Image forming apparatus capable of electrically detecting usage state of process cartridge mounted therein

摘要

An image forming apparatus includes: a process cartridge; a voltage applying unit; a contact; an electric line; a detection unit; and a control unit. The voltage applying unit generates a voltage and applies the voltage to the process cartridge. The contact is switched between an ON state and an OFF state based on a usage state of the process cartridge. The electric line electrically connects the voltage applying unit to the process cartridge. The detection unit is electrically connected to the electric line via the contact and provides either one of a first detection output corresponding to the ON state and a second detection output corresponding to the OFF state. The control unit executes a determination process in a determination mode for determining the usage state of the process cartridge based on either one of the first detection output and the second detection output of the detection unit.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main casing; a process cartridge configured to be mounted in and removed from the main casing; a voltage applying unit configured to generate a voltage and to apply the voltage to the process cartridge when mounted; a contact configured to be switched between an ON state and an OFF state based on a usage state of the process cartridge when mounted; an electric line configured to electrically connect the voltage applying unit to the process cartridge when mounted; a detection unit configured to be electrically connected to the electric line via the contact and to provide either one of a first detection output corresponding to the ON state of the contact and a second detection output corresponding to the OFF state of the contact; and a control unit configured to execute a determination process in a determination mode for determining the usage state of the process cartridge when mounted based on either one of the first detection output and the second detection output of the detection unit, wherein, when the process cartridge is mounted in the main casing, the control unit enters the determination mode prior to starting an image forming operation, and wherein the voltage to be applied by the voltage applying unit to the process cartridge when mounted in the determination mode is set to be lower than the voltage to be applied by the voltage applying unit to the process cartridge during the image forming operation.