

(a) means for forming an image on an image bearing member, said forming means including a plurality of movable components;

(b) a means for storing data including (1) a condition required for operating the forming means so as to perform an image formation, (2) a parameter used to check a time for maintenance of the forming means, (3) a first data item indicating a part of the forming means which should be subjected to maintenance in the case where the time for maintenance is checked, and (4) a procedure for maintenance of the image forming means;

(c) means for controlling the forming means in accordance with at least one of the data of the storing means to move the movable components in the vicinity of the part of the forming means which should be subjected to maintenance; and

(d) means for setting the forming means in a maintenance mode in which the forming means is checked in accordance with the parameter stored in the storing means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable components include at least one of a developing device, a paper deck and a cleaning blade of a cleaning unit.

3. An image forming apparatus comprising:

(a) means for inputting operational data;

(b) means for reading information recorded on an original;

(c) means for supplying recording material;

(d) means for forming an image corresponding to the information coding recording material;

(e) first memory means for storing maintenance data representing maintenance items which are formed on said image forming means when the apparatus is set in a maintenance mode;

(f) second memory means for storing data to control said image forming means;

(g) means for displaying the information stored by the storing means when the image forming means is set to said maintenance mode; and

(h) means for controlling said image forming means in accordance with the data stored in said second memory means, said control means causing said display means to display the data stored in said first memory means, when the apparatus is set in the maintenance mode by operating said input means, to select at least one of the components of said image forming means, which needs to be replaced by a new one, in accordance with the data stored in said first memory means, and to lock the selected component at a desired position and disconnect said material supplying means from said image forming means to facilitate replacing of the selected component.

4. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

(a) means for forming an image on an image bearing member including (1) a paper feeding mechanism for feeding paper sheets used to output the image formed on the image bearing member as a hard copy, and (2) paper sheet storing means being movable toward and away from the paper feeding mechanism, for storing paper sheets to be fed by the paper feeding mechanism;

(b) means for storing data including (1) a condition required for operating the forming means so as to perform an image formation, (2) a parameter used to check a time for maintenance of the forming means, (3) a first data item indicating a part of the forming means which should be subjected to maintenance in the case where the time for maintenance is checked, and (4) a procedure for maintenance of said part of the image forming means;

(c) means for controlling the forming means in accordance with at least one of the data of the storing means; and

(d) means for setting the forming means in a maintenance in which the forming means is checked in accordance with the parameter stored in the storing means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the forming means includes a plurality of movable components.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the movable components include at least one of a developing device, a paper deck and a cleaning blade of a cleaning unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controlling means moves the movable components in the vicinity of the part of the forming means which should be subjected to maintenance.