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:
Jan. 30, 2007
Filed:
Sep. 08, 2004
Akira Maruyama, Nagano-ken, JP;
Osamu Ishibashi, Nagano-ken, JP;
Ken Yoshizuka, Nagano-ken, JP;
Masahiro Owa, Nagano-ken, JP;
Akira Maruyama, Nagano-ken, JP;
Osamu Ishibashi, Nagano-ken, JP;
Ken Yoshizuka, Nagano-ken, JP;
Masahiro Owa, Nagano-ken, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes attach/detach sections to/from each of which a developer container for containing developer can be attached/detached, and an image bearing body for bearing a latent image. When a developer container is attached to each of the attach/detach sections, the apparatus is usable as a color image forming apparatus. When a developer container is attached to only one of the attach/detach sections, the apparatus is usable as a single-color image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus has a device ID that is sent to a computer when it communicates with the computer and that is used by the computer to recognize devices capable of communicating therewith. The device ID of the image forming apparatus for when it is being used as the color image forming apparatus matches the device ID of the image forming apparatus for when it is being used as the single-color image forming apparatus.