Image forming apparatus having a mode in which a process unit may be replaced
AssigneesKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorKazuhisa Takeda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an image forming apparatus, a replaceable process unit which holds a photosensitive body and a device to form at least one image can be held in a holding section. The image forming apparatus counts an amount of use of the process unit and stores a count value in a storage section. When the image forming apparatus performs a printing operation, the apparatus determines whether a mode selectively set by a mode setting section is a first mode in which a printing operation stops when the count value reaches a given value or a second mode in which the printing operation does not stop when the count value reaches the given value.
Claims38
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a replaceable process unit which holds a photosensitive body and a device to form at least one image;
- a holding section which holds the process unit;
- a storage section which counts an amount of use of the process unit and stores a count value;
- a mode setting section which selectively sets a first mode in which a printing operation stops when the count value reaches a given value and a second mode in which the printing operation does not stop when the count value reaches the given value;
- and
- an operating section which sets a mode of the mode setting section.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a replaceable process unit which holds a photosensitive body and a device to form at least one image;
- a holding section which holds the process unit;
- a storage section which counts an amount of use of the process unit and stores a count value;
- a mode setting section which selectively sets a first mode in which a printing operation stops when the count value reaches a given value and a second mode in which the printing operation does not stop when the count value reaches the given value;
- and
- a detecting section which detects a shape of the process unit and automatically sets a mode.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a replaceable process unit which holds a photosensitive body and a device to form at least one image;
- a holding section which holds the process unit;
- a storage section which counts an amount of use of the process unit and stores a count value;
- a mode setting section which selectively sets a first mode in which a printing operation stops when the count value reaches a given value and a second mode in which the printing operation does not stop when the count value reaches the given value;
- a display section which displays a message to urge a user to replace the process unit when the count value reaches the given value;
- and
- an operating section which varies the given value when the message to urge the user to replace the process unit is displayed on the display section.
A method of operating an image forming apparatus having a process unit that:
- (i) holds a photosensitive body and a device to form at least one image, and (ii) is replaceably held in a holding section, said method comprising:
- counting an amount of use of the process unit and storing a count value;
- determining whether a mode selectively set by a mode setting section is a first mode in which a printing operation stops when the count value reaches the given value or a second mode in which the printing operation does not stop when the count value reaches the given value;
- and
- setting a mode of the mode setting section by an operating section.
A method of operating an image forming apparatus having a process unit that:
- (i) holds a photosensitive body and a device to form at least one image, and (ii) is replaceably held in a holding section, said method comprising:
- counting an amount of use of the process unit and storing a count value;
- determining whether a mode selectively set by a mode setting section is a first mode in which a printing operation stops when the count value reaches the given value or a second mode in which the printing operation does not stop when the count value reaches the given value;
- and
- detecting a shape of the process unit and automatically setting a mode in accordance with the detected shape.
A method of operating an image forming apparatus having a process unit that:
- (i) holds a photosensitive body and a device to form at least one image, and (ii) is replaceably held in a holding section, said method comprising:
- counting an amount of use of the process unit and storing a count value;
- determining whether a mode selectively set by a mode setting section is a first mode in which a printing operation stops when the count value reaches the given value or a second mode in which the printing operation does not stop when the count value reaches the given value;
- and
- displaying a message to urge a user to replace the process unit on a display section when the count value reaches the given value which can be varied by an operating section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.