Oki Data Corporation

Toshio Tada

Hideyuki Kondo

A cartridge is attached to a printer that performs a printing operation only when the cartridge is a predetermined kind of the cartridge. The cartridge includes a first predetermined number of magnet holders provided on the cartridge and a second predetermined number of magnets each of which is received in a corresponding one of the magnet holders. A maximum value of the second predetermined number is equal to the first predetermined number. A combination of the magnet holders having the magnets therein indicates the kind of the cartridge. The image forming apparatus comprises a detector section and an identifying section. The detector has magnetic sensor elements each of which detects a magnetic flux of a corresponding one of the magnets. The identifying section compares reference data with a combination of outputs of the magnetic sensor elements so as to identify the kind of the cartridge.

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Tokyo, Japan

Toshio Tada