Control device, image forming apparatus, and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016259286-A1
Application number	US-201615059265-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2016
Priority date	Mar 3, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control device drives a main driving device among driving devices each used to discharge recording material from a recording material container. A malfunction detector detects malfunction of the main driving device. When the malfunction detector has detected the malfunction, a recording material amount setting unit sets information indicating an amount of the recording material in the recording material container connected to the main driving device to a first value. A main driving device switching unit stops, when an amount of the recording material in the recording material container connected to the main driving device is the first value, driving the main driving device and then, when the driving devices other than the main driving device include one driving device having a recording material container connected thereto that contains a recording material an amount of which exceeds the first value, switches the main driving device to the one driving device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control device that drives a main driving device, the main driving device being a driving device among a plurality of driving devices each used to discharge recording material from a recording material container filled with the recording material to replenish, with the recording material, a recording material storing unit that stores the recording material, the main driving device having the recording material container connected thereto and being intended to be driven,
the control device comprising: a malfunction detector configured to detect malfunction of the main driving device; a recording material amount setting unit configured to, when the malfunction detector has detected the malfunction of the main driving device, set information indicating an amount of the recording material in the recording material container connected to the main driving device to a first predetermined value; a main driving device switching unit configured to, when an amount of the recording material in the recording material container connected to the main driving device is the first predetermined value, stop driving the main driving device and then, when the driving devices other than the main driving device include one driving device having a recording material container connected thereto that contains a recording material an amount of which exceeds the first predetermined value, switch the main driving device to the one driving device.

2 . The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory that stores therein association information in which pieces of state information are associated with the respective driving devices, the state information indicating whether the respective driving devices are malfunctioning; a state information initializing unit configured to, at a time of starting power supply to the control device, when all of the pieces of state information associated with the respective driving devices indicate that the driving devices are malfunctioning, initialize all of the pieces of state information associated with the respective driving devices to state information indicating that driving devices are not malfunctioning.

3 . The control device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a driving controller configured to perform control for driving the main driving device when a remaining amount of the recording material in the recording material storing unit is a second predetermined value; and a state information setting unit configured to, when the malfunction detector has detected the main driving device as malfunctioning, set the piece of state information associated with the main driving device, among the pieces of state information contained in the association information, to a piece of state information indicating that the main driving device is malfunctioning. when the malfunction detector has detected the main driving device as malfunctioning.

4 . The control device according to claim 2 , wherein, when the driving device that has the recording material container attached thereto is not malfunctioning, the recording material amount setting unit sets information indicating an amount of a recording material in the recording material container connected to the driving device to a value exceeding the first predetermined value; and sets information indicating an amount of a recording material in the recording material container that does not have the recording material container connected thereto but is to be connected thereto, to the first predetermined value.

5 . The control device according to claim 2 , wherein processes that are performed by the recording material amount setting unit, the main driving device switching unit, and the driving controller are repeated at certain time intervals.

6 . The control device according to claim 5 , wherein, when an amount of the recording material in the recording material storing unit has been determined successively a certain number of times to be the second predetermined value, the recording material amount setting unit sets information indicating an amount of the recording material in the recording material container connected to the main driving device to the first predetermined value.

7 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the recording material is toner.

8 . An image forming apparatus including a control device that drives a main driving device, the main driving device being a driving device among a plurality of driving devices each used to discharge recording material from a recording material container filled with the recording material to replenish, with the recording material, a recording material storing unit that stores the recording material, the main driving device having the recording material container connected thereto and being intended to be driven, the image forming apparatus comprising:
a recording material amount setting unit configured to refer to association information in which pieces of state information indicating whether the respective driving devices are malfunctioning are associated with the respective driving devices, and, when any one of the driving devices that have the recording material containers attached thereto is found malfunctioning, set an amount of the recording material inside the recording material container connected to the one of the driving devices to a first predetermined value; and a main driving device switching unit configured to, when an amount of the recording material in the recording material container connected to the main driving device is the first predetermined value, stop driving the main driving device and then, when the driving devices other than the main driving device include one driving device having a recording material container connected thereto that contains a recording material an amount of which exceeds the first predetermined value, switch the main driving device to the one driving device.

9 . A control method performed by a control device that drives a main driving device, the main driving device being a driving device among a plurality of driving devices each used discharge recording material from a recording material container filled with the recording material to replenish, with the recording material, a recording material storing unit that stores the recording material, the main driving device having the recording material container connected thereto and being intended to be driven, the control method comprising:
referring to association information in which pieces of state information indicating whether the respective driving devices are malfunctioning are associated with the respective driving devices, and, when any one of the driving devices that have the recording material containers attached thereto is found malfunctioning, setting an amount of the recording material inside the recording material container connected to the one of the driving devices to a first predetermined value; and stopping, when an amount of the recording material inside the recording material container connected to the main driving device is the first predetermined value, driving the main driving device and then switching, when the driving devices other than the main driving device include one driving device having a recording material container connected thereto that contains a recording material an amount of which exceeds the first predetermined value, the main driving device to the one driving device.

Assignees

• Akiba Katsuya
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Akiba Katsuya

Classifications

• G03G15/556

  for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement · CPC title

• G03G15/0879

  for dispensing developer from a developer cartridge not directly attached to the development unit · CPC title

• G03G15/0877

  Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit · CPC title

• G03G15/55 Primary

  Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display · CPC title