Printing apparatus and

Abstract

To provide a printer capable of reducing a work burden of a user to a change of information on a consumable material.SOLUTION: The cartridge 100 has a memory 110 which stores information relating to the initial state of the ink 101. The controller 30 of the printer 10 acquires the new cartridge remaining amount initial values 121 and the recycled cartridge remaining amount initial values 122 from the memory 110 of the cartridge 100 attached to the attachment case 27 (S22, S23). The controller 30 executes processes related to the ink 101 (S24, S25, S29, S30, and S35) based on the acquired new ink remaining amount initial values 121 and the like. As a result, information on the initial state of the ink 101 is managed in the memory 110 of the cartridge 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present specification relates to a technology for managing consumable replacement parts. [Background technology]

[0002] Various technologies for managing consumables used in devices have been proposed in the past. Patent Document 1 below describes a technology for storing destination information in the EEPROM of a cartridge. The EEPROM in Patent Document 1 stores "shipping destination" data that the printer should use to control the printing operation. When a cartridge is installed, the printer reads the "shipping destination" data stored in the EEPROM of the installed cartridge before the printing operation, and determines whether the shipping region of the cartridge matches the shipping region of the printer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-72781 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When determining when to replace a replacement part such as a cartridge, it is necessary to manage the initial amount of ink or toner contained in the replacement part. In a configuration in which the selectable initial amount of consumables is stored as a fixed value in the printer and the amount is set on the printer side based on information about the installed cartridge, if a new amount is added or an existing amount is changed after the printer is released for sale, it becomes necessary to update the printer's firmware. As a result, there is a problem in that the user's workload increases each time the usable amount is changed.

[0005] The present specification has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a printing device that can reduce the workload of a user when changing information related to consumable supplies. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the printing device of this specification comprises a replacement part, a mounting unit to which the replacement part can be attached and detached, and a controller, wherein the replacement part has a storage unit that stores consumables used for printing, and a memory that stores information regarding the initial state of the consumables, and the controller executes an acquisition process that acquires information regarding the initial state from the memory of the replacement part attached to the mounting unit, and a consumables process that executes processing related to the consumables based on the information regarding the initial state acquired by the acquisition process. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the printing device according to this specification, the workload on the user for changing information about consumable supplies can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are external perspective views of a printer 10, in which (A) shows a closed state with a cover 11 closed, and (B) shows an open state with the cover 11 open. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the printer 10. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram of a printer 10. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an IC substrate 105. [Figure 5] 10 is a diagram showing examples of two equilibrium calculation parameters and the state of ink 101 in the cartridge 100 and subtank 37. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart of cartridge processing. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart of a CTG authentication process. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart of an equilibrium calculation process. [Figure 9]10 is a flowchart of a remaining amount subtraction process. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart of ink information display processing. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart of a reset process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An embodiment that embodies the printing device of this specification will be described below. Note that the embodiment described below is merely one example of the invention according to this specification, and it goes without saying that the embodiment can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this specification. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a printer 10 according to this embodiment, with FIG. 1(A) showing a closed state with a cover 11 closed and FIG. 1(B) showing an open state with the cover 11 open. In the following description, as shown in FIG. 1, the up-down direction 1, the left-right direction 2, and the front-rear direction 3 are defined based on the direction in which the printer 10 is viewed from the front.

[0010] (Printer 10 Overview) FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of printer 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, printer 10 is a device that prints images on sheets using an inkjet method, and includes a roughly rectangular parallelepiped housing 13. Inside housing 13, there are provided a paper feed tray 15, a paper feed roller 16, a transport roller 17, a head 21 having a plurality of nozzles 19, a platen 22 facing head 21, a discharge roller 23, a discharge tray 25, an attachment case 27 to / from which cartridge 100 is attached / detached, a tube 29, a controller 30 (see FIG. 3), and a drive source 31 (see FIG. 3). Tube 29 connects a connection portion 28 of head 21 to a subtank 37 of attachment case 27, which will be described later.

[0011] The drive source 31 includes, for example, a motor and a reduction gear connected to the motor's output shaft, and rotates the feed roller 16, the transport roller 17, the discharge roller 23, etc. The printer 10 drives the drive source 31 to rotate the feed roller 16 and the transport roller 17, thereby transporting the sheet S stored in the paper feed tray 15 to the position of the platen 22. The printer 10 ejects ink 101 supplied from a cartridge 100 attached to an attachment case 27 through a tube 29, through the nozzles 19 of the head 21. For example, the printer 10 includes a carriage that moves back and forth in a main scanning direction that intersects with the direction in which the sheet S is transported by the transport roller 17. The head 21 is mounted on this carriage. The printer 10 ejects ink 101 through the nozzles 19 of the head 21 while moving the carriage from one side to the other in the main scanning direction. As a result, the ink 101 lands on the sheet S supported by the platen 22, printing an image on the sheet S. An image is printed on a partial area (one pass's worth) of the sheet S facing the head 21. Next, the printer 10 causes the transport rollers 17 to transport the sheet S so that the area where the next image is to be printed faces the head 21. The printer 10 alternately repeats these processes to print an image on one sheet S. The printer 10 rotates the discharge rollers 23 to discharge the sheet S on which the image has been printed onto the discharge tray 25. The sheet S discharged onto the discharge tray 25 can be removed from an opening 26 formed in the front surface 13A of the printer 10.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1(B), an opening 13B is formed on the front surface 13A of the housing 13 at the right end in the left-right direction 2. The housing 13 is provided with a cover 11 that switches between an open state (FIG. 1(B)) in which the opening 13B is open and a closed state (FIG. 1(A)) in which the opening 13B is closed. The cover 11 is rotatable relative to the housing 13 around its lower end in the up-down direction 1, and switches between the open state and the closed state. An attachment case 27 (accommodation section 41) is provided in the space inside the housing 13 that extends beyond the opening 13B.

[0013] The printer 10 also has a cover sensor 33 (see FIG. 3). The cover sensor 33 may be, for example, a mechanical sensor such as a switch that the cover 11 engages or disengages, or an optical sensor that blocks or transmits light depending on the position of the cover 11. The cover sensor 33 outputs different signals to the controller 30 (see FIG. 3) depending on the position of the cover 11. For example, the cover sensor 33 outputs a low-level signal to the controller 30 when the cover 11 is placed in a closed position. The cover sensor 33 also outputs a high-level signal, the signal level of which is higher than the low-level signal, to the controller 30 when the cover 11 is placed in a position different from the closed position. This allows the controller 30 to detect the open / closed state of the cover 11 based on the detection signal from the cover sensor 33.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the mounting case 27 includes a contact 35, an attachment sensor 36 (see FIG. 3), a subtank 37 (see FIG. 2), an ink amount sensor 38, and a joint 39 (see FIG. 2). The mounting case 27 can accommodate four cartridges 100, one for each of the four colors: black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y). That is, the mounting case 27 includes four contacts 35, attachment sensors 36, subtanks 37, ink amount sensors 38, and joints 39, one for each of the four cartridges 100. These four sets have the same configuration except for the different colors of the ink 101. Therefore, the following description will focus on the configuration of one set. The number of cartridges 100 that can be accommodated in the mounting case 27 is not limited to four, and may be one, five, or more.

[0015] The mounting case 27 is box-shaped and has a storage compartment 41 that stores the mounted cartridge 100. The storage compartment 41 of the mounting case 27 is partitioned by walls that define the top, bottom, left, right, and rear sides, and has an opening 41A formed on the front side. The opening 41A of the storage compartment 41 communicates with the opening 13B of the housing 13. That is, when the cover 11 is opened, the opening 13B exposes the opening 41A of the storage compartment 41 of the mounting case 27 to the outside of the printer 10. The cartridge 100 is inserted rearward in the front-to-rear direction 3 through the opening 13B of the housing 13 and mounted in the mounting case 27. The cartridge 100 is removed through the opening 13B by being pulled forward from the mounting case 27 in the front-to-rear direction 3.

[0016] The cartridge 100 includes a housing 103 and a lid 104. A liquid chamber 103A that stores ink 101 is formed inside the housing 103. The top of the liquid chamber 103A is closed by the lid 104. An IC board 105 on which a memory 110 is mounted is provided on the lid 104. The memory 110 is, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM. Note that the memory 110 is not limited to an EEPROM, and may be another nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory.

[0017] The contact 35 is attached to, for example, the upper wall 41B of the accommodating section 41. The contact 35 is provided at a position that contacts an electrode 111 (see FIG. 3) provided on the IC board 105 of the cartridge 100 when the cartridge 100 is attached to the attachment case 27. The contact 35 is electrically connected to the controller 30 (see FIG. 3) of the printer 10. The electrode 111 is exposed on the upper surface of the IC board 105 so as to be electrically conductive with the contact 35. That is, when the cartridge 100 is attached to the attachment case 27, the electrode 111 is electrically conductive with the contact 35. The controller 30 acquires information from the memory 110 of the IC board 105 through the contact 35 and the electrode 111. The controller 30 also writes information to the memory 110 of the IC board 105 through the contact 35 and the electrode 111.

[0018] In this specification, the term "acquire" is used as a concept that does not necessarily require a request. In other words, the process of the controller 30 reading information from the memory 110 without a request is also included in the concept of "the controller 30 acquiring information." Therefore, the term "acquire" is a concept that includes both the case where the controller 30 actively reads information from the memory 110 and the case where the cartridge 100 outputs information from the memory 110 in response to a power supply.

[0019] The mounting sensor 36 is provided, for example, on the upper wall 41B of the accommodation section 41. The mounting sensor 36 is a sensor for detecting whether or not the cartridge 100 is mounted in the mounting case 27. The mounting sensor 36 is, for example, an optical sensor, and outputs a different signal (such as a high-level or low-level signal) to the controller 30 depending on whether or not a rib (not shown) provided on the cartridge 100 is detected. This allows the controller 30 to detect the mounting of the cartridge 100 based on the detection signal of the mounting sensor 36. Note that the method for detecting the mounting of the cartridge 100 is not limited to a method using an optical sensor, and may also be a method using, for example, a gear that rotates in response to the mounting of the cartridge 100.

[0020] The mounting case 27 also includes four sub-tanks 37 corresponding to the four cartridges 100, respectively. The sub-tanks 37 are located further rearward than the rear wall of the storage section 41. The sub-tanks 37 are partitioned by six walls that separate them into upper and lower, left and right, and front and rear, and are capable of storing ink 101. In the following description, when distinguishing between the ink 101 stored in the liquid chamber 103A of the cartridge 100 and the ink 101 stored in the sub-tank 37, the ink 101 stored in the liquid chamber 103A will be referred to as the first ink 101A, and the ink 101 stored in the sub-tank 37 will be referred to as the second ink 101B. When the ink 101 in the two locations is to be referred to collectively, it will be referred to as ink 101.

[0021] An ink amount sensor 38 is provided on the bottom wall of the subtank 37. The ink amount sensor 38 outputs a different signal to the controller 30 depending on whether the amount of second ink 101B stored in the subtank 37 has decreased to less than a predetermined amount. For example, if the amount of second ink 101B is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount and the liquid level of the second ink 101B is above the detection position of the ink amount sensor 38, the ink amount sensor 38 outputs a low-level signal to the controller 30. On the other hand, if the amount of second ink 101B is less than the predetermined amount and the liquid level of the second ink 101B is below the detection position of the ink amount sensor 38, the ink amount sensor 38 outputs a high-level signal to the controller 30. This allows the controller 30 to detect whether the amount of second ink 101B has decreased to less than a predetermined amount based on the detection signal of the ink amount sensor 38.

[0022] This predetermined amount is, for example, an amount that allows printing on several hundred sheets S. Furthermore, for example, when the amount of second ink 101B falls below the predetermined amount, the cartridge 100 becomes empty. Therefore, in the printer 10, the height of the ink 101 liquid level 131 (see FIG. 5) becomes the height of the detection position of the ink amount sensor 38, and even after the cartridge 100 becomes empty, it is possible to print several hundred sheets. As the ink amount sensor 38, for example, an electrode-type ink amount sensor having two electrodes that detects the electrical continuity between the electrodes to detect whether the amount of ink in the subtank 37 is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount can be used. Note that the ink amount sensor 38 is not limited to an electrode-type sensor, and other sensors such as an ultrasonic liquid level sensor may also be used.

[0023] An outlet 37A is formed in the rear wall on the rear side of the subtank 37. The outlet 37A is provided at the lower end of the rear wall and is connected to the tube 29. This allows the subtank 37 to communicate with the connection part 28 of the head 21 through the tube 29 from the outlet 37A. In other words, the second ink 101B stored in the subtank 37 is supplied to the head 21 from the outlet 37A through the tube 29.

[0024] An atmosphere communication passage 37B is formed in the upper wall of the subtank 37. The subtank 37 is connected to the outside of the printer 10 through the atmosphere communication passage 37B and is open to the atmosphere. An atmosphere communication passage 104A is formed in the lid 104 of the cartridge 100. The liquid chamber 103A of the cartridge 100 is connected to the outside of the cartridge 100 through the atmosphere communication passage 104A and is open to the atmosphere. The configuration of the atmosphere communication passages 37B and 104A is not particularly limited as long as it allows the subtank 37 and the liquid chamber 103A to be open to the atmosphere. For example, the subtank 37 and the cartridge 100 may be provided with a mechanism (such as a spring or a valve) that opens and closes the atmosphere communication passages 37B and 104A in response to the installation of the cartridge 100 in the installation case 27.

[0025] An inlet 37C is formed at the lower end of the front wall of the subtank 37. The inlet 37C is connected to the housing 103 (liquid chamber 103A) of the cartridge 100 via a joint 39. The joint 39 has, for example, a needle having a flow path for flowing the ink 101, a valve for opening and closing the needle, and a coil spring for biasing the valve. When the cartridge 100 is not attached, the joint 39 uses the biasing force of the coil spring to position the valve to close the flow path, thereby closing the flow path. When the cartridge 100 is attached to the attachment case 27, the valve is moved against the biasing force of the coil spring to open the flow path, thereby connecting the subtank 37 to the liquid chamber 103A of the cartridge 100.

[0026] (Controller 30) As shown in FIG. 3 , the controller 30 includes a CPU 43, a ROM 44, a RAM 45, an EEPROM 46, and an ASIC 47. The ROM 44 stores control programs and other programs used by the CPU 43 to control various operations. The RAM 45 serves as a storage area for temporarily recording data, signals, and other data used by the CPU 43 when executing the control programs, or as a work area for data processing. The EEPROM 46 stores setting information that is to be retained even after the power is turned off. For example, the EEPROM 46 stores the remaining ink level Vs, which indicates the amount of ink in the subtank 37 (described later). Note that the memory configuration described above is merely an example. For example, the controller 30 may include a flash memory instead of an EEPROM as a non-volatile memory. The controller 30, which executes the control programs and other programs, may also be referred to simply by its device name. For example, a description such as "the controller 30 drives the motor of the drive source 31 through the ASIC 47" may also mean "the controller 30 executes the control program in the CPU 43 and controls the drive source 31 through the ASIC 47, thereby driving the motor."

[0027] The ASIC 47 is an Application Specific Integrated Circuit, and operates the drive source 31, head 21, etc. The controller 30 drives the motor of the drive source 31 via the ASIC 47, thereby rotating the feed roller 16, the transport roller 17, and the discharge roller 23. The controller 30 also outputs a drive signal to the drive element of the head 21 via the ASIC 47, thereby ejecting ink 101 through the nozzles 19 of the head 21. The ASIC 47 can output multiple types of drive signals depending on the amount of ink to be ejected through the nozzles 19.

[0028] 1 and 3, the printer 10 also includes a touch panel 48 and operation buttons 49. The touch panel 48 and operation buttons 49 output signals to the ASIC 47 in response to user inputs. The touch panel 48 also changes the display content and displays various information under the control of the controller 30. The configuration of the user interface included in the printer 10 described above is an example. For example, the user interface may include a display such as a liquid crystal display and operation buttons 49, but not the touch panel 48.

[0029] The ASIC 47 is also electrically connected to the cover sensor 33, contacts 35, attachment sensor 36, and ink amount sensor 38. The controller 30 accesses the memory 110 on the IC board 105 of the cartridge 100 attached to the attachment case 27 via the contacts 35. The controller 30 also detects the position of the cover 11 via the cover sensor 33. The controller 30 also detects the attachment or detachment of the cartridge 100 via the attachment sensor 36. The controller 30 also detects the amount of second ink 101B in the subtank 37 via the ink amount sensor 38.

[0030] The printer 10 also includes a network IF (abbreviation of interface) 51. The network IF 51 is, for example, a LAN interface. The controller 30 can be connected to a PC, the Internet, a server, etc. via the network IF 51. The network IF 51 is not limited to a wired network IF, and may also be a wireless network IF.

[0031] Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of IC substrate 105. As shown in Fig. 4, IC substrate 105 includes, in addition to memory 110, control unit 112 and signal processing circuit 113. Control unit 112 is connected to memory 110 and is a memory controller that controls writing of information to memory 110 and acquisition of information from memory 110. Signal processing circuit 113 is connected between control unit 112 and electrodes 111 and executes transmission and reception of signals (information) between control unit 112 and electrodes 111.

[0032] The memory 110 of the IC board 105 stores a new product remaining amount initial value 121, a recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, a new product remaining amount 123, a recycled product remaining amount 124, cartridge type information 125, signature information 126, a reset count 127, ID information 128, a new product balance calculation parameter 129, and a recycled product balance calculation parameter 130. For example, the cartridge 100 may be sold by a manufacturer of the cartridge 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as the manufacturer) and used by a user. After that, the cartridge 100 may be collected, disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, inspected, and have information set in the memory 110 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the remanufacturer) and sold as a recycled product. Therefore, in this specification, "recycling" refers to the act of restoring a used replacement part to its initial state so that it can be reused. In the following description, the cartridge 100 sold by the manufacturer will be referred to as a new cartridge 100. Furthermore, the cartridge 100 after being remanufactured by a remanufacturer will be referred to as a remanufactured cartridge 100. Although the manufacturer can also perform the remanufacturing, in the following description, as an example, the cartridge 100 after being remanufactured by the manufacturer will not be referred to as a remanufactured cartridge 100. Here, the cartridge 100 after being remanufactured by the manufacturer is considered to be equivalent to a new product, and will be described as a new cartridge 100. However, the cartridge 100 after being remanufactured by the manufacturer may also be referred to as a remanufactured cartridge 100. In other words, the processing and handling described below for a remanufactured cartridge 100 may also be performed on a cartridge 100 remanufactured by the manufacturer. Therefore, the entity that performs the remanufacturing is not limited. In the following description, as an example, the manufacturer and the remanufacturer are assumed to be different entities. Also, the types and quantity of information stored in the memory 110 shown in FIG. 4 are merely examples. For example, information on past printers 10 that have used the cartridge 100 may be stored in the memory 110 as a usage history.

[0033] The new product remaining amount initial value 121 is, for example, the initial value of the remaining amount of the first ink 101A in the cartridge 100, and is the remaining amount value used for a new cartridge 100. The new product remaining amount initial value 121 is used as the initial value for commercially available cartridges 100 and cartridges 100 packaged with the printer 10. The recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 is, for example, the initial value of the remaining amount of the first ink 101A in a recycled cartridge 100 recycled by a remanufacturer. The recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 is used as the initial value for a recycled product after a reset process (see FIG. 11) described below.

[0034] The new product remaining amount 123 is a value indicating the remaining amount of the first ink 101A in the new cartridge 100, and is a value that decreases each time the new first ink 101A is used. The recycled product remaining amount 124 is a value indicating the remaining amount of the first ink 101A in the recycled cartridge 100, and is a value that decreases each time the recycled ink 101A is used.

[0035] The cartridge type information 125 is information indicating the type of cartridge 100. Specifically, the cartridge type information 125 is information indicating whether the cartridge 100 is a commercially available cartridge 100 or a cartridge 100 packaged with the printer 10. The cartridge type information 125 is also information indicating the color of the ink 101 in the cartridge 100. The signature information 126 is information used to authenticate the cartridge 100 and is a hash value used for authentication, which will be described later. Note that the signature information 126 may be encrypted. The reset count 127 indicates the number of times the cartridge 100 has been recycled; for example, it is set to zero as an initial value and is incremented by +1 each time the cartridge 100 is recycled (the reset process in FIG. 11 ). The ID information 128 is information for individually identifying the cartridge 100 (IC substrate 105), and for example, a unique value (such as a number or a letter) is set for each cartridge 100.

[0036] The new product balance calculation parameter 129 is a parameter for calculating the amounts of the first ink 101A in the cartridge 100 (liquid chamber 103A) and the second ink 101B in the subtank 37 in a new cartridge 100 from the new product remaining amount 123. The recycled product balance calculation parameter 130 is a parameter for calculating the amounts of the first ink 101A and the second ink 101B in a recycled cartridge 100 from the recycled product remaining amount 124. The new product remaining amount initial value 121, the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, cartridge type information 125, signature information 126, ID information 128, the new product balance calculation parameter 129, and the recycled product balance calculation parameter 130 are, for example, fixed values ​​set by the manufacturer at the time of manufacture, and are values ​​that do not change after access by the controller 30 or before and after recycling of the cartridge 100. This information is stored, for example, in a storage area where information is not overwritten (modified) by the controller 30.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows examples of two equilibrium calculation parameters and the states of the ink 101 in the cartridge 100 and the subtank 37. For example, if a new cartridge 100 is installed in the storage unit 41 when the subtank 37 is empty, the liquid chamber 103A and the subtank 37 are open to the atmosphere via the atmosphere communication passages 37B and 104A. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 5, the first ink 101A flows from the liquid chamber 103A of the cartridge 100 through the joint 39 into the subtank 37 due to a hydraulic head difference. The first ink 101A in the liquid chamber 103A of the cartridge 100 and the second ink 101B in the subtank 37 reach an equilibrium state when the positions of the liquid levels 131 of the respective inks 101 in the vertical direction 1 (heights of the liquid levels 131) indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 5 coincide. That is, in the equilibrium state, movement of the ink 101 between the liquid chamber 103A and the subtank 37 stops. For this reason, even when the cartridge 100 is replaced, the ink 101 continues to move until the height of the liquid surface 131 in the liquid chamber 103A matches that in the subtank 37. The relationship between the total amount of ink 101 (first and second inks 101A, 101B) in this equilibrium state and the amount of ink in the subtank 37 and the liquid chamber 103A can be approximated using a function based on actual measurements.

[0038] The two graphs on the left side of FIG. 5 show approximate straight lines that approximate the actual measured values ​​for two cartridges 100 with different initial ink volumes. The horizontal axis of the graph represents the total volume V [ml] of ink 101, and the vertical axis represents the remaining volume Vs [ml], which is the volume of ink stored in the subtank 37. In this embodiment, the liquid chamber 103A has different sizes in the vertical direction 1 between the lower portion where the joint 39 is connected and the portion above the joint 39. The length of the liquid chamber 103A in the front-rear direction 3 is longer in the portion above the joint 39 than in the lower portion where the joint 39 is connected. Therefore, the relationship between the total volume V and the remaining volume Vs can be expressed by approximate straight lines of functions F1 and F2 for the two portions with different sizes. In other words, functions F1 and F2 are functions that indicate the correspondence between the total volume V and the remaining volume Vs in each portion.

[0039] Function F1 shows the relationship between the total amount V and the remaining amount Vs when the total amount V is equal to or greater than the threshold value Vh, and is expressed, for example, as Vs = a × V + b (a and b are constants). Function F2 shows the relationship between the total amount V and the remaining amount Vs when the total amount V is less than the threshold value Vh, and is expressed, for example, as Vs = c × V + d (c and d are constants). The threshold value Vh is a value corresponding to the total amount V when the liquid level 131 of the first ink 101A stored in the liquid chamber 103A is, for example, at the upper end of the connecting portion of the joint 39 described above.

[0040] The controller 30 calculates the remaining amount Vs and the remaining amount Vc of the liquid chamber 103A using these two functions F1 and F2. For example, when the total amount V is equal to or greater than the threshold value Vh, that is, when the liquid level 131 of the first ink 101A is above the connecting portion of the joint 39, the controller 30 calculates the remaining amount Vs using the function F1. On the other hand, when the total amount V is less than the threshold value Vh, that is, when the liquid level 131 of the first ink 101A is below the upper end of the connecting portion of the joint 39, the controller 30 calculates the remaining amount Vs using the function F2.

[0041] The two graphs in Figure 5 show examples of different equilibrium calculation parameters. The upper graph (Example 1) shows a graph for the initial amount of ink stored in the cartridge 100 (total amount of first ink 101A before use), i.e., the initial value is 40 ml. The lower graph (Example 2) shows a graph for the initial value is 80 ml. For example, in the upper graph (Example 1), when the total amount V of ink 101 is 30 ml, the remaining amount Vs of second ink 101B in the subtank 37 is approximately 13 ml, and the remaining amount Vc in the cartridge 100 (liquid chamber 103A) is approximately 17 ml. In the lower graph (Example 2), when the total amount V of ink 101 is 30 ml, the remaining amount Vs of second ink 101B in the subtank 37 is approximately 9 ml, and the remaining amount Vc in the cartridge 100 (liquid chamber 103A) is approximately 21 ml.

[0042] The new product balance calculation parameters 129 and the recycled product balance calculation parameters 130 are, for example, information for specifying the slopes, intercepts, and threshold Vh of the above-mentioned functions F1 and F2. Information on the slopes, intercepts, and threshold Vh of the functions F1 and F2 is stored in the ROM 44 of the printer 10. For example, the ROM 44 stores information on the slopes, intercepts, and threshold Vh of five types of functions F1 and F2, numbered 1 to 5. As described above, the slopes, intercepts, and threshold Vh of the functions F1 and F2 vary depending on the initial value (the amount of ink initially stored in the cartridge 100). Therefore, for example, the five types of information are information corresponding to five different initial values.

[0043] The memory 110 also stores new product balance calculation parameters 129 corresponding to the new product remaining quantity initial value 121 of a new product, and recycled product balance calculation parameters 130 corresponding to the recycled product remaining quantity initial value 122 of a recycled product. The information of the new product balance calculation parameters 129 and the recycled product balance calculation parameters 130 is information indicating which number to select from the numbers 1 to 5 in the ROM 44 described above. Specifically, the number indicated by the new product balance calculation parameters 129 is a value indicating functions F1, F2, etc. that correspond to the ink amount of the new product remaining quantity initial value 121. The number indicated by the recycled product balance calculation parameters 130 is a value indicating functions F1, F2, etc. that correspond to the ink amount of the recycled product remaining quantity initial value 122. For example, if the installed cartridge 100 is a new product and the number indicated by the new product equilibrium calculation parameter 129 in the memory 110 is "2," the controller 30 calculates the remaining amounts Vs and Vc using the functions F1 and F2 and threshold value Vh that correspond to "2" from the five pieces of information stored in the ROM 44. This allows the controller 30 to select the functions F1 and F2 that correspond to the initial value (initial ink amount) of the installed cartridge 100.

[0044] The information about the new product equilibrium calculation parameters 129 and the recycled product equilibrium calculation parameters 130 described above is merely an example. For example, the new product equilibrium calculation parameters 129 and the recycled product equilibrium calculation parameters 130 may be information indicating the actual values ​​of the slopes, intercepts, and threshold Vh of the functions F1 and F2. This allows equilibrium calculation parameters that the printer 10 does not have to reflect on the printer 10 side from the memory 110 of the cartridge 100. For example, when selling a cartridge 100 with unprecedented initial values, equilibrium calculation parameters corresponding to the new initial values ​​can be stored in the memory 110 as the new product equilibrium calculation parameters 129, etc., and reflected on the printer 10 side.

[0045] Alternatively, the new product equilibrium calculation parameters 129 and the remanufactured product equilibrium calculation parameters 130 may be information obtained by assembling a data group in which a plurality of actual measurement values ​​and the remaining amount Vs are associated with each other, organized by initial value. In this case, the controller 30 may select a data group according to the initial value of the cartridge 100, detect from the selected data group the actual measurement value of the total amount V that is closest to the total amount V at the time of calculation, and calculate the remaining amount Vc using the remaining amount Vs associated with the detected total amount V. Furthermore, the number of functions may be one or more, depending on the shapes of the liquid chamber 103A and the subtank 37.

[0046] (Cartridge processing) Next, the cartridge processing executed by the controller 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 11. By executing this cartridge processing, the controller 30 authenticates the cartridge 100, determines parameters for balance calculation, calculates the remaining amount, displays the remaining amount, and performs reset processing. These processes are examples of the consumable goods processing of this specification. For example, the controller 30 starts the cartridge processing shown in FIG. 6 after the printer 10 is powered on and starts the system by executing a control program stored in the ROM 44. Note that the condition for starting the processing shown in FIG. 6 is not limited to the condition that the printer 10 is powered on, but may also be other conditions such as the condition that a start instruction from a user is received or the condition that the cartridge 100 is replaced. Also, in the drawings following FIG. 6, the cartridge may be abbreviated as "CTG."

[0047] In addition, in the following explanation, to avoid the explanation becoming complicated, the case where processing is performed on one of the four cartridges 100 that can be attached to the attachment case 27 will be described. However, even when processing multiple cartridges 100, the processing can be performed by executing the processing described below on each cartridge 100, just as in the case of one cartridge.

[0048] When the controller 30 starts the processing of FIG. 6, it first determines in step (hereinafter simply referred to as S) 1 whether S1 has been executed for the first time since the printer 10 was powered on. If this is the first time S1 has been executed since the printer 10 was powered on (S1: YES), the controller 30 executes the CTG authentication processing of S2. After completing the processing of FIG. 6, the controller 30 executes the processing from S1 again. Therefore, while the printer 10 is powered on (hereinafter referred to as the power-on state), the controller 30 repeatedly executes the cartridge processing of FIG. 6. If the controller 30 executes S1 for the second or subsequent time in the power-on state, it makes a negative determination in S1 (S1: NO) and executes S3.

[0049] In S3, the controller 30 determines whether or not the cartridge 100 has been mounted while the power is on. The controller 30 executes S2 when the cartridge 100 is mounted in an empty mounting case 27 for the first time (S3: YES) or when an already mounted cartridge 100 is replaced (S3: YES). The controller 30 executes S4 when the cartridge 100 has not been mounted or replaced (S3: NO).

[0050] (CTG authentication process) 7, when the controller 30 starts the CTG authentication process, it first determines whether the cartridge 100 has been replaced (S21). The controller 30 executes the determination process of S21 based on, for example, whether the ID information 128 and the reset count 127 match. In S22, which will be described later, the controller 30 acquires the ID information 128 and the reset count 127 from the memory 110 and stores them in, for example, the EEPROM 46. In S21, the controller 30 determines whether the ID information 128 and the reset count 127 already stored in the EEPROM 46, i.e., the ID information 128 and the reset count 127 acquired from the memory 110 of the cartridge 100 in the previous process of S22 and stored in the EEPROM 46, match the ID information 128 and the reset count 127 acquired from the memory 110 of the cartridge 100 currently attached (at the time of execution of S21). If the ID information 128 stored in the EEPROM 46 matches the ID information 128 acquired from the mounted cartridge 100, and if the reset count 127 stored in the EEPROM 46 matches the reset count 127 acquired from the mounted cartridge 100, the controller 30 makes a negative determination in S21, that is, determines that the cartridge 100 has not been replaced (S21: NO), and executes S23. For this reason, if the power is turned OFF once and then ON without replacing the cartridge 100 (S1: YES), a negative determination is made in S21. Alternatively, if the same cartridge 100 is attached or detached while the power is ON (S3: YES), a negative determination is made in S21.

[0051] Furthermore, in S21, if at least one of the ID information 128 and the reset count 127 does not match, the controller 30 determines that the cartridge 100 has been replaced (S21: YES) and executes S22. Therefore, if the cartridge 100 has been replaced with a different cartridge 100, a positive determination is made in S21. Also, even if the cartridge 100 is the same, if a regeneration process has been performed and the reset count 127 has increased, a positive determination is made in S21. The controller 30 may execute the determination of S21 based on either the ID information 128 or the reset count 127.

[0052] In S22, the controller 30 acquires the new product remaining amount initial value 121, the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, the new product remaining amount 123, the recycled product remaining amount 124, the cartridge type information 125, the signature information 126, the reset count 127, and the ID information 128 from the memory 110 of the cartridge 100 and stores them in the EEPROM 46. These eight pieces of information are information used for authenticating the cartridge 100 (hereinafter referred to as authentication information). The storage destination of the authentication information is not limited to the EEPROM 46, but may also be the ROM 44. Furthermore, in S23, the controller 30 acquires the new product remaining amount 123 and the recycled product remaining amount 124 from the memory 110 and stores them in the EEPROM 46, out of the authentication information.

[0053] As described above, the new product remaining amount initial value 121, the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, the cartridge type information 125, the signature information 126, and the ID information 128 are fixed values ​​that do not change even when the cartridge 100 is recycled, etc. Therefore, if it is determined in S21 that the cartridge 100 has not been replaced, these fixed values ​​do not need to be acquired because the authentication information stored in the memory 110 is identical to the authentication information stored in the EEPROM 46. Therefore, in S23, the controller 30 acquires only the new product remaining amount 123 and the recycled product remaining amount 124, which are variable values, from the authentication information, thereby reducing the processing load of the acquisition process and shortening the processing time. Furthermore, the number of times the memory 110 is accessed can be reduced, thereby suppressing deterioration of the cartridge 100. The controller 30 executes the processes of S24 to S30 described below using the authentication information stored in the EEPROM 46. The controller 30 may obtain the necessary authentication information from the memory 110 each time it executes each step.

[0054] After executing S22 or S23, the controller 30 executes S24. In S24, the controller 30 calculates a hash value to be used for authentication. For example, the controller 30 calculates the hash value using the new product remaining amount initial value 121, the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, the cartridge type information 125, and the ID information 128 and a predetermined calculation formula. The controller 30 calculates the hash value using the value obtained by adding or multiplying the new product remaining amount initial value 121 and the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122. Note that the method for calculating the hash value is not limited to the above-described method. The hash value may be calculated using only the value obtained by adding the new product remaining amount initial value 121 and the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, or may be calculated using only the value obtained by multiplying the new product remaining amount initial value 121 and the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122. Alternatively, the value obtained by dividing the new product remaining amount initial value 121 by the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 may be used. Also, information other than the above information stored in memory 110 or information stored on the printer 10 side may be used. Also, the calculation of the hash value described above may be performed by cartridge 100 (such as control unit 112 of IC board 105).

[0055] After calculating the hash value in S24, the controller 30 determines whether the calculated hash value matches the hash value indicated by the signature information 126 in the EEPROM 46 (S25). Therefore, for example, when the cartridge 100 is manufactured, the memory 110 stores a hash value calculated using four values, such as the cartridge type information 125 described in S24, and a predetermined calculation formula as the signature information 126. As a result, if information such as the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 has been tampered with in a manner not permitted by the manufacturer, the unauthorized tampering can be detected by comparing the hash values.

[0056] The method for authenticating the cartridge 100 is not limited to the above method. For example, the controller 30 may perform authentication using a plurality of hash values. The controller 30 may calculate a hash value for each of the new product remaining amount initial value 121, the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, the cartridge type information 125, the signature information 126, the reset count 127, and the ID information 128. The controller 30 may then determine whether each hash value matches a hash value stored in the memory 110, and make a positive determination in S25 only if all the hash values ​​match.

[0057] Alternatively, electronic signature information (such as an encrypted electronic document) may be used as the signature information 126. For example, the signature information 126 of an electronic document encrypted using a private key known only to the manufacturer is stored in the memory 110. A public key is also stored in the ROM 44 of each printer 10. Then, in S25, the controller 30 may determine that authentication has been successful if the signature information 126 can be decrypted using the public key or if the content of the decrypted electronic document is appropriate (S25: YES). In addition, in S25, the controller 30 may transmit the signature information 126 and ID information 128 in the memory 110 to an authentication server and authenticate the cartridge 100. Therefore, a known authentication method used for electronic signatures or the like may be adopted for the authentication in S25.

[0058] If the two hash values ​​match, i.e., if authentication is successful (S25: YES), the controller 30 executes S26. If the two hash values ​​do not match, i.e., if authentication is unsuccessful (S25: NO), the controller 30 deletes the information stored in memory 110 in EEPROM 46 (S27). This allows the information of the cartridge 100 that failed authentication to be deleted from the printer 10.

[0059] After executing S27, the controller 30 displays an error screen on the touch panel 48 indicating that authentication of the cartridge 100 has failed (S28). The controller 30 also stores information indicating that an error related to the cartridge 100 has occurred (hereinafter referred to as a CTG error state) (S28). For example, the controller 30 stores a flag value indicating that a CTG error state has occurred in the RAM 45. As a result, a positive determination is made in S4 of FIG. 6, which will be described later (S4: YES). The controller 30 ends the processing shown in FIG. 7 (S2 of FIG. 6) and executes the processing from S1 again. The controller 30 may also write to the memory 110 that a CTG error state has occurred.

[0060] Meanwhile, in S26, the controller 30 determines whether the reset count 127 is 1 or greater. As described above, the reset count 127 indicates the number of times the cartridge 100 has been remanufactured, and is set to "0" in the case of a new product. If the reset count 127 is 1 or greater, this indicates that the cartridge 100 is a remanufactured product. If the reset count 127 is less than 1 (S26: NO), that is, if the cartridge 100 is a new product, the controller 30 determines whether the new product remaining amount 123 is equal to or less than the new product remaining amount initial value 121 (S29). If the new product remaining amount 123 is greater than the new product remaining amount initial value 121, this means that the new product remaining amount 123 stored is greater than the maximum amount of ink permitted by the manufacturer for a new cartridge 100. There is a possibility that the new product remaining amount 123 has been tampered with or that data corruption has occurred. Furthermore, since the new product remaining amount 123 and the recycled product remaining amount 124 are not used in the authentication of S24 and S25, it is necessary to confirm whether appropriate values ​​are set. Therefore, if the new product remaining amount 123 is greater than the new product remaining amount initial value 121 (S29: NO), the controller 30 executes S27 and S28, and executes the same processing as in the case of an authentication error.

[0061] Furthermore, if the reset count 127 is 1 or greater (S26: YES), that is, if the cartridge 100 is a recycled product, the controller 30 determines whether the recycled product remaining amount 124 is equal to or less than the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, as in S29 (S30). If the recycled product remaining amount 124 is greater than the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, as in the above case, the recycled product remaining amount 124 is set to a value not permitted by the manufacturer. Therefore, if the recycled product remaining amount 124 is greater than the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 (S30: NO), the controller 30 executes S27 and S28, and executes processing similar to that for an authentication error.

[0062] Furthermore, if the controller 30 makes a positive determination in S29 (S29: YES) or if the controller 30 makes a positive determination in S30 (S30: YES), i.e., if each remaining amount Vc is equal to or less than the corresponding initial value and no CTG error state has occurred, the controller 30 executes the processes from S31 onward to acquire information from the memory 110. In S31, the controller 30 determines whether the cartridge 100 has been replaced, as in S21. If the cartridge 100 has been replaced (S31: YES), the controller 30 acquires information other than the authentication information from the information stored in the memory 110 and stores it in the EEPROM 46 (S32). The authentication information has already been acquired in the EEPROM 46 in S22 or S23. Therefore, the controller 30 acquires information other than the authentication information in S32. Specifically, the information other than the authentication information is, for example, the new product balance calculation parameters 129, the remanufactured product balance calculation parameters 130, and other information stored in the memory 110.

[0063] Furthermore, if the cartridge 100 has not been replaced (S31: NO), the controller 30 acquires variable value information other than the authentication information from the information stored in the memory 110 (S33). Fixed values ​​such as the new product balance calculation parameter 129 and the recycled product balance calculation parameter 130, which are not changed after being stored in the memory 110, have already been acquired in the EEPROM 46 in S32 when the cartridge processing of Fig. 7 was executed the previous time, unless the cartridge 100 has been replaced. Therefore, in S33, the controller 30 acquires variable values ​​other than the fixed values ​​(such as flag values ​​stored in the memory 110).

[0064] After executing S32 or S33, the controller 30 executes S34. Because the controller 30 has successfully completed the authentication of the cartridge 100 (S25), the confirmation of the remaining amount (S29 or S30), and the acquisition of information (S33, S32), if a CTG error state has occurred, it cancels the CTG error state that has occurred (S34). As a result, if another cartridge 100 is attached after the CTG error state has occurred and authentication, etc., is successful, the CTG error state can be canceled. After executing S34, the controller 30 executes the equilibrium calculation process of S35.

[0065] (Equilibrium calculation processing) The controller 30 executes the process of S35 using the information acquired from the memory 110 to the EEPROM 46 in the process of Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 8, when the controller 30 starts the balance calculation process, it determines whether the reset count 127 is 1 or greater (S41). If the reset count 127 is less than 1, i.e., if the cartridge 100 is a new product (S41: NO), the controller 30 determines the intercept, slope, and threshold value Vh of the balance calculation formula using the new product balance calculation parameters 129 for the new product (S43). Specifically, as described above, the controller 30 determines, from the information on the slopes, intercepts, and threshold values ​​Vh of the multiple functions F1 and F2 stored in ROM 44, the values ​​of the intercept, slope, and threshold value Vh corresponding to the numbers indicated by the numbers in the new product balance calculation parameters 129, as the values ​​to be used in the balance calculation.

[0066] The controller 30 executes an equilibrium calculation process using the intercept and the like determined in S43 (S44). The controller 30 calculates the total amount V of the ink 101, for example, from the remaining amount Vs stored in the EEPROM 46 and the new product remaining amount 123. That is, the controller 30 calculates the total amount V by adding the latest ink amount in the subtank 37 stored in the EEPROM 46 to the new product remaining amount 123 obtained from the memory 110 of the installed cartridge 100. The controller 30 compares the calculated total amount V with a threshold value Vh shown in FIG. 5 and determines which of the two functions F1 and F2 determined in S43 to use in the equilibrium calculation (intercept, slope). If the total amount V is equal to or greater than the threshold value Vh, the controller 30 uses the intercept and slope of the function F1, and if the total amount V is less than the threshold value Vh, the controller 30 uses the intercept and slope of the function F2. The controller 30 substitutes the total amount V into the determined function to calculate the remaining amount Vs of the subtank 37. The controller 30 subtracts the calculated remaining amount Vs from the total amount V to calculate the remaining amount Vc of the cartridge 100 (S44).

[0067] The controller 30 writes the remaining amount Vc calculated in S44 to the storage area for the remaining amount Vc in the memory 110 (S45). The controller 30 also writes the remaining amount Vs calculated in S44 to the storage area for the remaining amount Vs in the EEPROM 46 (S45). That is, the information on the remaining amounts Vs and Vs is updated. This allows the balance calculation to be performed when the power is turned on or after the cartridge 100 is replaced, and updates the information on the ink amounts in the cartridge 100 and the subtank 37. The controller 30 also manages the remaining amount Vc of the first ink 101A in the cartridge 100 in the memory 110 of the cartridge 100, and the remaining amount Vs of the second ink 101B in the subtank 37 in the EEPROM 46 on the printer 10 side. After executing S45, the controller 30 ends the processing of FIG. 8, and also ends the processing of FIGS. 7 and 6. The controller 30 executes the processing again from S1.

[0068] 8, if the reset count 127 is 1 or greater, i.e., if the cartridge 100 is a remanufactured product (S41: YES), the controller 30 determines the intercept, slope, and threshold value Vh of the balance calculation formula using the remanufactured product balance calculation parameters 130 (S46). The controller 30 performs balance calculations for remanufactured products, just as it does for new products (S43 to S45) described above. Therefore, a detailed description of the balance calculations for remanufactured products will be omitted. The controller 30 performs balance calculations using the slope and the like determined in S46 (S47), stores the remaining amount Vs as the calculation result in the EEPROM 46, and writes the remaining amount Vc to the memory 110 (S48).

[0069] This allows the slope of the equilibrium calculation, etc. to be determined based on the parameters for equilibrium calculation stored in memory 110. When selling a cartridge 100 with a new ink capacity as a new product, or when changing the remaining amount permitted for a refurbished product, this can be handled by changing the parameters in memory 110 of the cartridge 100. As a result, there is no need to update the information on the printer 10, and firmware updates, etc. are not required. Furthermore, different parameters can be set in memory 110 for new products and refurbished products. This allows the ink volume to be set and managed separately for new products and refurbished products.

[0070] Also, in S4 of FIG. 6, the controller 30 determines whether or not a CTG error state has occurred. As described above, in the process of FIG. 7, if authentication fails (S25: NO) or if the remaining amount exceeds the initial value (S29: NO, S30: NO), a CTG error state occurs (S28). If a flag value indicating the occurrence of a CTG error state is stored in RAM 45 (S4: YES), the controller 30 executes S12. If the determination in S4 is affirmative (S4: YES), that is, if an error related to the cartridge 100 has occurred, it is difficult to execute a process that consumes ink 101, such as printing. For this reason, the controller 30 does not execute a printing process or the like in S12, and, for example, maintains the display of the error screen executed in S28 (S12), and ends the process shown in FIG. 6.

[0071] Furthermore, if a CTG error state has not occurred (S4: NO), the controller 30 determines whether or not an ink consumption process has been executed (S5). An ink consumption process is a process that involves the consumption of ink 101, such as a copy process, a print process based on a print instruction from a PC, or a maintenance process such as cleaning. If the controller 30 has executed a process that consumes ink 101 for the first time since the power was turned on (S5: YES), or if the controller 30 has executed a process that consumes new ink 101 after the previous determination process of S5 was executed (S5: YES), the controller 30 executes the remaining amount subtraction process of S6.

[0072] (Remaining amount subtraction process) When the remaining amount subtraction process of S6 in Figure 6 is executed, some kind of ink consumption process has been executed and the ink 101 has been reduced (S5: YES). The controller 30 executes the remaining amount subtraction process shown in Figure 9, thereby updating the information in the memory 110 with the remaining amount of ink 101 after consumption. Therefore, while the power is on, the controller 30 makes a positive determination in S5 (S5: YES) each time a new ink consumption process is executed, and updates the remaining amount in S6.

[0073] 9, when the controller 30 starts the remaining amount subtraction process, it determines whether the reset count 127 is equal to or greater than 1 (S51). If the reset count 127 is less than 1, i.e., if the cartridge 100 is new (S51: NO), it obtains the new product remaining amount 123 for the new product from the memory 110 (S52). As described above, the controller 30 writes the latest remaining amount Vc (new product remaining amount 123 or recycled product remaining amount 124) into the memory 110 of the cartridge 100 for management. Therefore, the controller 30 obtains the new product remaining amount 123 from the memory 110 (S52) and subtracts the amount of ink consumed in the ink consumption process from the obtained new product remaining amount 123 (S53). The controller 30 subtracts the amount of ink consumed in the ink consumption process that is the target of the ink consumption process when a positive determination is made in S5 of FIG. 6 from the new product remaining amount 123 obtained from the memory 110 (S53). Known methods can be used to calculate the amount of ink consumed in the ink consumption process. For example, in the case of a copy process, the amount of ink consumed can be calculated based on the number of pages printed, the number of dots of ink 101 ejected per page, etc. The controller 30 stores the new product remaining amount 123 after the subtraction in S53 in the memory 110 (S54), and ends the process shown in Figure 9. As a result, each time an ink consumption process occurs, the amount of ink consumed in that ink consumption process is subtracted from the new product remaining amount 123, so that the total amount V of ink 101 can be adjusted to the amount after consumption.

[0074] Furthermore, if the cartridge 100 is a recycled product (S51: YES), the controller 30 subtracts the ink consumption amount from the recycled product remaining amount 124 to update it (S55 to S57). The subtraction process for the recycled product remaining amount 124 is the same as that for the new product remaining amount 123 described above (S52 to S54). Therefore, a detailed description of the process for subtracting the recycled product remaining amount 124 will be omitted. The controller 30 obtains the recycled product remaining amount 124 from the memory 110 (S55), subtracts the ink consumption amount from the recycled product remaining amount 124 (S56), and updates the recycled product remaining amount 124 in the memory 110 with the value after subtraction (S57).

[0075] As shown in Figure 6, after executing the remaining amount subtraction process of S6, the controller 30 executes the CTG authentication process (S7, see Figure 7), similar to S2. As a result, the balance calculation process (S35) and the like are executed using the new product remaining amount 123 (or recycled product remaining amount 124) after updating in S6. The remaining amount Vc of the cartridge 100 (new product remaining amount 123 or recycled product remaining amount 124) and the remaining amount Vs of the subtank 37 can be updated to values ​​that match the total amount V of ink 101 after consumption in the ink consumption process. After executing S7, the controller 30 ends the process shown in Figure 6.

[0076] On the other hand, if the controller 30 is not executing the ink consumption process (S5: NO), it determines whether or not it has received an instruction to execute the ink information display process (S8). The controller 30 receives an instruction to execute the ink information display process, for example, based on a predetermined operational input via the touch panel 48 or the operation buttons 49. If the controller 30 receives an instruction to execute the ink information display process for the first time since the power is turned on (S8: YES), or if it receives an instruction to execute a new ink information display process after previously executing S8 (S8: YES), it executes the ink information display process of S9. Furthermore, if the controller 30 has not received an instruction to execute the ink information display process (S8: NO), it executes S10. Therefore, while the power is on, the controller 30 makes a positive determination in S8 (S8: YES) and executes S9 every time it receives an instruction to execute the ink information display process.

[0077] (Ink information display processing) The controller 30 executes the ink information display process shown in Fig. 10 to display the ratio of the remaining amount Vc (new product remaining amount 123 or recycled product remaining amount 124) to the initial value as a percentage. As shown in Fig. 10, when the ink information display process starts, the controller 30 determines whether the reset count 127 is 1 or greater (S61), and if it is a new cartridge 100 (S61: NO), it obtains the new product remaining amount 123 from the memory 110 (S62) and sets a value to be used in calculating the remaining amount display (S63). The controller 30 sets the value of the new product remaining amount initial value 121 as the remaining amount calculation_denominator value, and sets the value of the new product remaining amount 123 obtained in S62 as the remaining amount calculation_numerator value (S63).

[0078] Next, the controller 30 displays a message on the touch panel 48 indicating that the installed cartridge 100 is a genuine product (S64), and calculates the percentage of the remaining amount Vc (S65). This allows the user to know whether the cartridge 100 being used was sold by the manufacturer or by a manufacturer other than the manufacturer (such as a remanufacturer). The controller 30 calculates the percentage of the remaining amount Vc using the values ​​of the remaining amount calculation_denominator and remaining amount calculation_numerator set in S63 according to the following equation. Remaining amount (%) = (remaining amount calculation_numerator / remaining amount calculation_denominator) * 100 (formula) The controller 30 displays the remaining amount (%) value obtained as a result of the calculation on the touch panel 48 (S66), and ends the processing of FIG. 10 and then ends the processing of FIG.

[0079] Furthermore, in the case of a refurbished cartridge 100 (S61: YES), the controller 30 executes the same processing as in the case of a new product (S62 to S64). Although a detailed description of the case of a refurbished product will be omitted, the controller 30 acquires the refurbished product remaining amount 124 from the memory 110 (S67), sets the refurbished product remaining amount initial value 122 as the remaining amount calculation denominator, and sets the refurbished product remaining amount 124 as the remaining amount calculation numerator (S68). The controller 30 displays that the cartridge 100 is a non-genuine product (S69), and calculates the remaining amount (%) for the refurbished product by substituting the value set in S68 into the above formula (S65). The controller 30 displays the remaining amount (%) value resulting from the calculation (S66). This allows the percentage of the remaining amount Vc to be displayed using the initial value corresponding to whether the cartridge is a new product or a refurbished product.

[0080] The above-described method of displaying the remaining amount is merely an example. For example, the controller 30 may simply display the value [ml] of the remaining amount Vc (new product remaining amount 123 or recycled product remaining amount 124). The controller 30 may also display the ratio of the total amount V (remaining amount Vc + remaining amount Vs) to the initial value. The controller 30 may also display each of the remaining amounts Vc and Vs in [ml]. The controller 30 may also display the words "recycled product" instead of "non-genuine product" in S69. The method of reporting the remaining amount is not limited to displaying it on the touch panel 48, and may also be a method of displaying it on a PC screen using a printer driver of a PC connected to the network IF 51.

[0081] 6, the controller 30 determines in S10 whether or not an instruction to execute a reset process has been received. As in S8, the controller 30 receives an instruction to execute a reset process based on, for example, a predetermined operational input via the touch panel 48 or the operation buttons 49. For example, a worker at a remanufacturing manufacturer executes this reset process when he or she wishes to refill a used cartridge 100 with ink 101 and sell it as a refurbished product. The controller 30 executes the reset process in S11 when it receives an instruction to execute a reset process for the first time after the power is turned on (S10: YES), or when it receives an instruction to execute a new reset process after previously executing the determination process in S10 (S10: YES). Furthermore, if the controller 30 does not receive an instruction to execute a reset process (S10: NO), it executes S12. Therefore, every time the controller 30 receives an instruction to execute a reset process while the power is on, it makes a positive determination in S10 (S10: YES) and executes S11.

[0082] (Reset process) As shown in FIG. 11 , when the reset process begins, the controller 30 writes the value of the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 to a storage area in the memory 110 that stores information about the recycled product remaining amount 124 (S71). This allows the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 to be reset as the initial value of the remaining amount Vc when the cartridge 100 is sold as a recycled product. Therefore, by setting the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 to the ink amount permitted as the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, the manufacturer can set the initial value of the ink amount when the remanufacturer remanufactures the cartridge 100, i.e., the ink amount of the cartridge 100 to be sold as a recycled product. Furthermore, by checking the recycled product initial value (remanufacturer remaining amount initial value 122), an operator at the remanufacturer can refill the cartridge 100 with an appropriate amount of ink 101. For example, for a cartridge 100 packaged with the printer 10, the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 can be set to an ink amount that the cartridge 100 can store and that is close to the ink amount of a commercially available cartridge 100.

[0083] Furthermore, in S71, the controller 30 increments the value of the reset count 127 stored in the EEPROM 46 and the value of the reset count 127 stored in the memory 110 by +1. This allows the reset process to be executed and the reset count 127 to be incremented by one each time remanufacturing of the cartridge 100 is performed. The number of times remanufacturing has been performed can be managed by the reset count 127. After executing S71, the controller 30 ends the processing of FIG. 11 and terminates the processing of FIG. 6.

[0084] (Other processing in S12) As shown in FIG. 6, the controller 30 also executes other processes in S12. The other processes in S12 are processes other than the above-described CTG authentication process, remaining ink amount subtraction process, ink information display process, and reset process, and are executed in the power-on state. Specifically, the other processes include a copy process, a print process based on a PC instruction, a cleaning process, and the like. Alternatively, the other processes may be, for example, a setting process for the printer 10 based on an operation input to the touch panel 48. The other processes may also include some of the processes such as the CTG authentication process. Therefore, various processes executed by the printer 10 in the power-on state can be adopted as the other processes in S12. After executing S12, the controller 30 ends the process in FIG. 6.

[0085] The relationship between the contents of this specification and the terminology used in the above embodiment is as follows: In the above embodiment, the printer 10 is an example of a printing device. The mounting case 27 is an example of an mounting unit. The cartridge 100 is an example of a replacement part. The ink 101, the first ink 101A, and the second ink 101B are examples of consumables. The liquid chamber 103A is an example of a storage unit. The new product remaining amount initial value 121 is an example of an initial value, a first initial value, and information related to the initial state of consumables. The recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 is an example of an initial value, a second initial value, and information related to the initial state of consumables. The new product remaining amount 123, cartridge type information 125, signature information 126, reset count 127, new product balance calculation parameters 129, and recycled product balance calculation parameters 130 are examples of information related to the initial state of consumables. The ID information 128 is an example of identification information and information related to the initial state of consumables. The remaining quantity of recycled items 124 is an example of information about replacement parts and information about the initial state of consumables.

[0086] According to the above-described embodiment, the following effects are achieved. (1) In this embodiment, the controller 30 of the printer 10 acquires the initial remaining amount 121 of a new product, the initial remaining amount 122 of a recycled product, and the like from the memory 110 of the cartridge 100 attached to the attachment case 27 (S22, S23, an example of the acquisition process in this specification). The controller 30 executes processes related to the ink 101 based on the acquired initial remaining amount 121 of the new product, and the like (S24, S25, S29, S30, S35, S43, S46, S53, S56, S63, S66, S68, S71, an example of the consumables process in this specification).

[0087] According to this, the controller 30 acquires information about the initial state of the ink 101, such as the new product remaining amount initial value 121, from the memory 110 of the cartridge 100 installed in the printer 10, and executes processing related to the ink 101. Therefore, information about the initial state can be managed in the memory 110 of the cartridge 100. If the lineup of cartridges 100 is added or changed after the printer 10 is released, the new information about the initial state can be stored in the memory 110, and this information can be reflected in the printer 10. As a result, if you want to add a new quantity or change an existing quantity after the printer 10 has been released, you can do this without updating the printer 10's firmware by using the information in the memory 110 of the printer 10. For example, if you initially sell only 40 ml cartridges 100 and later want to sell 80 ml cartridges 100, you can store the 80 ml new product remaining amount initial value 121 and the new product equilibrium calculation parameter 129 in the memory 110. This reduces the user's workload when changing information about the ink 101.

[0088] (2) In addition, the controller 30 executes S2 based on the fact that at least one of the conditions that the printer 10 is turned on (S1: YES) and the condition that the cartridge 100 is mounted in the mounting case 27 (S3: YES) is met. This allows information about the initial state of the ink 101 to be acquired when the power is turned on or the cartridge 100 is replaced, and authentication and determination of the remaining amount Vc can be performed using information about the currently installed cartridge 100. It can be determined whether the installed cartridge 100 is appropriate.

[0089] (3) Furthermore, even if the condition for the cartridge 100 to be mounted in the mounting case 27 is met (S3: YES), if the ID information 128 of the cartridge 100 mounted last time matches the ID information 128 stored in the memory 110 of the cartridge 100 mounted this time (S21: NO), the controller 30 does not acquire the new product remaining quantity initial value 121, etc. from the memory 110 (S23). This makes it possible to prevent information relating to the initial state from being acquired again when the same cartridge 100 is attached or detached, thereby preventing unnecessary processing from being executed.

[0090] (4) The memory 110 also stores a reset count 127 indicating the number of times the recycled product remaining amount 124 has been reset. Even if the controller 30 makes a positive determination in S3 (S3: YES), if the ID information 128 of the previously attached cartridge 100 matches the ID information 128 of the currently attached cartridge 100 and the reset count 127 also match (S21: NO), the controller 30 does not acquire the new product remaining amount initial value 121, etc. from the memory 110 (S23). On the other hand, if at least one of the ID information 128 and the reset count 127 does not match (S21: YES), the controller 30 acquires the new product remaining amount initial value 121, etc. from the memory 110 (S22).

[0091] According to this, even if the same cartridge 100 is attached or detached, if the reset count 127 is different, for example, if the remaining amount Vc is reset and the cartridge 100 is recycled, it is possible to obtain a new initial value 121 of the remaining amount of the new product, etc. Authentication, etc. can be performed based on the initial value 121 of the remaining amount of the new product after recycling. Furthermore, by acquiring the reset count 127, it is possible to manage the reset count 127. For example, when setting up the cartridge 100 mounted in the printer 10 for regeneration, it is possible to execute processing to increase the reset count 127 (FIG. 11).

[0092] (5) The memory 110 also stores a new product remaining amount initial value 121 and a recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, which indicate the amount of ink 101 initially contained in the cartridge 100. The controller 30 calculates the remaining amount Vc based on the new product remaining amount initial value 121 or the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 (S65), and displays the percentage of the remaining amount Vc (S66). This allows the percentage of the remaining amount Vc of the ink 101 to be calculated from the initial value stored in the memory 110. Also, by displaying the remaining amount Vc as a percentage of the initial value, the degree to which the ink 101 is decreasing can be shown to the user in an easy-to-understand manner.

[0093] (6) Furthermore, the controller 30 authenticates the cartridge 100 based on the information stored in the memory 110 (initial value 121 of the remaining amount of a new product, initial value 122 of the remaining amount of a recycled product, cartridge type information 125, and ID information 128) (S24, S25, an example of the authentication process in this specification). If the authentication is successful (S25: YES), the controller 30 executes S29, S30, S35, etc. If the authentication is unsuccessful (S25: NO), the controller 30 does not execute S29, etc. According to this, when fraudulent information is stored as information such as the new product remaining amount initial value 121 or the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, authentication can be performed to prevent the fraudulent information from being used.

[0094] (7) Furthermore, electronic signature information, for example, information on an electronic document encrypted with a private key, may be used as the signature information 126. In S25, the controller 30 may perform authentication by decrypting the signature information 126 stored in the memory 110 with the public key stored in the ROM 44. According to this, authentication can be performed using the information by including the digital signature information in the information stored in the memory 110. Whether the cartridge 100 is authentic or not can be determined by the digital signature.

[0095] (8) In the above embodiment, the memory 110 stores a hash value for authentication as the signature information 126. In S25, if the hash value calculated from the new product remaining quantity initial value 121, etc. matches the hash value indicated by the signature information 126 stored in the memory 110, the controller 30 determines that the authentication has been successful (S25: YES). This allows a hash value to be calculated from the information stored in the memory 110, and authentication to be performed using the calculated hash value. The hash value can be used to determine whether the cartridge 100 is authentic.

[0096] (9) The memory 110 also stores a reset count 127 that indicates whether the cartridge 100 is a refurbished cartridge 100. The controller 30 changes the processing contents of Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 depending on whether the reset count 127 is 1 or greater, i.e., depending on whether the cartridge 100 is a new product or a refurbished product. This allows the contents of the CTG authentication process, balance calculation process, remaining amount subtraction process, and ink information display process to be changed depending on whether the cartridge 100 is a refurbished product or not. Different processes can be executed depending on whether the cartridge is a new product or a refurbished product.

[0097] (10) The printer 10 also includes a subtank 37. The memory 110 stores new product balance calculation parameters 129 and recycled product balance calculation parameters 130 for calculating the amount of first ink 101A in the liquid chamber 103A of the cartridge 100 and the amount of second ink 101B in the subtank 37. The new product balance calculation parameter 129 is set to a value (any number from 1 to 5) corresponding to the new product remaining amount initial value 121, and the recycled product balance calculation parameter 130 is set to a value corresponding to the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122. The controller 30 calculates the remaining amount Vc of the cartridge 100 based on the new product balance calculation parameters 129 and the like (functions F1, F2, threshold value Vh) (S44, S47).

[0098] According to this, by providing the subtank 37, printing can continue with the second ink 101B in the subtank 37 even after the first ink 101A in the cartridge 100 runs out. Furthermore, the amount of ink that can be stored in each of the cartridge 100 and the subtank 37 varies depending on the shape and initial values ​​of the cartridge 100. For this reason, by storing numbers indicating the parameters of the balance calculation formula for each cartridge 100 in memory 110 as new product balance calculation parameters 129, etc., the ink amounts in the cartridge 100 and the subtank 37 can be accurately calculated.

[0099] (11) The memory 110 also stores a new product remaining amount initial value 121, which indicates the amount of ink initially contained in the cartridge 100 and is set at the manufacturing stage, and a recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, which is used during recycling. When resetting the recycled product remaining amount 124 in order to recycle the cartridge 100, the controller 30 writes the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 into the memory 110 as the recycled product remaining amount 124 (S71, an example of the reset process in this specification). After the recycled product is attached to the attachment case 27, if the recycled product remaining amount 124 is greater than the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 obtained from the memory 110 (S30: NO), the controller 30 does not execute processes such as S35.

[0100] This allows the initial value of the recycled product to be set to a value different from the initial value of the new product before recycling. Furthermore, if the recycled product remaining amount 124 is greater than the acquired recycled product remaining amount initial value 122 after the recycled product is installed, there is a possibility that the recycled product remaining amount 124 has been fraudulently rewritten to a remaining amount Vc that is greater than the preset recycled product remaining amount initial value 122. For this reason, if the recycled product remaining amount 124 of the recycled product is greater than the recycled product remaining amount initial value 122, fraudulent use can be prevented by restricting consumable material processing such as S35.

[0101] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the configuration of the printer 10 in the above embodiment is one example. The printer 10 in this specification is not limited to an inkjet printing device, but may also be an electrophotographic printing device. Therefore, the replaceable parts in this specification are not limited to cartridges containing ink, but may also be cartridges containing toner. Furthermore, the consumables in this specification are not limited to ink, but may also be toner. In this case, information regarding the initial state (such as the initial remaining amount of new toner 121) may be stored in a memory provided in the toner cartridge. The printing device in this specification may also be a device that performs printing using other printing methods, such as thermal transfer printing or thermal printing. Therefore, the replacement parts and consumables in this specification may include ink ribbons, thermal paper, and components for storing them. Furthermore, the ink 101 may be stored in a container (such as a bottle) other than the cartridge 100. In this case, the container is an example of a replaceable part in this specification. In the above embodiment, the printer 10 is used as the printing device of this specification, but this is not limiting. The printing device of this specification may also be a so-called "multifunction device" that has functions such as a facsimile function, a scanning function, and a copying function. Furthermore, the printer 10 may not be provided with the subtank 37. Furthermore, the replaceable part in this specification is not limited to a component that stores unused consumables, such as cartridge 100, but may also be a used consumable, such as a waste tank that stores used ink 101. For example, printer 10 may be configured with a replaceable waste tank, and waste liquid generated during processes such as cleaning nozzles 19 may be stored in the waste tank. Printer 10 may acquire information about the initial state (such as the amount of ink that can be stored, the amount of ink currently stored, and parameters for calculating the amount of ink currently stored) from the memory of the waste tank and perform processing related to the waste liquid based on the acquired information. For example, controller 30 may determine the timing of replacing the waste tank based on the acquired information and issue a notification of replacement. In this case, printer 10 may also be provided with a sub-tank connected to the waste tank.

[0102] Furthermore, the printer 10 may not have the network IF 51. The controller 30 may also include a SoC (System on a Chip) instead of or in addition to the ASIC 47. The controller 30 may also include a plurality of ASICs 47 and CPUs 43. The controller 30 may also be configured not to include a CPU 43, but to execute programs for controlling various operations in the ASIC 47.

[0103] 6 to 11 are merely examples. For example, the controller 30 may execute only either S1 or S3 in FIG. Furthermore, the controller 30 may execute S8 before S5 in the processing of Fig. 6. The controller 30 may execute S8 when a negative determination is made in S4, and may execute S5 when a negative determination is made in S8. Furthermore, the controller 30 does not need to execute the processes of S5 to S11. Furthermore, the controller 30 does not have to execute the process of S27 in Fig. 7. In this case as well, the information in the EEPROM 46 is overwritten when a new cartridge 100 is installed. Furthermore, if the authentication in S25 fails (S25: NO), the controller 30 determines that the cartridge 100 is in a CTG error state and does not execute any of the processes from S26 onwards, but it may execute only some of the processes. For example, the controller 30 may execute the reset process in S10 for the cartridge 100 in a CTG error state.

[0104] In the above embodiment, the reset count 127 records the number of times remanufacturing has been performed, but this is not limiting. For example, the reset count 127 may be the allowable number of times remanufacturing (resetting) is permitted. In this case, for example, the reset count 127 may be set to an upper limit of the allowable number of times (e.g., 10 times). When determining whether a product is new or remanufactured based on the reset count 127 in S26, S41, S51, and S61, the controller 30 may determine whether the reset count 127 is the upper limit of the allowable number of times. The controller 30 may determine a product as new if the reset count 127 is the upper limit, and as remanufactured if the reset count 127 is less than the upper limit. Then, in S71, the controller 30 decrements the reset count 127 by one. After executing S71, the controller 30 determines whether the reset count 127 is less than "0," and if it is less than "0" (-1), may set information on the CTG error state in the memory 110, etc., as in S28. This makes it possible to limit the number of times the cartridge 100 can be reset, that is, the number of times it can be played.

[0105] Furthermore, a value (reset count) indicating the number of times the cartridge has been remanufactured by the manufacturer may be stored in the memory 110 separately from or instead of the remanufacturer's reset count 127. In this case, the processes of FIGS. 6 to 11 may be executed using the manufacturer's reset count, similar to the remanufacturer's reset count 127. For example, in S21 of FIG. 7, the controller 30 may determine whether the cartridge 100 has been replaced based on a match between the manufacturer's reset counts. Furthermore, the controller 30 may determine, for example, in S26, whether the manufacturer's reset count is 1 or greater, and then determine whether to determine the new product remaining amount 123 (S29) or the remanufactured product remaining amount 124 (S30). Furthermore, for example, the value of the manufacturer's reset count may be incremented by 1 in response to execution of the reset process of FIG. 11 (S71). Furthermore, the contents of this specification are not limited to the dependent relationships set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 10 printer (printing device), 27 mounting case (mounting part), 30 controller, 37 subtank, 100 cartridge (replacement part), 101 ink (consumable), 101A first ink (consumable), 101B second ink (consumable), 103A liquid chamber (storage part), 110 memory, 121 new product remaining amount initial value (information on the initial state of the consumable, initial value, first initial value), 122 recycled product remaining amount initial value (information on the initial state of the consumable, initial value, second initial value), 123 new product remaining amount (information on the initial state of the consumable), 124 recycled product remaining amount (information on the initial state of the consumable, information on the replacement part), 125 cartridge type information (information on the initial state of the consumable), 126 signature information (information on the initial state of the consumable), 127 reset count (information on the initial state of the consumable), 128 ID information (information on the initial state of the consumable, identification information), 129 Parameters for new product equilibrium calculation (information on the initial state of consumables), 130 Parameters for recycled product equilibrium calculation (information on the initial state of consumables).

Claims

1. Replacement parts and a mounting portion to which the replacement part can be attached and detached; A controller; Equipped with The replacement part is a storage section for storing consumable materials used in printing; a memory that stores information about an initial state of the consumable item; and The controller an acquisition process for acquiring information about an initial state from the memory of the replacement part attached to the attachment unit; a consumable goods process for executing a process related to the consumable goods based on the information about the initial state acquired by the acquisition process; A printing device that performs

2. The controller The printing device according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition process is executed when at least one of the following conditions is met: a condition that the printing device is turned on; and a condition that the replacement part is mounted in the mounting section.

3. The memory includes: Identification information for identifying the replacement part is stored, The controller 3. A printing device as described in claim 2, wherein even when the condition for the replacement part to be mounted in the mounting section is met, if the identification information of the replacement part previously mounted matches the identification information stored in the memory of the replacement part currently mounted, information regarding the initial state is not obtained from the memory.

4. The memory includes: a reset count indicating the number of times the information about the replacement part has been reset is stored; The controller Even when the condition for mounting the replacement part on the mounting portion is met, if the identification information of the replacement part previously mounted and the identification information stored in the memory of the replacement part currently mounted match, and if the reset count of the replacement part previously mounted and the reset count stored in the memory of the replacement part currently mounted match, information about the initial state is not obtained from the memory, 4. A printing device as described in claim 3, wherein when the condition for mounting the replacement part to the mounting section is met, if at least one of two conditions is not met, namely, the condition that the identification information of the replacement part previously mounted matches the identification information stored in the memory of the replacement part currently mounted, and the condition that the reset count of the replacement part previously mounted matches the reset count stored in the memory of the replacement part currently mounted, the printing device obtains information regarding the initial state and information regarding the reset count from the memory.

5. The information about the initial state of the consumables is an initial value indicating the amount of the consumable material initially contained in the replacement part; The controller A printing device as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein as the consumable material processing, the remaining amount of the consumable material of the replacement part is calculated based on the initial value of the consumable material, and the ratio of the remaining amount of the consumable material of the replacement part to the initial value of the consumable material is output.

6. The controller performing an authentication process for authenticating the replacement part based on the information stored in the memory; If the authentication process is successful, the consumable goods process is executed.

3. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein if the authentication process fails, the processing of the consumable goods is restricted.

7. The information about the initial state of the consumables includes: It contains electronic signature information, The controller The printing device according to claim 6 , wherein the authentication process is performed based on information of an electronic signature included in the information about the initial state of the consumable item.

8. The memory includes: The hash value for authentication is stored. The controller 7. A printing device according to claim 6, wherein, in the authentication process, if a hash value calculated from information regarding the initial state of the consumable item matches a hash value for authentication stored in the memory, the authentication is determined to be successful.

9. The memory includes: information indicating whether the replacement part is a refurbished replacement part is stored; The controller 3. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the content of the consumable goods disposal is changed depending on whether the replacement part is a refurbished replacement part.

10. The printing device a sub-tank connected to the replacement part attached to the attachment part and configured to accommodate the consumables flowing in from the replacement part; The memory includes: parameters for calculating the amount of the consumables in the storage portion of the replacement part attached to the attachment portion and the amount of the consumables in the sub-tank are stored; The parameters are: a value corresponding to information about an initial state of the consumable item is set; The controller In the acquisition process, the parameters are acquired from the memory; The printing device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a calculation unit for calculating a remaining amount of the consumable material in the storage unit for the replacement part based on the parameter.

11. The information about the initial state of the consumables is an initial value indicating the amount of the consumables initially contained in the replacement part, the initial value being set at a manufacturing stage of the replacement part, and a second initial value being used when the replacement part is remanufactured; The memory includes: The remaining amount of the consumables contained in the replacement part is stored, The controller When resetting the remaining amount of the consumables in order to remanufacture the replacement part, a reset process is executed to write the second initial value as the remaining amount in the memory; 3. A printing device as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein after the recycled replacement part is attached to the attachment section, if the remaining amount of the replacement part is greater than the second initial value acquired by the acquisition process, the consumable material processing is restricted.

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