Patent ID: 8511120

Claim:
An electronic locking system to secure a consumable item in an image forming device comprising: a first member to hold the consumable item and movable between an open position and a closed position, the first member being in the open position provides access to the consumable item; a receiving member configured to receive the first member, the receiving member including a locking member; and a controller for controlling the locking member to lock the first member to the receiving member when the first member is in the closed position, and to unlock the first member from the receiving member so that the first member is movable to the open position, wherein the locking member includes a drive device coupled to the controller and a plunger, the plunger is moved by the drive device between a locked and an unlocked position, and the controller controls the drive device to move the plunger to the unlocked position only when the image forming device is not printing such that movement of the plunger to the unlocked position is delayed until an ongoing print operation is complete.