Consumable Memory Switching for Refillable Image Forming Units
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face the issue of reaching the write operation limit in consumable memories when consumables are refilled with printing material, leading to the inability to write information to the memory.
Innovation Solution
The image forming apparatus employs a consumable memory with a first and second storage area, determining which area to write usage amounts based on recycling history information, thereby preventing the number of rewrites from exceeding the upper limit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the consumable memory is used to store usage amount information repeatedly after refilling, then the consumable can be recycled and reused, but the number of write operations reaches the upper limit and information can no longer be written to the memory
Solution Approach 1:
The consumable memory is divided into multiple storage areas (first storage area and second storage area). The controller switches between these areas based on the number of write operations performed. When the first storage area reaches its write limit, the controller migrates to the second storage area, thereby extending the usable life of the memory without replacing the consumable.
2Reliability
If the consumable memory is replaced instead of refilling, then the write operation limit is reset, but the consumable cannot be recycled and must be discarded
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding the consumable memory when it reaches the write limit, the system recovers it by switching to another storage area within the same memory. This allows the consumable to be recycled and reused multiple times without replacement, reducing waste while maintaining reliable write operations.
3Device complexity
If a single storage area is used for usage amount information, then the memory structure is simple, but the number of rewrites reaches the upper limit quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The memory is segmented into multiple storage areas that can be alternately used. This segmentation allows the system to distribute write operations across different areas, effectively extending the service life of the consumable memory beyond what would be possible with a single storage area, while maintaining relatively simple memory structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a device main body, a consumable, and a controller. The consumable is attachable to the device main body. The consumable includes a consumable memory for storing therein recycling history information indicating a recycling history of the consumable. The consumable memory includes a first storage area to which a usage amount of the consumable can be written and a second storage area to which the usage amount of the consumable can be written. The controller is configured to perform a determining process to determine, based on the recycling history information, one of the first storage area and the second storage area as a storage area to which the usage amount is to be written.