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:
Jul. 18, 2017
Filed:
Sep. 29, 2014
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
This invention provides an image forming apparatus which communicates with a plurality of cartridges without increasing its circuit dimension. To accomplish this, the apparatus includes a control circuit having an output terminal for outputting a clock signal and data signal used to generate a transmission signal to the cartridge, and an input terminal for receiving a transmission signal from the cartridge. The apparatus includes N connectors each having the first electrode which is connected to the first electrode surface of each cartridge, and the second electrode which is connected to the second electrode surface. The apparatus includes a 1-to-N first signal line for connecting the input terminal to the N first electrodes, and a 1-to-N second signal line for connecting the output terminal to the N second electrodes. The apparatus includes N switching units which are interposed between 1-to-N branch points and the second electrodes on the second signal line.