Image Forming Apparatus Consumable Display Prioritization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Image forming apparatuses face challenges in prioritizing the display of consumable part information, with critical parts requiring replacement being overshadowed by non-critical ones, leading to potential neglect of timely maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus is configured to display information about consumable parts that cause the image forming operation to stop due to reaching replacement time in preference to those that do not, using a dedicated display unit and control mechanism to highlight critical consumables, ensuring users are alerted to necessary replacements promptly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all consumable part information is displayed together, then complete information is provided, but critical consumable parts may be overlooked among non-critical ones

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsumable part information completenessVSAvoidinformation prioritization

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The display is segmented into two distinct screens: a first screen showing consumable parts that stop image forming operations when replaced, and a second screen showing consumable parts that do not stop operations. This segmentation allows users to focus on critical parts first while maintaining access to complete information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different display priorities are assigned to different types of consumable parts based on their criticality. Critical consumable parts (toner containers, recovered toner containers) are displayed with higher priority on the first screen, while non-critical parts (photosensitive drums, fixing units) are displayed on the second screen.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If critical consumable parts are prioritized in display, then timely maintenance is ensured, but display structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetimely maintenanceVSAvoiddisplay control mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-classifies consumable parts into two categories based on whether they stop image forming operations when replaced. This preliminary classification enables automatic prioritization without requiring complex real-time analysis during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of displaying all parts equally and requiring users to identify critical ones, the system inverts the approach by automatically separating and prioritizing critical parts on the first screen, making them immediately visible without additional user effort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS10845748B2Image forming apparatus and control method to check consumable part consumption

Publication Date: 2020.11.24 CANON KK

AI summary

An image forming apparatus to perform image formation using a plurality of consumable parts includes a display unit and a display control unit. The display control unit displays, on the display unit, a first screen indicating at least a degree of consumption of a consumable part of a type in which an image forming operation stops in response to the consumable part reaching a time for replacement from among the plurality of consumable parts, and displays, on the display unit, a second screen indicating at least a degree of consumption of a consumable part of a type in which an image forming operation does not stop in response to the consumable part reaching a time for replacement from among the plurality of consumable parts.