Electrophotography – Diagnostics – Component present or mounted
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-11
2001-11-27
Pendegrass, Joan (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Diagnostics
Component present or mounted
C399S112000, C399S227000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324352
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that performs recording of a color image using a plurality of process cartridge respectively storing a plurality of toners with different colors.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of a recording apparatus is conventionally provided inside the apparatus with a rotator (hereinafter referred to as carriage) capable of storing a plurality of process cartridges detachably. In this recording apparatus, different process cartridges each for a toner with a different color are inserted into the carriage, the carriage is rotated to form each color image with the respective color of toner, while superimposing the formed color images as one image on an intermediate transfer medium, and the obtained image is transferred to recording paper.
However in the conventional technique as described above, since the apparatus is provided with the carriage, and a plurality of process cartridges corresponding to different colors are attached in the carriage, the following problems occur:
In the above-described apparatus, a predetermined cartridge opening is provided to exchange a process cartridge, and the process cartridge is attached or detached through the cartridge opening one by one, while rotating the carriage. Therefore, when the process cartridge is not attached in a storage place at a position opposite the cartridge opening, it is not possible to judge a state of the storage place easily only by viewing inside the apparatus through the cartridge opening. Thus the case tends to occur that recording is instructed with no process cartridge attached, for example, due to that an operator forgets to attach it.
It is considered in the above case to provide a sensor to determine at an initial operation time whether or not the process cartridge is attached, and to notify the absence of the process cartridge to an operator if it is not stored. However, even in the foregoing, the operator should perform some operations so that a cartridge storage place with no cartridge in the carriage moves to a position opposite a cartridge opening, resulting in the problem that the operations required until the process cartridge is attached are complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus, which is provided with a rotator for storing a plurality of process cartridges for each toner with a different color, enabling an operator to attach a process cartridge without performing a complicated operation when it is determined that either of the process cartridges is not attached.
The recording apparatus of the present invention rotates the rotator, which stores the plurality of process cartridges each with a different color toner, to detect which process cartridge is not stored, and when any cartridge is not stored in the carriage, controls the carriage to move a cartridge storage place in which the rotator does not store the process cartridge to a position opposite a cartridge opening.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5809380 (1998-09-01), Katakabe et al.
patent: 5862430 (1999-01-01), Mitekura et al.
patent: 6-250482 (1994-09-01), None
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems Inc.
Pendegrass Joan
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