Image forming apparatus and its ink cartridge

Abstract

An image forming apparatus for forming an image comprises an attaching section, a sensor, a memory, a print section, and a controller. An ink cartridge is attached to the attaching section. The ink cartridge contains ink from a supply port on which a display member which displays a predetermined image is adhered. The sensor obtains image data of the display member adhered to the attached ink cartridge to output the obtained image data. The memory stores image data of an image displayed on the display member adhered to a genuine ink cartridge. The print section prints a desired image. The controller determines whether or not image data outputted from the sensor substantially matches image data stored in the memory to allow the print section to perform printing when both image data match each other. An ink cartridge of an image forming apparatus, which is attachable and removable to/from the image forming apparatus, contains ink from a supply port. The ink cartridge comprises a display member having a predetermined image. The display member is adhered to the supply port and broken by a peeling force from the supply port.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.