Abstract: Abnormality diagnosing method in which a highly reliable abnormality diagnosis of an image forming apparatus can be initiated immediately following the delivery of the image forming apparatus to a user.

Abstract: Abnormality diagnosing method in which a highly reliable abnormality diagnosis of an image forming apparatus can be initiated immediately following the delivery of the image forming apparatus to a user. A plurality of sets of data of a plurality of types of information related to the condition of an image forming apparatus are acquired for a plurality of electronic devices of the same type comprising the image forming apparatus that serves as the subject for appraisal during operation tests following the manufacture of said image forming apparatus. A reference data group containing all of the plurality of sets of data acquired during the operation tests on the plurality of image forming apparatuses is employed as an initial reference data group for determining an index value calculation equation for calculating a condition appraisal index value.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus (11) including an electrostatic copying machine (12) or the like is operative to produce single copies of a plurality of documents using an automatic document feed device (14) or a plurality of copies of a single document. The copies are discharged onto a sorting device (18); (91); (121); (141) for stacking the copies in either of two positions on a tray (23); (93); (122); (190) thereof. In the automatic feed mode the original documents, after being fed through the automatic feed device (14), are discharged into a discharge unit (19) having a cover (21). If the cover (21) is opened within a predetermined length of time to remove the documents after termination of the copying operation in the automatic feed mode the sorting device (18); (91); (121); (141) is actuated to shift the copies from one position to the other. The same operation is effected in the multiple copy mode if a next copying operation is initiated within the predetermined length of time.