The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 18, 2025
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2023
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya, JP;
Takayuki Suzuki, Nagoya, JP;
BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing to which a consumable including a consumable memory is attachable; a main memory; and a controller configured to perform: when the consumable is new, storing identification information of the consumable in the main memory; when the consumable is used and is a special consumable, determining whether the identification information is stored in the main memory; when the identification information is stored in the main memory, permitting use of the consumable; when the identification information is not stored in the main memory; prohibiting use of the consumable; and while an external memory is physically connected to the main casing, storing the identification information in the external memory. By the external memory being physically connected to another image forming apparatus, the another image forming apparatus permits use of the consumable therein on the basis of the identification information stored in the external memory.