# US 12,600,150 B2 · Recording device, service life estimation method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,600,150 B2 - Document ID: US12600150B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/485,660 - Filed: 2023-10-12 - Published: 2024-04-18 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2023-10-12 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Yasuo Sunaga - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600150B2 ## CPC - B41J 11/42: Controlling {printing material conveyance for accurate alignment of the printing material with the printhead; Print registering} - B41J 29/38: Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A recording device includes a recording unit that performs recording on a medium, a paper feeding cassette that accommodates the medium and is configured to be opened/closed, a transport unit that transports the medium accommodated in the paper feeding cassette along a transport path, a transport detection unit that detects the medium at a detection position provided at the transport path, a calculation unit that calculates a transport time required for the medium supplied from the paper feeding cassette to reach the detection position based on a result of detection by the transport detection unit, a determination unit that determines presence or absence of whether the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed, and an estimation unit that estimates a service life of the transport detection unit or the transport unit based on time information about the transport time and opening/closing information about determination of whether the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A recording device comprising: a recording unit that performs recording on a medium; a paper feeding cassette that accommodates the medium and is configured to be opened/closed; a transport unit that transports the medium accommodated in the paper feeding cassette along a transport path; a transport detection unit that detects the medium at a detection position provided at the transport path; a calculation unit that calculates a transport time required for the medium supplied from the paper feeding cassette to reach the detection position based on a result of detection by the transport detection unit; a determination unit that determines presence or absence of whether the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed; and an estimation unit that estimates a service life of the transport detection unit or the transport unit based on time information about the transport time and opening/closing information about determination of whether the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed, wherein the estimation unit excludes the transport time after the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed for the estimation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the paper feeding cassette has a lift mechanism configured to lift/lower the medium, wherein the lift mechanism is configured to perform a lift-up operation of lifting the medium, and wherein the determination unit determines presence or absence of whether the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed during a time when the recording device is turned off based on whether the lift-up operation is performed at a time when the recording device is turned on. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The recording device according to claim 2, further comprising: a lift detection unit that detects the lift mechanism at a supply position; and a controller that controls the lift mechanism based on a result of detection by the lift detection unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A recording device according to claim 2, wherein the lift mechanism lowers the medium when the paper feeding cassette is opened during the lift-up operation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The recording device according to claim 1, further comprising: a storage unit that stores the time information and the opening/closing information in association with each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The recording device according to claim 1, wherein when the paper feeding cassette is opened, a retainer releases retention of a hopper so that the hopper moves down to a set position below the supply position by its weight. ### Claim 7 A recording device comprising: a recording unit that performs recording on a medium; a paper feeding cassette that accommodates the medium and is configured to be opened/closed; a transport unit that transports the medium accommodated in the paper feeding cassette along a transport path; a transport detection unit that detects the medium at a detection position provided at the transport path; a calculation unit that calculates a transport time required for the medium supplied from the paper feeding cassette to reach the detection position based on a result of detection by the transport detection unit; a determination unit that determines presence or absence of opening/closing of the paper feeding cassette; a storage unit that stores time information about the transport time and opening/closing information about determination of whether the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed in association with each other; and an output unit that outputs the time information and the opening/closing information stored in the storage unit to an external device including an estimation unit configured to estimate a service life of the transport detection unit or the transport unit by excluding the transport time after the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed. ### Claim 8 A service life estimation method, the method performed by a recording device including a recording unit that performs recording on a medium, a paper feeding cassette that accommodates the medium and is configured to be opened/closed, a transport unit that transports the medium accommodated in the paper feeding cassette along a transport path, and a transport detection unit that detects the medium at a detection position provided at the transport path, the method comprising: calculating a transport time required for the medium supplied from the paper feeding cassette to reach the detection position; determining presence or absence of whether the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed; and estimating a service life of the transport detection unit or the transport unit based on time information about the transport time and opening/closing information about determination of whether the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed by excluding the transport time after the paper feeding cassette is opened/closed.