Toner cartridge storing control data for an image forming apparatus

• US 8,331,807 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba America Business Solutions Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Homma, Toru, Tohata, Nobuo, Nakajima, Takahiro, Hashidume, Hiroshi, Ajima, Hisanobu, Hatano, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYDER, G.M.
• Application Number:
  US13/310,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20120076520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 399/12, 399/110, 399/111, 399/258, 399/262
• US Class Current: 399/12
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0849 Detection or control means for the developer concentration
• 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 15/0868 Toner cartridges 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, acting as an active closure for the developer replenishing opening
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1878 Electronically readable memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1889 for auto-setting of process parameters, lifetime, usage
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0697 being an electronically readable memory

Abstract

An image forming apparatus mounted with a toner cartridge having a memory unit includes a toner cartridge which stores a plurality of control data depending on toner in the memory unit, an acquisition unit which selects one of the plurality of control data in the memory unit and acquires image formation-related information and a setting unit which sets image formation parameters on the basis of the image formation-related information.

Claims

1. An image forming method comprising:

acquiring identification data of a toner cartridge by a control unit of an image forming apparatus, when the toner cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus, the toner cartridge comprising a memory storing information corresponding to image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic and/or ambient conditions; and

reading the information from the memory and controlling an image forming process based on the information to change the image formation process parameters, when the identification data acquired matches with identifying data previously stored in the image forming apparatus and controlling the image forming process normally without reading the information and without changing the image formation process parameters, when the identification data acquired does not match with the identifying data.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

extracting the information from a table in which a plurality of data are set depending on environmental temperature.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

extracting the information from a table in which a plurality of data are set depending on environmental humidity.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

extracting the information from a table in which a plurality of data are set depending on life time.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

extracting the information from a table in which a plurality of data are set depending on number of printed sheets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the toner characteristic is toner resistance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the toner characteristic is a particle diameter of toner.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the toner characteristic is a lot number for manufacturing toner.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is based on color information.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

measuring toner resistance; and

controlling the image forming process based on the information and the measured toner resistance.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an acquiring unit which acquires identification data of a toner cartridge, when the toner cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus, the toner cartridge comprising a memory storing information corresponding to image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic and/or ambient conditions;

a reading unit which reads the information from the memory when the identification data acquired matches with identifying data previously stored in the image forming apparatus and does not read the information from the memory when the identification data acquired does not match with the identifying data; and

a control unit which controls an image forming process based on the information to change the image formation process parameters, when the identification data acquired matches with the identifying data, and controls the image forming process normally without changing the image formation process parameters, when the identification data acquired does not match with the identifying data.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the reading unit extracts the information from a table in which a plurality of data are set depending on environmental temperature.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the reading unit extracts the information from a table in which a plurality of data are set depending on environmental humidity.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the reading unit extracts the information from a table in which a plurality of data are set depending on life time.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the reading unit extracts the information from a table in which a plurality of data are set depending on number of printed sheets.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the toner characteristic is toner resistance.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the toner characteristic is a particle diameter of toner.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the toner characteristic is a lot number for manufacturing toner.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the information is based on color information.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, comprising:

a measuring unit which measures toner resistance; and

wherein the control unit controls the image forming process based on the information and the measured toner resistance.