Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus is configured to detachably receive a cartridge including a developer container and a memory storing remanufacture processing information. The apparatus includes a measurement unit for measuring a developer-related value, and a controller including a direct detection unit for detecting a first amount of developer based on the measurement value, an estimation unit for estimating a second amount of developer independently of the measurement unit, and a judgment unit for evaluating a cartridge life termination. When the remanufacture processing information indicates that the cartridge has been remanufactured, the controller instructs the judgment unit to judge the cartridge life termination based on the second (estimated) information without using the first information. Conversely, when the information indicates that the cartridge has not been remanufactured, the judgment is made based on the first (detected) information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Image-forming equipment that operates using electrophotography uses a developer (also known as a toner) to form an image. Typically, the developer is supplied from a cartridge that is removably attached to the image-forming equipment. When the developer in the cartridge is depleted, the user removes the original cartridge and installs a new one into the image-forming equipment.

[0003] In recent years, due to increased environmental awareness, efforts have been made to pre-design cartridges so that used cartridges can be remanufactured and reused in image forming equipment instead of being discarded. Remanufacturers perform operations such as disassembly, cleaning, replacement of deteriorated parts, refilling of developer, and reassembly on the collected used cartridges.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H9-114334 discloses a technique for counting the number of times a cartridge has been reused and preventing the number of reuses from exceeding operational limits. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-331539 discloses a technique in which a memory storing data indicating the remaining lifespan of each component is installed on the cartridge, and when a component is replaced during remanufacturing, the data in the memory for the replaced component is updated. The cartridge memory in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-331539 stores information related to the remaining amount of developer, and resets the remaining amount information when the developer is refilled.

[0005] According to the technology outlined in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-331539, even when remanufactured cartridges are reused, information regarding the remaining amount of developer can be updated and provided to the user at any time. However, the configuration of the remanufactured cartridge does not necessarily have to be the same as that of the cartridge when it was new. If a part of the cartridge is replaced, there is a possibility that the mechanism for detecting the remaining amount, which was functioning effectively before the replacement, may not operate properly after remanufacturing, and in such cases, the accuracy of the remaining amount information is not guaranteed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the foregoing points, this disclosure aims to improve the detection of residual developer in remanufactured cartridges. This contributes to achieving sustainable societies such as carbon reduction / circular economy societies.

[0007] One aspect of this disclosure provides an image forming apparatus capable of detachably mounting a cartridge having a container for containing a developer and a memory for storing remanufacturing processing information, the remanufacturing processing information indicating whether the cartridge has undergone remanufacturing. The image forming apparatus is used to form an image on a sheet based on input image data using the developer. The image forming apparatus includes: a measuring unit configured to measure a first value when the amount of developer contained in the container is a first amount, and to measure a second value different from the first value when the amount of developer is a second amount less than the first amount; a direct detection unit configured to detect first information related to the amount of developer in the cartridge based on the value measured by the measuring unit; and an estimation unit configured to, without using... The measurement unit estimates second information related to the amount of developer in the cartridge based on the value measured by the measurement unit; a judgment unit is configured to determine the end of the cartridge's lifespan based on the first information or the second information; and a control unit is configured to control the measurement unit, the direct detection unit, the estimation unit, and the judgment unit, and to acquire the remanufacturing process information stored in the memory, wherein the control unit controls the judgment unit to determine the end of the cartridge's lifespan based on the second information but not on the first information when the remanufacturing process information indicates that remanufacturing has been performed, and to determine the end of the cartridge's lifespan based on the first information when the remanufacturing process information indicates that remanufacturing has not been performed.

[0008] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an image forming apparatus capable of detachably mounting a cartridge having a container for containing developer and a memory for storing remanufacturing processing information indicating whether the cartridge has undergone remanufacturing. The image forming apparatus is used to form an image on a sheet based on input image data using the developer. The image forming apparatus includes: a measuring unit configured to measure a first value when the amount of developer contained in the container is a first amount, and to measure a second value different from the first value when the amount of developer is a second amount less than the first amount; a direct detection unit configured to detect first information related to the amount of developer in the cartridge based on the value measured by the measuring unit; and an estimation unit configured to estimate the amount of developer in the cartridge without using the value measured by the measuring unit. The second information is related to the first information; a judgment unit configured to determine the end of life of the cartridge based on the first information or the second information; and a control unit configured to control the measurement unit, the direct detection unit, the estimation unit, and the judgment unit, and to acquire the remanufacturing processing information stored in the memory, wherein, regarding the cartridge, the memory of the cartridge has a read-only storage area for writing the original specifications and a read-write area for writing the remanufactured specifications, and the control unit controls the judgment unit to select information from the first information and the second information to be used for determining the end of life of the cartridge based on information related to the capacity of the developer read from the read-write area of ​​the memory of the cartridge installed in the image forming apparatus, and causes the judgment unit to determine the end of life of the cartridge based on the selected information.

[0009] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an image forming apparatus capable of detachably mounting a cartridge containing developer, the image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet based on input image data using developer supplied from the mounted cartridge, the image forming apparatus comprising: a measuring unit configured to measure information relating to the amount of developer in the cartridge; and a control unit capable of performing a first mode and a second mode as a means of detecting information relating to the amount of developer in the cartridge, the first mode estimating information relating to the amount of developer from the input image data without using measurements by the measuring unit, and the second mode detecting information relating to the amount of developer using at least measurements by the measuring unit, wherein the cartridge has a memory for storing remanufacturing processing information indicating whether the cartridge has undergone remanufacturing, and the control unit determines whether the cartridge has undergone remanufacturing based on the remanufacturing processing information read from the memory of the cartridge mounted in the image forming apparatus, and if it is determined that the cartridge has undergone remanufacturing, the control unit detects the amount of developer in the mounted cartridge according to the first mode, regardless of the type of cartridge mounted.

[0010] The features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the embodiments is given by way of example. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of the embodiments.

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating another example of the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 This is an illustrative diagram used for the remanufacturing of instruction boxes.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional view of the developing unit.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the light-transmitting part of the developing unit as seen from inside the toner storage compartment.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of the controller and related units of an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 7A This is the first illustrative diagram of an example configuration of a box memory.

[0019] Figure 7B The second illustrative diagram is an example of the configuration of a box memory.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process of residual quantity detection processing via the first detection method.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process for residual quantity detection processing via a second detection method.

[0022] Figure 10A This is a flowchart illustrating a first example of the process for updating the remaining quantity information according to the first embodiment.

[0023] Figure 10B This is a flowchart illustrating a second example of the process for updating the remaining quantity information according to the first embodiment.

[0024] Figure 11A This is a first explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the box memory in a variation of the first embodiment.

[0025] Figure 11B This is a second explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the cell memory in a variation of the first embodiment.

[0026] Figure 11C The third explanatory figure is an example of the configuration of the box memory in a variation of the first embodiment.

[0027] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process for updating the remaining quantity information according to a variation of the first embodiment.

[0028] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process for updating the remaining quantity information according to the second embodiment.

[0029] Figure 14A This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a large-capacity box.

[0030] Figure 14B This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the medium-capacity box.

[0031] Figure 14C This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a small-capacity box. Detailed Implementation

[0032] In the following, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Several features are described in the embodiments, but not all of them are required, and several such features can be appropriately combined. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are given the same or similar configuration, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0033] <1. Example of the overall configuration of an image forming device> First, we will use Figure 1 and Figure 2 The overall configuration of an image forming apparatus 100 according to one embodiment is described. The image forming apparatus 100 is a device for forming an image on a sheet using toner supplied from a removably mounted (detachably mounted) cartridge. In this section, the image forming apparatus 100 is primarily described as an example of a monochrome printer. However, the technology according to this disclosure is also applicable to color printers. Furthermore, the technology according to this disclosure is also applicable to other types of image forming apparatus, such as copiers, multifunction peripherals, and fax receivers.

[0034] Figure 1 An example is shown of an image forming apparatus 100 equipped with a cartridge (also referred to as a large-capacity cartridge) 10H capable of holding a relatively large amount of toner. Figure 2 An example is shown of an image forming apparatus 100 equipped with a cartridge (also referred to as a small-capacity cartridge) 10L capable of holding a relatively small amount of toner.

[0035] refer to Figure 1 In addition to cartridge 10H, the image forming apparatus 100 also includes an exposure unit 3, a paper feed tray 20, a transport path 25, a transfer roller 30, a fixing unit 40, an discharge tray 45, a measurement unit 50, and a controller 110. Cartridge 10H includes a photosensitive element 1, a charging roller 2, a developing unit 4, and a cleaning unit 8. The developing unit 4 has a supply roller 5, a developing blade 6, a developing roller 7, a toner storage section 11H, a stirrer 12, and a light-transmitting section 13. The cleaning unit 8 has a cleaning blade 9 and a waste toner container 18H. In this embodiment, cartridge 10H is a so-called processing cartridge and is used as an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet based on input image data. The image forming apparatus 100 also includes a power supply (not shown).

[0036] The photosensitive component 1 is a cylindrical image carrier component. The photosensitive component 1 is driven by a motor (not shown) and rotates clockwise at a predetermined processing speed in the accompanying drawings. A predetermined charging voltage is applied from a power source to the charging roller 2, and the charging roller 2 charges the surface of the photosensitive component 1 to a uniform potential. The exposure unit 3 forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive component 1 by exposing the charged surface of the photosensitive component 1 with light modulated according to input image data. The exposure unit 3 can be a laser-type device that scans the surface of the photosensitive component 1 using a laser from a semiconductor laser, or it can be a solid-state exposure type device that forms an image on the surface of the photosensitive component 1 from light from multiple light-emitting elements (LEDs) arranged along the axial direction of the photosensitive component 1. The toner storage section 11H contains toner internally. The stirrer 12 has a plate-shaped member that rotates about a rotation axis and stirs the toner in the toner storage section 11H. The supply roller 5 and the developing roller 7 are rotatably supported by the developing unit 4. The supply roller 5 applies the toner supplied from the toner storage section 11H to the developing roller 7. The developing blade 6 is an elastic component that adjusts and homogenizes the thickness of the toner applied to the surface of the developing roller 7 to form a layer. A predetermined developing voltage is applied to the developing roller 7 from a power source, and the developing roller 7 uses the toner to develop the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive member 1, forming a toner image (developer image). The developing voltage facilitates the transfer of toner from the developing roller 7 to the surface of the photosensitive member 1.

[0037] As an example, the toner can be a non-magnetic single-component developer. In this case, the developing roller 7 carries the toner primarily through intermolecular forces or electrostatic forces (mirror forces). The single-component developer can include not only toner particles but also additives (e.g., wax or silica microparticles) for adjusting the toner's flowability and electrical properties. As another example, the toner can be a magnetic single-component developer containing a magnetic component, or a two-component developer containing non-magnetic toner particles and a magnetic carrier. In this case, the developing roller 7 can be a cylindrical developing sleeve with a magnet inside, and can carry the toner through its magnetism.

[0038] The paper feed tray 20 holds a bundle of sheets. During a printing job, the sheets are fed one by one from the paper feed tray 20 onto the transport path 25. The sheets are transported by multiple transport rollers and reach the transfer roller gap between the photosensitive member 1 and the transfer roller 30. A predetermined transfer voltage is applied to the transfer roller 30 from a power source, and the transfer roller 30 transfers the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive member 1 onto the sheet. The sheet with the toner image transferred is further downstream along the transport path 25 and reaches the fixing unit 40. The fixing unit 40 heats the toner image using heat from a heat source (e.g., a ceramic heater) while holding and transporting the sheet, and also uses pressure rollers to press the sheet. As a result, the toner in the toner image melts, and the toner image is fixed onto the sheet. The fixing unit 40 may have a sensor (e.g., a thermistor) for measuring the temperature of the fixing film in contact with the sheet, and may maintain the fixing temperature near a target temperature based on the sensor output. The sheet that has passed through the fixing unit 40 is discharged onto the discharge tray 45 by the discharge roller.

[0039] The cleaning blade 9 is a plate-shaped component fixedly arranged in the cleaning unit 8. The cleaning blade 9 removes the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive member 1 after the toner image is transferred onto the sheet. The waste toner container 18H contains the toner removed by the cleaning blade 9.

[0040] refer to Figure 2 Instead of cartridge 10H, cartridge 10L is installed in the image forming apparatus 100. The developing unit 4 of cartridge 10L has a toner storage section 11L, which has a smaller capacity than the toner storage section 11H of cartridge 10H. In addition, the cleaning unit 8 of cartridge 10L has a waste toner container 18L, which has a smaller capacity than the waste toner container 18H of cartridge 10H.

[0041] For example, the high-capacity cartridge 10H has a toner capacity that allows printing 12,000 A4-sized sheets at a 5% print rate. Furthermore, as... Figure 1 As shown, the developing unit 4 of the large-capacity cartridge 10H has a light-transmitting portion 13 arranged on the wall surface of the toner storage section 11H. On the other hand, the small-capacity cartridge 10L has a toner capacity that enables printing on 3000 A4-sized sheets at a 5% print rate. Furthermore, the developing unit 4 of the small-capacity cartridge 10L does not have the light-transmitting portion 13. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between cartridges 10H and 10L, they are collectively referred to as cartridge 10. This also applies to the toner storage sections 11 (11H and 11L) and the waste toner containers 18 (18H and 18L).

[0042] <2. Box Remanufacturing Process> The image forming apparatus 100 may be equipped not only with new cartridges 10, but also with remanufactured cartridges 10. The remanufacturing process may be performed by the manufacturer that produces the new cartridges 10, or by another operator authorized by the manufacturer. In either case, the operator performing the remanufacturing process is referred to here as the remanufacturer. Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram for the remanufacturing of the instruction box 10.

[0043] refer to Figure 3 The image at the upper left shows a used processing cartridge comprising a photosensitive element 1, a charging roller 2, a developing unit 4H, and a cleaning unit 8. Processing step S0 is the step where the collector collects the used processing cartridge from the user. The collector then delivers the collected processing cartridge to the remanufacturer. In processing step S1, the remanufacturer disassembles the processing cartridge into multiple parts and cleans each part. Next, in processing S2, the remanufacturer inspects each part and replaces any faulty, deteriorated, or shortened-life parts with other parts. At this point, the new parts do not necessarily need to have the same specifications as the original parts. Figure 3 In the example, the large-capacity developing unit 4H is replaced with a small-capacity developing unit 4L. The used developing unit 4H can be further disassembled into smaller components and recycled. The remanufacturer fills the replaced developing unit 4L with toner. Next, in processing step S3, the remanufacturer assembles multiple components to remanufacture the processing cartridge.

[0044] Therefore, the image forming apparatus 100 can be equipped with one of several types of cartridges 10 with different specifications. A cartridge memory M, arranged in each cartridge 10, stores information related to the specifications of the cartridge 10. The cartridge memory M can, for example, be an integrated circuit (IC) chip with a semiconductor memory chip mounted on it. Figures 1 to 3 In the example, the cartridge memory M is arranged within the housing of the cleaning unit 8. However, the cartridge memory M can be arranged in other locations within the cartridge 10. The information written in the cartridge memory M will be described in detail later.

[0045] <3. Measurement of physical properties> The measurement unit 50 of the image forming apparatus 100 measures a physical property that depends on the remaining amount of toner in the cartridge 10. In this embodiment, the measurement unit 50 measures the light-blocking rate of the toner in the toner storage section 11 of the cartridge 10 as a physical property that depends on the remaining amount of toner. This will be used... Figure 4 and Figure 5 An example of a configuration for measuring the opacity of a toner.

[0046] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional view of developing unit 4. Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the light-transmitting section 13 of the developing unit 4, as seen from the inside of the toner storage section 11H. The light-transmitting section 13 has an entrance aperture 13a, an exit aperture 13b, a first light guide path 14a, a second light guide path 14b, an entrance window 15a, and an exit window 15b. Furthermore, the measuring unit 50 has a light-emitting element 51, a light-receiving element 52, and a signal processing circuit (not shown).

[0047] The light-emitting element 51 of the measuring unit 50 is inserted into the entrance aperture 13a. The light-receiving element 52 of the measuring unit 50 is inserted into the exit aperture 13b. The first light guide path 14a guides the light emitted from the light-emitting element 51 inserted into the entrance aperture 13a to the entrance window 15a. The light that has passed through the first light guide path 14a illuminates the interior of the toner storage section 11H through the entrance window 15a. Part of the illuminated light is blocked by the toner remaining inside the toner storage section 11H, and another part enters the second light guide path 14b through the exit window 15b. The second light guide path 14b guides the light that has entered the exit window 15b to the exit aperture 13b. The light-receiving element 52 detects the light that has reached the exit aperture 13b and outputs a detection signal indicating the intensity of the detected light to the measuring unit 50.

[0048] The measuring unit 50 receives light emitted from the light-emitting element 51 through the light-transmitting part 13 via the light-receiving element 52, converts the received light signal into a voltage signal, and outputs a voltage signal. The fact that the voltage value changes according to the amount of light received is used as an indicator of the remaining amount of toner.

[0049] An example of a method for detecting information related to the remaining amount of toner based on values ​​measured by the measuring unit 50 will be described. The method for detecting information related to the remaining amount of toner described herein is direct detection, which will be described later. In this embodiment, when the toner enters the light-transmitting section 13 with the operation of the stirrer 12, the light received by the light-receiving element 52 is blocked by the toner. The voltage value associated with the light signal received by the light-receiving element 52 is different when it is blocked by the toner and when it is not blocked by the toner. When the amount of toner in the storage section 11H is large, the blocking time of the light received by the light-receiving element increases with the operation of the stirrer 12, and when the amount of toner is small, the blocking time decreases. In this way, the method of detecting information related to the remaining amount of toner by measuring the voltage value associated with the light signal received by the light-receiving element 52 is also called a light transmission type method.

[0050] The measuring unit 50 detects whether the voltage value associated with the light signal received by the light-receiving element 52 is the value corresponding to when the light is blocked. Then, the measuring unit 50 detects the time (blocking time) during which the light signal per unit operating time of the stirrer 12 is the voltage value when the light is blocked. Since the blocking time varies depending on the amount of toner in the storage unit 11H, the blocking time can be used as an indicator of the remaining amount of toner. For example, by storing information showing the relationship between the blocking time and the amount of toner in the storage unit 11H as a table in the image forming apparatus, the measuring unit 50 can detect information related to the remaining amount of toner. The blocking time when the toner dosage is large corresponds to a first value when the amount of developer in this disclosure is a first amount, and the blocking time when the toner dosage is small corresponds to a second value when the amount of developer in this disclosure is a second amount less than the first amount. The first and second amounts only need to correspond to the amount of developer, and the second amount can be greater than the first amount, or the second amount can be less than the first amount.

[0051] The physical properties dependent on the remaining amount of toner measured by the measuring unit 50 are not limited to the light-blocking time of the light-receiving element 52 described above. For example, the measuring unit 50 can measure the voltage or current value that varies according to the capacitance between a pair of electrodes arranged in the toner storage section 11 of the cartridge 10, as a physical property dependent on the remaining amount of toner. Furthermore, the measuring unit 50 can use a load sensor arranged at the location where a load is applied to the cartridge 10 to measure the voltage or current value that varies according to the weight of the cartridge 10, as a physical property dependent on the remaining amount of toner.

[0052] Furthermore, the measuring unit 50 can use a magnetic sensor arranged in the toner storage section 11 to measure a voltage or current value that varies according to the magnetic permeability of the toner around the magnetic sensor, as a physical property depending on the remaining amount of toner. Alternatively, a configuration can be adopted in which a float is provided on the upper surface of the toner in the toner storage section 11, and the position of the float follows the position of the upper surface of the toner in the toner storage section (toner level) as the toner is consumed. The measuring unit 50 can detect the position of the float as a voltage or current value using the sensor, and measure this voltage or current value as a physical property depending on the remaining amount of toner in the toner storage section (toner level).

[0053] Furthermore, as a method for detecting the remaining amount of toner, the measuring unit 50 can detect the voltage or current value that changes due to the vibration of a piezoelectric element arranged in the toner storage section 11. When the piezoelectric element is placed in the toner storage section 11, toner adheres to the surface of the piezoelectric element. Then, the vibration frequency of the piezoelectric element changes depending on the amount of toner adhered to the piezoelectric element. Utilizing this phenomenon, the measuring unit 50 can measure the voltage or current value caused by the back electromotive force generated by the piezoelectric element, as a physical property that depends on the remaining amount of toner.

[0054] Furthermore, the measuring unit 50 can measure voltage or current values ​​that vary depending on the load torque of the stirrer 12 located inside the toner storage section 11, as a physical property dependent on the remaining amount of toner. When the amount of toner in the toner storage section 11 is large, the load torque of the stirrer 12 increases.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, since the large-capacity cell 10H has a light-transmitting portion 13, it supports the measurement of physical properties used to detect information related to the remaining amount of toner. On the other hand, as... Figure 2 As shown, since the small-capacity cartridge 10L does not have a light-transmitting portion 13, it does not support the measurement of physical properties used to detect information related to the remaining amount of toner. In the following description, the measurement of physical properties used to detect information related to the remaining amount of toner is also referred to as physical remaining amount detection. The controller 110 determines this difference in the specifications of the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100 and switches the method used to detect information related to the remaining amount of toner based on the determination result.

[0056] <4. Example of controller configuration> Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of the controller 110 and related units of the image forming apparatus 100. (See reference...) Figure 6 The controller 110 includes a communication interface (I / F) 111, a printer I / F 112, an installation detection unit 113, a print control unit 115, and a remaining quantity detection unit 120. The controller 110 is connected to the measurement unit 50, the operation unit 70, and the cartridge memory M of the cartridge 10.

[0057] The operation unit 70 provides a user interface to the user of the image forming apparatus 100. The operation unit 70 may include, for example, input devices such as touch sensors, buttons, and switches, and output devices such as displays and speakers. The communication I / F 111 is the interface used by the image forming apparatus 100 to communicate with external devices (e.g., a host computer or user device). The printer I / F 112 is the interface for connecting the controller 110 to the various components constituting the image forming unit described above. The installation detection unit 113 detects whether the cartridge 10 is installed in the image forming apparatus 100. The installation of the cartridge 10 can be detected using a dedicated installation sensor or through communication with the cartridge memory M.

[0058] The printing control unit 115 and the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can be functions implemented in software by a processor (such as a central processing unit (CPU)) executing a computer program loaded from read-only memory (ROM) into random access memory (RAM).

[0059] When a print job is executed, the print control unit 115 controls the image forming unit to form an image on the sheet based on input image data that can be received via communication I / F 111. During the print job, the toner contained in cartridge 10 is consumed. Cartridge memory M stores remaining amount information indicating the amount of toner remaining in cartridge 10. Remaining amount detection unit 120 detects information related to the amount of toner remaining in cartridge 10 (e.g., remaining amount). During the print job, the print control unit 115 causes the remaining amount detection unit 120 to detect information related to the latest remaining toner amount and updates the remaining amount information in cartridge memory M based on the detection result.

[0060] The print control unit 115 also functions as a display control unit, configured to cause the display unit to display information related to the remaining toner level. For example, the print control unit 115 can cause the display unit to display remaining toner information read from the cartridge memory M. Furthermore, when the remaining toner level detected by the remaining toner detection unit 120 (detecting the remaining toner level) is less than a predetermined remaining toner threshold, the print control unit 115 can cause the display unit to display a warning message prompting the user to replace the cartridge 10. The display unit can be a display of the operation unit 70 or a display of an external device communicating with the image forming apparatus 100. As a display control unit, the print control unit 115 displays information related to the remaining toner level, displays a low remaining toner level (detecting the remaining toner level is less than a predetermined remaining toner threshold), and displays toner depletion (detecting the remaining toner level corresponds to 0%) based on the detected remaining toner level calculated by the remaining toner detection unit 120.

[0061] These displays are based on the toner remaining quantity detected by the remaining quantity detection unit 120, which combines measurement results related to the toner remaining quantity based on the physical properties of the sensor with the detection of toner consumption based on image data. The remaining quantity detection unit 120 has a direct detection unit (not shown) and a remaining quantity estimation unit (not shown). Detecting information related to the toner remaining quantity by measuring the physical properties of the sensor is performed by directly measuring the physical properties related to the toner remaining quantity using the sensor, and is called direct detection. Direct detection can also be called physical detection or sensor detection. Direct detection is the direct detection of information related to the toner remaining quantity using measurements through the sensor, and can also be called hardware detection (hardware-based detection). Conversely, the detection of toner consumption based on image data such as pixel count values ​​using the remaining quantity estimation unit does not measure physical properties with a sensor, but is converted into the amount of toner used with the printed sheet on which the image has been formed, and the toner consumption is detected and estimated, and is therefore also called indirect detection. Indirect detection using a residual quantity estimation unit involves detecting parameters and inferring that the residual quantity of toner will change if the parameters change, thus detecting information related to the residual quantity of toner. This method can also be referred to as software-based detection.

[0062] The aforementioned detection methods—using the light-receiving element 52 to detect the number of times light is turned on / off or the duration of light shading, the detection of the capacitance between electrodes, the detection of the toner surface position using the float position, the detection of the frequency using the piezoelectric element, and the detection of the load torque of the stirrer 12—are examples of direct detection. Conversely, the detection of the pixel count value using the remaining quantity estimation unit, the detection of the rotation speed of the photosensitive drum, and the detection of the rotation speed of the developing roller are not used for directly detecting information related to the remaining toner quantity, but rather for estimating the remaining toner quantity based on information related to the toner, and are therefore examples of indirect detection. In the remaining quantity detection unit 120, the direct detection unit detects information related to the remaining toner quantity obtained through direct detection, and the remaining quantity estimation unit estimates information related to the remaining toner quantity through indirect detection.

[0063] As described above, the remaining amount detection unit 120 can detect the remaining amount of toner itself by detecting the weight remaining amount, or by measuring the characteristics that change according to the change in the remaining amount of toner, or by calculating based on parameters related to the remaining amount of toner. Detection using the light-receiving element 52, which is directly related to the remaining amount of toner, is direct detection, while estimating the remaining amount of toner by calculating the pixel count value based on the number of printed sheets is indirect detection.

[0064] The state in which the remaining toner in the cartridge is less than a predetermined remaining amount threshold (the state of being less than the threshold) is also referred to as the end-of-life of the cartridge. The remaining amount threshold can be set to 0, and in this case, the state in which the cartridge is depleted of toner is the end-of-life of the cartridge. The determination by the print control unit 115 regarding whether the remaining toner in the cartridge is less than the predetermined remaining amount threshold (the state of being less than the threshold) is also referred to as the determination of the end-of-life of the cartridge.

[0065] <5. Example of a cassette storage configuration> Will use Figure 7A and Figure 7B An example describing the configuration of information stored in the box memory M of box 10. Figure 7A The contents of the information written to the cartridge memory M during the manufacture of a new cartridge 10 are shown, and Figure 7B The contents of the information updated in the cartridge memory M during the remanufacturing process of cartridge 10 are shown.

[0066] refer to Figure 7A The cartridge memory M has an original information area M1, a remanufacturing processing information area M2, and a status information area M3. The original information area M1 is the storage area for information written to the new cartridge 10 (hereinafter referred to as original information). The original information area M1 is read-only (RO). That is, after the original information is written once, information can be read from the original information area M1, but writing information to the original information area M1 is prohibited. The remanufacturing processing information area M2 is the storage area for information written to the remanufactured cartridge 10 (hereinafter referred to as remanufacturing processing information). The remanufacturing processing information area M2 is read-write (RW). That is, information can be read from and written to the remanufacturing processing information area M2. The status information area M3 is the storage area for status information related to the use of toner in the cartridge 10, regardless of whether remanufacturing has been performed. The status information area M3 is read-write (RW), and both reading from and writing information to the status information area M3 are permitted. Remanufacturing can be referred to as reuse, and remanufacturing information can be referred to as reuse information. When reuse (remanufacturing) is performed, reuse information (remanufacturing information) is stored in the remanufacturing information area M2 as the history of reuse (remanufacturing).

[0067] More specifically, the raw information includes the information items "Quantity of Printable Sheets," "Cartridge Type," and "Remaining Amount Threshold." The "Quantity of Printable Sheets" in the raw information indicates, for example, a value calculated based on the amount of toner filled in the toner reservoir 11 when manufacturing a new cartridge 10, according to the ISO / IEC 19798 standard. The "Cartridge Type" in the raw information is an identifier indicating the type of the new cartridge 10. The "Remaining Amount Threshold" indicates a threshold to be compared with information related to the remaining toner amount for determining whether the aforementioned warning message should be displayed.

[0068] The remanufacturing processing information includes information items for "Quantity of Printable Sheets" and "Carton Type". The "Quantity of Printable Sheets" in the remanufacturing processing information indicates, for example, a value calculated based on the amount of toner (re)filled in the toner reservoir 11 during the remanufacturing process of cartridge 10, according to ISO / IEC 19798 standard. Figure 7A As shown, when manufacturing a new box 10, the "Quantity of Printable Sheets" indicator for remanufacturing processing information is zero. Figure 7B In the example, during the remanufacturing process, the "Number of Printable Sheets" in the remanufacturing process information has been updated to 3000 sheets. The "Box Type" in the remanufacturing process information is an identifier indicating the type of box 10 after the remanufacturing process. For example, if the box 10 component is replaced during the remanufacturing process, the type of box 10 can be changed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the "Box Type" information item indicates whether the box is a large-capacity box or a small-capacity box. Therefore, the "Box Type" information can also be said to be information related to the capacity of the developer (toner) that can be contained in the box. Note that the box type can include information related to three or more capacities, such as a medium-capacity box, and can include information related to the box type in addition to capacity-related information.

[0069] The status information includes the information items "Quantity of Printed Sheets" and "Toner Remaining Amount". "Quantity of Printed Sheets" indicates the cumulative number of sheets used for image formation with the currently installed cartridge 10. The "Quantity of Printed Sheets" is updated each time a print job is performed. Furthermore, during the remanufacturing process of cartridge 10, the "Quantity of Printed Sheets" is reset to zero. "Toner Remaining Amount" is information related to the remaining amount, indicating the detection result of information related to the remaining toner amount by the remaining amount detection unit 120. During the manufacturing and remanufacturing processes of cartridge 10, the "Toner Remaining Amount" is initialized to 100% [%. Furthermore, each time a print job is performed, the remaining amount detection unit 120 updates the "Toner Remaining Amount" based on the detection result. In addition to "Quantity of Printed Sheets" and "Toner Remaining Amount", the status information may also include "Cumulative Pixel Count Value". The "cumulative pixel count value" indicates the cumulative number of pixels exposed and indicated as ON during the period when cartridge 10 is installed, and it is used as an indicator for the remaining toner detection unit 120 to historically detect toner consumption. The remaining toner detection unit 120 indirectly detects information related to the remaining toner level through the cumulative pixel count value and estimates the remaining toner level. The "cumulative pixel count value" is updated each time a print job is performed, and it can be initialized to zero during remanufacturing processing.

[0070] <6. Detection and estimation of remaining toner quantity> As described above, there is a possibility that the cartridge 10 component was replaced during the remanufacturing process. Therefore, even if the image forming apparatus 100 has a measurement function for measuring the physical properties of the toner remaining amount depending on the cartridge 10, there may be cases where the cartridge 10 does not support this measurement function. Therefore, in this embodiment, the remaining amount detection unit 120 determines the specifications of the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100, and switches between a first method and a second method for detecting information related to the remaining toner amount based on the determined specifications.

[0071] <6-1. First Method - Pixel Counting> The first method relies solely on the amount of toner consumed detected from the input image data. That is, when the first method is selected, the remaining amount detection unit 120 detects information related to the remaining toner amount based on the toner consumption detected from the input image data without measuring the physical properties of the cartridge 10, and determines the end of the cartridge's lifespan based on the estimated remaining toner amount. Note that the metrics used for detecting and estimating toner consumption are not limited to pixel count values. For example, the amount of toner used in conjunction with other image forming operations such as the number of printing sheets, the rotation speed of the developing roller, the rotation speed of the photosensitive element, the image area ratio, the image density index, and the detection of toner application based on the rendering results of the page description language can be used as a metric. The first method is a method of detecting and estimating information related to the remaining toner amount only through indirect detection, rather than direct detection.

[0072] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process for residual quantity detection using the first method. First, in step S11, the residual quantity detection unit 120 acquires residual quantity information ("toner remaining quantity" in the status information area M3) read from the cartridge memory M. Next, in step S12, the residual quantity detection unit 120 calculates a pixel count value representing the amount of toner consumed based on the input image data of the print job.

[0073] The pixel count value here represents the cumulative number of pixels (also called dots) exposed by exposure unit 3. The remaining amount detection unit 120 can calculate the pixel count value, for example, by counting the number of pixels in the rasterized and binarized input image data where exposure is indicated as ON. Next, in step S13, the remaining amount detection unit 120 uses a predefined conversion formula or conversion table to convert the pixel count value calculated in step S12 into a value expressing toner consumption as a percentage.

[0074] The "cumulative pixel count value" (not shown) and the "total number of printable pixels" (not shown) of the printed image data are stored in a memory tag. The remaining amount detection unit 120 compares or calculates the ratio between the preset "total number of printable pixels" (not shown) and the "cumulative pixel count value" to calculate the amount of toner remaining to be notified to the user. In this embodiment, the remaining amount detection unit 120 calculates the ratio between the "total number of printable pixels" and the "cumulative pixel count value" corresponding to the "number of printable sheets" when the toner dosage is filled in the toner storage unit 11, and detects the remaining toner amount "%". The print control unit 115 notifies the user by displaying the remaining toner amount "%" on the display of the operation unit 70 or an external device.

[0075] Further details will be described below. In this embodiment, the number of printable sheets that can form (print) an image when repeatedly printing a predetermined image pattern is referred to as the "number of printable sheets". For example, if the number of printable sheets is 3000, then 3000 sheets (A4 size paper, 4% print rate) of the predetermined image (used as a reference) can be printed.

[0076] <Regarding the total number of pixels> The number of exposed pixels in the predetermined image (A4 size paper, 4% print rate) used as a reference is 1,349,379 pixels per sheet. Therefore, when 3,000 sheets are the number of printable sheets with the toner dosage filled in the toner reservoir, 1,349,379 × 3,000 = 404,813,7000 is stored in the memory label as the "total number of printable pixels" when the toner is full (100% toner remaining).

[0077] <Calculation of remaining toner> Next, the calculation of the remaining toner amount to be notified to the user will be described. For example, the case of printing 1000 predetermined images as a reference sheet will be described. The remaining amount detection unit 120 calculates the remaining toner amount using the following formula and notifies the user as the remaining toner amount "%".

[0078] ("Total printable pixels" - "Cumulative pixel count" consumed by printing) / ("Total printable pixels") = (4048137000 - 1349379 × 1000) / (4048137000) ≈ 66% Here, the remaining toner detection unit 120 detects 66% remaining toner. The print control unit 115 notifies the user by displaying the remaining toner "%" on the display of the operation unit 70 or an external device.

[0079] Similarly, when the number of printable sheets is 10,000, 1,349,379 × 10,000 = 1,349,379,0000 is stored in the memory tag as the "total number of printable pixels" when the sheet is full (100% toner remaining), and the remaining amount detection unit 120 calculates the remaining toner. When 1,000 sheets of a predetermined image used as a reference have been printed, the remaining amount detection unit 120 calculates the remaining toner as follows.

[0080] ("Total printable pixels" - "Cumulative pixel count" consumed by printing) / ("Total printable pixels") = (13493790000 - 1349379 × 1000) / (13493790000) = 90 "% In pixel counting, the actual toner consumption per pixel tends to vary depending on whether the image pattern consists of continuous or isolated pixels, or on the environment of the image forming equipment or the condition of the developing apparatus. Therefore, the pixel count value can be multiplied by a coefficient that takes into account the image pattern, environment, and conditions. Pixel counting does not directly detect the actual amount of toner consumed. It is used to estimate and calculate toner consumption based on the quantity of printed sheets containing the image and the average pixel count to be printed (A4 paper, 4% print rate). Therefore, while the actual toner consumption depends on the data to be printed (print rate), the toner consumption calculated using pixel counting assumes that toner has already been consumed at a 4% print rate regardless of the data being printed. Consequently, the toner consumption calculated using pixel counting may not necessarily match the actual toner consumption.

[0081] Next, in step S14, the remaining amount detection unit 120 estimates and detects information related to the latest toner remaining amount based on the value indicated by the current remaining amount information and the value derived in step S13. Since the first method uses pixel count values, it is also referred to as a pixel counting method. Furthermore, since the first method detects information related to the toner remaining amount only through indirect detection, it is also referred to as an indirect detection method.

[0082] <6-2. Second Method - Combination> The second method uses both physical properties measured for box 10 and toner consumption detected from the input image data. That is, when the second method is selected, the remaining toner detection unit 120 detects the remaining toner based on the physical properties measured by the measurement unit 50 and the toner consumption detected from the input image data. In other words, the second method detects information related to the remaining toner by using both direct and indirect detection. The remaining toner detection unit 120 detects information related to the remaining toner based on both direct and indirect detection.

[0083] Figure 9This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process for residual quantity detection using the second method. First, in step S21, the residual quantity detection unit 120 acquires residual quantity information read from the cartridge memory M. Next, in step S22, the residual quantity detection unit 120 calculates a pixel count value representing the amount of toner consumed based on the input image data of the print job. Next, in step S23, the residual quantity detection unit 120 uses a predefined conversion formula or conversion table to convert the pixel count value calculated in step S22 into a value representing the toner consumption as a percentage. Next, in step S24, the residual quantity detection unit 120 estimates and detects information related to the temporary residual toner quantity by subtracting the toner consumption value derived in step S23 from the value indicated by the current residual quantity information.

[0084] Next, in step S25, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 causes the measurement unit 50 to measure the physical properties of the cartridge 10 depending on the remaining toner quantity. Next, in step S26, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines whether the toner consumption amount derived from the pixel count value should be corrected. The reason for correcting the toner consumption amount is that the toner consumption amount obtained through indirect detection derived from the pixel count value may contain variations due to factors such as the installation environment of the equipment, printing conditions, individual differences in the equipment, and the degree of component degradation. Conversely, in the case of at least a certain amount of toner remaining, direct detection of the measurement results based on the physical properties of the cartridge 10 correlates well with the remaining toner quantity. Therefore, when the remaining toner quantity obtained through indirect detection is not less than a certain reference value and the difference between the remaining toner quantity obtained through indirect detection and the remaining toner quantity obtained through direct detection exceeds a predetermined threshold, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine that the toner consumption amount obtained through indirect detection should be corrected.

[0085] The following will describe the determination of the necessity of correction or the switching of the detection method in step S26. For example, for the detection signal of the light-receiving element 52, the measurement unit 50 counts whether the light reception is ON / OFF at a predetermined sampling rate (e.g., 300 Hz) for a predetermined time (e.g., 1 second). In the cartridge 10, when the stirrer 12 rotates, the light received by the light-receiving element 52 is blocked by the toner in the toner storage unit 11H. When there is sufficient toner in the toner storage unit 11H, the light to the light-receiving element 52 is blocked and enters the OFF state as the stirrer 12 rotates. However, when the toner dosage is small, even if the stirrer 12 rotates, the light to the light-receiving element 52 is not blocked, and the ON state lasts for a longer time. For the detection signal of the light-receiving element 52, the count of the ON / OFF state change of the light-receiving element 52 at a predetermined sampling rate during the predetermined time decreases. When the count value of the change of the light-receiving ON / OFF state is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold (e.g., a count of 50), the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine that the light blocking by the toner has become rare, and the reliability of the detection of information related to the remaining amount of toner obtained by direct detection has decreased.

[0086] This judgment result can be used as an example of the conditions for determining the necessity of correction or switching the detection method in step S26. When the remaining toner is sufficient, the remaining amount detection unit 120 detects information related to the remaining toner by direct detection, and in the low remaining amount range, the remaining amount detection unit 120 can switch to indirect detection (such as pixel counting). The remaining amount detection unit 120 can switch the method for detecting information related to the remaining toner based on the fact that the remaining toner is less than (or equal to or less than) the remaining amount threshold.

[0087] For example, when the number of ON / OFF state changes of the light-receiving element 52 is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines that the reliability of the measurement result of direct detection of physical properties using the light-receiving element 52 has decreased. Direct detection is not limited to detecting the remaining amount of toner using the light-receiving element 52, and can also be used to determine whether the remaining amount of toner is less than or equal to the threshold by detecting the remaining amount of toner using the capacitance between electrodes, the position of the float, the frequency of the piezoelectric element, or the load torque of the stirrer 12. In step S26, if the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines that the remaining amount of toner obtained by direct detection is sufficient, the process can proceed to step S27, and if it determines that the remaining amount of toner is insufficient, the process can proceed to step S29. Furthermore, if the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines that information related to the remaining amount of toner can be detected with high reliability by direct detection, the process can proceed to step S27, and if it determines that it cannot be detected with high reliability, the process can proceed to step S29.

[0088] In step S26, when the remaining amount of toner obtained by indirect detection is not less than a certain reference value and the difference between the remaining amount of toner obtained by indirect detection and the remaining amount of toner obtained by direct detection exceeds a predetermined threshold, the remaining amount detection unit 120 can determine that the toner consumption should be corrected.

[0089] If it is determined that the toner consumption should be corrected, in step S27, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 uses the measurement results of the physical properties obtained through direct detection to correct the toner consumption. For example, when the remaining toner corresponding to the measurement results of the physical properties is greater than the temporary remaining toner, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can subtract the offset corresponding to the magnitude of the difference from the toner consumption. Furthermore, when the remaining toner corresponding to the measurement results of the physical properties is less than the temporary remaining toner, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can add the offset corresponding to the magnitude of the difference to the toner consumption. Additionally, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can detect the remaining toner based on information related to the remaining toner obtained through direct detection. In this case, the temporary remaining toner obtained through indirect detection is not used. By doing so, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 switches between direct and indirect detection according to the remaining toner, and when the remaining toner is sufficient, it performs the detection of the remaining toner obtained through direct detection.

[0090] Next, in step S28, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 detects the latest remaining toner quantity by subtracting a correction value for the toner consumption from the value indicated by the current remaining quantity information. On the other hand, if it is determined that the toner consumption should not be corrected, then in step S29, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 makes the temporary remaining toner quantity obtained through indirect detection (the remaining toner quantity derived using the uncorrected toner consumption) derived in step S24 the detection result of information related to the latest remaining toner quantity. That is, in step S29, the remaining toner quantity based on the information related to the remaining toner quantity (toner consumption) obtained through indirect detection is the detection result of information related to the latest remaining toner quantity.

[0091] Because the second method combines indirect detection using pixel count values ​​with direct detection using the physical properties of box 10, it is also referred to as a combined method. Note that the second method is not limited to using... Figure 9 The method described. For example, if the temporary toner remaining amount does not drop below a certain reference value, the toner remaining amount corresponding to the measurement results of the physical properties of box 10 can be used as the detection result without using the toner consumption amount derived from the pixel count value. Figure 9 In step S22 and step S23, information related to the remaining amount of toner can be detected indirectly, and in step S25, information related to the remaining amount of toner can be detected directly.

[0092] <7. Switching of methods for detecting residual toner> The method for detecting information related to the remaining amount of toner can be switched between the first method and the second method depending on various conditions. In this section, several embodiments related to the switching of the method for detecting information related to the remaining amount of toner will be described.

[0093] <7-1. First Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines whether the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100 supports the measurement of physical properties (i.e., physical remaining quantity detection) using the measurement unit 50. Then, when it is determined that the cartridge 10 does not support physical remaining quantity detection, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 estimates information related to the remaining toner quantity according to a first method (i.e., pixel counting method). Furthermore, when it is determined that the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 detects information related to the remaining toner quantity according to a second method (i.e., combination method).

[0094] (1) Judgment based on physical remaining quantity detection of supporting information The cartridge memory M can store support information indicating whether cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection. In this case, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection based on the support information read from the cartridge memory M. Figure 7A and Figure 7B The "box type" shown is an example of supporting information. For example, a box identified by "box type" = "1" supports physical remaining quantity detection, while a box identified by "box type" = "2" does not. Alternatively, "quantity of printable sheets" can be considered as supporting information. For example, it is assumed that large-capacity boxes with toner capacity exceeding a certain baseline value always support physical remaining quantity detection. In this case, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether the remanufactured box supports physical remaining quantity detection by comparing the "quantity of printable sheets" in the remanufacturing processing information with the baseline value.

[0095] The judgment based on this supporting information does not require operation of the measurement unit 50. Therefore, the risk of malfunctions caused by the operation of the measurement unit 50 despite the installation of the box 10 which does not support physical residual quantity detection (e.g., inappropriate exposure of the photosensitive element 1 due to light emission from the measurement unit 50) can be avoided.

[0096] (2) Judgment based on physical residual quantity detection of measurement attempts The remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection by having the measurement unit 50 perform an attempt to measure the physical properties of the toner remaining quantity in the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100. For example, suppose the physical property is the light-blocking rate of the toner in the cartridge 10. In this case, if the measurement unit 50 is instructed to emit light but no light that has passed through the cartridge 10 is detected, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine that the cartridge 10 does not support physical remaining quantity detection.

[0097] Since the judgment based on this measurement attempt does not rely on the supporting information in the cartridge memory M, it works effectively even if the information in the cartridge memory M does not accurately reflect the specifications of the remanufactured cartridge 10. Therefore, it avoids situations where inaccurate information in the cartridge memory M leads to the combination method not being used to support the detection of physical remaining amount of cartridge 10 and a decrease in the detection accuracy of information related to the remaining amount of toner.

[0098] (3) Determining whether remanufacturing has been carried out The remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing based on remanufacturing processing information read from the cartridge memory M of the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100. For example, when it is determined that the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100 has undergone remanufacturing processing, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 performs the aforementioned determination of whether the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection. On the other hand, when it is determined that the cartridge 10 has not undergone remanufacturing processing (i.e., it is new), the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can select a default detection method for the new cartridge 10. The default detection method can be a first method or a second method. In this way, by selecting a default detection method when the cartridge 10 has not undergone remanufacturing processing, the determination regarding support for physical remaining quantity detection can be omitted, and processing efficiency can be improved.

[0099] Figure 7A and Figure 7B The "Quantity of Printable Sheets" in the remanufacturing processing information shown is an example of information indicating whether cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing. For example, when the "Quantity of Printable Sheets" in the remanufacturing processing information indicates zero (or other initial value), it is determined that cartridge 10 has not yet undergone remanufacturing processing. On the other hand, when the "Quantity of Printable Sheets" in the remanufacturing processing information indicates a value other than the initial value, it means that the "Quantity of Printable Sheets" has been updated during the remanufacturing processing of cartridge 10, and therefore it is determined that cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing. Alternatively, the "Cart Type" in the remanufacturing processing information can (e.g., depending on whether it indicates an initial value) be considered as remanufacturing processing information.

[0100] (4) Switching of detection methods based on toner filling amount Additionally, when it is determined that cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can switch the method of detecting information related to the remaining quantity of toner based on the amount of toner filled in cartridge 10. Specifically, even when physical remaining quantity detection is supported, if the amount of toner filled in cartridge 10 is less than a predetermined filling amount threshold, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can detect information related to the remaining quantity of toner based on a pixel counting method rather than a combination method. On the other hand, when physical remaining quantity detection is supported, if the amount of toner filled in cartridge 10 exceeds the filling amount threshold, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can detect information related to the remaining quantity of toner based on a combination method. For example, when the "number of printable sheets" in the remanufacturing processing information is considered as filling amount information, the filling amount threshold can be equal to "5000 sheets". In this case, the accuracy of the detection results can be improved by avoiding the use of a combination method in low remaining quantity cases where the measurement results of the physical properties of cartridge 10 are not well correlated with the remaining quantity of toner. Note that when physical remaining quantity detection is supported, regardless of the fill amount threshold, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can estimate and detect information related to the remaining amount of toner based on the pixel counting method.

[0101] Note that the remanufacturing process information, support information, and filler quantity information described so far may be indicated by individual information items, or two or more of them may be indicated by a common single information item.

[0102] (5) Example of processing flow Will use Figure 10A and Figure 10B An example describing the flow of a process that can be performed by the controller 110 in the first embodiment.

[0103] Figure 10A This is a flowchart illustrating a first example of the process for updating remaining quantity information according to the first embodiment. When the image forming apparatus 100 performs a print job, the controller 110 performs... Figure 10A The remaining quantity information is updated and processed.

[0104] First, in step S111, the print control unit 115 reads the original information, remanufacturing processing information, and status information from the cartridge memory M of the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100. The print control unit 115 then transmits the read information to the remaining quantity detection unit 120.

[0105] Next, in step S113, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines whether the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection. For example, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection by referring to support information read from the cartridge memory M. Alternatively, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can have the measurement unit 50 perform a trial measurement depending on the physical properties of the remaining toner, and determine whether the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection based on the result of the trial. If it is determined that the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection, the process proceeds to step S117. On the other hand, if it is determined that the cartridge 10 does not support physical remaining quantity detection, the process proceeds to step S118.

[0106] In step S117, the remaining amount detection unit 120 selects the second method (i.e., the combination method) and detects the remaining amount of toner based on the physical properties measured by the measurement unit 50 and the toner consumption based on the input image data. The detailed flow of the remaining amount detection process is as follows: Figure 9 As described.

[0107] In step S118, the remaining amount detection unit 120 selects the first method (i.e., pixel counting method) and estimates the remaining amount of toner based on the toner consumption estimated from the input image data. At this time, the remaining amount detection unit 120 can detect information related to the remaining amount of toner obtained through direct detection. The remaining amount detection unit 120 can estimate the remaining amount of toner solely using the toner consumption from the pixel counting method, without using information related to the remaining amount of toner obtained through direct detection as the final remaining amount of toner. The detailed flow of the remaining amount detection process is as follows: Figure 8 As described.

[0108] Next, in step S119, the print control unit 115 causes the display of the operation unit 70 or an external device to display remaining information indicating the amount of toner remaining detected by the remaining amount detection unit 120 in step S117 or S118. Furthermore, the print control unit 115 updates the status information stored in the cartridge memory M to reflect the latest remaining toner amount. The print control unit 115 updates the "remaining toner amount" in the status information and may also update the "quantity of printed sheets" based on the amount of sheet consumed in the print job.

[0109] In step S119, when the information related to the remaining toner level detected by the remaining amount detection unit 120 is less than a predetermined remaining amount threshold, the print control unit 115 can display a warning message prompting the user to replace cartridge 10 along with the remaining amount information. Furthermore, when the image forming apparatus 100 is powered on, the print control unit 115 can read the status information "remaining toner level" (and, if necessary, "cumulative pixel count value") and pre-configure a low remaining amount display or toner depletion display based on the detected remaining toner level. The startup display is based on the updated results of the detected remaining toner level up to the most recent time and is not limited to the determination of the number of printed sheets.

[0110] Here, the print control unit 115 has the function of determining the end of the cartridge's lifespan based on information related to the remaining toner level. Furthermore, the print control unit 115 has the function of acquiring and controlling information related to the remaining toner level detected by the remaining toner level detection unit 120. The information related to the remaining toner level detected by the remaining toner level detection unit 120 includes first information acquired through direct detection, second information acquired through indirect detection, and reuse information (remanufacturing processing information). The print control unit 115 can perform the determination of the end of the cartridge 10's lifespan based on the information related to the remaining toner level acquired through direct detection and the information related to the remaining toner level acquired through indirect detection.

[0111] The determination of the end of life of cartridge 10 in step S119 can be performed as follows. The print control unit 115 with the determination function determines the end of life of cartridge 10 based on first information obtained by direct detection or second information obtained by indirect detection. The print control unit 115 determines whether the first information obtained by direct detection or the second information obtained by indirect detection is less than the remaining amount threshold, and if it is less, the print control unit 115 determines that the life of cartridge 10 has ended.

[0112] The print control unit 115, acting as a control unit, acquires remanufacturing processing information and determines whether the remanufacturing processing information indicates that remanufacturing has already been performed. If the remanufacturing processing information indicates that remanufacturing has been performed, the print control unit 115 determines whether the second information obtained through indirect detection is less than the remaining amount threshold, and if it is less, determines that the cartridge 10 has reached the end of its lifespan. At this time, the print control unit 115 does not use the first information related to the remaining toner obtained through direct detection to determine the end of the cartridge's lifespan. The print control unit 115 determines the end of the cartridge 10's lifespan based on the second information related to the remaining toner obtained through indirect detection. Note that the print control unit 115 can perform the detection of information related to the remaining toner obtained through direct detection or the acquisition of information itself without using the information related to the remaining toner obtained through direct detection to determine the end of the cartridge 10's lifespan. Furthermore, the form of indirect detection is not limited, as long as it is not a direct detection by measurement, such as pixel count, information related to the rotation speed of the photosensitive drum, or information related to the rotation speed of the developing roller.

[0113] On the other hand, when the print control unit 115 determines that the remanufacturing processing information does not indicate that remanufacturing has been performed (i.e., when it determines that the cartridge is new), it determines whether the first information obtained by direct detection is less than the remaining amount threshold, and if it is less, it determines that the cartridge 10 has reached the end of its lifespan. Here, if the end of the lifespan of the cartridge 10 is determined, the developer in the cartridge 10 is empty or nearly empty, and therefore the cartridge needs to be replaced. Note that when the cartridge 10 is new, the print control unit 115 can determine the end of the lifespan of the cartridge 10 by indirect detection using second information related to the remaining amount of toner.

[0114] Then, Figure 10A The remaining quantity information update process is complete. When the information related to the remaining toner quantity is less than the remaining quantity threshold, the user who has seen the displayed warning message can remove the used cartridge 10 from the image forming apparatus 100 and install a new cartridge 10 into the image forming apparatus 100. The used cartridge 10 can be collected by a collector and undergo remanufacturing processing by a remanufacturer.

[0115] Figure 10B This is a flowchart illustrating a second example of the process for updating remaining quantity information according to the first embodiment. When the image forming apparatus 100 performs a print job, the controller 110 performs... Figure 10B The remaining quantity information is updated and processed.

[0116] First, in step S111, the print control unit 115 reads the original information, remanufacturing processing information, and status information from the cartridge memory M of the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100. The print control unit 115 then transmits the read information to the remaining quantity detection unit 120.

[0117] Next, in step S112, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines whether the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing based on the remanufacturing processing information read from the cartridge memory M. For example, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing by referring to the "quantity of printable sheets" or "cartridge type" in the remanufacturing processing information. If it is determined that the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing, the process proceeds to step S113. On the other hand, if it is determined that the cartridge 10 has not undergone remanufacturing processing, the process proceeds to step S115.

[0118] In step S113, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines whether the box 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection. For example, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether the box 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection by referring to support information read from the box memory M or by having the measurement unit 50 attempt to measure physical properties. If it is determined that the box 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection, the process proceeds to step S114. On the other hand, if it is determined that the box 10 does not support physical remaining quantity detection, the process proceeds to step S118.

[0119] In step S114, the remaining amount detection unit 120 determines whether the toner filling amount of cartridge 10 exceeds a predetermined filling amount threshold. For example, the "number of printable sheets" in the remanufacturing process information can be regarded as filling amount information indicating the toner filling amount in cartridge 10 during the remanufacturing process. If the toner filling amount exceeds the filling amount threshold, the process proceeds to step S117. On the other hand, if the toner filling amount does not exceed the filling amount threshold, the process proceeds to step S118.

[0120] In step S115, the remaining quantity information update process branches according to the remaining quantity detection method to be selected for the new box 10. If a combination method should be selected for the new box 10, the process proceeds to step S117. On the other hand, if a pixel counting method should be selected for the new box 10, the process proceeds to step S118.

[0121] The subsequent steps S117 to S119 are related to the use of Figure 10AThe same processing steps described herein are omitted here for brevity. In step S117, the remaining amount detection unit 120 detects the remaining amount of toner using a second method (combination method) based on first information related to the remaining amount of toner obtained through direct detection and second information related to the remaining amount of toner obtained through indirect detection. Furthermore, in step S118, the remaining amount of toner is detected based on second information related to the remaining amount of toner obtained through indirect detection as a first detection method. The remaining amount detection unit 120 determines the method for detecting the remaining amount of toner based on whether the toner filling amount exceeds a filling amount threshold. When the toner filling amount information exceeds the filling amount threshold, the print control unit 115 detects the remaining amount of toner using the second method (combination method) of direct detection and indirect detection. On the other hand, when the toner filling amount information is less than the filling amount threshold, the remaining amount of toner is detected using the second information obtained through the first detection method (indirect detection). Therefore, the end of the cartridge's lifespan can be determined by combining methods or indirect detection based on whether the toner filling amount exceeds the filling amount threshold.

[0122] <7-2. Scenario Verification> To verify the effectiveness of the above embodiments, consider the three types of scenarios shown in the table below.

[0123] [Table 1] In scenario X1, a small-capacity cartridge containing 3000 printable sheets is remanufactured after use. Through remanufacturing, the developing unit is replaced with a large-capacity unit supporting physical remaining quantity detection, increasing the number of remanufactured printable sheets to 12000. In scenario X1, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine, by referring to the "number of printable sheets" or "cartridge type" in the remanufacturing process information updated during the remanufacturing process, that the remaining toner quantity can be detected with high accuracy using a combination method for the remanufactured cartridge. Alternatively, even if the information in the cartridge memory has not been accurately updated, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine, by having the measuring unit 50 attempt to measure physical properties, that information related to the remaining toner quantity can be detected with high accuracy using a combination method.

[0124] In scenario X2, a small-capacity cartridge containing 3000 printable sheets is remanufactured after use. Through remanufacturing, the developing unit is replaced with a large-capacity unit, but the toner is only filled to approximately 1 / 4 of the total capacity, and the number of printable sheets after remanufacturing remains 3000. In scenario X2, if the detection method is selected solely by attempting to measure physical properties using measurement unit 50, a combination method is chosen; however, when considering the number of printable sheets, a pixel counting method is selected. When information related to the remaining toner is below the fill threshold (e.g., 5000 sheets), the physical property measurement results do not correlate well with the remaining toner; therefore, in this case, a pixel counting method can be selected.

[0125] In scenario X3, a large-capacity cartridge containing 12,000 printable sheets is remanufactured after use. Through remanufacturing, the developing unit is replaced with a smaller-capacity unit that does not support physical remaining quantity detection, and the number of remanufactured printable sheets is reduced to 3,000. In scenario X3, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether a pixel counting method should be selected for the remanufactured cartridge by referring to the "number of printable sheets" or "cartridge type" in the remanufacturing process information updated during the remanufacturing process. Alternatively, even if the information in the cartridge memory has not been accurately updated, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can appropriately determine whether a pixel counting method should be selected by having the measuring unit 50 attempt to measure physical properties.

[0126] According to the first embodiment described above, when the configuration of the remanufactured box has changed from its configuration when it was new, the remaining toner dosage in the remanufactured box is detected by a detection method suitable for the configuration of the remanufactured box. Therefore, since the accuracy of the remaining amount information is improved, timely arrangement of replacement boxes is supported, and productivity reduction caused by toner depletion can be effectively avoided.

[0127] <7-3. Variation> As a variation of the first embodiment, the support information in the cartridge memory M may indicate whether it is unknown whether the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection. When the support information read from the cartridge memory M indicates that it is unknown whether the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 may cause the measurement unit 50 to attempt a measurement of the physical properties depending on the remaining amount of toner. On the other hand, when the support information read from the cartridge memory M explicitly indicates whether the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 is not required to cause the measurement unit 50 to attempt a measurement of the physical properties.

[0128] Will use Figures 11A to 11C An example describing the configuration of information stored in the box memory M in this variant. Figure 11AThis shows the contents of the information written to the cartridge memory M when a new cartridge 10 is manufactured. Figure 7A In comparison, Figure 11A In the remanufacturing processing information area M2, the information item at address "12h" is changed from "Box Type" to "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection". "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" indicates, for example, one of the following three candidate values: • "0": Supports the unknown • "1": Physical remaining quantity detection is not supported. • "2": Supports physical remaining quantity detection In other words, when the "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" indicator in the remanufacturing processing information is "0", it is unknown whether box 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection. When the "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" indicator in the remanufacturing processing information is "1", box 10 does not support physical remaining quantity detection. When the "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" indicator in the remanufacturing processing information is "2", box 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection.

[0129] exist Figure 11A In the example, since box 10 is new and has not yet undergone remanufacturing, both the "Quantity of Printable Sheets" and "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" in the remanufacturing information indicate zero. Figure 11B The contents of the information written to the cartridge memory M during the remanufacturing process of cartridge 10 are shown. Figure 11B In the example, since the "Number of Printable Sheets" in the remanufacturing process information indicates a non-zero value and the "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" indicates "0", the remaining quantity detection unit 120 knows that box 10 has undergone remanufacturing and whether it supports physical remaining quantity detection is unknown. Then, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 causes the measurement unit 50 to attempt to measure the physical properties and rewrites the value of "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" based on the result of the attempt. For example, when the measurement of the physical properties using the measurement unit 50 is successful and it is found that box 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection, such as... Figure 11C As shown, the value of "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" is rewritten to "2". After rewriting the value of "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" in this way, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether support for physical remaining quantity detection is available simply by referring to the value of "Physical Remaining Quantity Detection" without needing to further attempt to measure physical properties.

[0130] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process for updating the remaining quantity information based on this variant example. When the image forming apparatus 100 performs a print job, the controller 110 performs... Figure 12 The remaining quantity information is updated and processed.

[0131] First, in step S121, the print control unit 115 reads the original information, remanufacturing processing information, and status information from the cartridge memory M of the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100. The print control unit 115 then transmits the read information to the remaining quantity detection unit 120.

[0132] Next, in step S122, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines whether the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing based on the remanufacturing processing information read from the cartridge memory M. For example, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing by referring to the "quantity of printable sheets" in the remanufacturing processing information. If it is determined that the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing, the process proceeds to step S123. On the other hand, if it is determined that the cartridge 10 has not undergone remanufacturing processing, the process proceeds to step S129.

[0133] In step S123, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 refers to the support information included in the remanufacturing process information and determines whether the box 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection or whether the support is unknown. If the support is unknown, the process proceeds to step S125. On the other hand, if the support information clearly indicates whether the support is present or not, the process proceeds to step S124.

[0134] In step S124, the remaining quantity information update process branches based on the presence or absence of support explicitly indicated by the support information. If the support information indicator box 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection, the process proceeds to step S130 because the combination method is available. On the other hand, if the support information indicator box 10 does not support physical remaining quantity detection, the process proceeds to step S131 because the combination method is unavailable.

[0135] In step S125, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 causes the measurement unit 50 to attempt to measure the physical properties. Next, in step S126, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 updates the support information for the remanufacturing processing information in the cartridge memory M based on the attempt result in step S125. If the attempt is successful, the cartridge 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection. Therefore, the support information is updated to indicate the existence of a supported value. On the other hand, if the physical property measurement attempt fails, the cartridge 10 does not support physical remaining quantity detection. Therefore, the support information is updated to indicate the absence of a supported value.

[0136] In step S127, subsequent processing branches based on the attempt result in step S125. If the attempt is successful and it is determined that box 10 supports physical remaining quantity detection, the process proceeds to step S128. On the other hand, if the attempt fails and it is determined that box 10 does not support physical remaining quantity detection, the process proceeds to step S131.

[0137] In step S128, the remaining amount detection unit 120 determines whether the toner filling amount of the cartridge 10 exceeds a predetermined filling amount threshold. For example, the "number of printable sheets" in the remanufacturing processing information can be regarded as filling amount information indicating the toner filling amount. If the toner filling amount exceeds the filling amount threshold, the process proceeds to step S130. On the other hand, if the toner filling amount does not exceed the filling amount threshold, the process proceeds to step S131.

[0138] In step S129, the remaining quantity information update process branches according to the remaining quantity detection method to be selected for the new cell 10. If a combination method should be selected for the new cell 10, the process proceeds to step S130. On the other hand, if a pixel counting method should be selected for the new cell 10, the process proceeds to step S131.

[0139] In step S130, the remaining amount detection unit 120 selects the second method (i.e., the combination method) and detects the remaining amount of toner based on the physical properties measured by the measurement unit 50 and the toner consumption detected from the input image data. The detailed process of the remaining amount detection is as follows: Figure 9 As described.

[0140] In step S131, the remaining amount detection unit 120 selects the first method (i.e., pixel counting method) and estimates the remaining amount of toner based on the toner consumption estimated from the input image data. The detailed process of the remaining amount detection is as follows: Figure 8 As described.

[0141] Next, in step S132, the print control unit 115 causes the operation unit 70 or the display of an external device to display remaining toner information related to the remaining toner amount detected by the remaining toner detection unit 120 in step S130 or S131. Furthermore, the print control unit 115 updates the status information stored in the cartridge memory M to reflect the latest remaining toner amount. The print control unit 115 updates the "remaining toner amount" in the status information and may also update the "quantity of printed sheets" based on the amount of sheet consumed in the printing job.

[0142] In step S132, when the information related to the remaining amount of toner detected by the remaining amount detection unit 120 is less than a predetermined remaining amount threshold, the print control unit 115 can cause the display to show a warning message prompting the user to replace cartridge 10 along with the remaining amount information. Then, Figure 12 The remaining quantity information update process has ended.

[0143] Note that although an example of updating the supporting information in memory based on the attempt results of the physical property measurement in step S126 has been described here, the final detection method selection result, including the threshold determination of the toner filling amount in step S128, can be written into memory. After the final detection method selection result is written into memory once, the remaining amount detection unit 120 can select subsequent detection methods based on the written information.

[0144] Furthermore, in the above-described variation, the accuracy of the remaining toner information can be improved by using a detection method that utilizes a configuration suitable for remanufacturing the box. Moreover, since the measurement of physical properties is attempted only when the information read from the box memory indicates whether the box supports physical remaining quantity detection and this is unknown, the number of measurement attempts can be reduced, and the processing can be made more efficient.

[0145] <Other variations> As another variation of the first embodiment, the detection method can be selected based on the consistency / inconsistency of the "box type" between the original information stored in the box memory M and the remanufacturing process information. In this case, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 compares the "box type" stored in the original information area M1 of the box memory M with the "box type" stored in the remanufacturing process information area M2 to determine consistency / inconsistency. If the two are consistent, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 considers the remanufactured box 10 to be the same as or substantially equivalent to the original box in terms of specifications. Then, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 detects information related to the remaining toner quantity using the same method as the remaining quantity detection method associated with the "box type" in the original information. For example, if the original box type is a type that supports physical remaining quantity detection, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 detects information related to the remaining toner quantity of the remanufactured box 10 using a combination of direct and indirect detection. If the original box type does not support physical remaining quantity detection, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 detects information related to the remaining amount of toner in the remanufactured box 10 through indirect detection such as pixel counting.

[0146] On the other hand, if the original box type and the box type in the remanufacturing processing information are inconsistent, there is a high possibility that the specifications have changed due to remanufacturing. Therefore, considering the risk of reduced reliability of the measurement results of physical residual quantity detection, the residual quantity detection unit 120 detects information related to the residual amount of toner through indirect detection such as pixel counting. This switching based on consistency / inconsistency can be used in conjunction with the various judgments / conditions (e.g., physical residual quantity detection support information, measurement attempt results, fill amount threshold) mentioned above (1) to (4). That is, when the "box type" is consistent, it is also possible to switch from the combination method to the pixel counting method by additional conditions, provided that the original method is selected first. Conversely, when they are inconsistent, variations such as using the combination method when the measurement attempt is successful or sufficient toner fill amount can be guaranteed are also allowed, provided that the pixel counting method is used as the general rule.

[0147] <7-4. Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines whether the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100 has undergone remanufacturing. Then, when it is determined that the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 detects information related to the remaining toner quantity according to a first method (i.e., pixel counting method). Furthermore, when it is determined that the cartridge 10 has not undergone remanufacturing (i.e., it is new), the remaining quantity detection unit 120 detects information related to the remaining toner quantity according to a second method (i.e., combination method). In this embodiment, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 does not necessarily need to determine whether the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100 supports physical remaining quantity detection.

[0148] As mentioned above, Figure 7A and Figure 7B The "Quantity of Printable Sheets" in the remanufacturing processing information shown is an example of information indicating whether cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing. The "Cartridge Type" in the remanufacturing processing information is another example of information indicating whether cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing. The remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100 has undergone remanufacturing processing based on this remanufacturing processing information read from the cartridge memory M.

[0149] Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process for updating remaining quantity information according to the second embodiment. When the image forming apparatus 100 performs a print job, the controller 110 performs... Figure 13 The remaining quantity information is updated and processed.

[0150] First, in step S211, the print control unit 115 reads the original information, remanufacturing processing information, and status information from the cartridge memory M of the cartridge 10 installed in the image forming apparatus 100. The print control unit 115 then transmits the read information to the remaining quantity detection unit 120.

[0151] Next, in step S213, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 determines whether the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing based on the remanufacturing processing information read from the cartridge memory M. For example, the remaining quantity detection unit 120 can determine whether the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing by referring to the "quantity of printable sheets" or "cartridge type" in the remanufacturing processing information. If it is determined that the cartridge 10 has undergone remanufacturing processing, the process proceeds to step S218. On the other hand, if it is determined that the cartridge 10 has not undergone remanufacturing processing, the process proceeds to step S217.

[0152] In step S217, the remaining amount detection unit 120 selects the second method (i.e., the combination method) and detects the remaining amount of toner based on the physical properties measured by the measurement unit 50 and the toner consumption estimated from the input image data. The detailed process of the remaining amount detection is as follows: Figure 9 As described.

[0153] In step S218, the remaining amount detection unit 120 selects the first method (i.e., pixel counting method) and estimates the remaining amount of toner based on the toner consumption estimated from the input image data. The detailed process of the remaining amount detection is as follows: Figure 8 As described.

[0154] Next, in step S219, the print control unit 115 causes the display of the operation unit 70 or an external device to display remaining information indicating the amount of toner remaining detected by the remaining amount detection unit 120 in step S217 or S218. Furthermore, the print control unit 115 updates the status information stored in the cartridge memory M to reflect the latest remaining toner amount. The print control unit 115 updates the "remaining toner amount" in the status information and may also update the "quantity of printed sheets" based on the amount of sheet consumed in the printing job.

[0155] In step S219, when the information related to the remaining amount of toner detected by the remaining amount detection unit 120 is less than a predetermined remaining amount threshold, the print control unit 115 determines that this is the end of the life of cartridge 10. Then, the print control unit 115 can cause the display to show a warning message prompting the user to replace cartridge 10 along with the remaining amount information.

[0156] Then, Figure 13The remaining quantity information update process is complete. When the information related to the remaining toner quantity is less than the remaining quantity threshold, the user who has seen the displayed warning message can remove the used cartridge 10 from the image forming apparatus 100 and install a new cartridge 10 into the image forming apparatus 100. The used cartridge 10 can be collected by a collector and undergo remanufacturing processing by a remanufacturer.

[0157] According to the second embodiment described above, when a remanufactured cartridge is installed in an image forming apparatus, the remaining amount of toner in the remanufactured cartridge is estimated by pixel counting rather than by a combination that can be used for a new cartridge. Typically, the content of the remanufacturing process performed on a used cartridge, as well as the quality and amount of toner used to refill the cartridge, vary between remanufacturers. In a remanufactured cartridge, components that have not been adequately cleaned or have deteriorated may be used. Such changes in the specifications, configuration, or nature of the remanufactured cartridge reduce the accuracy of detecting information related to the remaining toner amount by means of physical quantity detection designed under the premise of a new cartridge. Therefore, by using only pixel counting to detect information related to the remaining toner amount when the remanufactured cartridge is installed in the image forming apparatus, the reduced accuracy of the detection results related to the remaining toner amount is avoided, and the accuracy of the remaining amount information can be improved.

[0158] <8. Other Embodiments> This specification primarily illustrates two types of cartridges (i.e., large-capacity cartridges and small-capacity cartridges), but the technology disclosed herein is also applicable to situations where more types of cartridges can be installed in an image forming apparatus. For example, Figures 14A to 14C An example of three different boxes that can be installed in the same image forming device is shown. Figure 14A The box 10H shown is a processing box that includes a large-capacity toner storage section 11H and a large-capacity waste toner container 18H. Figure 14B The box 10M shown is a processing box that includes a medium-capacity toner storage section 11M and a medium-capacity waste toner container 18M. Figure 14C The illustrated box 10L is a processing box comprising a small-capacity toner storage section 11L and a small-capacity waste toner container 18L. Boxes 10H and 10M have a light-transmitting section 13 and support physical residual quantity detection. On the other hand, box 10L does not have a light-transmitting section 13 and does not support physical residual quantity detection. Box 10H may have two or more (or two or more types of) components for physical residual quantity detection.

[0159] According to this disclosure, the detection of residual developer in remanufactured cartridges can be improved. Therefore, it can contribute to achieving a sustainable society, such as a carbon-reduced / circular economy society.

[0160] Embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented by providing software (including computer program products of computer programs) that performs the functions of the above embodiments to a method or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and the computer (central processing unit (CPU) or microprocessor unit (MPU) of the method or apparatus) reads and executes the computer program.

[0161] While this disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the appended claims should be given the broadest interpretation to cover all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus capable of detachably mounting a cartridge having a container for containing a developer and a memory for storing remanufacturing processing information, the remanufacturing processing information indicating whether the cartridge has undergone remanufacturing, the image forming apparatus being used to form an image based on input image data on a sheet using the developer, the image forming apparatus comprising: A measuring unit is configured to measure a first value when the amount of developer contained in the container is a first amount, and to measure a second value different from the first value when the amount of developer is a second amount less than the first amount. A direct detection unit is configured to detect first information related to the amount of developer in the cartridge based on the value measured by the measurement unit; An estimation unit is configured to estimate second information relating to the amount of developer in the cartridge without using the value measured by the measuring unit; The judgment unit is configured to determine the end of the lifespan of the box based on the first information or the second information. as well as A control unit is configured to control the measurement unit, the direct detection unit, the estimation unit, and the judgment unit, and to acquire the remanufacturing processing information stored in the memory. The control unit controls the determination unit to determine the end of the lifespan of the box based on the second information, not the first information, when the remanufacturing processing information indicates that remanufacturing has been performed. If the remanufacturing processing information indicates that remanufacturing has not yet been carried out, the determination of the end of the life of the box is made based on the first information.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The measuring unit measures the value corresponding to the remaining amount of developer using a light transmission method, and The cartridge includes a light-transmitting section for measuring a value corresponding to the remaining amount of developer in the light-transmitting mode.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The values ​​measured by the measuring unit include at least one of the following: a value related to the light blocking effect of the developer in the cartridge, a value related to the electrostatic capacitance of the developer, and a value related to the weight of the developer.

4. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: The image forming unit is configured as follows: Charge the photosensitive element. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive component by exposing the charged component according to the input image data. The electrostatic latent image is developed using the developer to form a developer image on the surface of the photosensitive element; in The control unit is capable of counting the number of exposed pixels based on the input image data, and The control unit controls the judgment unit to: If the remanufacturing processing information indicates that remanufacturing has been performed, the determination of the end of the cell's lifespan is made using a value obtained by counting the number of exposed pixels, not based on the first information. If the remanufacturing processing information indicates that the remanufacturing has not yet been performed, the first information and the value obtained by counting the number of exposed pixels are used to determine the end of the lifespan of the cell.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The control unit controls the judgment unit to: If the remanufacturing processing information indicates that remanufacturing has been performed, the determination of the end of the cell's lifespan is made using a value obtained by counting the number of exposed pixels, not based on the first information. If the remanufacturing processing information indicates that the remanufacturing has not yet been performed, the determination of the end of the lifespan of the cell is made by correcting the value obtained by counting the number of exposed pixels using the first information.

6. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It also includes a display control unit, in, The control unit controls the display control unit to make the display unit display information related to the amount of developer detected.

7. An image forming apparatus capable of detachably mounting a cartridge having a container for containing a developer and a memory for storing remanufacturing processing information, the remanufacturing processing information indicating whether the cartridge has undergone remanufacturing, the image forming apparatus being used to form an image based on input image data on a sheet using the developer, the image forming apparatus comprising: A measuring unit is configured to measure a first value when the amount of developer contained in the container is a first amount, and to measure a second value different from the first value when the amount of developer is a second amount less than the first amount. A direct detection unit is configured to detect first information related to the amount of developer in the cartridge based on the value measured by the measurement unit; An estimation unit is configured to estimate second information relating to the amount of developer in the cartridge without using the value measured by the measuring unit; The judgment unit is configured to determine the end of the lifespan of the box based on the first information or the second information. as well as A control unit is configured to control the measurement unit, the direct detection unit, the estimation unit, and the judgment unit, and to acquire the remanufacturing processing information stored in the memory. Specifically, regarding the box, the box's memory has a read-only memory area for writing to the original specifications and a read-write area for writing to the remanufactured specifications, and The control unit controls the determination unit to select information from the first information and the second information to determine the end of the life of the cartridge based on information related to the capacity of the developer read from the read / write area of ​​the memory of the cartridge installed in the image forming apparatus, and causes the determination unit to determine the end of the life of the cartridge based on the selected information.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, The memory of the cartridge stores fill amount information indicating the amount of developer filled during the remanufacturing of the cartridge, and The control unit controls the judgment unit to: If the developer fill amount indicated by the fill amount information read from the memory exceeds a predetermined threshold, a determination of the end of the cartridge's lifespan is made based on the first information obtained by the direct detection unit. If the amount of developer indicated by the fill amount information read from the memory is less than the predetermined threshold, the determination of the end of the cartridge's lifespan is made based on the second information estimated by the estimation unit.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, The control unit causes the measuring unit to attempt to measure information related to the amount of developer in the cartridge, and determines information related to the amount of developer contained in the cartridge based on the result of the attempt.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, The box has a memory storing support information indicating whether the box supports measurements using the measurement unit, and The control unit determines, based on the supporting information read from the memory, how to detect information related to the amount of developer contained in the cartridge.

11. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein, The measuring unit measures the value corresponding to the remaining amount of developer using a light transmission method, and The cartridge includes a light-transmitting section for measuring a value corresponding to the remaining amount of developer in the light-transmitting mode.

12. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein, The values ​​measured by the measuring unit include at least one of the following: a value related to the light blocking effect of the developer in the cartridge, a value related to the electrostatic capacitance of the developer, and a value related to the weight of the developer.

13. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, It also includes a display control unit, in, The control unit controls the display control unit to make the display unit display information related to the amount of developer detected.

14. An image forming apparatus capable of detachably mounting a cassette containing developer, the image forming apparatus being used to form an image on a sheet based on input image data using developer supplied from the mounted cassette, the image forming apparatus comprising: A measuring unit configured to measure information relating to the amount of developer in the cartridge; The control unit is capable of executing a first mode and a second mode as methods for detecting information related to the amount of developer in the cartridge. The first mode estimates information related to the amount of developer from the input image data without using measurements by the measuring unit, and the second mode detects information related to the amount of developer using at least measurements by the measuring unit. The box includes a memory for storing remanufacturing information indicating whether the box has undergone remanufacturing. The control unit determines whether the cartridge has undergone remanufacturing based on the remanufacturing processing information read from the memory of the cartridge installed in the image forming apparatus. If it is determined that the cartridge has undergone remanufacturing, the control unit detects the amount of developer in the installed cartridge according to the first method, regardless of the type of cartridge installed.

Images