Consumable Counter Reset Control in Image Forming Equipment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming apparatuses face issues with incorrect resetting of counters for consumable replacement due to user oversight or errors, leading to inaccurate determination of replacement times.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes a processor that detects the opening and closing of coverings and displays information to allow for counter resetting only when a predetermined malfunction does not occur, ensuring accurate tracking of consumable replacement times.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the reset operation of the counter is received with a covering opened or in a special state, then the user can perform the reset operation conveniently, but the replacement recommendation time is not correctly identified due to oversight or error

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereset operation convenienceVSAvoidreplacement recommendation time accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of covering opening/closing states and malfunctions before allowing the reset operation. By checking these conditions in advance and only enabling the reset function when appropriate, the system ensures that counter resetting occurs at the correct time while maintaining user-friendly access when conditions are met.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the reset operation is always available, then the user can reset the counter at any time, but incorrect resetting occurs due to oversight or error of target to be reset

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereset operation availabilityVSAvoidcounter reset accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback by detecting and responding to covering states and malfunction conditions before enabling the reset operation. This feedback mechanism ensures that the reset function is only activated when the covering is properly opened and no malfunctions are present, preventing incorrect resetting while maintaining operational ease when conditions are satisfied.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the state monitoring is enhanced to prevent incorrect resetting, then the replacement time accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereplacement recommendation time accuracyVSAvoidstate monitoring mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses self-service by leveraging existing sensors and state detection mechanisms already present in the image forming apparatus. The covering opening/closing detection and malfunction detection utilize existing system capabilities rather than requiring entirely new monitoring hardware, thus improving reliability while minimizing additional device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12554445B2Image forming apparatus that displays information about a consumable

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An image forming apparatus includes a processor configured to: detect the presence or absence of a malfunction and opening and closing of a covering; and cause a display device to display information about a consumable such that a reset operation of a counter that is set regarding the consumable is receivable in a case where a predetermined malfunction does not occur, and a covering related to the consumable is opened and is subsequently closed.