US 11,774,894 B2
Image forming apparatus capable of determining whether to order new drum cartridge together with new toner cartridge
Takashi Suzuki, Nagoya (JP); Tadao Kyotani, Nagoya (JP); and Shingo Fujiwara, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Jan. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/582,336.
Application 17/582,336 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/031978, filed on Aug. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-158321 (JP), filed on Aug. 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0146973 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. G03G 15/00 (2006.01); G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 21/18 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/556 (2013.01) [G03G 15/5079 (2013.01); G03G 15/0856 (2013.01); G03G 21/1882 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body;
a drum cartridge attachable to the main body, the drum cartridge including a photosensitive drum;
a toner cartridge attachable to the main body, the toner cartridge including a casing for accommodating toner therein;
a main memory; and
a controller,
wherein, when image formation is performed, the controller is configured to perform:
counting at least one of a cumulative dot count and a first cumulative printed sheet number, the cumulative dot count being indicative of a cumulative number of dots formed in the image formation using the toner cartridge attached to the main body, the first cumulative printed sheet number being indicative of a cumulative number of sheets printed in the image formation using the toner cartridge attached to the main body;
counting a second cumulative printed sheet number indicative of a cumulative number of sheets printed in image formation using the drum cartridge attached to the main body; and
storing into the main memory the at least one of the cumulative dot count and the first cumulative printed sheet number, and the second cumulative printed sheet number, and
wherein the controller is configured to perform:
a first process for determining a first printable sheet number on a basis of the at least one of the cumulative dot count and the first cumulative printed sheet number, the first printable sheet number being indicative of a number of sheets printable using the toner cartridge attached to the main body;
a second process for determining a second printable sheet number on a basis of the second cumulative printed sheet number, the second printable sheet number being indicative of a number of sheets printable using the drum cartridge attached to the main body;
a third process for determining a third printable sheet number indicative of a number of sheets printable using a new toner cartridge; and
when determining that a sum of the first printable sheet number and the third printable sheet number is greater than or equal to the second printable sheet number, a fourth process for transmitting to a server a signal for ordering a new drum cartridge together with a new toner cartridge.