Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main assembly, and a process cartridge detachably mountable to the apparatus main assembly, including driving force receiving means to be connected to driving means of the apparatus main assembly and a noncontact memory for carrying out noncontact data communication with receiving means of the apparatus main assembly, wherein the apparatus main assembly performs rotational drive of the drive means before reading out data from the noncontact memory.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which is capable of quickly performing measurements required for obtaining a proper image density. The image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming apparatuses performs an image density adjustment control process by carrying out a maximum density control process at a reference image forming speed, and carrying out a density gradation control process at each of the plurality of image forming speeds. Image forming conditions for carrying out the density gradation control process at speeds other than the reference image forming speed are determined by performing operation on image forming conditions determined by the maximum density control process carried out at the reference image forming speed.

Abstract: There is provided a printing system which enable image output with a uniform image quality as a whole even in the case where a plurality of image forming apparatuses are caused to carry out distributed printing. A plurality of image forming apparatuses carry out image formation on a sheet. Margins in which no image is formed in the image formation carried out by each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses are stored. An optimum margin having a maximum value is selected from among the stored margins for each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses. An effective image area found from the selected optimum margin and the size of the sheet on which the image formation is to be carried out is calculated. Image data is adjusted for each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses such that an image to be formed based on the image data fits within the calculated effective image.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus which has a memory for storing plural read images is provided. In the apparatus, setting of a second copy job and image reading are possible even if a first copy job is being executed. Further, even if feeder jam or printer jam occurs in the first copy job when the second copy job is being set, such the jam is displayed at appropriate timing, so that operability of the apparatus can be significantly improved.

Abstract: There is provided a printer control apparatus which can be applied to an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of types of readers and a plurality of types of printers can be connected to a single controller, and which enable efficient transfer of image data from the reader to the printer via an image memory of the controller. The controller receives image data from a reader and temporarily stores the same in an image memory, and transmits the stored image data to a printer. The controller acquires a reader processing speed from the reader and a printer processing speed from the printer, and determines, while the image data is being written to the image memory, timing for transmitting the image data written in the memory to the printer according to a difference between the reader processing speed and the printer processing speed and a sub-scan size of the image data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of printing images on tab-sheets as well as on normal sheets can automatically perform a mixed printing job including image printing for the normal sheets and image printing for the tab-sheets. The apparatus makes it possible to use image information a number of times and that preparation of the image information is easy. In the apparatus, image information of a text sheet document to be printed on the text sheets and image information of a tab-sheet document to be printed on the tab-sheet are separately inputted to the apparatus and separately stored in an image memory in advance. The apparatus performs combined printing in which printing of the image information of the text sheet document stored in the image memory and printing of the image information of the tab-sheet document stored in the image memory are so combined that the printings of the pages of the tab-sheet document are inserted intervening in the printing of the text sheet document at designated page positions.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus which has a memory for storing plural read images is provided. In the apparatus, setting of a second copy job and image reading are possible even if a first copy job is being executed. Further, even if feeder jam or printer jam occurs in the first copy job when the second copy job is being set, such the jam is displayed at appropriate timing, so that operability of the apparatus can be significantly improved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms an image on a sheet by an image forming device based on image information, and which discharges the sheet on which the image is formed. The apparatus has a proof printing mode in which, when, in the process of forming an image on sheets to form a plurality of copies of the image, the sheets having the image formed thereon to form a first copy is discharged, the image formation is temporarily stopped by an image formation stopping device. The apparatus also has a mode controller for automatically setting the proof printing mode when execution of a predetermined process mode is selected.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus which has a memory for storing plural read images is provided. In the apparatus, setting of a second copy job and image reading are possible even if a first copy job is being executed. Further, even if feeder jam or printer jam occurs in the first copy job when the second copy job is being set, such the jam is displayed at appropriate timing, so that operability of the apparatus can be significantly improved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device for forming an image on a sheet, a tray for stacking a sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming device, a shifting device for shifting the sheet for each copy to stack the sheet on the tray, and a control device for controlling the shift operation of the shifting device at the time of the shift mode, wherein the control device controls the shifting device in such a manner that the shifting device does not shift the sheet when the number of the sheets per one copy is one while the shifting device shifts the sheets when the number of the sheets per one copy is two or more.

Abstract: In image reading apparatus capable of performing a read-while-feed operation in which an original is read while being fed by an image sensor placed at a fixed position, presence/absence of dust and/or dirt on a platen is detected, and, in a case where dust and/or dirt are detected at all of a plurality of predetermined positions by said detector, the read-while-feed operation is inhibited and the presence of dust and/or dirt is notified to a user. When, removal of dust and/or dirt on the platen is detected in a state that the read-while-feed operation is inhibited, the read-while-feed operation is allowed.

Abstract: In an image reading apparatus having a document feeder adapted to convey an original, an image sensor adapted to read the original conveyed to a platen by the document feeder, and a memory adapted to store image data for each pixel, control is executed to cause the image sensor to execute reading at a predetermined position a plurality of number of times without placing any original on the platen while driving the original convey member of the document feeder, the image data of the original output from the image sensor is compared with the image data of a corresponding pixel, which is stored in the memory, every time the original convey member is read, the image data stored in the memory is updated to data having a larger value, and the presence/absence and position of dust and/or dirt on the platen are detected on the basis of the number of times of reading the original convey member and the image data stored in the memory after the end of a plurality of number of times of reading the original convey member.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus which has a memory for storing plural read images is provided. In the apparatus, setting of a second copy job and image reading are possible even if a first copy job is being executed. Further, even if feeder jam or printer jam occurs in the first copy job when the second copy job is being set, such the jam is displayed at appropriate timing, so that operability of the apparatus can be significantly improved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising an image forming device for forming an image on a sheet, plural discharged sheet stacking device for stacking the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming device, and a control device for selecting the discharged sheet stacking device according to the image forming job of the image forming device and for selecting the discharged sheet stacking device based on the material information of the sheet, wherein the control device selects the discharged sheet stacking device based on the material of the sheet in preference to the image forming job. The image forming job is a stapling job, a sorting job or a non-stapling and non-sorting job. There is also provided an informing device for informing a fact that the discharged sheet stacking device is selected based on the material of the sheet in preference to the image forming job.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus including a sheet feeder for feeding a sheet, a sheet size detector for detecting a size of the sheet fed by the sheet feeder, the sheet size includes an orientation of the sheet, an image size detector for detecting a size of an image to be formed, the image size includes an orientation of the image, an image rotator for rotating the image, an image forming unit for forming the image on the sheet fed by the sheet feeder, an operation panel for inputting a cover/sheet insertion mode, a staple mode, or a different size documents mode, and a controller for controlling the image rotator in accordance with detection results of the sheet size detector and image size detector, and for inhibiting the image rotation by the image rotator in a case where the cover/sheet insertion mode, staple mode, or different size documents mode is input from the operation panel.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus for reversing/discharging sheets on which images are formed, control is performed to form mirror images on sheets and discharge the sheets, on which the mirror images are formed, without reversing them in accordance with the type of sheet on which images are to be formed, thereby adjusting the output order of the sheets without increasing the sheet output time and causing any damage on the sheet.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus can form an image on a paper sheet according to each of a plurality of input job, and also can selectively perform a sheet process, such as sorting or stapling, for the sheets on which the images are formed. The apparatus controls, according as whether or not the sheet process is included in a first job in which the apparatus is forming an image and in a second job which is input after the first job is input, whether or not an interruption operation of the second job is to be permitted. The interruption operation consists of stopping execution of the first job in order to perform the second job instead. This enables the first job to halt temporarily, until the second job is complete, so that the pages of the first job will not become mixed in with the page of the second job, thereby preventing the pages of two different jobs from being stapled together.

Abstract: In a structure that setting for a second job is possible even if a first job is being executed, if the first job is the job which uses a manual sheet feed unit, a sheet selection key is handled on a second job setting screen to display a manual feed key with shading or halftone dots on a sheet setting screen. Thus, it is inhibited from selecting the manual sheet feed unit, whereby it is inhibited from changing sheet size setting of the manual sheet feed unit.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or the like having a sorter with a plurality of paper ejection bins, there is provided a sorter apparatus which can efficiently execute a dividing and sorting operations for every work irrespective of a size and a direction of sheets, the presence or absence of a sheet stapler, a remaining state in the sheet sorter apparatus, or the like. A recycle automatic document feeder (RDF) for automatically feeding originals, a sorter, an aligning bar and a reference bar in a sorter bin, and the like are provided. When a length of sheet exceeds a predetermined value, the movement of the sheets by the reference bar is inhibited.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to provide a sorter apparatus which allows to easily identify bundles of sheets in units of jobs. After the end of each job operation, if a bundle of sheets of the preceding job remain on the sorter, a message for removing sheets is displayed, and the control waits until the sheets are removed. When no bundle of sheets of the preceding job remain or when the bundle of sheets of the preceding job are removed, a bundle of sheets of the current job are pushed and shifted, and execution of the next job is permitted. With this control, a step can be formed between bundles of sheets in units of jobs, and the bundles of sheets in units of jobs can be easily sorted.