Toner cartridge with memory for image forming apparatus

• US 8,554,091 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• 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, Hashidume, Hiroshi, Ajima, Hisanobu, Tohata, Nobuo, Nakajima, Takahiro, Hatano, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David
• Application Number:
  US13/683,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20130077981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 399/12, 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. A toner cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus having an acquiring unit configured to acquire identification data from the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus;

a reading unit configured to read parameter information including image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic or ambient conditions, from the toner cartridge when the acquired identification data matches identifying data previously stored in the image forming apparatus, and not read the parameter information from the toner cartridge when the acquired identification data does not match the identifying data; and

a control unit configured to control an image forming process based on the parameter information including the image formation process parameters when the identification data matches the identifying data, and control the image forming process without regard to the image formation process parameters when the acquired identification data does not match the identifying data, the toner cartridge comprising;

a memory configured to store the identification data of the toner cartridge and the parameter information including the image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic or ambient conditions.

2. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store a table in which at least a value of one of the image formation process parameters is associated with a temperature value.

3. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store a table in which at least a value of one of the image formation process parameters is associated with a humidity value.

4. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store a table in which at least a value of one of the image formation process parameters is associated with a life time.

5. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to a table in which at least a value of one of the image formation process parameters is associated with a number of printed sheets.

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

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

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

9. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the parameter information is based on color information.

10. A toner cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus having an acquiring unit configured to acquire identification data from the toner cartridge;

a reading unit configured to read parameter information including image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic or ambient conditions, from the toner cartridge; and

a control unit configured to control an image forming process based on the parameter information, the toner cartridge comprising;

a memory configured to store the identification data and the parameter information including the image formation process parameters, and a table in which at least a value of one of the image formation process parameters is associated with a temperature value.

11. A toner cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus having an acquiring unit configured to acquire identification data from the toner cartridge;

a reading unit configured to read parameter information including image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic or ambient conditions, from the toner cartridge; and

a control unit configured to control an image forming process based on the parameter information, the toner cartridge comprising;

a memory configured to store the identification data and the parameter information including the image formation process parameters, and a table in which at least a value of one of the image formation process parameters is associated with a humidity value.

12. A toner cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus having an acquiring unit configured to acquire identification data from the toner cartridge;

a reading unit configured to read parameter information including image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic or ambient conditions, from the toner cartridge; and

a control unit configured to control an image forming process based on the parameter information, the toner cartridge comprising;

a memory configured to store the identification data and the parameter information including the image formation process parameters, and a table in which at least a value of one of the image formation process parameters is associated with a life time.

13. A toner cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus having an acquiring unit configured to acquire identification data from the toner cartridge;

a reading unit configured to read parameter information including image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic or ambient conditions, from the toner cartridge; and

a control unit configured to control an image forming process based on the parameter information, the toner cartridge comprising;

a memory configured to store the identification data and the parameter information including the image formation process parameters, and a table in which at least a value of one of the image formation process parameters is associated with a number of printed sheets.

14. A toner cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus having an acquiring unit configured to acquire identification data from the toner cartridge;

a reading unit configured to read parameter information including image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic or ambient conditions from the toner cartridge; and

a control unit configured to control an image forming process based on the parameter information, the toner cartridge comprising;

a memory configured to store the identification data and the parameter information including the image formation process parameters, the toner characteristic being toner resistance.

15. A toner cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus having an acquiring unit configured to acquire identification data from the toner cartridge;

a reading unit configured to read parameter information including image formation process parameters dependent on toner characteristic or ambient conditions from the toner cartridge; and

a control unit configured to control an image forming process based on the parameter information, the toner cartridge comprising;

a memory configured to store the identification data and the parameter information including the image formation process parameters, the toner characteristic being a particle diameter of toner.