| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of alerting a user to the use of a consumable article which is not a standardized article. <P>SOLUTION: When a toner container has become empty of toner, a toner empty flag is set in a nonvolatile memory (SP3, SP4), when an identification code read from the nonvolatile memory does not match a predetermined identification code when the toner container is replaced with a new one (SP8), the new one is discriminated as a pirated article (SP9), when the identification codes match and the toner empty flag is written in the non-volatile memory, it is discriminated that the new one is a refilled one (SP10, SP12, SP13), when the toner empty flag is not written, it is discriminated that the new one is a standardized article (SP11), when the new one is discriminated as a pirated article or refilled article, a warning indication is given on a display section more than one time at fixed time intervals (SP14 to SP18). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT |
