Development Cartridge Memory for Toner Level Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses lack the ability to accurately track and store information about toner usage in development and toner cartridges, making it difficult to determine remaining toner amounts when cartridges are replaced or reinstalled before expiration.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating development and toner memories within the cartridges, along with a controller that tracks cumulative toner supply and consumption, allowing for precise monitoring and management of toner levels, including automatic replenishment and notification for replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If no information storage medium is provided in the development cartridge or toner cartridge, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to accurately track and store toner usage information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the information storage function into separate memory devices (development memory in the development cartridge and toner memory in the toner cartridge) that can be independently managed. This allows toner usage information to be accurately tracked without significantly complicating the overall cartridge structure, as the memories are self-contained components.
Solution Approach 2:
The memory devices serve multiple functions: storing cumulative received toner amount, cumulative toner consumption amount, and cumulative supplied toner amount. This multi-functionality allows a single memory component to handle various tracking requirements without increasing structural complexity.
2Productivity
If the development cartridge or toner cartridge is replaced before expiration of its life, then the productivity is improved through continuous operation, but the ability to confirm remaining toner amount is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The controller reads cumulative received toner amount and cumulative toner consumption amount from the development memory to calculate and determine the remaining toner amount in the development cartridge. This feedback mechanism ensures accurate measurement of remaining toner even when cartridges are replaced during operation, maintaining both productivity and measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If manual tracking of toner consumption is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of toner levels is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual tracking methods with an automated electronic system where the controller automatically reads data from the development memory and toner memory, performs calculations, and determines toner levels. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with electronic automation achieves high measurement precision without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a development cartridge, a toner cartridge, and a controller. The development cartridge includes a development roller, a development chamber, and a development memory. The toner cartridge includes a case in which toner is stored, a toner supply unit configured to supply toner from the case into the development chamber, and a toner memory. The controller stores, in the development memory, information regarding a cumulative received toner amount and a cumulative toner consumption amount. The controller subtracts the cumulative toner consumption amount from the cumulative received toner amount to find a difference, and causes the toner supply unit to supply a first predetermined amount of toner into the development chamber when the difference is equal to or smaller than a first threshold value. The controller stores, in the toner memory, information regarding the cumulative supplied toner amount.