Incremental printing of symbolic information – Light or beam marking apparatus or processes – Scan of light
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-26
2001-05-01
Le, N. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Light or beam marking apparatus or processes
Scan of light
C347S140000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226025
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a developer unit provided with a memory for collectively managing various items associated with the developer such as the management of the developer unit, the use and exchange period of the developer, and the prevention of use of inferior developers, and a method of operating an image forming apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus reproduces characters or images on a recording medium according to a transmitted character or image data signal. This image forming apparatus generally includes a photoreceptor (e.g., a photoreceptor drum or a photoreceptor belt) for forming a latent electrostatic image, a charging device for charging the photoreceptor, an exposing device for exposing the charged photoreceptor to light to selectively remove the charge of the charged photoreceptor, and forming a latent electrostatic image of a predetermined pattern, a developing device for developing the latent electrostatic image by supplying a developing medium (e.g., a toner or a developing solution) onto the exposed latent electrostatic image, and a transcribing device for transcribing a developed image to a recording medium.
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a general image forming apparatus.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, the image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor belt
104
, a charge removing device
105
, charging devices
106
a
through
106
d
, exposing devices
107
,
108
,
109
, and
110
, developing devices
111
,
112
,
113
, and
114
, a drying device
115
, and a transcribing device
116
. Here, the photoreceptor belt
104
is installed to be capable of being circulated by first, second, and third belt rollers
101
,
102
, and
103
. The charge removing device
105
removes the charge existing in the photoreceptor belt
104
. The charging devices
106
a
through
106
d
newly charge the photoreceptor belt
104
. Each of the exposing devices
107
,
108
,
109
, and
110
has a laser scanning unit (not shown) for irradiating a laser beam to selectively remove the charge existing in an image forming area of the charged photoreceptor belt
104
in an image-shaped pattern in order to form a latent electrostatic image. The developing devices
111
,
112
,
113
, and
114
develop a latent electrostatic image formed on the photoreceptor belt
104
using a developing solution. The drying device
115
dries the developing solution coated on the latent electrostatic image. The transcribing device
116
transcribes an arbitrary developed image formed on the photoreceptor belt
104
to the recording medium
117
such as a recording paper or a film.
Here, the developing device
111
is comprised of a developing roller
111
a
for coating a developing solution on the photoreceptor belt
104
, a developing solution supplier
111
b
for supplying the developing solution to the developing roller
111
a
, a cleaning roller
111
c
for removing the developing solution from the rear surface of the developing roller
111
a
, first and second squeegee rollers
111
d
and
111
e
for removing the residual developing solution from the photoreceptor belt
104
, first and second blades
111
f
and
111
g
for removing the developing solution from the first and second squeegee rollers
111
d
and
111
e
, and a developing solution collecting vessel
111
h
for collecting the removed developing solution. The drying device is provided with a drying roller
115
h
for drying the developing solution from the photoreceptor belt
104
, and heating rollers
115
i
and
115
j
. The transcribing device
116
is comprised of a transcribing roller
116
t
which receives an image transcribed by the photoreceptor belt
104
by rotating in tight contact with the first belt roller
101
having the photoreceptor belt
104
therebetween, and a settle roller
116
p
for settling an image transcribed to the transcribing roller
116
t
on the recording paper
117
.
A wet developing device adopted in such an image forming apparatus, particularly, a wet image forming apparatus, includes a developing unit for developing the photoreceptor belt by directly coating a developing solution thereon, and a developing solution supply unit for continuously supplying a developing solution having a predetermined concentration to the developing unit. A solution, in which the concentration of a powder toner is diluted by mixing a liquid carrier in a concentrated ink solution containing the powder toner, is used as the developing solution for the wet developing device. The concentrated ink solution is generally filled in a cartridge-type developer unit. Such a developer unit is loaded on an image forming apparatus and supplies a developing solution to a developing solution supplying unit. The developing solution supplying unit includes an ink storage tank for storing a concentrated ink solution provided to the developer unit, a carrier storage tank for storing the carrier, and a circulating tank for storing the developing solution having a concentrated ink solution and carrier mixed at an appropriate rate to be supplied to the developing unit. An agitator, for constantly maintaining the concentration of a solution by agitating the solution stored in the ink cartridge and the circulating tank to prevent the powder toner in the solution from being settled, may be Installed on each of the ink storage tank and the circulating tank.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, such an image forming apparatus, i.e., a printer
205
, receives printing data from a computer
201
via a communications interface
204
and performs printing. Here, a control circuit portion
208
a
as shown in
FIG. 3
controls the supply of a developer (from a developer supplying unit
208
e
) in which already-supplied concentrated ink solution and carrier are mixed in an appropriate ratio, and also controls each control unit in the system according to system setting conditions stored in a memory
208
f
. This image forming apparatus keeps determined system setting conditions and process, so that the control circuit portion
208
a
cannot perform smooth control when a different concentrated ink solution or carrier is supplied. As a consequence, the printing quality becomes degraded. Also, when the component and characteristics of ink or carrier are improved to enhance a conventional printing quality, the system setting conditions fixed as described above prevent use of the improved ink or carrier. In
FIGS. 2 and 3
, reference numeral
202
denotes an application program, reference numeral
203
is a printer driving program, reference numeral
206
is a printer controller board, reference numeral
207
is a manipulation panel, reference numeral
207
b
is a manipulation button, reference numeral
207
w
is a display unit, reference numeral
208
b
denotes an instrument driving/sensing portion, reference numeral
208
c
denotes an instrumental portion, and reference numeral
208
d
denotes a power supply portion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problem, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a developer unit provided with a memory for collectively managing various items associated with the developer unit and a developer, and a method of operating an image forming apparatus using the developer unit.
Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, there is provided a developer unit provided with a memory, which is adopted in a developing device of an image forming apparatus and filled with a developer, the unit comprising: a developer information module installed in a predetermined portion of the developer unit for storing various data associated with the management of the developer unit and the developer.
To accomplish the above objective, there is provided a first embodiment of a method of operating an image forming apparatus adopting a developer unit provided with a memory, comprising the steps of: (a) reading developer information from a developer informat
Le N.
Nguyen Lamson D.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
LandOfFree
Developer unit having memory, and method of operating image... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Developer unit having memory, and method of operating image..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Developer unit having memory, and method of operating image... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2493527