Interchangeable part recognizing apparatus and image forming apparatus

An interchangeable part recognizing apparatus comprising:

• a recognizing portion formed on a surface of an interchangeable part which is removably mounted to a main unit, for displaying information on the interchangeable part;
• and
• a detecting section for reading the information from the recognizing portion of the interchangeable part mounted to the main unit,
• wherein the recognizing portion includes a pattern electrode having a plane shape, which is composed of at least one segment made effective selectively from among a plurality of segments of identical or different shape, an entire electrode which is located between a surface of the interchangeable part and the pattern electrode and extended in a wider range than the pattern electrode, and a light-transmitting dielectric layer which covers whole of a top surface of the pattern electrode and at least a part of a top surface of the entire electrode, the part being opposed to the pattern electrode;
• the detecting section has a shape corresponding to the plane shape of the pattern electrode, and includes a detecting electrode which is electrically connected to the recognizing portion, and an AC power source which applies an AC voltage to the detecting electrode;
• and
• an electric signal at the time of applying the AC voltage of the AC power source to the recognizing portion via the detecting electrode is detected as information on the interchangeable part.

An interchangeable part recognizing apparatus, comprising:

• a recognizing portion formed on a surface of an interchangeable part which is removably mounted to a main unit, for displaying information on the interchangeable part;
• and
• a detecting section for reading the information from the recognizing portion of the interchangeable part mounted to the main unit,
• wherein the recognizing portion includes a pattern electrode formed into a specific plane shape, an entire electrode which is located between the surface of the interchangeable part and the pattern electrode and extended in a wider range than the pattern electrode, and a light-transmitting dielectric layer which covers a whole surface of the pattern electrode and at least a part of a top surface of the entire electrode, the part being opposed to the pattern electrode;
• the detecting section is of a shape corresponding to the plane shape of the pattern electrode, and includes a detecting electrode which is electrically connected to the recognizing portion, and an AC power source which applies an AC voltage to the detecting electrode;
• an electric signal at the time of applying the AC voltage of the AC power source to the recognizing portion via the detecting electrode is detected as information on the interchangeable part;
• the detecting section includes a return electrode which has a shape to surround the periphery of the detecting electrode;
• and
• the return electrode is electrically connected to the entire electrode directly or via the dielectric layers.

An interchangeable part recognizing apparatus, comprising:

• a recognizing portion formed on a surface of an interchangeable part which is removably mounted to a main unit, for displaying information on the interchangeable part;
• and
• a detecting section for reading the information from the recognizing portion of the interchangeable part mounted to the main unit,
• wherein the recognizing portion includes a pattern electrode formed into a specific plane shape, an entire electrode which is located between the surface of the interchangeable part and the pattern electrode and extended in a wider range than the pattern electrode, and a light-transmitting dielectric layer which covers a whole surface of the pattern electrode and at least a part of a top surface of the entire electrode, the part being opposed to the pattern electrode;
• the detecting section is of a shape corresponding to the plane shape of the pattern electrode, and includes a detecting electrode which is electrically connected to the recognizing portion, and an AC power source which applies an AC voltage to the detecting electrode;
• an electric signal at the time of applying the AC voltage of the AC power source to the recognizing portion via the detecting electrode is detected as information on the interchangeable part;
• and
• the detecting electrode is divided into a plurality of portions associated with the plane shape of the pattern electrode,
• the apparatus further comprising:
• a comparing section for comparing electric signals detected by the plurality of portions of the detecting electrode.

An interchangeable part recognizing apparatus, comprising:

• a recognizing portion formed on a surface of an interchangeable part which is removably mounted to a main unit, for displaying information on the interchangeable part;
• and
• a detecting section for reading the information from the recognizing portion of the interchangeable part mounted to the main unit,
• wherein the recognizing portion includes a pattern electrode formed into a specific plane shape, an entire electrode which is located between the surface of the interchangeable part and the pattern electrode and extended in a wider range than the pattern electrode, and a light-transmitting dielectric layer which covers a whole surface of the pattern electrode and at least a part of a top surface of the entire electrode, the part being opposed to the pattern electrode;
• the detecting section is of a shape corresponding to the plane shape of the pattern electrode, and includes a detecting electrode which is electrically connected to the recognizing portion, and an AC power source which applies an AC voltage to the detecting electrode;
• an electric signal at the time of applying the AC voltage of the AC power source to the recognizing portion via the detecting electrode is detected as information on the interchangeable part;
• the detecting electrode is divided into a plurality of portions associated with the plane shape of the pattern electrode;
• and
• the detecting section alternately applies an AC voltage to two portions divided in the detecting electrode and, during application of an AC voltage to one of the two portions, detects electric signals via the other portion to which an AC voltage is not applied.

An interchangeable part recognizing apparatus, comprising:

• a recognizing portion formed on a surface of an interchangeable part which is removably mounted to a main unit, for displaying information on the interchangeable part;
• and
• a detecting section for reading the information from the recognizing portion of the interchangeable part mounted to the main unit,
• wherein the recognizing portion includes a pattern electrode formed into a specific plane shape, an entire electrode which is located between the surface of the interchangeable part and the pattern electrode and extended in a wider range than the pattern electrode, and a light-transmitting dielectric layer which covers a whole surface of the pattern electrode and at least a part of a top surface of the entire electrode, the part being opposed to the pattern electrode;
• the detecting section is of a shape corresponding to the plane shape of the pattern electrode, and includes a detecting electrode which is electrically connected to the recognizing portion, and an AC power source which applies an AC voltage to the detecting electrode;
• an electric signal at the time of applying the AC voltage of the AC power source to the recognizing portion via the detecting electrode is detected as information on the interchangeable part;
• the return electrode is electrically connected directly or via the dielectric layer to the entire electrode;
• and
• the return electrode is a reference surface of constant area.

An interchangeable part recognizing apparatus, comprising:

• a recognizing portion formed on a surface of an interchangeable part which is removably mounted to a main unit, for displaying information on the interchangeable part;
• and
• a detecting section for reading the information from the recognizing portion of the interchangeable part mounted to the main unit,
• wherein the recognizing portion includes a pattern electrode formed into a specific plane shape, an entire electrode which is located between the surface of the interchangeable part and the pattern electrode and extended in a wider range than the pattern electrode, and a light-transmitting dielectric layer which covers a whole surface of the pattern electrode and at least a part of a top surface of the entire electrode, the part being opposed to the pattern electrode;
• the detecting section is of a shape corresponding to the plane shape of the pattern electrode, and includes a detecting electrode which is electrically connected to the recognizing portion, and an AC power source which applies an AC voltage to the detecting electrode;
• an electric signal at the time of applying the AC voltage of the AC power source to the recognizing portion via the detecting electrode is detected as information on the interchangeable part;
• the detecting electrode itself is elastic;
• and
• the detecting electrode is elastically supported and contacts the recognizing portion.

An image forming apparatus which is provided with the interchangeable part recognizing apparatus comprising a recognizing portion formed on a surface of an interchangeable part which is removably mounted to a main unit, for displaying information on the interchangeable part;

• and a detecting section for reading the information from the recognizing portion of the interchangeable part mounted to the main unit,
• wherein the recognizing portion includes a pattern electrode formed into a specific plane shape, an entire electrode which is located between the surface of the interchangeable part and the pattern electrode and extended in a wider range than the pattern electrode, and a light-transmitting dielectric layer which covers a whole surface of the pattern electrode and at least a part of a top surface of the entire electrode, the part being opposed to the pattern electrode;
• the detecting section is of a shape corresponding to the plane shape of the pattern electrode, and includes a detecting electrode which is electrically connected to the recognizing portion, and an AC power source which applies an AC voltage to the detecting electrode;
• and
• an electric signal at the time of applying the AC voltage of the AC power source to the recognizing portion via the detecting electrode is detected as information on the interchangeable part.

An image forming apparatus which is provided with an interchangeable part recognizing apparatus comprising a recognizing portion formed on a surface of an interchangeable part which is removably mounted to a main unit, for displaying information on the interchangeable part;

• and a detecting section for reading the information from the recognizing portion of the interchangeable part mounted to the main unit,
• wherein the recognizing portion includes a pattern electrode having a plane shape, which is composed of at least one segment made effective selectively from among a plurality of segments of identical or different shape, an entire electrode which is located between a surface of the interchangeable part and the pattern electrode and extended in a wider range than the pattern electrode, and a light-transmitting dielectric layer which covers whole of a top surface of the pattern electrode and at least a part of a top surface of the entire electrode, the part being opposed to the pattern electrode;
• the detecting section has a shape corresponding to the plane shape of the pattern electrode, and includes a detecting electrode which is electrically connected to the recognizing portion, and an AC power source which applies an AC voltage to the detecting electrode;
• and
• an electric signal at the time of applying the AC voltage of the AC power source to the recognizing portion via the detecting electrode is detected as information on the interchangeable part.