Patent Publication Number: US-2023152733-A1

Title: Image forming apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-186872, filed on Nov. 17, 2021, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction peripheral thereof. 
     Related Art 
     Some technologies have been proposed by which a developer container such as a toner bottle is detachably (replaceably) attached to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine. Specifically, a data recording medium such as an identification (ID) chip in which data on the developer container is stored is disposed in such a developer container. When the developer container is attached to an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus, the data recording medium of the developer container and a contact terminal of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus contact to be able to communicate with each other. Thus, the data can be exchanged between the developer container (or the data recording medium) and the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus. 
     SUMMARY 
     In an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an image forming apparatus that includes an apparatus body, a developer container, a data recording medium, a contact terminal, a detector, and control circuitry. The developer container is detachably attached in the apparatus body. The data recording medium is on the developer container. The contact terminal is disposed in the apparatus body and contacts the data recording medium. The detector detects a communication failure between the data recording medium and the apparatus body. The control circuitry executes a control mode to vibrate the data recording medium when the detector detects the communication failure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of embodiments of the present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages and features thereof can be readily obtained and understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional view of an image forming device of the image forming apparatus in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a diagram illustrating a state in which a toner container is attached on a toner supply device; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a toner container mount onto which the toner container is attached; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a main part of the toner container and the toner supply device; 
         FIG.  6    is a front view of a cap of the toner container; 
         FIG.  7 A  is a side view of a main-body terminal unit of an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus; 
         FIG.  7 B  is a plan view of an ID chip of the toner container; 
         FIG.  8    is a flowchart illustrating an example of control when a vibration mode is executed; 
         FIG.  9    is a flowchart of control when a vibration mode is executed according to a first modification; 
         FIG.  10    is a flowchart of control when a vibration mode is executed according to a second modification; and 
         FIG.  11    is a diagram illustrating a state in which a toner container is installed in a toner supply device according to a third modification. 
     
    
    
     The accompanying drawings are intended to depict embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted. Also, identical or similar reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the several views. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that have a similar function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result. 
     Referring now to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 
     First, an overall configuration and operation of an image forming apparatus  100  are described. As illustrated in  FIG.  1    (and  FIG.  3   ), four toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K serving as developer containers corresponding to respective colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are detachably (or replaceably) attached in a toner container mount  70  located in an upper area of an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . An intermediate transfer unit  15  is disposed below the toner container mount  70 . Image forming devices  6 Y,  6 M,  6 C, and  6 K corresponding to colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, respectively, are arranged side by side to face an intermediate transfer belt  8  of the intermediate transfer unit  15 . Toner supply devices  60 Y,  60 M,  60 C, and  60 K are disposed below the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K (serving as developer containers), respectively. Toners stored in the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K (serving as storage containers) are supplied to developing devices of the image forming devices  6 Y,  6 M,  6 C, and  6 K by the toner supply devices  60 Y,  60 M,  60 C, and  60 K, respectively. 
     With reference to  FIG.  2   , the image forming device  6 Y corresponding to yellow includes, for example, a photoconductor drum  1 Y (serving as an image bearer), and a charging device  4 Y, a developing device  5 Y, a cleaning device  2 Y, and a charge eliminating device, which are disposed around the photoconductor drum  1 Y. Image forming processes (i.e., charging process, exposure process, development process, transfer process, cleaning process, and charge eliminating process) are executed on the photoconductor drum  1 Y. Thus, a yellow toner image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y. 
     The other three image forming devices  6 M,  6 C, and  6 K have substantially similar configuration to that of the image forming device  6 Y for yellow except for the color of toner used therein and form magenta, cyan, and black toner images, respectively. Only the image forming device  6 Y for yellow is described below and descriptions of the other three image forming devices  6 M,  6 C, and  6 K are omitted to avoid redundancy. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  2   , the photoconductor drum  1 Y is driven to rotate clockwise in  FIG.  2    by a motor. The charging device  4 Y uniformly charges the surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y (a charging process). When the surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y reaches a position at which the surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y is irradiated with a laser beam L emitted from an exposure device  7  (see  FIG.  1   ), the photoconductor drum  1 Y is scanned with the laser beam L at the position. Thus, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to yellow is formed on the photoconductor drum  1 Y (an exposure process). 
     When the surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y reaches a position facing the developing device  5 Y, at the position, the electrostatic latent image is developed with the toner into a yellow toner image (a development process). When the surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y bearing the toner image reaches a position facing a primary transfer roller  9 Y via the intermediate transfer belt  8 , at the position, the toner image on the photoconductor drum  1 Y is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt  8  (a primary transfer process). After the primary transfer process, a slight amount of untransferred toner remains on the photoconductor drum  1 Y. 
     When the surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y reaches a position opposite the cleaning device  2 Y, at the position, a cleaning blade 2a of the cleaning device  2 Y mechanically collects the untransferred toner on the photoconductor drum  1 Y (a cleaning process). The surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y reaches a position opposite the charge eliminating device. At the position, residual potential is removed from the surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y. Thus, a series of image forming processes executed on the surface of the photoconductor drum  1 Y is completed. 
     Note that the other image forming devices  6 M,  6 C, and  6 K execute the series of image forming processes described above in substantially the same manner as the image forming device  6 Y. That is, the exposure device  7  disposed below the image forming devices  6 M,  6 C, and  6 K irradiates photoconductor drums  1 M,  1 C, and  1 K of the image forming devices  6 M,  6 C, and  6 K, respectively, with the laser beams L based on image data. Then, the toner images formed on the photoconductor drums  1 M,  1 C, and  1 K through the development process are transferred and superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt  8 . Thus, a color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt  8 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  1   , the intermediate transfer unit  15  includes, for example, the intermediate transfer belt  8 , the four primary transfer rollers  9 Y,  9 M,  9 C, and  9 K, a secondary-transfer counter roller  12 , multiple tension rollers, and an intermediate-transfer-belt cleaner. The intermediate transfer belt  8  is stretched around and supported by the multiple rollers and is rotated in the direction indicated by an arrow illustrated in  FIG.  1    as a roller (i.e., the secondary-transfer counter roller  12 ) serving as a drive roller rotates. 
     Each of the four primary transfer rollers  9 Y,  9 M,  9 C, and  9 K nips the intermediate transfer belt  8  with the corresponding one of the photoconductor drums  1 Y,  1 M,  1 C, and  1 K to form an area of contact, herein called a primary transfer nip, between the intermediate transfer belt  8  and the corresponding one of the photoconductor drums  1 Y,  1 M,  1 C, and  1 K. A primary-transfer bias opposite in polarity to the toner is applied to the primary transfer rollers  9 Y,  9 M,  9 C, and  9 K. The intermediate transfer belt  8  travels in the direction indicated by the arrow (counterclockwise) in  FIG.  1    and sequentially passes through the primary transfer nips of the primary transfer rollers  9 Y,  9 M,  9 C, and  9 K. As a result, the single-color toner images on the photoconductor drums  1 Y,  1 M,  1 C, and  1 K, having the respective colors, are primarily transferred to and superimposed onto the intermediate transfer belt  8 , thereby forming the multicolor toner image (a primary transfer process). 
     Subsequently, the intermediate transfer belt  8  that the toner images of the respective colors are transferred to and superimposed onto reaches a position opposite a secondary transfer roller  19 . At the position, the intermediate transfer belt  8  is nipped between the secondary-transfer counter roller  12  and the secondary transfer roller  19  to form a secondary transfer nip. The toner images of four colors formed on the intermediate transfer belt  8  are transferred onto a sheet P such as a sheet of paper conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer nip (a secondary transfer process). At that time, the untransferred toner that has not transferred onto the sheet P remains on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt  8 . The surface of the intermediate transfer belt  8  then reaches a position opposite the intermediate-transfer-belt cleaner. At the position, the intermediate-transfer-belt cleaner collects the untransferred toner from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt  8 . As a result, a series of transfer processes executed on the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt  8  is completed. 
     The sheet P is conveyed from a sheet feeder  26  disposed in a lower portion of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  to the secondary transfer nip via a feed roller  27  and a registration roller pair  28 . Specifically, the sheet feeder  26  contains a stack of multiple sheets P such as sheets of paper stacked on one on another. As the feed roller  27  is rotated counterclockwise in  FIG.  1   , the feed roller  27  feeds a top sheet P of the stack of multiple sheets P in the sheet feeder  26  toward a roller nip between the registration roller pair  28 . 
     As the registration roller pair  28  stops rotating temporarily, the leading end of the sheet P stops moving at the roller nip of the registration roller pair  28 . Rotation of the registration roller pair  28  is timed to convey the sheet P toward the secondary transfer nip such that the sheet P meets the color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt  8  at the secondary transfer nip. Thus, the desired color toner image is transferred onto the sheet P. 
     Subsequently, the sheet P, onto which the color toner image is transferred at the secondary transfer nip, is conveyed to a position of a fixing device  20 . Then, at the position, the color toner image transferred to the surface of the sheet P is fixed on the sheet P by heat and pressure of a fixing roller and a pressure roller. Thereafter, the sheet P is conveyed through the rollers of an output roller pair  29  and ejected to the outside of the image forming apparatus  100 . The sheets P ejected by the output roller pair  29  to the outside of the image forming apparatus  100  are sequentially stacked as output images on a stack tray  30 . Thus, a series of image forming processes (printing operation) in the image forming apparatus is completed. 
     Next, a detailed description is provided of a configuration and operation of the developing device  5 Y of the image forming device  6 Y with reference to  FIG.  2   . The developing device  5 Y includes a developing roller  51 Y disposed opposite the photoconductor drum  1 Y, a doctor blade  52 Y disposed opposite the developing roller  51 Y, two conveying screws  55 Y disposed in developer housings  53 Y and  54 Y, and a toner concentration sensor  56 Y to detect concentration of toner in a developer G. The developing roller  51 Y includes a magnet and a sleeve. The magnet is secured inside the developing roller  51 Y. The sleeve rotates around the magnet. The developer housings  53 Y and  54 Y contain the two-component developer G including carrier and toner. The developer housing  54 Y communicates, via an opening on an upper side thereof, with a toner conveying tube  64 Y (i.e., serving as a toner conveyance passage). 
     The developing device  5 Y described above operates as follows. The sleeve of the developing roller  51 Y rotates in a direction indicated by an arrow in  FIG.  2   . The developer G is carried on the developing roller  51 Y by a magnetic field generated by the magnet. As the sleeve rotates, the developer G moves along the outer circumferential surface of the developing roller  51 Y. 
     The developer G in the developing device  5 Y is adjusted so that the ratio of toner (toner concentration) in the developer G is within a specified range. Specifically, the toner supply device  60 Y (see  FIGS.  3  and  5   ) supplies toner (as developer) from the toner container  32 Y (developer container) to the developer housing  54 Y according to the toner consumption in the developing device  5 Y. The configuration and operation of the toner supply device  60 Y are described in detail later. 
     The two conveying screws  55 Y mix and stir the developer G with the toner supplied to the developer housing  54 Y while circulating with the developer G in the two developer housings  53 Y and  54 Y. In this case, the developer G moves in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the plane on which  FIG.  2    is illustrated. The toner in the developer G is electrically charged by friction with the carrier and thus is attracted to the carrier. Both the toner and the carrier are borne on the developing roller  51 Y due to a magnetic force generated on the developing roller  51 Y. 
     The developer G borne on the developing roller  51 Y is conveyed in the direction indicated by the arrow in  FIG.  2    and reaches a position opposite the doctor blade  52 Y. At the position, the doctor blade  52 Y adjusts the amount of the developer G on the developing roller  51 Y to an appropriate amount. Thereafter, the developer G on the developing roller  51 Y is conveyed to a position opposite the photoconductor drum  1 Y (i.e., a developing area). The toner is attracted to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor drum  1 Y by an electric field generated in the developing area. As the sleeve rotates, the developer G remaining on the developing roller  51 Y reaches an upper part of the developer housing  53 Y and separates from the developing roller  51 Y. 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS.  3  to  5   , the toner supply devices  60 Y,  60 M,  60 C, and  60 K are described in detail below. As illustrated in  FIG.  3   , the respective color toners in the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K disposed in the toner container mount  70  in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  are supplied to the corresponding developing devices by the toner supply devices  60 Y,  60 M,  60 C, and  60 K provided for the respective color toners according to the amount of toner consumed in the corresponding developing devices. It is to be noted that the four toner supply devices  60 Y,  60 M,  60 C, and  60 K have a similar structure, and the four toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K have a similar structure except for the color of toner used in the image forming processes. Therefore, only the toner supply device  60 Y and the toner container  32 Y for yellow are described below as representatives, and descriptions of the toner supply devices  60 M,  60 C, and  60 K and the toner containers  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K for the other three colors are omitted to avoid redundancy. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  4   , when the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K are attached to the toner container mount  70  in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  (i.e., a movement along the direction indicated by an arrow Q in  FIG.  4   ), shutters  34   d  (see  FIG.  3   ) of the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K are moved in conjunction with the installation of the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K and toner discharge ports W of the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K are opened. Consequently, the toner discharge ports W of the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K communicate with toner supply inlets  72   w  (see  FIG.  3   ) of the toner container mount  70  (i.e., toner supply devices  60 Y,  60 M,  60 C, and  60 K). Accordingly, the toner contained in the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K is discharged from the toner discharge ports W, passes through the toner supply inlets  72   w  of the toner container mount  70  (i.e., toner supply devices  60 Y,  60 M,  60 C, and  60 K), and then, is stored in a storage portion  61 Y of the toner supply device  60 Y. With reference to  FIGS.  3 ,  6 ,  7 A and  7 B , when the toner container  32 Y is attached to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 , an identification (ID) chip  80  serving as a data recording medium installed on a cap  34 Y of the toner container  32 Y is connected to a main-body terminal unit  110  (see  FIG.  7 A ) of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  in conjunction with the attaching operation. Thus, the data can be exchanged between the ID chip  80  and a controller  90  of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . Based on the data acquired from the ID chip  80 , the controller  90  displays the amount of toner remaining in the toner container  32 Y (remaining amount of the toner) on an operation-display panel (which is disposed on an exterior of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 ), determines the timing of toner supply from the toner container  32 Y to the developing device  5 Y, and executes a recovery operation from a toner end state. When the toner container  32 Y is detached (is taken out) from the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 , the connection between the ID chip  80  and the main-body terminal unit  110  is released in conjunction with the detaching operation. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  3  to  5   , the toner container  32 Y as a developer container is a substantially cylindrical toner bottle, and mainly includes the cap  34 Y which is non-rotatably held by the toner container mount  70  and a container body  33 Y (bottle body) in which a gear  33   c  is integrally formed. The container body  33 Y is held to be rotatable relative to the cap  34 Y and is rotationally driven by a drive mechanism (including, e.g., a drive motor  91 , and gears  92  and  93 ) in a direction indicated by an arrow in  FIGS.  3  and  5   . When the container body  33 Y itself rotates around a rotation axis X, the toner contained in the toner container  32 Y (container body  33 Y) is conveyed in the rotation axis direction (longitudinal direction) (i.e., the conveyance from left to right in  FIG.  3   ) by a projection  33   b  (see  FIG.  5   ) spirally formed on the inner circumferential surface (inner wall surface) of the container body  33 Y. The toner is discharged from an opening portion  33   a  serving as a discharge port of the container body  33 Y to the cap  34 Y and is further discharged from the toner discharge port W of the cap  34 Y to outside the container. That is, the container body  33 Y of the toner container  32 Y is appropriately driven to rotate by the drive motor  91 . Thus, the toner is appropriately supplied to the storage portion  61 Y. Note that the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K are replaced with new ones when the respective service lives thereof have expired, that is, when almost all toner contained in the respective toner containers  32  has been depleted. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  6   , the ID chip  80  as data recording medium is fitted (disposed) in an installation portion  34   c  formed on an end face of the cap  34 Y. That is, the ID chip  80  (serving as data recording medium) exchanges various kinds of data with the controller  90  in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . Specifically, the ID chip  80  stores, in advance, data of the toner stored in the toner container  32 Y such as a manufacturing date, a manufacturing lot number, a color, and a type, and data of the toner container  32 Y such as a manufacturing date, a destination, a manufacturing factory, and presence or absence of recycling. Such data are transmitted to the controller  90  (of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 ). Further, data such as a use history in the image forming apparatus  100  is transmitted from the controller  90  (of the apparatus body) to the ID chip  80  (serving as data recording medium), and the data is appropriately stored. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  6   , positioning holes  34   a  and  34   b  for positioning the cap  34 Y in the toner container mount  70  (of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 ) are formed in the end face of the cap  34 Y. When the toner container  32 Y is attached to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 , the positioning holes  34   a  and  34   b  formed in the cap  34 Y of the toner container  32 Y are fitted to positioning pins  120  and  121  (see  FIG.  7 A ) of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  in conjunction with the attaching operation. As a result, the position of the cap  34 Y in the toner container mount  70  (of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 ) is determined. In the cap  34 Y thus positioned, the ID chip  80  is communicably connected to the main-body terminal unit  110  (see  FIG.  7 A ) of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . 
     In the present embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG.  7 B , four chip-side terminals  80   b  are arranged side by side in the vertical direction on the ID chip  80  as data recording medium of the toner container  32 Y. A notch  80   a  is formed at each of upper and lower ends of the ID chip  80 . In the present embodiment, clock-signal terminals, ground terminals, serial-data terminals, and power-supply terminals are used as the four chip-side terminals  80   b . The ID chip  80  is formed in a substantially flat-plate shape. On the other hand, as illustrated in  FIG.  7 A , four contact terminals  112  are arranged side by side in the main-body terminal unit  110  of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  to be in conductive contact with the four chip-side terminals  80   b  of the ID chip  80 . Further, the main-body terminal unit  110  is provided with pins  111  to be fitted into the notches  80   a  of the ID chip  80 . In the present embodiment, the contact terminals  112  are elastic plate-shaped members having a substantially L-shape in which a bending process is applied to portions to be brought into contact with the chip-side terminals  80   b  having a substantially flat-plate shape. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  3  and  5   , each of the toner supply devices  60 Y,  60 M,  60 C, and  60 K includes, for example, the toner container mount  70 , the storage portion  61 Y, a conveying coil  62 Y, a toner detection sensor  66 Y, the drive motor  91 , and the gears  92  to  95 . The storage portion  61 Y is disposed below the toner discharge port W of the toner container  32 Y and stores the toner discharged from the toner discharge port W of the toner container  32 Y. A bottom portion of the storage portion  61 Y is coupled to an upstream portion of the toner conveying tube  64 Y. The toner detection sensor  66 Y serving as a toner detector that detects that the toner (developer) stored in the storage portion  61 Y has reached a specified amount (the storage portion  61 Y is almost full) is disposed on a wall face of the storage portion  61 Y (i.e., a position at a specified height from the bottom portion). For example, a piezoelectric sensor can be used as the toner detection sensor  66 Y. When the toner detection sensor  66 Y detects (toner end detection) that the amount of the toner stored in the storage portion  61 Y has not reached a specified amount, the controller  90  causes the drive motor  91  to drive the container body  33 Y of the toner container  32 Y to rotate the container body  33 Y for a specified time to supply the toner to the storage portion  61 Y In a case where the toner detection by the toner detection sensor  66 Y is not released even if such control is repeated, the controller  90  determines that there is no toner in the toner container  32 Y and displays a message prompting replacement of the toner container  32 Y on a display panel disposed on the exterior of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS.  3  and  5   , the conveying coil  62 Y is rotatably disposed inside the toner conveying tube  64 Y and conveys the toner stored in the storage portion  61 Y toward the developing device  5 Y via the toner conveying tube  64 Y. Specifically, the conveying coil  62 Y is driven to rotate by the drive motor  91  to convey the toner along the toner conveying tube  64 Y from the bottom portion (lowest point) of the storage portion  61 Y toward the upper portion of the developing device  5 Y. The toner conveyed by the conveying coil  62 Y is supplied into the developing device  5 Y (i.e., the developer housing  54 Y). In the present embodiment, a driving source of the conveying coil  62 Y is shared with the driving source of the toner container  32 Y (container body  33 Y). That is, when the drive motor  91  is driven to rotate, the toner container  32 Y rotates and the conveying coil  62 Y also rotates. 
     With reference to  FIG.  4   , the toner container mount  70  mainly includes a cap holder  73  for non-rotatably holding the cap  34 Y of the toner container  32 Y, a bottle holder  72  for rotatably holding the container body  33 Y of the toner container  32 Y, and the main-body terminal unit  110  (see  FIGS.  3  and  7 A ). The main-body terminal unit  110  is provided with a plurality of contact terminals  112 . With reference to  FIG.  1   , when an apparatus-body cover disposed on the upper portion of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  (i.e., which is on the front side in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the plane on which  FIG.  1    is illustrated) is opened, the toner container mount  70  is exposed. The toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K are attached to and detached from the front upper side of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  with the rotation axis direction (longitudinal direction) of the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K kept horizontal (i.e., an attachment and detachment operation in the longitudinal direction of the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K as the attachment and detachment direction). Specifically, when the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K are attached to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 , the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K are disposed on the toner container mount  70  from above the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  with the apparatus-body cover open. Then, the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K are pushed in the horizontal direction with the cap  34 Y at the head (movement along the arrow Q in  FIG.  4   ). By contrast, when the toner containers  32 Y,  32 M,  32 C, and  32 K are detached from the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 , an operation reverse to the attaching operation is executed. 
     A configuration and operation of the image forming apparatus  100  according to the present embodiment is described in detail. As described above with reference to  FIGS.  5 ,  6 ,  7 A and  7 B , the ID chip  80  serving as a data recording medium is disposed on the toner container  32 Y serving as a developer container detachably attached to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . The toner container  32 Y is provided with the container body  33 Y (the spiral projection  33   b  is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the container body  33 Y) that can discharge the toner as a developer from the opening portion  33   a  as a discharge port by rotating around the rotation axis X and the non-rotating cap  34 Y covering a head portion formed with the opening portion  33   a  (serving as a discharge port) in the container body  33 Y. The apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  is provided with the contact terminals  112  (of the main-body terminal unit  110 ) which are communicably brought into contact with the ID chip  80  (data recording medium) of the toner container  32 Y (serving as a developer container) attached in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . 
     The image forming apparatus  100  according to the present embodiment is provided with a detector that detects a communication failure between the ID chip  80  (serving as a data recording medium) and the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  (or the controller  90 ). Specifically, when communication from the ID chip  80  via the contact terminals  112  (main-body terminal unit  110 ) cannot be confirmed, the controller  90  determines that the communication failure with the ID chip  80  has occurred. That is, the controller  90  also functions as a detector that detects the communication failure. 
     In the present embodiment, when the controller  90  serving as a detector detects a communication failure with the ID chip  80 , a control mode in which vibration is applied to the ID chip  80  (data recording medium) is executed. Such a control mode is hereinafter referred to as a “vibration mode” as appropriate. Specifically, in the present embodiment, when the toner container  32 Y (developer container) is attached to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  at the time of replacement of the toner container  32 Y, the controller  90  (detector) detects whether the communication failure has occurred. The reason why the controller  90  detects whether the communication failure occurs at such a timing is that the data is exchanged between the controller  90  and the ID chip  80  when the toner container  32 Y is attached. When a normal printing operation is started after the attachment of the toner container  32 Y, vibration is applied to the ID chip  80  as described later with the rotational drive of the toner container  32 Y (container body  33 Y) at the time of toner supply. Thus, the communication failure due to a contact failure between the ID chip  80  and the contact terminals  112  is less likely to occur. 
     The “vibration mode” is a control mode that drives the toner container  32 Y. Specifically, the “vibration mode” is a control mode that drives the container body  33 Y to rotate the container body  33 Y. The cap  34 Y on which the ID chip  80  is disposed is held in a non-rotatable manner in the toner container mount  70  (see  FIG.  4   ). When the container body  33 Y is driven to rotate by the drive motor  91 , the cap  34 Y vibrates due to the rotational drive. When the cap  34 Y vibrates, the ID chip  80  also vibrates. That is, the drive motor  91  (see  FIG.  3   ) that drives the container body  33 Y to rotate functions as a vibration applier for applying vibration to the ID chip  80 . 
     The vibration of the ID chip  80  reduces the communication failure due to the contact failure between the ID chip  80  and the contact terminals  112 . Specifically, the ID chip  80  on the toner container  32 Y contacts the contact terminals  112  of the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  in conjunction with the attaching operation of the toner container  32 Y to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . In a case where a user (operator) does not attach the toner container  32 Y straight, a contact failure that the ID chip  80  does not normally contact the contact terminals  112  may occur. Also in a case where foreign substances (including, for example, dirt, or a film) is trapped in a contact portion between the ID chip  80  and the contact terminals  112 , the contact failure between the ID chip  80  and the contact terminals  112  may occur. When such a contact failure has occurred, the communication failure occurs between the ID chip  80  and the controller  90 . Thus, a failure that the controller  90  cannot perform various controls based on the data stored in the ID chip  80  may occur. In contrast, in the present embodiment, when the controller  90  (serving as a detector) detects the communication failure with the ID chip  80 , the controller  90  causes the drive motor  91  to drive the container body  33 Y to rotate for a specified period of time to vibrate the ID chip  80  separately from a normal toner supply operation. For this reason, a contact state of the ID chip  80  with respect to the contact terminals  112  is slightly changed. Thus, the contact state turns to be normal, and the communication failure is easily eliminated. That is, the communication failure between the toner container  32 Y (ID chip  80 ) and the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  (controller  90 ) is less likely to occur. In the present embodiment, the number of rotations per unit time of the container body  33 Y in the vibration mode is set to be substantially same as that in the normal toner supply operation. The number of rotations per unit time may be set to be higher than that in the normal toner supply operation. In this case, since the vibration applied to the ID chip  80  in the vibration mode is increased, the above-described effect of reducing the communication failure is more easily achieved. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  3  to  5   , a protruding portion  33   d  (i.e., a protruding portion that protrudes in a direction away from the rotation axis X) is formed on a part of the outer circumferential surface of the container body  33 Y of the toner container  32 Y in the present embodiment. By providing the protruding portion  33   d  on the container body  33 Y in this manner, the drive motor  91  drives the container body  33 Y to rotate in the vibration mode (control mode) to vibrate the container body  33 Y up and down in conjunction with the operation that the protruding portion  33   d  rides on the bottle holder  72  (see  FIGS.  3  and  4   ). Thus, the degree of vibration of the ID chip  80  becomes accordingly larger. For this reason, the contact failure between the ID chip  80  and the contact terminals  112  is more easily eliminated. In the present embodiment, the two protruding portions  33   d  are disposed at a part in the longitudinal direction of the container body  33 Y at equal intervals in the rotation direction. The position and the number of the protruding portions  33   d  are not limited thereto. The vibration of the container body  33 Y by the protruding portions  33   d  occurs also in a normal toner supply operation. The aggregation of the toner in the container body  33 Y at the time of the toner supplying operation is reduced due to the vibration of the container body  33 Y. 
     With reference to  FIG.  5   , in the present embodiment, the container body  33 Y is supported by the cap  34 Y (which is non-rotatably held by the toner container mount  70 ) at a position H away from the head portion where the opening portion  33   a  is formed toward the bottom portion (left side in  FIG.  3   ). The ID chip  80  (data recording medium) is disposed on the end face (the right end face in  FIG.  3   ) of a projecting end of the cap  34 Y to face the cap holder  73  of the toner container mount  70 . That is, the ID chip  80  is disposed at a position sufficiently away from the support position H of the container body  33 Y in the cap  34 Y. With such a configuration, the vibration transmitted from the container body  33 Y to the ID chip  80  in the vibration mode can be reinforced as compared with the case where the ID chip  80  is disposed in the vicinity of the support position H of the container body  33 Y. As a result, the contact failure between the ID chip  80  and the contact terminals  112  is more easily eliminated. 
     With reference to  FIG.  6   , in the present embodiment, the ID chip  80  (data recording medium) is disposed in a non-rotating manner at a position away from the rotation axis X (which is the rotation center of the container body  33 Y). That is, the ID chip  80  is disposed at a position sufficiently away from the rotation axis X in the cap  34 Y. With such a configuration, the vibration transmitted from the container body  33 Y to the ID chip  80  in the vibration mode can be reinforced as compared with the case where the ID chip  80  is disposed in the vicinity of the rotation axis X of the container body  33 Y. As a result, the contact failure between the ID chip  80  and the contact terminals  112  is more easily eliminated. 
     Here, the “vibration mode” is a control mode in which the toner container  32 Y (container body  33 Y) is driven so that the toner (developer) inside the toner container  32 Y (developer container) is conveyed toward the opening portion  33   a  (discharge port). Accordingly, when the vibration mode is executed for a specified period of time, the toner is discharged from the toner container  32 Y for the specified period of time. Thus, the discharged toner is stored in the storage portion  61 Y (see  FIG.  3   ). On the other hand, in the present embodiment, when the controller  90  (serving as a detector) detects the communication failure again immediately after the controller  90  has executed the vibration mode (control mode), the controller  90  executes the vibration mode (control mode) again. That is, when the communication failure is not eliminated even if the controller  90  executes the vibration mode, the controller  90  executes the vibration mode again. However, in order to avoid infinite repetition of the vibration mode (control mode), the controller  90  does not re-execute the vibration mode exceeding a specified number of times. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the upper limit of the number N of times that the vibration mode is continuously executed is set to three. By executing the control as described above, the communication failure between the ID chip  80  and the controller  90  is efficiently reduced without taking too much time wastefully. 
     In the present embodiment, the container body  33 Y is driven to rotate in a forward direction in the vibration mode as in the normal toner supply operation. On the other hand, the container body  33 Y may be driven to rotate in the opposite direction in the vibration mode unlike in the normal toner supply operation. That is, the vibration mode may be a control mode in which the toner container  32 Y is driven so that the toner (developer) in the toner container  32 Y (developer container) is conveyed in a direction away from the opening portion  33   a  (discharge port). In this case, a forward-reverse rotation type motor is used as the drive motor  91 . When the container body  33 Y is rotated in reverse in the vibration mode, the toner is not positively discharged from the toner container  32 Y. As a result, a problem that the storage portion  61 Y (see  FIG.  3   ) is overflowed with the toner by executing the vibration mode is less likely to occur. 
     An example of control when the vibration mode (control mode) is executed is described below with reference to  FIG.  8   . As illustrated in  FIG.  8   , first, when the toner container  32 Y is set in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 , the state is detected by a set detection sensor disposed in the toner container mount  70 . Then, the number of times N of executions of the vibration mode is set to zero (in step S 1  of  FIG.  8   ). Thereafter, the controller  90  (serving as a detector) determines whether the communication with the ID chip  80  is available (in step S 2  of  FIG.  8   ). As a result, when the communication failure does not occur, the controller  90  determines that the communication is normal and ends this flow. In contrast, when the controller  90  determines that the communication failure has occurred in step S 2 , the controller  90  determines whether the number of times N of executions of the vibration mode is three or less (in step S 3  of  FIG.  8   ). As a result, when the number of times N of executions of the vibration mode exceeds three, the controller  90  ends this flow. In contrast, when the number of times N of executions of the vibration mode is three or less, the controller  90  executes the vibration mode (in step S 4  of  FIG.  8   ), increments the number of times N of executions by one (in step S 5  of  FIG.  8   ), and repeats the flow after step S 2 . 
     First Modification 
     The image forming apparatus  100  according to a first modification does not execute the vibration mode (control mode) when the toner detection sensor  66 Y detects that the amount of toner (developer) stored in the storage portion  61 Y has reached a specified amount. By performing such control, the container body  33 Y is driven to rotate in the vibration mode to positively discharge the toner from the toner container  32 Y. Thus, a problem that the storage portion  61 Y (see  FIG.  3   ) is overflowed with the toner is less likely to occur. Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG.  9   , in the vibration mode (control mode) in the first modification, the controller  90  (detector) determines whether the communication with the ID chip  80  is available in steps S 1  to S 2  of  FIG.  9    similarly to the mode illustrated in  FIG.  8   . As a result, when the controller  90  determines that the communication failure has occurred in step S 2 , the controller  90  determines whether the storage portion  61 Y is full of the toner (in step S 10  of  FIG.  9   ). Specifically, the controller  90  determines whether a state in which the toner stored in the storage portion  61 Y has reached a specified amount is detected by the toner detection sensor  66 Y. As a result, when the controller  90  determines that the storage portion  61 Y is not full of the toner, the controller  90  determines whether the number of times N of executions of the vibration mode is three or less (in step S 3  of  FIG.  9   ). As a result, when the number of times N of executions of the vibration mode is three or less, the controller  90  executes the vibration mode (in step S 4  of  FIG.  9   ), increments the number of times N of executions by one (in step S 5  of  FIG.  9   ), and repeats the flow after step S 2 . In contrast, when the number of times N of executions of the vibration mode exceeds three in step S 3  and when the controller  90  determines that the storage portion  61 Y is full of the toner in step S 10 , the controller  90  causes the operation-display panel to display indicating that the communication failure has occurred (in step S 11  of  FIG.  9   ) and ends this flow. By performing such a warning display, the user can accurately grasp an abnormal state of the image forming apparatus  100 . Also in the first modification, the communication failure between the toner container  32 Y (ID chip  80 ) and the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  (controller  90 ) can be prevented. 
     Second Modification 
     The image forming apparatus  100  according to a second modification has a vibration mode as a control mode in which the toner container  32 Y is driven such that the toner (developer) in the toner container  32 Y (developer container) is conveyed in a direction toward the opening portion  33   a  (discharge port) or conveyed in a direction away from the opening portion  33   a  (discharge port). Specifically, when the controller  90  causes the toner detection sensor  66 Y to detect that the amount of the toner (developer) stored in the storage portion  61 Y has not reached a specified amount, the controller  90  executes the vibration mode in which the toner container  32 Y is driven so that the toner is conveyed in a direction toward the opening portion  33   a . That is, the controller  90  causes the drive motor  91  to drive the container body  33 Y to rotate in the forward direction for a specified time. On the other hand, when the controller  90  causes the toner detection sensor  66 Y to detect that the toner stored in the storage portion  61 Y has reached a specified amount, the controller  90  executes the vibration mode in which the toner container  32 Y is driven so that the toner is conveyed in a direction away from the opening portion  33   a . That is, the controller  90  causes the drive motor  91  to drive the container body  33 Y to rotate in the reverse direction for a specified time. By performing such control, the communication failure between the toner container  32 Y (ID chip  80 ) and the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  (controller  90 ) is less likely to occur, while preventing a problem that the toner overflows from the storage portion  61 Y (see  FIG.  3   ). Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG.  10   , in the vibration mode (control mode) in the second modification, the controller  90  (detector) determines whether the communication with the ID chip  80  is available in steps S 1  to S 2 . When the communication is available, the controller  90  determines whether the number of times N of executions of the vibration mode is three or less (in step S 3  of  FIG.  10   ) similarly to the mode illustrated in  FIG.  8   . As a result, when the number of times of the executions of the vibration mode is three or less, the controller  90  determines whether the storage portion  61 Y is full (in step S 20  of  FIG.  10   ). As a result, when the controller  90  determines that the storage portion  61 Y is not full, the container body  33 Y is rotated in the forward direction to execute the vibration mode (in step S 21  of  FIG.  10   ). When the controller  90  determines that the storage portion  61 Y is full, the container body  33 Y is rotated in the reverse direction to execute the vibration mode (in step S 23  of  FIG.  10   ). Then, after the vibration mode, the controller  90  increments the number of times N of executions by one (in step S 22  of  FIG.  10   ) and repeats the flow after step S 2 . 
     Third Modification 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  11   , a conveying screw  135 Y serving as a developer conveyor rotatable around the rotation axis X is disposed inside a toner container  132 Y (developer container) according to a third modification. That is, the toner container  132 Y according to the third modification conveys the toner not by rotating a container body  133 Y but by rotationally driving the conveying screw  135 Y (developer conveyor) disposed in the non-rotating container body  133 Y by the drive motor  91 . Specifically, when the conveying screw  135 Y is driven by the drive motor  91  to rotate, the toner conveyed by the conveying screw  135 Y is discharged from the opening portion  33   a  of the container body  133 Y. Thus, the toner is stored in the storage portion  61 Y via a cap  134 Y. In the third modification, the vibration mode is a control mode in which the conveying screw  135 Y (developer conveyor) is driven to rotate. When such a vibration mode is executed, various controls described above with reference to  FIGS.  8  to  10    can be executed. Also in the third modification, the occurrence of the communication failure between the toner container  32 Y (ID chip  80 ) and the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  (controller  90 ) can be prevented. 
     As described above, according to the present embodiment, the toner container  32 Y (developer container) in which the ID chip  80  (data recording medium) is disposed is detachably attached in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . The apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  is provided with the contact terminals  112  that communicably contact the ID chip  80  of the toner container  32 Y attached in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 . The controller  90  (detector) that detects the communication failure between the ID chip  80  and the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  is disposed. When the communication failure is detected by the controller  90  (serving as a detector), the controller  90  executes the vibration mode (as a control mode) in which vibration is applied to the ID chip  80 . As a result, the occurrence of the communication failure between the toner container  32 Y (or the ID chip  80 ) and the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  (or the controller  90 ) can be prevented. 
     In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus  100  has been described in which the toner container  32 Y serving as a developer container in which the toner (one component developer) serving as a developer is stored is detachably attached. Alternatively, the present disclosure can also be applied to an image forming apparatus in which a developer container storing a two-component developer (developer including toner and carrier) as a developer is detachably attached, or an inkjet-type image forming apparatus in which a developer container storing ink as a developer is detachably attached. Although the ID chip  80  is used as the data recording medium in the present embodiment, the data recording medium is not limited thereto. For example, an integrated circuit (IC) chip, a radio frequency identification (RFID), a printed circuit board, or an integrated circuit (IC) tag, may be used as the data recording medium. The contact terminals  112  in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100  are not limited to that of the present embodiment. Anything that contact the data recording medium in a communicable manner may be used. In the present embodiment, when the toner container  32 Y is attached to the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus  100 , the controller  90  (detector) detects whether the communication failure has occurred and executes the vibration mode (control mode) as necessary. However, the timing of detecting whether the communication failure has occurred is not limited thereto. Even in such a case, the substantially same effect as that of the present embodiment can be obtained. 
     The above-described embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the present invention. Thus, numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of the present invention. 
     Any one of the above-described operations may be performed in various other ways, for example, in an order different from the one described above. 
     The functionality of the elements disclosed herein may be implemented using circuitry or processing circuitry which includes general purpose processors, special purpose processors, integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), conventional circuitry and/or combinations thereof which are configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functionality. Processors are considered processing circuitry or circuitry as they include transistors and other circuitry therein. In the disclosure, the circuitry, units, or means are hardware that carry out or are programmed to perform the recited functionality. The hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein or otherwise known which is programmed or configured to carry out the recited functionality. When the hardware is a processor which may be considered a type of circuitry, the circuitry, means, or units are a combination of hardware and software, the software being used to configure the hardware and/or processor.