Cartridge discriminating system

Abstract: A cartridge discriminating system, a toner housing cartridge adapted for use in such a system and an image forming apparatus provided with such a system, wherein a cartridge indicating means (6) is provided on a part of the toner housing cartridge (1), and an indication detecting means (8) for detecting said cartridge indicating means (6) is provided on the image forming apparatus for detecting the type or position of the cartridge inserted in the image forming apparatus.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for making discriminations between cartridges for housing toners to be equipped on image forming apparatus such as electrostatic copiers, laser beam printers, facsimiles, etc. 2. Description of the Prior Art Supplementing toner into an image forming apparatus such as afore-mentioned is done in many cases with a cartridge housing toners therein (hereinafter merely referred to as cartridge) loaded in a cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus. Such a cartridge is sealed on its toner supplementing port with a flexible sheet folded in two plies. Accordingly, when supplementing the toner, this cartridge is loaded in the cartridge inserting part such as a toner hopper, etc., on the developing device side. Thereafter, the toner supplementing port is unsealed by stripping off the afore-mentioned flexible sheet by pulling its turned-up portion, thereby charging the toner into the toner hopper. Such a conventional toner supplementing device involved following problems: Conventional toner supplementing devices are of a structure such that even if the loading of a cartridge in a toner hopper is somewhat imperfect, the flexible sheet is strippable. For this reason, the toner supplementing port will be sometimes inadvertently unsealed, not withstanding the cartridge has not been properly loaded. As the consequence, the toner sometimes scatters through clearances. Particularly, during the image treating operation, the toner has sometimes been blown and leaked out due to the cooling air inside the image forming apparatus or the revolution of toner supplementing rollers, etc. Cartridges are often so composed as to have a common size, so that their components may be put to common use with different types of image forming apparatuses. Accordingly, when various types of image forming apparatuses are available, there has been a possibility of supplementing toners which are different in properties and color, etc. A cartridge discriminating system comprising cartridge indicating means provided on a toner cartridge, and indication detecting means cooperating with said cartridge indicating means to check the suitability of the type of the cartridge when the latter is inserted into a cartridge inserting part of an image forming apparatus is known from DE-A-34 15 291. In this prior system the cartridge indicating means is a flange provided on the toner cartridge, and the indication detecting means is a mating groove provided in a cartridge holder, so that only a cartridge having a flange at the proper position may be inserted into the cartridge holder. A toner cartridge having a sealing strip which is removably secured to the cartridge and which seals an opening in the surface of the cartridge to prevent discharge of toner particles is known from US-A-4 478 512. JP-A-61/59 364 discloses a copying machine in which units may be loaded or selectively attached to and detached from the copying machine body. To prevent a wrong unit from being loaded shield plates for different identification information are fitted to the units, and the information presented by the respective shield plate is read by a photosensor mounted on the copying machine body. If on the basis of the output of the photosensor the unit is found to be wrong, an alarm is triggered or the power supply is inhibited. Furthermore JP-A-61/156 165 discloses a cartridge discriminating system in which magnets are provided at four different locations of the side face of the cartridge housing and four reed switches are arranged at four different locations on a printer main body side so that the switches can face the magnets to thereby detect the respective cartridge. US-A-4 579 443 discloses an image forming apparatus having a developing unit which is divided into a first and a second developing device each of which includes a developing roller and both of which can be mounted to or removed from the main body of the image forming apparatus. The developing devices each are provided with a cap equipped with a color indicator which permits identification of the color of the developer stored inside the respective developing device. DE-A-3 524 506 discloses a toner cartridge having a color display unit which is composed of a selected transparent material of the same color as that of the toner stored inside the cartridge. The color display unit is installed at a position opposite to a transparent window so that it may be visually checked by an operator in order to identify both the condition and the color of the developer contained in the cartridge. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide for a cartridge discriminating system provided with a replaceable developing equipment, which system is adapted to check the suitability of the type of a cartridge inserted into the developing equipment, so that it becomes possible to supplement a toner of specified properties or color, thereby averting the trouble of allowing different types of toners to be mixed. According to the subject invention a cartridge discriminating system for an image forming apparatus which is provided with a replaceable developing equipment for supplying toner to a photoreceptor for developing static latent images, said cartridge discriminating system comprising cartridge indicating means provided on a toner cartridge, and indication detecting means provided on the image forming apparatus and cooperating with said cartridge indicating means for detecting said cartridge when the latter is inserted into a cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus is characterized by developing equipment indicating means provided on said developing equipment, developing equipment detecting means provided on the image forming apparatus and cooperating with said developing equipment indicating means for detecting said developing equipment when the latter is attached to the image forming apparatus, and means for checking the suitability of the type of the inserted cartridge by comparing an indication item detected by said indication detecting means with data detected by said developing equipment detecting means. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figs.1(a) and (b) are, respectively, diagrams for explanation of structure showing essential parts of a cartridge discriminating system of this invention; Fig. 2 is an electric circuit diagram showing an essential part of a control circuit of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a drawing corresponding to Fig. 1 illustrating a modification of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing cartridge indicating means and indication detecting means adapted for use in the cartridge discriminating system embodying this invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a modified embodiment of cartridge indicating means and indication detecting means; Figs.6(a) and (b) are, respectively, a perspective view of a cartridge equipped with a cartridge indicating means usable in the same embodiments and a front view of an indication detecting means capable of detecting said indicating means; and Figs.7(a) and (b) are, respectively, a perspective view of a cartridge equipped with a cartridge indicating means usable with a cartridge discriminating system of another embodiment and a front view of an indication detecting means capable of detecting said cartridge indicating means. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the following description of embodiments, a copier is explained as a typical example of image forming apparatuses. This invention is, of course, applicable to laser beam printers and facsimilies, and other image forming apparatuses. In the embodiment described hereunder, a data (indication) intrinsic to the developing device is attached to the developing equipment and this data and the indication attached to a cartridge are referenced to each other and when they are in agreement with each other, the state in which the toner supplementation is possible is evidenced. Thus this embodiment may be summarized as a cartridge discriminating system for an image forming apparatus replaceably equipped with a developing equipment for developing a static latent image by supplying toner to a photoreceptor, in which, while a cartridge indicating means is provided on a part of a cartridge for housing toner, a developing equipment indicating means is provided on a part of the developing equipment; and while an indication detecting means which detects the afore-mentioned cartridge indication means is provided on the image forming apparatus side, there is provided a developing equipment detecting means for detecting the afore-mentioned developing equipment, when the afore-mentioned developing equipment is attached to the image forming apparatus, so that when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge inserting part of the image forming apparatus, the suitability of the type of the cartridge inserted may be detected by making a comparison between the indication data detected by the afore-mentioned indication detecting means and the data detected by the developing equipment detecting means. While this embodiment is described in iscriminating color toners color by color, it goes without saying that it is applicable to the discrimination of toners on a basis of their other characteristics, too. Fig. 1(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a principal part of this embodiment, in which 61 denotes a developing equipment for red color to be replaceably mounted on a copier (not shown in this figure); 62A, a toner hopper for red color as an example of a cartridge which is replaceably mounted on the developing equipment 61; 63a and 63b, lead switches as an example of developing equipment detecting means which are installed on the wall 65 of the copier; 64a and 64b, magnetic material pieces as an example of developing equipment indicating means which turn on respective lead switches 63a and 63b, when the developing equipment 61 has been mounted on the copier (in the state of Fig. 12(a)); 65a and 65b, lead switches as an example of indication detecting means installed on the developing equipment 61; 66a and 66b, magnetic material pieces as an example of cartridge indicating means for turning lead switches 65a and 65b on, respectively, when the toner hopper 62A is mounted on the developing equipment 61 (in the state of Fig. 12(a)); 67, a toner concentration sensor for detecting the toner concentration inside the developing equipment 61; 68, a toner supplementing roller for supplementing toner from the toner hopper 62A to the developing equipment 61; 69, a photoreceptor drum; 70, a developer roller for use in developing a static latent image by supplying toner to the surface of photoreceptor drum 69; and 71 and 72, stirring rollers for mixing toner and carrier inside the developing equipment 61. In Fig. 1(b), 62B designates a toner hopper for blue, on which a magnetic material piece 66a is provided. Fig. 2 is an electric circuit diagram showing an essential part of the control circuit for the apparatus shown in Fig. 1(a), in which R represents series connected resistances which respectively connect lead switches 63a, 63b, 65a, 65b to power sources V; I0 1 and I0 2 , exclusive NOR circuits each of which out-puts 1, when respective two input signals are both 1 or both 0; A 1 , and A 2 , respectively AND circuits; S, a toner supply signal circuit which outputs 1, when the toner concentration sensor 67 (Fig. 1(a)) gives a value lower than the specified value; and M, a motor for turning the toner supply roller 68. In this composition, as the red color developing equipment 61 and the red color toner hopper 62A are installed in place, lead switches 63a, 63b and 65a, 65b are respectively turned on by the magnetic material pieces 64a, 64b and 66a, 66b, respectively facing them. Referring to Fig. 2, into the exclusive NOR circuits I0 1 , I0 2 both 1 is inputted and both output 1. The AND circuit A 1 outputs 1 and, then, when the toner supply signal circuit S outputs 1, the AND circuit A 2 outputs 1; then, the motor M is driven, to let the toner supply roller 68 turn, until the toner supply signal circuit S outputs 0. However, when a blue color toner hopper 62B shown in Fig. 1(b) is mistakenly mounted on the red color developing equipment 61, the lead switch 65b is turned off, and the lead switches 63a, 63b and 65a, on; therefore, the exclusive NOR circuit I0 1 outputs 1, but the exclusive NOR circuit I0 2 outputs 0. Accordingly, the output from the AND circuit A 1 becomes 0, so that even when the toner supply signal circuit S outputs 1, the AND circuit A 2 does not output 1; consequently, the motor M will not run; thus, no supply of toner from the blue color toner hopper 62B will take place. Thus in this embodiment, by the circuit shown in Fig. 2, the toner inside the developing equipment 61 and the toner inside the toner hopper 62 are judged to be of the same type, only when the lead switches 63a and 63b and the lead switches 65a and 65b are in the same on - off combination state. In this way, discrimination can be made between different four color toners. Fig. 3 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 1(a) showing another embodiment, in which in place of the replaceable red color toner hopper 62A in Fig. 1(a), a toner hopper 62C equipped with a replaceable red color toner cartridge 74 is integrally combined with a red color developing equipment 61. Further, in place of lead switches 65a, 65b installed on the red color developing equipment 61 in Fig. 1(a), there are installed lead switches 75a, 75b on the toner hopper 62C; in place of the magnetic material pieces 66a, 66b provided on the toner hopper 62A in Fig. 12(a), magnetic material pieces 76a, 76b on the red color toner cartridge 74; and in place of the lead switches 63a, 63b installed on the wall surface 65 of the copier, DIP switches 73a, 73b preset in closed circuit state on the red color developing equipment 61. In this composition, when the developing equipment 61 and the toner cartridge 74 are respectively installed, as shown in Fig. 3, the control circuit of Fig. 2 will come into operation similarly as in the above-described embodiment. Further embodiments of the cartridge indicating and detecting means are described below with reference to Figs. 4 to 7. In the embodiment of Fig. 4 a magnetism producing means exemplifying a cartridge indicating means is provided in a part of a hollow container for housing a powder toner, so that the existence or type of a cartridge may be detected by sensing the magnetism coming from said magnetism producing means and, moreover, that the copying operation may be stopped so as to avoid producing reject. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the whole of a cartridge. Both ends of a hollow cylinder 1 for housing powder toner in its interior are closed with resin made covers 2, 3 and on the cover 2 there is provided a handle part 4 for turning the opening part 5a of the cartridge toward the toner supplying port of a developing section, after inserting the cartridge into the copier. The opening part 5a is sealed with a sealing member 5 which is to be stripped off, after the cartridge has been loaded in a copier. In a part of the cartridge, a magnetic card 6 is provided which enables the type, date of manufacture of the toner housed or the color, in the case of color toners, etc., to be written in. The position where the magnetic card is placed is where it is nearest to and facing a magnetic head 8 mounted on a copier, when the cartridge has been brought under its toner supplementing state by inserting it into the cartridge inserting part, as shown by an arrow 7. The information written into the magnetic card 6 will be read out by the magnetic head 8, to conduct functions of a copier such as operation, stop and copying speed change, etc. Particularly, the operation of the copier may be stopped, as the case may be, lest unacceptable image be erroneously formed. For this purpose, a well-known mechanism which makes the indication as well as making the copier immovable, when no paper feeding cassette nor copying paper of the copier exists, is applicable. Further, as a means for providing a large capacity of memory storage on a small area, like magnetic card, IC card may be mentioned, besides it. As characteristics of the toner to be stored on a magnetic card or IC card, the production date, color of toner, and production related items such as guarantee period, manufacturing place, manufacturing machine, lot number, etc., or physical properties related items such as various specific gravities, grain size distribution, electric resistance, etc., may be mentioned. As an indication detecting means provided on the copier side for reading out the IC card, a well-known analyer is used. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, in part of a hollow container, a compartment is formed, to house a developer formed of a toner and a carrier. The existence of an appropriate toner cartridge is detected by sensing the permeability of the developer with a magnetic sensor located on the side of the copier. Generally, a copier is of a structure such that a magnetic sensor called toner control sensor for keeping constant the toner concentration in the developer is provided in a developing apparatus, to make supplementation of toner, when the toner concentration has undergone a change (it normally declines). This embodiment takes advantage of this phenomenon; thus, as shown in Fig. 5, a small container 9 is provided in a part of a cartridge, to house therein a developer consisting of a toner and a carrier being a magnetic body which ensures the best conditions for the copier. The specified place is where it is brought to a neighborhood of and facing a permeability sensor 11 being an example of magnetic sensors mounted on a copier, when the toner supplementing state is brought about by loading a cartridge in the cartridge inserting section. If the permeability of the developer 10, as sensed by a permeability sensor 11, falls within the permissible range, as compared with the value of permeability which has been preset, the copier will be operated. If values outside this range are detected or no permeability is sensed, absence of an apropriate cartridge will be indicated by whatever means. The copier's operation is to be stopped, as the case may be, lest unacceptable image be erroneously prepared. Accordingly, the well-known mechanism that makes indication or makes the copier inoperable, when no paper feeding cassette or copying paper of the copier exists will be usable. If such a permeability sensor 11 is used in common with an already installed permeability sensor for detecting the developer concentration inside the developing apparatus, reduction in cost will be further promoted. The cartridge indicating means 22 shown in Fig. 6(a) is composed of a marker code 22' differentiated corresponding to the type of toner. This indication 22 is stuck on the bottom wall 21a at the end part, as seen in its loading direction into the copier, not shown in this figure, of a cartridge 21 formed in a cylindrical shape and having on its side wall an opening 21' for supplying toner (sealed with a tape, when out of use). The indication detecting means 23 is composed of a plurality of photoelectric reflection type sensors 23' as shown in Fig. 6(b). This indication detecting means 23 is provided at a position on the front of a cover 28. Such an indication detecting means 23 detects the type of the cartridge 21 through combination of output signals from a plurality of photoelectric reflection type sensors 23' which make on or off, corresponding to the marker code 22' of the cartridge 21, when loaded into the copier. The indication 22 of afore-mentioned embodiment and the indication detecting means 23 (refer to Figs. 6(a) and (b)) may be composed of a printed pattern 22a and a CCD sensor 23a for detecting said pattern 22a (refer to Figs. 7(a) and (b). For the afore-mentioned pattern, those differing in lightness or those with colors may be contemplated. As the indication detecting means in afore-mentioned embodiments, photosensors for detecting the light and shade or those for detecting colors may be employed.

Claims: A cartridge discriminating system for an image forming apparatus which is provided with a replaceable developing equipment (61) for supplying toner to a photoreceptor (69) for developing static latent images said cartridge discriminating system comprising cartridge indicating means (6, 9, 22, 66a, 66b, 76a, 76b) provided on a toner cartridge (62A, 62B, 74), and indication detecting means (8, 11, 23, 65a, 65b, 75a, 75b) provided on the image forming apparatus and cooperating with said cartridge indicating means for detecting said cartridge when the latter is inserted into a cartridge inserting part of the developing equipment, characterized by developing equipment indicating means (64a, 64b, 73a, 73b) provided on said developing equipment (61), developing equipment detecting means (63a, 63b) provided on the image forming apparatus and cooperating with said developing equipment indicating means for detecting said developing equipment when the latter is attached to the image forming apparatus, and means (IO 1 , IO 2 , A 1 ) for checking the suitability of the type of the inserted cartridge by comparing an indication item detected by said indication detecting means (65a, 65b, 75a, 75b) with data detected by said developing equipment detecting means (63a, 63b). A cartridge discriminating system as defined in claim 1, wherein said cartridge indicating and indication detecting means comprise pieces of magnetic material (66a, 66b, 76a, 76b) and lead switches (65a, 65b, 75a, 75b) adapted to be actuated by said pieces of magnetic material. A cartridige discriminating system as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein said developing equipment indicating and detecting means comprises pieces of magnetic material (64a, 64b) and lead switches (63a, 63b, 73a, 73) adapted to be actuated bay said pieces of magnetic material. A cartridge discriminating system as defined in claim 1 wherein said cartridge indicating means is a magnetic card (6), an IC card, a small container (9) containing a developer of the same type as that of the toner and a carrier housed in the cartridge, or a mark (22) printed on said cartridge, and said indication detecting means is a magnetic head, an analyzer for reading out an IC card, a permeability sensor (11) for an optical sensor (23) for detecting a pattern, respectively.

Inventors: IDO MIKIO, IMAFUKU TATSUO, KOMATA HIROSHI, KURANDO SHIGEO, MAKIURA YOSHINORI, MIFUNE EIJI, OOURA JUNICHI, SHIGEMURA YUTAKA, IDO, MIKIO, IMAFUKU, TATSUO, KOMATA, HIROSHI, KURANDO, SHIGEO, MAKIURA, YOSHINORI, MIFUNE, EIJI, OOURA, JUNICHI, SHIGEMURA, YUTAKA
Applicants: MITA INDUSTRIAL CO LTD, MITA INDUSTRIAL CO. LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: G03G15
IPC codes: G03G15