Image-forming device performing printing process according to mode switched between normal printing mode and extended printing mode

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions executed by a controller included in or provided outside an image-forming device, the image-forming device including:

• a frame;
• a drum cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum;
• and a developing cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the developing cartridge having a housing configured to accommodate therein toner, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the controller, causing the image-forming device to perform a printing process according to a mode, the computer-readable instructions causing the controller to perform:
• a drum replacement necessity determination process to determine, based on life information for the drum cartridge, whether replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary;
• a mode switch process to switch the mode of the printing process between a normal printing mode and an extended printing mode, the normal printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process when the replacement of the drum cartridge is determined to be unnecessary in the drum replacement necessity determination process, the extended printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process on a condition that the developing cartridge attached to the frame is not replaced with another developing cartridge in a state where the replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary;
• and
• a toner identification information acquisition process to acquire and store toner identification information when the replacement of the drum cartridge is determined to be necessary in the drum replacement necessity determination process, the toner identification information capable of identifying the developing cartridge attached to the frame, and
• wherein the mode switch process switches the mode of the printing process to the extended printing mode when the controller determines that there is no change in the toner identification information for the developing cartridge attached to the frame in a state where the replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary.

A method for controlling an image-forming device to perform a printing process according to a mode, the image-forming device including:

• a frame;
• a drum cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum;
• and a developing cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the developing cartridge having a housing configured to accommodate therein toner, the method comprising:
• determining, based on life information for the drum cartridge, whether replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary;
• switching the mode of the printing process between a normal printing mode and an extended printing mode, the normal printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process when the replacement of the drum cartridge is determined to be unnecessary in the determining, the extended printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process on a condition that the developing cartridge attached to the frame is not replaced with another developing cartridge in a state where the replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary;
• and
• acquiring and storing toner identification information when the replacement of the drum cartridge is determined to be necessary, the toner identification information capable of identifying the developing cartridge attached to the frame, and
• wherein switching the mode of the printing process to the extended printing mode occurs in response to the controller determining that there is no change in the toner identification information for the developing cartridge attached to the frame in a state where the replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary.

An image-forming device comprising:

• a frame;
• a drum cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum;
• a developing cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the developing cartridge having a housing configured to accommodate therein toner;
• and
• a controller configured to control the image-forming device to perform a printing process, the controller being configured to perform:
• a drum replacement necessity determination process to determine, based on life information for the drum cartridge, whether replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary;
• and
• a mode switch process to switch a mode of the printing process between a normal printing mode and an extended printing mode, the normal printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process when the replacement of the drum cartridge is determined to be unnecessary in the drum replacement necessity determination process, the extended printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process on a condition that the developing cartridge attached to the frame is not replaced with another developing cartridge in a state where the replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary,
• wherein the extended printing mode includes a normal extended mode and a limited extended mode, the normal extended mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process with a charge bias same as a charge bias in the normal printing mode and a feeding speed same as a feeding speed in the normal printing mode, the limited extended mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process with a charge bias lower than a charge bias in the normal printing mode and a feeding speed slower than a feeding speed in the normal printing mode.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions executed by a controller included in or provided outside an image-forming device, the image-forming device including:

• a frame;
• a drum cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum;
• and a developing cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the developing cartridge having a housing configured to accommodate therein toner, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the controller, causing the image-forming device to perform a printing process according to a mode, the computer-readable instructions causing the controller to perform:
• a drum replacement necessity determination process to determine, based on life information for the drum cartridge, whether replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary;
• and
• a mode switch process to switch the mode of the printing process between a normal printing mode and an extended printing mode, the normal printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process when the replacement of the drum cartridge is determined to be unnecessary in the drum replacement necessity determination process, the extended printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process on a condition that the developing cartridge attached to the frame is not replaced with another developing cartridge in a state where the replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary,
• wherein the extended printing mode includes a normal extended mode and a limited extended mode, the normal extended mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process with a charge bias same as a charge bias in the normal printing mode and a feeding speed same as a feeding speed in the normal printing mode, the limited extended mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process with a charge bias lower than a charge bias in the normal printing mode and a feeding speed slower than a feeding speed in the normal printing mode.

A method for controlling an image-forming device to perform a printing process according to a mode, the image-forming device including:

• a frame;
• a drum cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum;
• and a developing cartridge detachably attached to the frame, the developing cartridge having a housing configured to accommodate therein toner, the method comprising:
• determining, based on life information for the drum cartridge, whether replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary;
• and
• switching the mode of the printing process between a normal printing mode and an extended printing mode, the normal printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process when the replacement of the drum cartridge is determined to be unnecessary in the determining, the extended printing mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process on a condition that the developing cartridge attached to the frame is not replaced with another developing cartridge in a state where the replacement of the drum cartridge is necessary,
• wherein the extended printing mode includes a normal extended mode and a limited extended mode, the normal extended mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process with a charge bias same as a charge bias in the normal printing mode and a feeding speed same as a feeding speed in the normal printing mode, the limited extended mode allowing the image-forming device to perform the printing process with a charge bias lower than a charge bias in the normal printing mode and a feeding speed slower than a feeding speed in the normal printing mode.