Abstract:
An image forming apparatus for forming an image comprises an attaching section, a sensor, a memory, a print section, and a controller. An ink cartridge is attached to the attaching section. The ink cartridge contains ink from a supply port on which a display member which displays a predetermined image is adhered. The sensor obtains image data of the display member adhered to the attached ink cartridge to output the obtained image data. The memory stores image data of an image displayed on the display member adhered to a genuine ink cartridge. The print section prints a desired image. The controller determines whether or not image data outputted from the sensor substantially matches image data stored in the memory to allow the print section to perform printing when both image data match each other. An ink cartridge of an image forming apparatus, which is attachable and removable to/from the image forming apparatus, contains ink from a supply port. The ink cartridge comprises a display member having a predetermined image. The display member is adhered to the supply port and broken by a peeling force from the supply port.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and its ink cartridge, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus capable of preventing an illegal use of the cartridge and the use of a defective ink cartridge, and its ink cartridge.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    As the widespread use of image forming apparatuses such as a printer, a copy machine, a facsimile machine and the like, the amount of ink cartridge consumed has been increased. Ink hereinafter indicates toner, liquid in which toner is diffused to a liquid solvent, an ink ribbon (tape) and the like which are used to form an image on a recording paper.  
           [0005]    When ink in the ink cartridge runs out, a user replaces the ink cartridge with new one. Manufacturers of the image forming apparatuses have recycled the used ink cartridges for the purpose of the effective use of resource and an environmental protection.  
           [0006]    The quality of ink cartridge exerts an influence upon a printing quality of the image forming apparatus. For example, when the cartridges are recycled without providing sufficient maintenance, color fading, inconsistencies in print density and so on are generated in the output image of the image forming apparatus. For this reason, the manufacturers have performed various kinds of maintenance processing of the cartridges, such as inspection, cleaning, replacement of parts, print test, and like at the time of recycling. Therefore, as long as the ink cartridge recycled by the manufacturer (genuine cartridge) is used, a normal image forming can be generally obtained.  
           [0007]    While, the ink cartridges provided by the third party other than the manufacturer and the defective toner-filled cartridges to which neither inspection nor replacement of parts are performed have been put on the market. Such ink cartridges, however, are easily to generate troubles such as wherein print quality is reduced, no printing can be carried out, no ink can be used up. When such troubles occur, the user asks the manufacturer, which provides genuine cartridges in general. For this reason, though the manufacturer sells the genuine cartridges, the manufacturer is involved in the trouble caused by the use of illegal cartridge. Moreover, the user cannot receive guarantee against the defective product from the third party.  
           [0008]    The image forming apparatuses to overcome such inconvenience are disclosed in, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication Nos. H5-224479 and H9-185311.  
           [0009]    The image forming apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H5-224479 scans a bar code indicated on the ink cartridge and determines whether or not the cartridge is genuine. Then, when it is not genuine, a defective image is printed so as to substantially prohibit the use of non-genuine product. However, since the manufacture of bar code can be easily attained, illegal manufactures can relatively easily counterfeit the bar code and adhere the counterfeit bar code to the recycled cartridge to be sold. Therefore, the above cannot prevent the use of the non-genuine ink cartridge effectively.  
           [0010]    The image forming apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H9-185311 has a plurality of switches at a surface contacting the cartridge. The cartridge has specific concave and convex portions at a surface contacting the image forming apparatus. When the cartridge is attached to the image forming apparatus, a specific switch is turned on. The image forming apparatus detects an ON/OFF pattern of the switch, whereby determining whether or not the attached ink cartridge is a genuine product. Then, when it is not a genuine product, the image forming apparatus prohibits the use. However, in the case of reusing the used cartridge collected, since the concave and convex portion formed on the cartridge are unchanged, the use of the cartridge cannot be prevented. Therefore, the illegal reuse of the cartridge cannot be prevented.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    The present invention has been made with consideration given to the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing the use of an illegal or defective ink cartridge, and its ink cartridge.  
           [0012]    Also, another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing the use of ink cartridges other than a predetermined ink cartridge, and its ink cartridge.  
           [0013]    Further another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of ensuring the formation of high quality image using a recycled ink cartridge.  
           [0014]    In order to attain the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for forming a desired image, the image forming apparatus comprises: an attaching section for attaching an ink cartridge, which contains ink from a supply port and which has a display member for displaying a predetermined image adhered to the supply port; a sensor for obtaining image data of the display member adhered to the attached ink cartridge to output the obtained image data;a memory for storing image data of an image displayed on the display member adhered to a genuine ink cartridge; a print section for printing said desired image; and a controller for determining whether or not image data outputted from the sensor substantially matches image data stored in the memory to allow the print section to perform printing when both image data match each other.  
           [0015]    Moreover, according to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink cartridge of an image forming apparatus, which is attachable and removable to/from the image forming apparatus and which contains ink from a supply port, the ink cartridge comprising a display member, which is adhered to the supply port, broken by a peeling force from the supply port, and which has a predetermined image.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    These objects and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of each of the image forming apparatus and its ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a front view of a toner supply port to which a seal is adhered;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit structure of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a view showing the positional relationship between the toner supply port to which a seal is adhered and an image sensor;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a damaged seal;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a damaged seal;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a section of a seal;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8A is a view showing an example of a broken trademark on the seal;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8B is a view showing an example of a broken trademark on the seal;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of an image to be displayed on the seal; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 is a view showing an example to an image to be display on the seal.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]    The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of each of the image forming apparatus and its ink cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0030]    An ink cartridge (hereinafter referred to as cartridge)  202  is attached to an image forming apparatus  201 . The cartridge  202  contains toner  203  as ink.  
         [0031]    The image forming apparatus  201  performs light-exposure process, developing process, fixing process to print image data inputted or original on a recording paper. Namely, the image forming apparatus  201  forms an electrostatic latent image on a photo-conductor drum  200 , adheres toner  203  to the electrostatic latent image to form a visible image (toner image), and fixes the toner image on the recording paper. In addition, the known structure can be arbitrarily used as a structure for forming (printing) the image.  
         [0032]    The image forming apparatus  201  also comprises a controller  100 , a memory  101 , and a sensor  205  in order to identify whether the attached cartridge  202  is a genuine product.  
         [0033]    The cartridge  202  has an toner supply port  204  through which toner can be supplied. The toner supply port  204  is closed with a cap  204   a , and a seal  206  is adhered thereto as shown in a plane of FIG. 2. A trademark  206   a  of a company, which provides a genuine cartridge  202 , is printed on the seal  206 . The seal  206  assures that the cartridge  202  is a genuine consumable item of the image forming apparatus  201 . The seal is structured to be easily removed (destroyed) by a user or a machine at the time of detaching the cap  204   a.    
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit structure of the image forming apparatus  201 . As illustrated therein, the image forming apparatus  201  comprises the controller  100 , the memory  101  connected to the controller  100 , a print engine  102 , an input unit  103 , an output unit  104 , and the sensor  205 .  
         [0035]    In the memory  101 , image data of the trademark  206   a,  which is printed on the seal  206  shown in FIG. 2, is registered.  
         [0036]    The print engine  102  includes the photo-conductor drum  200 , a light-exposure unit, a developing unit, and a fixing unit, and executes processes for an image forming such as exposure to light, developing, and fixing.  
         [0037]    The input unit  103  inputs an instruction to start printing and sends it to the controller  100 .  
         [0038]    The output unit  104  includes a display unit, a speaker and the like, and outputs arbitrary information.  
         [0039]    The sensor  205  comprises an artificial retina LSI and a lens, or the like. The sensor  205  faces the toner supply port  204  as shown in FIG. 4 while the cartridge  202  is installed in the image forming apparatus  201 . The sensor  205  converts captured image into image data, and supplies the image data to the controller  100 .  
         [0040]    The controller  100  shown in FIG. 3 determines whether or not image data outputted from the sensor  205  substantially matches image data of the trademark registered in the memory  101  by, for example, pattern matching. When both image data match each other, the controller  100  sets the print engine  102  to a print standby state, and causes the print engine  102  to execute the print operation after the instruction to start printing is inputted from the input unit  103 . When both image data do not match each other, the controller  100  does not cause the print engine  102  to execute the print operation even if the instruction to start printing is inputted from the input unit  103 .  
         [0041]    The image forming apparatus  201  operates as follows.  
         [0042]    A normal operation will be first explained.  
         [0043]    When the cartridge  202  to which the seal  206  is adhered is attached to the image forming apparatus  201  and power is turned on, the seal  206  is within a visual field of the sensor  205  and the sensor  205  outputs image data of an image on the seal  206  to the controller  100 .  
         [0044]    The controller  100  determines whether or not image data outputted from the sensor  205  matches image data of the trademark registered in the memory  101 . When both image data match each other, the controller  100  sets the print engine  102  to a print standby state, and waits for the supply of a print start command from the input unit  103 . Then, when the controller  100  receives the print start command, the controller  100  supplies image data to the print engine  102  to execute the print operation.  
         [0045]    When the user repeats the printing and the toner  203  in the cartridge  202  runs out, the user replaces the cartridge with new one. The image forming apparatus  201  provides the same operation as mentioned above to the cartridge  202  newly set.  
         [0046]    While, the used cartridges  202  is collected by the manufacturer of the image forming apparatus  201  (or a person who is licensed from the manufacturer). Then, the seal  206  is peeled from the cartridge. The used cartridge  202  is subjected to various processes such as disassembly (as required), inspection, replacement of detective parts (as required), cleaning, assembly, and the like to be recycled.  
         [0047]    Toner  203  is supplied to the recycled cartridge  202  from the toner supply port  204 , and the toner supply port  204  is closed with the cap  204   a.  Finally, the seal  206  is adhered the cartridge, with the result that the recycled toner cartridge  202  is completed.  
         [0048]    The cartridges  202  thus recycled are sold to the consumers. When the user sets the recycled cartridge  202  to the image forming apparatus  201 , the same operation as mentioned above is executed, the normal printing is carried out by the image forming apparatus  201 .  
         [0049]    While, there is a case in which the used cartridges  202  are collected by a person who has no authority to recycle the cartridges  200 . In this case, the recycler peels the seal  206  on the toner supply port  204 . Then, toner  203  is supplied to the cartridge  202  from the supply port  204  and the resultant cartridge is sold. However, even if this cartridge is set to the image forming apparatus  201 , the controller  100  determines that image data sent from the sensor  205  does not match image data registered in the memory  101  and prohibits the printing since the seal is not adhered to the cartridge  202 . In other words, the cartridge  202 , which is recycled by the person with no authority, cannot be used.  
         [0050]    Even if the recycler or the user tries to adhere the seal  206  to the recycled cartridge  202 , the seal  206  is broken as shown in FIG. 5 or distorted as shown in FIG. 6 by a peeling force at a toner supply time, and this makes it difficult to reuse the seal  206 . Moreover, even if the seal  206  is forcefully adhered to the toner supply port  204 , the trademark on the seal  206  is distorted and blurred. As a result, the controller  100  determines that image data sent from the sensor  205  does not match image data registered in the memory  101 .  
         [0051]    Furthermore, if the person with no authority replicates the seal  206  and adheres it to the cartridge  202 , this is the use of trademark by a person other than the trademark owner, namely, infringement of trademark right. Therefore, the cartridge to which the replicated seal is adhered cannot be put on the market.  
         [0052]    As explained above, the image forming apparatus  201  of this embodiment allows the printing only when the cartridge to which the seal  206  with trademark right is adhered is attached to the image forming apparatus  201 . Then, when the adhered seal  206  is broken or a mark on the seal  206  cannot be recognized, the image forming apparatus  201  prohibits the printing. Therefore, only the manufacturer, who can recycle the cartridge  202  with the responsibility (guarantee the quality of the recycled product), and the person, who is licensed from the manufacturer, can supply the recycled cartridge. In other words, the use of the illegal or defective cartridge can be prevented, the use of the ink cartridge other than the ink cartridge to which the trademark label is adhered can be stopped, and the formation of high-quality image can be assured using the recycled ink cartridge.  
         [0053]    Additionally, in the above explanation, the image forming apparatus  201  prohibits the printing when the non-genuine cartridge is attached to the image forming apparatus. However, the user cannot understand what has happened from this event, and there is a possibility that this will lead to a misunderstanding in which the image forming apparatus  201  is faulty. In order to avoid such a possibility, it is possible to inform the user of the reason why the image forming apparatus  201  does not normally operate when the non-genuine cartridge is attached thereto (the attached cartridge is not a genuine product).  
         [0054]    In this case, the memory  101  stores display data, for example, a message “use a genuine product” as a warning message together with image data of the trademark.  
         [0055]    The controller  100  determines whether or not image data outputted from the sensor  205  does not match image data of the trademark registered in the memory  101 . When both data do not match each other, the print engine  102  is driven to print the message on the printing paper based on display data stored in the memory  101 . The controller  100  executes the print operation when the power of image forming apparatus  201  is turned on, the cartridge  202  is set to the image forming apparatus  201 , and the print start command is received.  
         [0056]    Furthermore, the image forming apparatus  201  may output the above message by the image or voice using the output unit  104 . In this case, when image data outputted from the sensor  205  does not match image data of the trademark registered in the memory  101 , the controller  100  reads the message data stored in the memory  101  and sends the read message data to the output unit  104  by which the message data is displayed or outputted by voice. Or, a simple warning sound may be outputted from the output unit  104 .  
         [0057]    According to the aforementioned structure, the user can know the reason why the image forming apparatus  201  does not normally operate. In addition, after printing/displaying/emitting the warning message, the normal print operation may be carried out.  
         [0058]    A seal to be adhered to the cartridge may be composed of adhesive  310 , ink  311  forming the trademark, and a protection sheet  312  as illustrated by, for example, the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7. When a seal  306  is peeled, ink is partially peeled from the protection sheet  312  by a peeling force as shown in a change from FIG. 8A to FIG. 8B, and is left on the toner supply port  204 , with the result that the seal  306  cannot be reused.  
         [0059]    In the aforementioned embodiment, the sensor  205 , which is formed of an artificial retina LSI, has been used. However, any sensor, for example, a magnetic sensor, a chemical sensor, color image sensor, and so on may be used if the sensor can recognize the trademark for specifying the cartridge.  
         [0060]    This invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment, and various modifications and applications are possible. In the above embodiment, the dry type image forming apparatus using toner has been explained. However, any type may be used if it is an image forming apparatus and its cartridge such an ink jet type or wet type image forming apparatus, a dot-matrix printer and the like.  
         [0061]    In addition, the mark displayed on the seal  206  is not limited to “trademark.” Any mark may be applied if the mark is replicated and put on the market to infringe on the rights of others. For example, an original image having a copyright as shown in FIG. 9, and an image having a right of portrait as illustrated in FIG. 10 may be used.  
         [0062]    Various embodiments and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. The above-described embodiment intended to illustrate the present invention, not to limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is shown by the attached claims rather than the embodiment. Various modifications made within the meaning of an equivalent of the claims of the invention and within the claims are to be regarded to be in the scope of the present invention.  
         [0063]    This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. H11-361396 filed on Dec. 20, 1999 and including specification, claims, drawings and summary. The disclosure of the above Japanese Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.