Abstract: This invention can improve the appearance quality of a pamphlet produced by suppressing a swell of a folded sheet bundle and prevent a drop in productivity without enlarging the size of a sheet processing apparatus. A sheet bundle receiving position is changed depending on a sheet size and the moving direction of the press unit is changed corresponding to the sheet size of a conveyed sheet bundle. As a consequence, the enlargement of the sheet processing apparatus can be avoided without deteriorating productivity.

Abstract: The inserter including a storing unit, a sheet-feeding unit; a conveyance unit; and a controller that determines for every sheet a conveying speed of the sheet to be discharged to the downstream side device by the conveyance unit, in which the controller determines: the conveying speed of the sheet, which was discharged from the image forming apparatus, when the sheet is discharged to the downstream side device by the conveyance unit, based on the conveying speed when the inserter receives the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus; and a conveying speed of the insert-sheet, which was fed by the sheet-feeding unit, when the insert-sheet is discharged to the downstream side device by the conveyance unit, based on a conveying speed of one of a preceding sheet and a succeeding sheet, when one of the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet is discharged to the downstream side device.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus has a sheet conveying portion which receives and conveys a sheet discharged from an apparatus on an upstream side, and discharges it to an apparatus on a downstream side or a discharge tray, a sheet post-processing portion which carried out post-processing on the sheet, and a power saving control portion which renders the sheet post-processing apparatus into a power saving state, and the power saving control portion maintains electric power supply to the sheet conveying portion, and interrupts electric power supply to the sheet post-processing portion. The sheet post-processing apparatus, even in the power saving state, is capable of discharging the sheet discharged from the apparatus on the upstream side to the apparatus on the downstream side or a discharge tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a stapling device which applies staple processing to a portion assuming a trailing end of a sheet with respect to a transport direction of the sheet; a first punch device which applies punch processing to a portion assuming a leading end of the sheet in the transport direction of the sheet; and a second punch device which applies the punch processing to the portion assuming the trailing end of the sheet in the transport direction of the sheet, in which a setting of both a staple mode for performing the staple processing by the stapling device and a first punch mode for performing the punch processing by the first punch device is inhibited, and a setting of both the staple mode and a second punch mode for performing the punch processing by the second punch device is allowed.

Abstract: This invention can improve the appearance quality of a pamphlet produced by suppressing a swell of a folded sheet bundle and prevent a drop in productivity without enlarging the size of a sheet processing apparatus. A sheet bundle receiving position is changed depending on a sheet size and the moving direction of the press unit is changed corresponding to the sheet size of a conveyed sheet bundle. As a consequence, the enlargement of the sheet processing apparatus can be avoided without deteriorating productivity.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus has a sheet conveying portion which receives and conveys a sheet discharged from an apparatus on an upstream side, and discharges it to an apparatus on a downstream side or a discharge tray, a sheet post-processing portion which carried out post-processing on the sheet, and a power saving control portion which renders the sheet post-processing apparatus into a power saving state, and the power saving control portion maintains electric power supply to the sheet conveying portion, and interrupts electric power supply to the sheet post-processing portion. The sheet post-processing apparatus, even in the power saving state, is capable of discharging the sheet discharged from the apparatus on the upstream side to the apparatus on the downstream side or a discharge tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is operable with a first sheet processing device and a second sheet processing device connected to the image forming apparatus via a network. The image forming apparatus includes a memory configured to store a control program for the first and second sheet processing devices; and a controller configured to exercise control so that the control program stored in the memory is transmitted to the first sheet processing device or the second sheet processing device. When the first and second sheet processing devices are of the same type, the controller transmits the control program to either the first sheet processing device or the second sheet processing device, and after completion of the transmission, the controller causes the sheet processing device to which the control program has been transmitted to transmit the control program to the other sheet processing device.

Abstract: A control method for an image forming system capable of preventing reduction of the ability of the system even if a shift transportation function becomes an abnormal condition. An image forming apparatus forms an image on a sheet. A first sheet process apparatus has a first moving unit receiving the sheet on which the image is formed and moving the sheet in a width direction. In a determination step, it is determined whether a second sheet process apparatus having a second moving unit moving the sheet in the width direction is connected to an upstream side of the first sheet process apparatus. In a detection step, it is detected an abnormal condition of the first moving unit. In a sheet movement step, the second moving unit moves the sheet in the width direction if an abnormal condition is detected and the second sheet process apparatus is connected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which enables the user to easily remove a sheet bundle left in the apparatus after a bookbinding-mode job is stopped in the middle of execution thereof. In a bookbinding mode of the apparatus, in a sheet stacking section, a plurality of sheets having images formed thereon are stacked as a sheet bundle; in a gluing section, glue is applied to an end face of the sheet bundle; and in a bonding section, a cover sheet is bonded to the sheet bundle to wrap the sheet bundle in the cover sheet. When a bookbinding-mode job is canceled during execution thereof, in the gluing section, glue is applied to the sheet bundle stacked in the stacking section before the job is stopped, and a discharge section discharges the glue-applied sheet bundle which is neither wrapped nor trimmed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which enables the user to easily remove a sheet bundle left in the apparatus after a bookbinding-mode job is stopped in the middle of execution thereof. In a bookbinding mode of the apparatus, in a sheet stacking section, a plurality of sheets having images formed thereon are stacked as a sheet bundle; in a gluing section, glue is applied to an end face of the sheet bundle; and in a bonding section, a cover sheet is bonded to the sheet bundle to wrap the sheet bundle in the cover sheet. When a bookbinding-mode job is canceled during execution thereof, in the gluing section, glue is applied to the sheet bundle stacked in the stacking section before the job is stopped, and a discharge section discharges the glue-applied sheet bundle which is neither wrapped nor trimmed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a folding apparatus 556 which folds a sheet bundle, a switching portion which switches a nipping pressure by the folding apparatus 556 against the sheet bundle, and a flattening apparatus 700 which presses and flattens a folded-back portion of the folded sheet bundle, and the switching portion operates such that the nipping pressure by the folding apparatus 556 against the sheet bundle when the flattening processing is executed becomes weaker than that of the folding apparatus 556 when the flattening processing is not executed.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus has a sheet conveying portion which receives and conveys a sheet discharged from an apparatus on an upstream side, and discharges it to an apparatus on a downstream side or a discharge tray, a sheet post-processing portion which carried out post-processing on the sheet, and a power saving control portion which renders the sheet post-processing apparatus into a power saving state, and the power saving control portion maintains electric power supply to the sheet conveying portion, and interrupts electric power supply to the sheet post-processing portion. The sheet post-processing apparatus, even in the power saving state, is capable of discharging the sheet discharged from the apparatus on the upstream side to the apparatus on the downstream side or a discharge tray.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus has a sheet conveying portion which receives and conveys a sheet discharged from an apparatus on an upstream side, and discharges it to an apparatus on a downstream side or a discharge tray, a sheet post-processing portion which carried out post-processing on the sheet, and a power saving control portion which renders the sheet post-processing apparatus into a power saving state, and the power saving control portion maintains electric power supply to the sheet conveying portion, and interrupts electric power supply to the sheet post-processing portion. The sheet post-processing apparatus, even in the power saving state, is capable of discharging the sheet discharged from the apparatus on the upstream side to the apparatus on the downstream side or a discharge tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of carrying out image formation on a recording medium such as plain paper without increasing the FCOT (First Copy Out Time) and is also capable of carrying out optimal image formation on a recording medium, such as thick paper, for which the processing speed is reduced with no registration misalignment between the leading ends of toner images and the leading end of the recording medium. An image is primarily transferred onto a rotatively driven image carrier, and the image on the image carrier is secondarily transferred onto a recording medium. An image writing reference position signal for starting image formation is issued based on the circumference of the image carrier which is the length of the image carrier in the direction of rotation thereof or based on a detected reference position on the image carrier.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus for binding a sheet bundle by a binding member having a curved shape, including: a support portion configured to support, as a sheet bundle, a plurality of sheets having punch holes formed therein; an adjustment portion configured to adjust a position of each of punch holes formed in the sheet bundle so that a locus of centers of the punch holes continuing in a thickness direction of the sheet bundle supported by the support portion is aligned with the curved shape of the binding member; and an attaching portion configured to attach the binding member to the punch holes of the sheet bundle in which the position of each of the plurality of sheets is adjusted by the adjustment portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus generates a PWM signal corresponding to input image data and controls a timing of a light source to emit a light beam based on the PWM signal in order to perform tone reproduction. The image forming apparatus includes a data processing unit configured to generate the PWM signal for one pixel based on image data for continuous two pixels in the image data. The data processing unit selects an origin of pulse growth in generation of the PWM signal for one pixel in accordance with the image data for the two pixels to generate the PWM signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a water content determination apparatus that can precisely determining a water content in a medium regardless of an environment where the image forming apparatus is installed. The water content determination apparatus has a detection device that outputs a first signal while the medium is absent in an electrostatic capacitance region formed in a path where the medium is conveyed and outputs a second signal while the medium is present in the electrostatic capacitance region. The temperature in the image forming apparatus is determined based on the first signal. The water content in the medium is determined based on the second signal and the temperature determined by the temperature determination device.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus which forms an image by transferring, onto sheets fed by a feeding unit at the first feeding interval, a toner image formed on a photoconductor or intermediate transfer member, if the temperature of a fixing unit which fixes an image transferred onto a sheet falls outside a set temperature range, the sheet layout is changed to a feeding interval wider than the first feeding interval. Whether to perform adjustment processing is determined based on determination of an image forming condition. If the feeding interval is changed to a wider one in the feeding interval changing step during image formation and it is determined in the determination step to perform adjustment processing, toner patch images are formed in an area where no toner image is formed on the photoconductor or intermediate transfer member. The adjustment processing is performed based on reading toner patch images.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is operable with a first sheet processing device and a second sheet processing device connected to the image forming apparatus via a network. The image forming apparatus includes a memory configured to store a control program for the first and second sheet processing devices; and a controller configured to exercise control so that the control program stored in the memory is transmitted to the first sheet processing device or the second sheet processing device. When the first and second sheet processing devices are of the same type, the controller transmits the control program to either the first sheet processing device or the second sheet processing device, and after completion of the transmission, the controller causes the sheet processing device to which the control program has been transmitted to transmit the control program to the other sheet processing device.

Abstract: An image formation device changes the rotational rate of a polygon motor, i.e. the main-scanning rate, and selects one of pulse width conversion tables when an image formation is performed multiple times on a single sheet of transfer paper. The changing of the main-scanning rate is for preventing inconsistent sizes between a first recorded image and a second recorded image caused by shrinkage of transfer paper. The pulse width conversion tables allow the pulse widths to be modulated.