Image forming device and system that use consumable items and method of changing consumable items

摘要

A system of printers uses replicable toner boxes, which each has a unique serial number. Each printer determines once the toner box is empty. At this time, the printer registers the serial number of the used toner box in used toner box list in a memory. Each time a toner box is mounted in the printer, the printer reads and compares the serial number of the freshly inserted toner box with the serial numbers in the list in the memory. If the serial number of the presently mounted toner box matches any in the list, this means that the toner box has previously been judged to reach life end, so the printer displays a message that the toner box is not suitable for use in the printer and prevents further printing operations until the toner box is replaced with a new one.