Image forming apparatus, drum cartridge, method for manufacturing an image forming apparatus, and method for manufacturing a drum cartridge

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus, a drum cartridge, a method for manufacturing an image forming apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a drum cartridge that can determine the life of the drum cartridge provided with a cleaning roller.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus (1) is provided with a controller (101), and a drum cartridge (51) including a photoreceptor drum (53), a cleaning roller (55), and a drum memory (51M) that can store life information representing at least one of the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum (53) by the cleaning roller (55) and the performance of the cleaning roller (55) to recover a foreign substance attached to a surface of the photoreceptor drum (53). The controller (101) executes determination processing of determining the life of the drum cartridge (51) based on the life information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus, a drum cartridge, a method for manufacturing an image forming apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a drum cartridge. 【Background Art】 【0002】 A drum cartridge is mounted on an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic printer. The drum cartridge includes, for example, a photoreceptor drum and a cleaning member for cleaning the photoreceptor drum. Further, Patent Document 1 discloses a drum cartridge using a cleaning blade that contacts the photoreceptor drum as a cleaning member. Patent Document 1 also discloses storing information regarding the contact pressure of the cleaning blade and information regarding the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum in the memory of the drum cartridge. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus that determines the life of the photoreceptor drum based on the information stored in the memory. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0003】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-227851 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0004】 Among the drum cartridges as described above, those having a cleaning roller as a cleaning member are known. 【0005】 However, in the conventional image forming apparatuses and drum cartridges as described above, no appropriate technique for determining the life of a drum cartridge having a cleaning roller has been disclosed. 【0006】 The present disclosure aims to provide an image forming apparatus capable of determining the lifespan of a drum cartridge equipped with a cleaning roller, a drum cartridge, a method for manufacturing an image forming apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a drum cartridge. [Means for solving the problem] 【0007】 To solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to the first aspect of this disclosure includes a controller, a drum cartridge comprising a photoreceptor drum, a cleaning roller for cleaning the photoreceptor drum, and a memory capable of storing life information as the lifespan of the drum cartridge, which represents at least one of the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum by the cleaning roller and the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum. The system includes a drum cartridge and a controller which performs a determination process to determine the lifespan of the drum cartridge based on the lifespan information. 【0008】 According to the above configuration, the drum cartridge has a photoreceptor drum, a cleaning roller, and memory. The memory stores life information representing at least one of the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum by the cleaning roller and the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum, as the lifespan of the drum cartridge. The controller performs a determination process to determine the lifespan of the drum cartridge based on the lifespan information, thus enabling the configuration of an image forming apparatus capable of determining the lifespan of a drum cartridge equipped with a cleaning roller. 【0009】 A second aspect of this disclosure is an image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum and the foreign matter recovery performance may be defined by the physical properties of the cleaning roller. 【0010】 With the above configuration, the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum by the cleaning roller and the foreign matter collection performance by the cleaning roller can be precisely defined, and the lifespan of the drum cartridge can be determined with high accuracy. 【0011】 A third aspect of this disclosure is an image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, wherein the physical property value is the hardness of the cleaning roller, and the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum may be defined by the hardness. 【0012】 According to the above configuration, the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum is determined based on the hardness of the cleaning roller, so the lifespan information can be accurately defined, and the lifespan of the drum cartridge can be determined with high accuracy. 【0013】 A fourth aspect of this disclosure is an image forming apparatus according to the second or third aspect, wherein the physical property is the outer diameter of the cleaning roller, and the outer diameter may define at least one of the wear amount of the photoreceptor drum and the foreign matter recovery performance. 【0014】 According to the above configuration, at least one of the wear amount of the photoreceptor drum and the foreign matter recovery performance is determined based on the outer diameter of the cleaning roller, so that life information can be accurately defined and the life of the drum cartridge can be determined with high accuracy. 【0015】 A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is an image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the life information may further represent at least one of the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum by the photoreceptor drum and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum by the photoreceptor drum. 【0016】 According to the above configuration, the lifespan information will include at least one of the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum caused by the photoreceptor drum and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum caused by the photoreceptor drum. As a result, the lifespan information can be better defined, and the lifespan of the drum cartridge can be determined with greater accuracy. 【0017】 A sixth aspect of this disclosure is an image forming apparatus according to the fifth aspect, wherein the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum may be defined by the drum physical properties of the photoreceptor drum. 【0018】 According to the above configuration, the wear amount of the photosensitive drum by the photosensitive drum and the recovery performance of foreign matters by the photosensitive drum can be accurately defined, and the life of the drum cartridge can be determined with high accuracy. 【0019】 The seventh aspect of the present disclosure is the image forming apparatus of the sixth aspect, wherein the drum physical property value is the film thickness of the photosensitive drum, and the wear amount of the photosensitive drum may be defined by the film thickness. 【0020】 According to the above configuration, since the wear amount of the photosensitive drum is defined based on the film thickness of the photosensitive drum, the life information can be accurately defined, and the life of the drum cartridge can be determined with high accuracy. 【0021】 The eighth aspect of the present disclosure is the image forming apparatus of the sixth aspect or the seventh aspect, wherein the drum physical property value is the charging characteristic of the photosensitive drum, and the photosensitive performance may be defined by the charging characteristic. 【0022】 According to the above configuration, since the photosensitive performance of the photosensitive drum is defined based on the charging characteristic of the photosensitive drum, the life information can be accurately defined, and the life of the drum cartridge can be determined with high accuracy. 【0023】 The ninth aspect of the present disclosure is the image forming apparatus of any one of the sixth aspect to the eighth aspect, wherein the drum physical property value is the sensitivity of the photosensitive drum, and the photosensitive performance may be defined by the sensitivity. 【0024】 According to the above configuration, since the photosensitive performance of the photosensitive drum is defined based on the sensitivity of the photosensitive drum, the life information can be accurately defined, and the life of the drum cartridge can be determined with high accuracy. 【0025】 A tenth aspect of the present disclosure is an image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, further comprising a main body housing and a toner cartridge having a developing roller, wherein the drum cartridge may be attached to the main body housing together with the toner cartridge in a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge. 【0026】 According to the above configuration, the drum cartridge is attached to the main body housing together with the toner cartridge in a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge. Thereby, the replacement work of the drum cartridge and the toner cartridge can be easily performed. 【0027】 An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is an image forming apparatus according to the tenth aspect, wherein the drum cartridge and the toner cartridge may be detachable from each other independently with respect to the main body housing. 【0028】 According to the above configuration, an image forming apparatus capable of separately replacing the drum cartridge and the toner cartridge can be configured. 【0029】 A twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is an image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the memory stores the cumulative rotation number of the photosensitive drum and the rotation number indicating the life of the photosensitive drum included in the life information, and the controller may determine the life of the drum cartridge by comparing the cumulative rotation number stored in the memory with the rotation number indicating the life in the determination process. 【0030】 According to the above configuration, in the above determination process, the life of the drum cartridge is determined by comparing the cumulative rotation number stored in the memory with the rotation number indicating the life. Thereby, the life of the drum cartridge provided with the cleaning roller can be determined. 【0031】 A thirteenth aspect of this disclosure is an image forming apparatus according to the twelfth aspect, wherein the controller may perform a determination process to determine whether the cumulative number of rotations stored in the memory has reached the lifetime number of rotations. 【0032】 According to the above configuration, when the controller determines that the cumulative rotation count has reached the life rotation count, the controller can determine that the drum cartridge has reached the end of its lifespan. 【0033】 A fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing an image forming apparatus, comprising a drum cartridge having a photoreceptor drum, a cleaning roller for cleaning the photoreceptor drum, and a memory, the method comprising: defining life information representing at least one of the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum by the cleaning roller and the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum; and storing the life information in the memory as the life of the drum cartridge. 【0034】 According to the above configuration, the lifespan information is stored in memory through the above-mentioned prescribed step and the above-mentioned storage step, so a method for manufacturing an image forming apparatus that can determine the lifespan of a drum cartridge equipped with a cleaning roller can be configured. 【0035】 A fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a drum cartridge comprising: a photoreceptor drum; a cleaning roller for cleaning the photoreceptor drum; and a memory for storing life information representing at least one of the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum by the cleaning roller and the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum, wherein the life information is information for determining the life of the drum cartridge. 【0036】 According to the above configuration, the memory stores information for determining the lifespan of the drum cartridge, and also stores lifespan information representing at least one of the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum by the cleaning roller and the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum. This makes it possible to perform a determination process to determine the lifespan of the drum cartridge equipped with a cleaning roller based on the lifespan information, thereby enabling the configuration of a drum cartridge whose lifespan can be determined. 【0037】 A sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a drum cartridge, comprising a photoreceptor drum, a cleaning roller for cleaning the photoreceptor drum, and a memory, the method comprising: defining life information representing at least one of the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum by the cleaning roller and the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum; and storing the life information in the memory as the life of the drum cartridge. 【0038】 According to the above configuration, since the lifespan information is stored in memory by the above-mentioned prescribed step and the above-mentioned storage step, a method for manufacturing a drum cartridge that can determine the lifespan of a drum cartridge equipped with a cleaning roller can be configured. [Effects of the Invention] 【0039】 According to one aspect of this disclosure, an image forming apparatus capable of determining the lifespan of a drum cartridge equipped with a cleaning roller, a drum cartridge, a method for manufacturing an image forming apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a drum cartridge can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0040】 [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the functional blocks of the image forming apparatus described above. [Figure 3] This figure shows the details of the drum cartridge information shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This figure shows the details of the toner cartridge information shown in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This figure shows the details of the belt unit information shown in Figure 2. [Figure 6] This flowchart illustrates a specific example of the main manufacturing process of the image forming apparatus described above. [Figure 7] This flowchart illustrates an example of control using the controller shown in Figure 1. [Figure 8] This flowchart illustrates another specific example of the main manufacturing process of the image forming apparatus described above. [Figure 9] This flowchart illustrates another example of control using the controller shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0041】 [One Embodiment] <Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus 1> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, as an example of the image forming apparatus 1, an LED printer that performs image forming processing of a full-color image will be described. The left side facing the paper is referred to as the "front side," the right side facing the paper is referred to as the "rear side," and the vertical direction facing the paper is referred to as the "vertical direction." 【0042】 As shown in Figure 1, the image forming apparatus 1 comprises a paper feeding unit 20, an image forming unit 30, and a paper discharge unit 90 within a main housing 10. The paper feeding unit 20 supplies paper P. The image forming unit 30 forms an image on the fed paper P. The paper discharge unit 90 discharges the paper P on which the image has been formed. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a main board 100 that controls each part when forming an image. The main board 100 is equipped with a controller 101 for controlling each part. 【0043】 The image forming apparatus 1 includes an upper cover 11. The upper cover 11 is located on the upper part of the main body housing 10. The upper cover 11 is provided so as to be able to rotate up and down with a pivot shaft 12 as the pivot point. The upper cover 11 opens and closes an opening provided in the main body housing 10. The upper surface of the upper cover 11 functions as a paper output tray 13. The paper output tray 13 stores the paper P discharged from the main body housing 10. In addition, a plurality of holding members 14 are provided on the lower surface of the upper cover 11. The plurality of holding members 14 hold the LED unit 40, which is an exposure device. Inside the upper cover 11, there is an LED control board 110 and a shield plate 120 facing the LED control board 110. 【0044】 The paper feeding unit 20 comprises a paper feeding tray 21 and a paper supply mechanism 22. The paper feeding tray 21 is located in the lower part of the main body housing 10. The paper feeding tray 21 is detachably attached to the main body housing 10. The paper supply mechanism 22 comprises a paper feeding roller 23, a separation roller 24, and a separation pad 25. The paper supply mechanism 22 is located on the front side of the paper feeding tray 21. The paper supply mechanism 22 transports the paper P from the paper feeding tray 21 to the image forming unit 30. 【0045】 In the paper feeding unit 20, the paper sheets P in the paper tray 21 are separated one by one and fed upward. Then, in the paper feeding unit 20, paper dust is removed as the paper passes between the paper dust removal roller 26 and the pinch roller 27. After that, the paper sheets P are turned backward through the transport path 28. After that, the paper sheets P are supplied to the image forming unit 30. 【0046】 The image forming unit 30 comprises four process cartridges 50, four LED units 40, a belt unit 70, and a fixing unit 80. 【0047】 The LED unit 40 comprises an LED print head 41 and a support frame 42. The LED print head 41 is positioned above the photoreceptor drum 53 and opposite the photoreceptor drum 53. The photoreceptor drum 53 is an example of a photoreceptor. 【0048】 The support frame 42 is a component that supports the LED print head 41. The support frame 42 is pivotably attached to the upper cover 11 via the holding member 14. As a result, the LED unit 40 (LED print head 41) moves from the exposure position facing the photoreceptor drum 53 to an upward retracted position by rotating the upper cover 11 upward. 【0049】 The process cartridge 50 is arranged in a front-to-back direction between the upper cover 11 and the paper feed section 20. The process cartridge 50 comprises a drum cartridge 51 and a toner cartridge 60 integrally configured with the drum cartridge 51. This process cartridge 50 can be replaced through an opening in the main body housing 10 after rotating the upper cover 11 upward. In other words, in the process cartridge 50, the toner cartridge 60 is attached to the drum cartridge 51, and together with the toner cartridge 60, it is detachably mounted in the main body housing 10. 【0050】 Each process cartridge 50 is identical in its configuration, differing only in the color of the toner (developer) contained in the toner storage chamber 66 of the toner cartridge 60. 【0051】 The drum cartridge 51 comprises a drum frame 52, a photoreceptor drum 53, and a charger 54. The photoreceptor drum 53 is rotatably supported on the drum frame 52. The charger 54 is, for example, a scorotron-type charger or a charger having charging rollers. The drum cartridge 51 also has a cleaning roller 55. The cleaning roller 55 cleans the photoreceptor drum 53 by contacting it. In other words, the cleaning roller 55 removes and collects foreign matter such as toner and paper dust adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum 53. The foreign matter is then collected in a foreign matter collection chamber located on the opposite side of the photoreceptor drum 53. 【0052】 The toner cartridge 60 includes a developer for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor drum 53. The toner cartridge 60 comprises a developing frame 62, a developing roller 63, and a supply roller 64. The developing roller 63 and the supply roller 64 are rotatably supported on the developing frame 62. The toner cartridge 60 also includes a blade assembly 65 and a toner storage chamber 66 for storing toner. 【0053】 In the above description, we have described the case in which a single, integrated process cartridge 50 is used in which the drum cartridge 51 and the toner cartridge 60 are inseparable. However, this embodiment is not limited to this, and for example, a process cartridge in which the drum cartridge and toner cartridge are separable can also be used. 【0054】 The belt unit 70 is located between the paper feed unit 20 and each process cartridge 50. The belt unit 70 comprises a drive roller 71, a driven roller 72, a transport belt 73, a transfer roller 74, and a cleaning unit 75. The belt unit 70 has a transport belt 73 positioned opposite the four process cartridges 50. The transport belt 73 functions as a transfer belt. In other words, the belt unit 70 constitutes a transfer belt unit for forming a full-color image. 【0055】 The drive roller 71 and the driven roller 72 are arranged parallel to each other and spaced apart in the front-rear direction. A conveyor belt 73, which is an endless belt, is provided between the drive roller 71 and the driven roller 72. The outer surface of the conveyor belt 73 is in contact with each photoreceptor drum 53. Inside the conveyor belt 73, four transfer rollers 74 are arranged opposite each photoreceptor drum 53, sandwiching the conveyor belt 73 between them. A transfer bias, which is the transfer voltage, is applied to these transfer rollers 74 by constant current control during transfer. 【0056】 The cleaning unit 75 is located below the conveyor belt 73. The cleaning unit 75 includes, for example, a cleaning roller, a recovery roller, a blade, and a toner storage unit 76. The cleaning roller contacts the conveyor belt 73. The recovery roller contacts the cleaning roller. The blade contacts the recovery roller. The toner storage unit 76 is located below the blade. As a result, in the cleaning unit 75, foreign matter such as toner is removed from the conveyor belt 73 by the cleaning roller. Furthermore, in the cleaning unit 75, the foreign matter falls into the toner storage unit 76 via the recovery roller and the blade. In addition to the above description, a configuration in which a cleaning blade or cleaning brush contacts the conveyor belt 73 instead of a cleaning roller is also possible. 【0057】 The fixing unit 80 is located behind each process cartridge 50 and belt unit 70. The fixing unit 80 includes a heating roller 81 and a pressure roller 82 which is positioned opposite the heating roller 81 and presses against it. 【0058】 In the image forming unit 30 configured in this way, first, the surface of each photoreceptor drum 53 is uniformly charged by the charger 54, and then exposed by LED light irradiated from each LED print head 41. As a result, an electrostatic latent image based on image data is formed on each photoreceptor drum 53. 【0059】 Furthermore, the toner in the toner storage chamber 66 is supplied to the developing roller 63 by the rotation of the supply roller 64, and by the rotation of the developing roller 63, it enters the space between the developing roller 63 and the blade assembly 65 and is carried on the developing roller 63 as a thin layer of a certain thickness. 【0060】 The toner supported on the developing roller 63 is supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor drum 53 when the developing roller 63 comes into contact with the photoreceptor drum 53. As a result, the toner is selectively supported on the photoreceptor drum 53, the electrostatic latent image is made visible, and a toner image is formed by inversion development. 【0061】 Then, as the paper P supplied onto the transport belt 73 passes between each photoreceptor drum 53 and each transfer roller 74 located inside the transport belt 73, the toner images formed on each photoreceptor drum 53 are sequentially transferred onto the paper P. When the paper P passes between the heating roller 81 and the pressure roller 82, the toner images transferred onto the paper P are heat-fixed. 【0062】 The paper discharge section 90 includes a paper discharge side transport path 91 that extends upward from the outlet of the fuser unit 80 and is formed to invert towards the front, and a plurality of pairs of transport rollers 92 for transporting the paper P. The paper P, on which the toner image has been transferred and heat-fixed, is transported along the paper discharge side transport path 91 by the transport rollers 92, discharged to the outside of the main body housing 10, and accumulated in the paper discharge tray 13. 【0063】 <Software configuration of image forming apparatus 1> Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional blocks of the image forming apparatus 1. The image forming apparatus 1 comprises the controller 101, the main memory 102, the temperature and humidity sensor 103, and the display 104. The image forming apparatus 1 also has connectors 201, 202, and 203. 【0064】 The connector 201 is electrically connected to the drum memory 51M provided on the drum cartridge 51. When the connector 201 and the drum memory 51M are electrically connected, the controller 101 becomes able to communicate with the drum memory 51M. That is, the controller 101 becomes able to write information to and rewrite information in the drum memory 51M, and read information from the drum memory 51M. 【0065】 The drum memory 51M is a memory capable of reading and writing information. The type of drum memory 51M is not particularly limited. For example, the drum memory 51M may be flash ROM, EEPROM®, or an IC chip. 【0066】 The connector 202 is electrically connected to the toner memory 60M provided in the toner cartridge 60. When the connector 202 and the toner memory 60M are electrically connected, the controller 101 becomes able to communicate with the toner memory 60M. That is, the controller 101 becomes able to write information to and rewrite information in the toner memory 60M, and read information from the toner memory 60M. 【0067】 The toner memory 60M is a memory capable of reading and writing information. The type of toner memory 60M is not particularly limited. For example, the toner memory 60M may be flash ROM, EEPROM®, or an IC chip. 【0068】 The connector 203 is electrically connected to the belt memory 70M provided on the belt unit 70. When the connector 203 and the belt memory 70M are electrically connected, the controller 101 becomes able to communicate with the belt memory 70M. That is, the controller 101 becomes able to write information to and rewrite information in the belt memory 70M, as well as read information from the belt memory 70M. 【0069】 The belt memory 70M is a memory capable of reading and writing information. The type of belt memory 70M is not particularly limited. For example, the belt memory 70M may be a flash ROM, EEPROM®, or an IC chip. 【0070】 <Controller 101> The controller 101 includes, for example, a CPU, RAM, ROM, and input / output circuits, and performs image formation control by performing calculations based on information from the installed cartridge and programs and data stored in the ROM. In addition, the controller 101 also performs control processing other than image formation control as appropriate, according to information acquired from each part of the image forming apparatus 1. 【0071】 The controller 101 reads drum cartridge information 510 from the drum memory 51M at a predetermined timing. The controller 101 stores the read drum cartridge information 510 in the main memory 102 as drum cartridge information 1021. 【0072】 The controller 101 reads the toner cartridge information 600 from the toner memory 60M at a predetermined timing. The controller 101 stores the read toner cartridge information 600 in the main unit memory 102 as toner cartridge information 1022. 【0073】 The controller 101 reads the belt unit information 700 from the belt memory 70M at a predetermined timing. The controller 101 stores the read belt unit information 700 in the main memory 102 as belt unit information 1023. 【0074】 The timing at which the controller 101 reads information from the drum memory 51M, toner memory 60M, or belt memory 70M is not particularly limited. For example, the controller 101 may read information from the drum memory 51M, toner memory 60M, or belt memory 70M when the drum cartridge 51, toner cartridge 60, or belt unit 70 is installed in the image forming apparatus 1. Alternatively, the controller 101 may read information from the drum memory 51M, toner memory 60M, or belt memory 70M when the power to the image forming apparatus 1 changes from an off state to an on state. The controller 101 may then store the read information in the main unit memory 102. 【0075】 The controller 101 performs a determination process to determine the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51, toner cartridge 60, or belt unit 70 based on the information read from the drum memory 51M, toner memory 60M, or belt memory 70M. 【0076】 In addition to the above explanation, the controller 101 may also perform a determination process to determine the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51, toner cartridge 60, or belt unit 70 based on the information read from the drum memory 51M, toner memory 60M, or belt memory 70M and stored in the main unit memory 102. 【0077】 <Main unit memory 102> The main memory 102 is a memory that can read and write information. The main memory 102 is, for example, flash ROM or EEPROM (registered trademark, Electronically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory). 【0078】 The main memory 102 stores drum cartridge information 1021, toner cartridge information 1022, belt unit information 1023, specification information 1024, device ID 1025, and page count counter 1026. 【0079】 The drum cartridge information 1021 is information relating to the drum cartridge 51 installed in the image forming apparatus 1. In this embodiment, the drum cartridge information 1021 includes the same information as the drum cartridge information 510. The drum cartridge information 1021 is stored separately for each drum cartridge 51. 【0080】 The toner cartridge information 1022 is information relating to the toner cartridge 60 installed in the image forming apparatus 1. In this embodiment, the toner cartridge information 1022 includes the same information as the toner cartridge information 600. The toner cartridge information 1022 is stored separately for each toner cartridge 60. 【0081】 The belt unit information 1023 is information relating to the belt unit 70 mounted on the image forming apparatus 1. In this embodiment, the belt unit information 1023 includes the same information as the belt unit information 700. The belt unit information 1023 is stored separately for each belt unit 70. 【0082】 Specification information 1024 is information regarding the control specifications determined based on the inspection results of the image forming apparatus 1 at the time of shipment. Specifically, specification information 1024 indicates whether the image forming apparatus 1 has standard specifications or image quality priority specifications. Based on specification information 1024, the controller 101 determines whether or not to execute the image quality degradation prediction mode, and executes the image quality degradation prediction mode according to the determination result (details will be described later). In addition, specification information 1024 may also include information regarding the durability of the drum cartridge 51 and the belt unit 70, for example, information indicating whether the durability margin is large or small, as described later. 【0083】 The device ID 1025 is the identification information for image forming apparatus 1. The device ID 1025 may also be, for example, the serial number of the image forming apparatus. 【0084】 The sheet count counter 1026 is a counter that indicates the cumulative number of prints in the image forming apparatus 1. The sheet count counter 1026 is incremented by the controller 101 each time printing, i.e., each image forming process is performed. The sheet count counter 1026 may also be initialized according to instructions from the controller 101. Furthermore, the value of the sheet count counter 1026 may be read by the controller 101 as appropriate and transmitted to a server (not shown) via a communication unit (not shown). 【0085】 In addition to the various information described above, the main memory 102 may also store images to be displayed on the display 104. Furthermore, the main memory 102 may also store a control program that implements a control method for the image forming apparatus 1. 【0086】 The temperature and humidity sensor 103 is a sensor that measures at least one of the temperature and humidity inside the main unit housing 10. The temperature and humidity sensor 103 outputs the measurement results to the controller 101. Specifically, for example, at the end of a print job, the controller 101 instructs the temperature and humidity sensor 103 to measure the temperature and humidity. 【0087】 The temperature and humidity sensor 103 measures the temperature and humidity inside the main unit housing 10 at the end of the print job and outputs the measurement results to the controller 101. The type of temperature and humidity sensor 103 and the output format of the measurement results are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the temperature and humidity sensor 103 measures both temperature and humidity and outputs them to the controller 101. However, the temperature and humidity sensor 103 may be configured to measure only either temperature or humidity and output them to the controller 101. 【0088】 The display 104 is an output interface capable of displaying characters and images. An example of the display 104 is a liquid crystal display. The display surface of the display 104 may be located on the outer surface of the main body housing 10 so that the user of the image forming apparatus 1 can easily see the information displayed on the display surface. The display 104 displays images input from the controller 101 on its display surface. 【0089】 The image forming apparatus 1 may also include an input unit (not shown). The input unit is an input interface for receiving user input operations. For example, the input unit may be various physical buttons and a touch panel. Alternatively, the input unit and the display 104 may be configured as a single unit, such as a touch panel display. 【0090】 Furthermore, if the image forming apparatus 1 is equipped with an input unit, the controller 101 may identify the content of the input operation performed on the input unit and execute processing according to the content of the input operation. Also, if the image forming apparatus 1 is equipped with an audio output unit such as a speaker, the controller 101 may have the audio data read from the main memory 102 output to the audio output unit. Other specific processing content executed by the controller 101 will be described later. 【0091】 Furthermore, if the controller 101 is equipped with a processor, the controller 101 reads a control program from the main memory 102 and operates according to the control program. As a result, various processes defined in the control program are executed in the image forming apparatus 1. 【0092】 <Drum Cartridge Information 510> Figure 3 shows the details of the drum cartridge information 510 shown in Figure 2. The drum memory 51M stores at least lifespan information 512 for determining the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 as drum cartridge information 510. In other words, the drum memory 51M stores at least lifespan information 512 as the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51. The drum memory 51M may also store drum ID 511, drum specification information 513, cumulative drum rotations 514, and print count 515 as drum cartridge information 510. 【0093】 The life information 512 represents at least one of the wear amount of the photoreceptor drum 53 by the cleaning roller 55 and the cleaning roller 55's performance in recovering foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum 53. Furthermore, the wear amount of the photoreceptor drum 53 and the foreign matter recovery performance are defined by the physical properties of the cleaning roller 55. 【0094】 Specifically, the physical properties of the cleaning roller 55 include, for example, its hardness, and this hardness determines the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53. More specifically, if the hardness of the cleaning roller 55 is greater than or equal to a predetermined hardness (for example, 48° (Asker C)), the surface film of the photoreceptor drum 53 is more likely to be abraded by contact with the cleaning roller 55. As a result, the photoreceptor drum 53 becomes thinner, and fogging, which is caused by a decrease in its surface potential, is more likely to occur. Fogging is a phenomenon in which toner adheres to areas on the paper P where it is not desired. Fogging occurs when the potential difference between the potential of the dark areas and the potential of the bright areas of the photoreceptor drum 53 becomes small. 【0095】 Furthermore, the physical properties of the cleaning roller 55 include, for example, its outer diameter, which determines at least one of the wear amount of the photoreceptor drum 53 and the foreign matter recovery performance. Specifically, if the outer diameter of the cleaning roller 55 is smaller than a predetermined lower limit (for example, 10.8 mm), the nip pressure (contact pressure) with the photoreceptor drum 53 decreases, and the foreign matter recovery performance deteriorates. As a result, CLN residual ghosting and spotting are more likely to occur. CLN residual ghosting is the image-forming area caused by residual toner that was not recovered by the cleaning roller 55. Spotting is a localized area of ​​reduced image quality. 【0096】 On the other hand, if the outer diameter of the cleaning roller 55 is greater than a predetermined upper limit (for example, 11.2 mm), the nip pressure (contact pressure) with the photoreceptor drum 53 increases, making it easier for the film on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 53 to be scraped off by contact with the cleaning roller 55. As a result, the above-mentioned fogging is more likely to occur. 【0097】 Furthermore, the life information 512 may also represent at least one of the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53 and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum 53. In addition, the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53 and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum 53 are defined by the drum physical properties of the photoreceptor drum 53. 【0098】 Specifically, the physical properties of the photoreceptor drum 53 include, for example, the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum 53, and the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum 53 is determined by this film thickness. More specifically, if the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum 53 is less than or equal to a predetermined film thickness (for example, 34 μm), surface abrasion of the photoreceptor drum 53 is more likely to occur due to contact with the cleaning roller 55. As a result, the above-mentioned fogging is more likely to occur. 【0099】 Furthermore, the physical properties of the photoreceptor drum 53 include, for example, the charging characteristics of the photoreceptor drum 53, and the photosensitive performance is determined by these charging characteristics. Specifically, if the charging potential of the photoreceptor drum 53 is lower than a predetermined charging potential (for example, 570V), residual charge is more likely to be generated on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 53, and the surface potential is more likely to decrease. As a result, the above-mentioned fogging is more likely to occur. 【0100】 Furthermore, the physical properties of the photoreceptor drum 53 include, for example, the sensitivity of the photoreceptor drum 53, and the photosensitive performance is determined by this sensitivity. Specifically, if the sensitivity of the photoreceptor drum 53 is lower than a predetermined sensitivity (for example, a potential difference of 600V between the potential of the dark area and the potential of the bright area of ​​the photoreceptor drum 53), residual charge is more likely to be generated on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 53, causing the potential of the bright area to increase after exposure and reducing the density of the image-forming area. As a result, image quality is more likely to deteriorate. 【0101】 Drum ID 511 is identification information for drum cartridge 51. Drum specification information 513 may include one or more of the following: type, size, shape of photoreceptor drum 53, material of photoreceptor, degree of wearability of photoreceptor drum 53, and parameters for determining rotational speed or rotations per unit time. 【0102】 The cumulative drum rotation count 514 indicates the cumulative rotation count of the photoconductor drum 53 since the start of use of the drum cartridge 51. The number of printed pages 515 indicates the number of printed pages since the start of use of the drum cartridge 51. 【0103】 The various pieces of information in the drum cartridge information 510 listed above are merely examples of the information that may be included in the drum cartridge information 510. The drum cartridge information 510 may also include other information besides the various pieces of information mentioned above. Furthermore, some of the various pieces of information in the drum cartridge information 510 mentioned above may be omitted as appropriate. 【0104】 <Toner Cartridge Information 600> Figure 4 shows the details of the toner cartridge information 600 shown in Figure 2. The toner memory 60M stores at least the cumulative dot count 604 and the cumulative rotation count of the developer roller 605 as toner cartridge information 600. The toner memory 60M may also store the toner ID 601, capacity information 602, toner cartridge specification information 603, and the number of printed pages 606 as toner cartridge information 600. 【0105】 The cumulative dot count of 604 is the cumulative value of the number of dots printed since the start of use of toner cartridge 60. 【0106】 The cumulative number of rotations of the developing roller, 605, is the cumulative value of the number of rotations of the developing roller 63 since the start of use of the toner cartridge 60. 【0107】 Toner ID 601 is the identification information for toner cartridge 60. Capacity information 602 indicates the capacity of toner in toner cartridge 60. In other words, capacity information 602 indicates the amount of toner filled in toner cartridge 60 when it is new. 【0108】 The toner cartridge specification information 603 contains information regarding the specifications of the developing roller 63 and the toner. The specifications of the developing roller 63 refer to one or more of the following: the type, size, shape, material, characteristics, and various setting values ​​of the developing roller 63. The specifications of the toner refer to one or more of the following: the average particle size, circularity, material, characteristics, and various setting values ​​of the toner. In this embodiment, the toner cartridge specification information 603 includes the type of developing roller 63 and parameters for determining the rotation speed of the developing roller 63. The parameters for determining the rotation speed of the developing roller 63 may be predetermined based on the various specifications of the developing roller 63. 【0109】 The cumulative dot count of 604 is the cumulative number of dots printed. The cumulative rotations of the developer roller, 605, is information indicating the cumulative number of rotations of the developer roller 63 since the start of use of the toner cartridge 60. Toner is a consumable item, and the developer roller 63 also deteriorates with rotation. Therefore, the cumulative dot count of 604 and the cumulative rotations of the developer roller, 605 can also be said to be information indicating the lifespan of the toner cartridge 60. The number of pages printed, 606, is information indicating the number of pages printed since the start of use of the toner cartridge 60. 【0110】 The various pieces of information in the toner cartridge information 600 listed above are merely examples of the information that may be included in the toner cartridge information 600. The toner cartridge information 600 may also include other information besides the various pieces of information mentioned above. Furthermore, some of the various pieces of information in the toner cartridge information 600 mentioned above may be omitted as appropriate. 【0111】 <Belt Unit Information 700> Figure 5 shows the details of the belt unit information 700 shown in Figure 2. The belt memory 70M stores at least belt life information 702 for determining the lifespan of the belt unit 70 as belt unit information 700. In other words, the belt memory 70M stores at least belt life information 702 as the lifespan of the belt unit 70. The belt memory 70M may also store belt ID 701, belt specification information 703, cumulative belt rotations 704, and print count 705 as belt unit information 700. 【0112】 Belt life information 702 represents information indicating the transfer performance of the transfer roller 74. Furthermore, the transfer performance of the transfer roller 74 is defined by the physical properties of the transfer roller 74. 【0113】 Specifically, the physical property of the transfer roller 74 is, for example, its resistance, and this resistance determines the amount of current flowing through the transfer roller 74. More specifically, when the transfer roller 74 is controlled by constant current control, if the resistance of the transfer roller 74 is greater than or equal to a predetermined resistance (for example, 7.2 log Ω), the transfer bias voltage applied to the transfer roller 74 tends to decrease. As a result, it becomes difficult to form an electric field at the transfer roller 74, which tends to reduce the transfer performance of the transfer roller 74 and thus the image quality tends to decrease. 【0114】 Furthermore, the physical properties of the transfer roller 74 include, for example, the transfer voltage of the transfer roller 74, and the amount of current flowing through the transfer roller 74 is determined by this transfer voltage. Specifically, when the transfer roller 74 is controlled by constant voltage control, if the transfer voltage of the transfer roller 74 is less than a predetermined voltage (for example, 2kV), the amount of current supplied to the transfer roller 74 tends to increase. As a result, in order to suppress the deterioration of the transfer performance of the transfer roller 74, the power consumption of the transfer roller 74 tends to increase. 【0115】 In addition to the above explanation, the belt life information 702 may also include information representing the transfer performance of the transfer roller 74 by the conveyor belt 73. In this case, the transfer performance of the transfer roller 74 is defined by the physical properties of the conveyor belt 73, for example, the glossiness. 【0116】 Belt ID 701 is identification information for belt unit 70. Belt specification information 703 may include one or more of the following: type, size, shape, material of transfer roller 74, degree of wear of transfer roller 74, and parameters for determining rotational speed or rotations per unit time. Belt specification information 703 may also include the conveying speed of conveyor belt 73, the outer diameter of drive roller 71, or the outer diameter of driven roller 72. 【0117】 The cumulative belt rotation count 704 indicates the cumulative number of rotations of the conveyor belt 73 since the start of use of the belt unit 70. The number of printed pages 705 indicates the number of printed pages since the start of use of the belt unit 70. 【0118】 The various types of information in the belt unit information 700 listed above are merely examples of the types of information that may be included in the belt unit information 700. The belt unit information 700 may also include other types of information besides those mentioned above. Furthermore, some of the aforementioned types of information in the belt unit information 700 may be omitted as appropriate. 【0119】 <Manufacturing method for image forming apparatus 1> Next, the manufacturing method of the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be specifically described with reference to Figures 6 to 9. Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a specific example of the main manufacturing process of the image forming apparatus 1. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control by the controller 101 shown in Figure 1. Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating another specific example of the main manufacturing process of the image forming apparatus 1. Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating another example of control by the controller 101 shown in Figure 1. 【0120】 <Method for manufacturing drum cartridge 51> First, the manufacturing method of the drum cartridge 51 will be explained using Figures 6 and 7. 【0121】 In the production line of the factory that manufactures the drum cartridge 51, once the assembly of the drum cartridge 51 is complete, the life information 512 is stored in the drum memory 51M, as shown in step S1 of Figure 6. 【0122】 Specifically, a predefined process is first performed to define life information 512, which represents at least one of the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53 by the cleaning roller 55 and the cleaning roller 55's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum 53. Alternatively, instead of the cleaning roller 55, a developing roller 63 may be used to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum 53. In that case, the following predefined process is performed using the developing roller 63. In this case, the drum cartridge 51 will be equipped with a developing roller 63. 【0123】 Furthermore, this prescribed process specifies life information 512 that represents at least one of the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53 and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum 53. 【0124】 In the following explanation, we will use as an example the case in which the life information 512 is defined by including, for example, the hardness of the cleaning roller 55 among the above physical properties of the cleaning roller 55, and for example, the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum 53 among the drum physical properties of the photoreceptor drum 53. 【0125】 More specifically, in the specified process, before assembling the drum cartridge 51, the measured hardness or hardness data value is included in the life information 512, thereby defining the life information 512. The measured hardness is the value obtained by measuring the hardness of the cleaning roller 55. The hardness data value is, for example, the value listed on the delivery slip for the cleaning roller 55. 【0126】 Furthermore, in the specified process, before assembling the drum cartridge 51, the measured or data value of the film thickness is included in the life information 512, thereby defining the life information 512. The measured film thickness is the value obtained by measuring the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum 53. The data value of the film thickness is, for example, the value listed on the delivery slip for the photoreceptor drum 53. 【0127】 Next, a storage step is performed in which the lifespan information 512, which was specified in the prescribed process, is stored in the drum memory 51M, thereby completing the operation of step S1. 【0128】 Next, for example, a line controller (not shown) installed on the manufacturing line determines whether the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum 53 included in the life information 512 is less than or equal to the predetermined film thickness (step S2). If the line controller determines that the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum 53 is less than or equal to the predetermined film thickness (YES in step S2), the line controller determines whether the hardness of the cleaning roller 55 included in the life information 512 is greater than or equal to the predetermined hardness (step S3). 【0129】 Next, when the line controller determines that the hardness of the cleaning roller 55 is equal to or greater than the predetermined hardness (YES in step S3), the line controller determines that the durability margin of the drum cartridge 51 is small (step S4). Furthermore, the line controller determines that the image forming apparatus 1 in which the drum cartridge 51 is installed is a product with image quality priority specifications (step S5). 【0130】 On the other hand, if the line controller determines that the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum 53 exceeds the predetermined film thickness (NO in step S2), the line controller determines that the durability margin of the drum cartridge 51 is large (step S6). 【0131】 Similarly, if the line controller determines that the hardness of the cleaning roller 55 is less than the predetermined hardness (NO in step S3), the line controller determines that the durability margin of the drum cartridge 51 is large (step S6). 【0132】 Next, the line controller determines that the image forming apparatus 1 to which the drum cartridge 51 is installed is a standard product (step S7). 【0133】 Furthermore, the line controller stores the determination result made in step S5 or step S7 in the drum memory 51M, including it in the lifetime information 512. In other words, the lifetime information 512 includes information regarding control specifications that indicate whether the image forming apparatus 1 in which the drum cartridge 51 is installed is a product of image quality priority specifications or standard specifications. 【0134】 In the above description, we have described the case in which the line controller includes the information regarding the control specifications in the life information 512. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the line controller may include the information regarding the control specifications in other information of the drum cartridge information 510, such as the drum ID 511 or drum specification information 513, and store it in the drum memory 51M. Alternatively, the drum cartridge information 510 may store the specification information in the drum memory 51M. 【0135】 Furthermore, the line controller may store in the drum memory 51M, in addition to the information regarding the control specifications described above, information regarding the durability margin of the drum cartridge 51 determined in step S4 or step S6, in the lifespan information 512. 【0136】 Furthermore, the line controller may, based on the information regarding the control specifications described above, determine, for example, a life rotation speed indicating the lifespan of the photoreceptor drum 53, and include this life rotation speed in the lifespan information 512 and store it in the drum memory 51M. 【0137】 Specifically, for example, if the image forming apparatus 1 is of standard specifications, the life rotation count is determined to be 100,000 times, and if the image forming apparatus 1 is of image quality priority specifications, the life rotation count is determined to be 900,000 times. The line controller may then include the determined life rotation count in the life information 512 and store it in the drum memory 51M. Alternatively, the line controller may, for example, set the life rotation count coefficient for the standard specifications to "1", and the life rotation count coefficient for the image quality priority specifications to a multiple of the standard specification value, i.e., "0.9", and include the corresponding life rotation count coefficients in the life information 512 and store them in the drum memory 51M. 【0138】 In the production line of the factory that manufactures the image forming apparatus 1, once the drum cartridge 51 is mounted in the main body housing 10, the controller 101 reads the life information 512 from the drum memory 51M, as shown in step S11 of Figure 7. 【0139】 Next, the controller 101 determines, based on the read lifetime information 512, whether the control specifications of the image forming apparatus 1 are image quality priority specifications (step S12). If the controller 101 determines that it is an image quality priority specification (YES in step S12), the controller 101 turns ON the image quality degradation prediction mode (step S13). 【0140】 On the other hand, if the controller 101 determines that it is not the image quality priority specification, i.e., the standard specification (NO in step S12), the controller 101 turns OFF the image quality degradation prediction mode (step S14). 【0141】 In addition to the above explanation, in step S12, the controller 101 may determine the control specifications of the image forming apparatus 1 based on, for example, information regarding the durability margin of the drum cartridge 51 or the life turnover coefficient included in the life information 512. 【0142】 In this context, the image quality degradation prediction mode means that when the image forming apparatus 1 is in use, the controller 101 performs a determination process to determine the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 based on the lifespan information 512. Specifically, the controller 101 reads, for example, the lifespan information 512 and the cumulative drum rotation count 514 from the drum cartridge information 1021 in the main memory 102 or the drum cartridge information 510 in the drum memory 51M. 【0143】 Subsequently, the controller 101 determines the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 by comparing the lifespan rotation count, which indicates the lifespan of the photoreceptor drum 53 and is included in the read lifespan information 512, with the read cumulative drum rotation count 514. In other words, the controller 101 performs a determination process to determine whether the cumulative drum rotation count 514 has reached the lifespan rotation count, and if it determines that the lifespan rotation count has been reached, it determines that the drum cartridge 51 has reached the end of its lifespan. 【0144】 The controller 101 then displays on the display 104 that the drum cartridge 51 has reached the end of its lifespan, and also notifies a server (not shown) or other image forming apparatus via the communication unit. This notifies the operator, such as the user of the image forming apparatus 1, of the impending image quality degradation. Furthermore, as described above, by sending an image quality degradation notification to the server, etc., if the image forming apparatus 1 is a subscription-based device, for example, the operator can be automatically prompted to replace the drum cartridge 51 in order to maintain image quality. 【0145】 <Manufacturing method for belt unit 70> Next, the manufacturing method of the belt unit 70 will be explained using Figures 8 and 9. 【0146】 In the production line of the factory that manufactures the belt unit 70, once the assembly of the belt unit 70 is complete, the belt life information 702 is stored in the belt memory 70M, as shown in step S21 of Figure 8. 【0147】 Specifically, the first step is to define the belt life information 702, which represents the transfer performance of the transfer roller 74. In this defining step, before assembling the belt unit 70, the measured resistance value or the data value of the resistance value is included in the belt life information 702, thereby defining the belt life information 702. The measured resistance value is the value obtained by measuring the resistance value of the transfer roller 74. The data value of the resistance value is, for example, the value listed on the delivery slip for the transfer roller 74. 【0148】 Furthermore, in the specified process, before assembling the belt unit 70, the measured value or data value of the transfer voltage is included in the belt life information 702, thereby defining the belt life information 702. The measured value of the transfer voltage is the value obtained by measuring the transfer voltage of the transfer roller 74. The data value of the transfer voltage is, for example, the value listed on the delivery slip for the transfer roller 74. 【0149】 Next, a storage step is performed in which the belt life information 702, which was specified in the prescribed process, is stored in the belt memory 70M, thereby completing the operation of step S1. 【0150】 Next, for example, a line controller (not shown) installed on the manufacturing line determines whether the resistance value of the transfer roller 74 included in the belt life information 702 is equal to or greater than the above resistance value (step S22). If the line controller determines that the resistance value of the transfer roller 74 is equal to or greater than the above resistance value (YES in step S22), the line controller determines whether the transfer voltage of the transfer roller 74 included in the belt life information 702 is equal to or greater than the above predetermined voltage (step S23). 【0151】 Next, when the line controller determines that the transfer voltage of the transfer roller 74 is equal to or greater than the predetermined voltage (YES in step S23), the line controller determines that the durability margin of the belt unit 70 is small (step S24). Furthermore, the line controller determines that the image forming apparatus 1 on which the belt unit 70 is installed is a product with image quality priority specifications (step S25). 【0152】 On the other hand, if the line controller determines that the resistance value of the transfer roller 74 is less than the predetermined resistance value (NO in step S22), the line controller determines that the durability margin of the belt unit 70 is large (step S26). 【0153】 Similarly, if the line controller determines that the transfer voltage of the transfer roller 74 is less than the predetermined voltage (NO in step S23), the line controller determines that the durability margin of the belt unit 70 is large (step S26). 【0154】 Next, the line controller determines that the image forming apparatus 1 to which the belt unit 70 is attached is a standard product (step S27). 【0155】 Furthermore, the line controller stores the determination result made in step S5 or step S7 in the belt memory 70M, including it in the belt life information 702. In other words, the belt life information 702 includes information regarding control specifications that indicate whether the image forming apparatus 1 on which the belt unit 70 is installed is a product of image quality priority specifications or standard specifications. 【0156】 In the above description, we have described a case in which the line controller includes the control specification information in the belt life information 702. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the line controller may include the control specification information in other information of the belt unit information 700, such as the belt ID 701 or the belt specification information 703, and store it in the belt memory 70M. Alternatively, the specification information may be stored in the belt memory 70M within the belt unit information 700. 【0157】 Furthermore, the line controller may store in the belt memory 70M, in addition to the information regarding the control specifications, information regarding the durability margin of the belt unit 70 determined in step S24 or step S26, in the belt life information 702. 【0158】 Furthermore, the line controller may, based on the information regarding the control specifications described above, determine, for example, the belt life rotations that indicate the lifespan of the conveyor belt 73, and include the belt life rotations in the belt life information 702 and store it in the belt memory 70M. 【0159】 Specifically, for example, if the image forming apparatus 1 is of standard specifications, the belt life rotation count is determined to be 100,000 times, and if the image forming apparatus 1 is of image quality priority specifications, the belt life rotation count is determined to be 900,000 times. The line controller may then include the determined belt life rotation count in the belt life information 702 and store it in the belt memory 70M. Alternatively, the line controller may, for example, set the belt life rotation count coefficient for the standard specifications to "1", and the belt life rotation count coefficient for the image quality priority specifications to a multiple of the standard specification value, i.e., "0.9", and include the corresponding belt life rotation count coefficient in the belt life information 702 and store it in the belt memory 70M. 【0160】 In the production line of the factory that manufactures the image forming apparatus 1, once the belt unit 70 is mounted on the main housing 10, the controller 101 reads the belt life information 702 from the belt memory 70M, as shown in step S31 of Figure 9. 【0161】 Next, the controller 101 determines, based on the read belt life information 702, whether the control specifications of the image forming apparatus 1 are image quality priority specifications (step S32). If the controller 101 determines that it is an image quality priority specification (YES in step S32), the controller 101 turns ON the image quality degradation prediction mode (step S33). 【0162】 On the other hand, if the controller 101 determines that it is not the image quality priority specification, i.e., the standard specification (NO in step S32), the controller 101 turns OFF the image quality degradation prediction mode (step S34). 【0163】 In addition to the above explanation, in step S32, the controller 101 may determine the control specifications of the image forming apparatus 1 based, for example, on information regarding the durability margin of the belt unit 70 or the belt life rotation coefficient included in the belt life information 702. 【0164】 In this context, the image quality degradation prediction mode means that when the image forming apparatus 1 is in use, the controller 101 performs a determination process to determine the lifespan of the belt unit 70 based on the belt life information 702. Specifically, the controller 101 reads, for example, the belt life information 702 and the cumulative belt rotation count 704 from the belt unit information 1023 in the main memory 102 or the belt unit information 700 in the belt memory 70M. 【0165】 Subsequently, the controller 101 determines the lifespan of the belt unit 70 by comparing the belt life rotation count, which indicates the lifespan of the conveyor belt 73 and is included in the read belt life information 702, with the read cumulative belt rotation count 704. In other words, the controller 101 performs a determination process to determine whether the cumulative belt rotation count 704 has reached the belt life rotation count, and if it determines that the life rotation count has been reached, it determines that the belt unit 70 has reached the end of its lifespan. 【0166】 The controller 101 then displays on the display 104 that the belt unit 70 has reached the end of its lifespan, and also notifies a server (not shown) or other image forming apparatus via the communication unit. This notifies the operator, such as a user of the image forming apparatus 1, of the impending image quality degradation. Furthermore, as described above, by sending an image quality degradation notification to a server, etc., if the image forming apparatus 1 is a subscription-based device, for example, the operator can be automatically prompted to replace the belt unit 70 in order to maintain image quality. 【0167】 The image forming apparatus 1 configured as described above comprises a controller 101 and a drum cartridge 51. The drum cartridge 51 has a photoreceptor drum 53, a cleaning roller 55, and a drum memory 51M. The drum memory 51M stores life information 512 as the lifespan of the drum cartridge, representing at least one of the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53 by the cleaning roller 55 and the cleaning roller 55's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum 53. The controller 101 performs a determination process to determine the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 based on the lifespan information 512. Thus, in this embodiment, an image forming apparatus 1 can be configured that can determine the lifespan of a drum cartridge 51 equipped with a cleaning roller 55. 【0168】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53 and the foreign matter recovery performance are determined by the physical properties of the cleaning roller 55. As a result, in this embodiment, the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53 by the cleaning roller 55 and the foreign matter recovery performance by the cleaning roller 55 can be precisely defined, and the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 can be determined with high accuracy. Consequently, in this embodiment, the drum cartridge 51 can be replaced appropriately. 【0169】 Furthermore, as described above, since the physical properties of the cleaning roller 55 are used, even if the supplier of the cleaning roller 55 is changed, it is easy to adapt to the changes in the performance and specifications of the cleaning roller 55. As a result, it becomes possible to determine the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 and replace it appropriately and at a low cost. In addition, in the parts management of the drum cartridge 51, it becomes possible to easily perform value analysis, that is, value analysis of parts such as the cleaning roller 55. 【0170】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the physical property value of the cleaning roller 55 is its hardness, and the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53 is determined by the hardness. As a result, in this embodiment, the lifespan information 512 can be defined with high accuracy, and the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 can be determined with high accuracy. 【0171】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the physical property value of the cleaning roller 55 is its outer diameter, and at least one of the wear amount of the photoreceptor drum 53 and the foreign matter recovery performance is determined by the outer diameter. As a result, in this embodiment, the life information 512 can be defined with high accuracy, and the life of the drum cartridge 51 can be determined with high accuracy. 【0172】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lifespan information 512 also represents at least one of the amount of wear on the photoreceptor drum 53 and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum 53. This allows the lifespan information 512 to be defined more effectively in this embodiment, and the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 to be determined with greater accuracy. 【0173】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum 53 and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum 53 are defined by the physical properties of the drum of the photoreceptor drum 53. As a result, in this embodiment, the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum 53 and the foreign matter recovery performance of the photoreceptor drum 53 can be precisely defined, and the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 can be determined with high accuracy. 【0174】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drum physical property value is the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum 53, and the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum 53 is determined by the film thickness. As a result, in this embodiment, the life information 512 can be defined with high accuracy, and the life of the drum cartridge 51 can be determined with high accuracy. 【0175】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drum physical property value is the charging characteristics of the photoreceptor drum 53, and the photosensitive performance is defined by these charging characteristics. As a result, in this embodiment, the lifespan information 512 can be defined with high accuracy, and the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 can be determined with high accuracy. 【0176】 Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drum physical property value is the sensitivity of the photoreceptor drum 53, and the photosensitive performance is defined by the sensitivity. As a result, in this embodiment, the lifespan information 512 can be defined with high accuracy, and the lifespan of the drum cartridge 51 can be determined with high accuracy. 【0177】 Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment comprises a main body housing 10 and a toner cartridge 60 having a developing roller 63. The drum cartridge 51 is mounted in the main body housing 10 together with the toner cartridge 60, with the toner cartridge 60 already installed in the drum cartridge 51. This makes it easy to replace the drum cartridge 51 and the toner cartridge 60 in this embodiment. 【0178】 (Variation 1) The developing roller 63 in this embodiment may be provided on the toner cartridge 60 or on the drum cartridge 51, as long as it can realize the functions described in this embodiment. 【0179】 (Modification 2) Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus 1, the drum cartridge 51 and the toner cartridge 60 may be detachable from the main body housing 10 independently of each other. 【0180】 (Variation 3) Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 may also be an MFP (Multi-Function Printer) equipped with other functions such as a scanner or facsimile. Even if the image forming apparatus 1 is an MFP, the image forming apparatus 1 may perform the various processes described in the embodiment in the same way as the image forming apparatus 1 of the embodiment. The modified image forming apparatus 1 will have the same effects as the image forming apparatus 1 of the embodiment. 【0181】 This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Configurations obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols] 【0182】 1. Image forming apparatus 51 Drum Cartridge 51M Drum Memory 53 Photoconductor Drum 55 Cleaning Roller 60 Toner Cartridges 63 Developing roller 101 Controller 512 Lifespan information

Claims

[Claim 1] Controller and It is a drum cartridge, Photosensitive drum and A cleaning roller for cleaning the photosensitive drum, A memory capable of storing life information representing the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum, A drum cartridge equipped with, The foreign matter recovery performance is determined by the outer diameter of the cleaning roller. The controller is an image forming apparatus that performs a determination process to determine the lifespan of the drum cartridge based on the lifespan information. [Claim 2] The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the life information further represents at least one of the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum by the photoreceptor drum and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum by the photoreceptor drum. [Claim 3] The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum and the photosensitive performance of the photoreceptor drum are determined by the drum physical properties of the photoreceptor drum. [Claim 4] The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the drum physical property is the film thickness of the photoreceptor drum, and the amount of wear of the photoreceptor drum is determined by the film thickness. [Claim 5] The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the drum physical property is the charging characteristic of the photoreceptor drum, and the photosensitive performance is defined by the charging characteristic. [Claim 6] The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the drum physical property is the sensitivity of the photosensitive drum, and the photosensitive performance is defined by the sensitivity. [Claim 7] The main casing and A toner cartridge having a developing roller, and further comprising The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the drum cartridge is mounted in the main body housing together with the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is mounted in the drum cartridge. [Claim 8] The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the drum cartridge and the toner cartridge are detachably attached to and removed from the main body housing independently of each other. [Claim 9] The memory stores the cumulative number of rotations of the photoreceptor drum and the life rotation count, which indicates the life of the photoreceptor drum as included in the life information. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the controller determines the lifespan of the drum cartridge by comparing the cumulative number of rotations stored in the memory with the lifespan number of rotations in the determination process. [Claim 10] The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the controller performs a determination process to determine whether the cumulative number of rotations stored in the memory has reached the life rotation count. [Claim 11] A method for manufacturing an image forming apparatus comprising a drum cartridge having a photoreceptor drum, a cleaning roller for cleaning the photoreceptor drum, and a memory, A defining step that defines life information representing the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum, The system includes a storage step of storing the life information in the memory, The foreign matter recovery performance is determined by the physical properties of the cleaning roller. A method for manufacturing an image forming apparatus, wherein the aforementioned physical property is the outer diameter of the cleaning roller, and the foreign matter recovery performance is defined by the outer diameter. [Claim 12] It is a drum cartridge, Photosensitive drum and A cleaning roller for cleaning the photosensitive drum, The system includes a memory that stores life information representing the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum, The foreign matter recovery performance is determined by the physical properties of the cleaning roller. The aforementioned physical property is the outer diameter of the cleaning roller, and the foreign matter recovery performance is determined by the outer diameter. The lifespan information is information for determining the lifespan of the drum cartridge, the drum cartridge. [Claim 13] A method for manufacturing a drum cartridge comprising a photoreceptor drum, a cleaning roller for cleaning the photoreceptor drum, and a memory, comprising a defining step for defining life information representing the cleaning roller's ability to collect foreign matter adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor drum, The drum cartridge has a lifespan, and includes a storage step of storing the lifespan information in the memory, The foreign matter recovery performance is determined by the physical properties of the cleaning roller. A method for manufacturing a drum cartridge, wherein the aforementioned physical property is the outer diameter of the cleaning roller, and the foreign matter recovery performance is defined by the outer diameter.

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