IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING PLURAL SHEET CONVEYING PATH

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an ADF provided in an upper part of a main body of the image forming apparatus, a printer unit that prints image data, plural conveying paths that are provided in parallel in the main body and convey sheets having images formed thereon by the printer unit in the same direction, a first discharge port configured to discharge a sheet conveyed via a first conveying path, a second discharge port configured to discharge a sheet conveyed via a second conveying path to a finisher, and a first storage tray that receives the sheet discharged from the first discharge port, and the image forming apparatus performs control to discharge a sheet of a nonstandard size to the first storage tray via the first conveying path.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/972,222 filed on Sep. 13, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses such as a copying machine, a printer, and a multi-function peripheral (MFP), and, more particularly to a discharge structure for a sheet of a nonstandard size and a control method for an image forming apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, in an image forming apparatus (e.g., an MFP), a post-processing apparatus is provided at a post stage of the MFP in order to apply post processing to sheets after image formation. The post-processing apparatus is called finisher. For example, the post-processing apparatus applies stapling to sheets sent from the MFP or saddle-folds a bundle of sheets and discharges the sheets.

On the other hand, one sheet discharge port is set in a main body of the image forming apparatus in the past. When the finisher is connected to the post stage, the discharge port is connected to a sheet delivery port of the finisher. When the finisher is connected to the main body of the image forming apparatus, sheets are conveyed from the main body to the finisher, subjected to finishing in the finisher, and discharged. A storage tray is provided in the discharge port of the finisher. The sheets subjected to the post processing are received by the storage tray.

Such an image forming apparatus may form an image on a sheet of a nonstandard size (a size larger or smaller than a standard size). In this case, in a state in which the finisher is connected to the post stage of the image forming apparatus, the sheet of the nonstandard size is conveyed from the image forming apparatus to the finisher. However, since the finisher cannot process the sheet of the nonstandard size, in some case, the sheet cannot be discharged and clogs the main body or the finisher.

In particular, when a sheet of a long size clogs the main body or the finisher and a sheet jam occurs, work for solving the jam is difficult. Therefore, when an image is formed on the sheet of the nonstandard size, it is necessary to temporarily release the connection to the finisher.

Japanese Patent No. 3768900 discloses an image forming apparatus including plural paper discharge paths. In an example described in the patent, the plural paper discharge paths are provided in order to selectively discharge sheets of different sizes to plural finishers.

However, in this example, the respective paper discharge paths are arranged in plural directions (a left direction and a right direction) and, for example, sheets are switched back and discharged. Therefore, the image forming apparatus is mechanically complicated and is increased in size.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that includes a sheet conveying path in an image forming apparatus main body separately from a conveying path connected to a finisher and, even when nonstandard-size sheets are processed, makes it possible to discharge the sheets.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising:

an automatic document feeder (ADF) that is provided in an upper part of a main body of the image forming apparatus and conveys a document;

a printer unit that is provided in the main body and prints image data;

a sheet conveying path including plural conveying paths that are provided in parallel in the main body and convey sheets having images formed thereon by the printer unit in the same direction;

a first discharge port configured to discharge a sheet conveyed via a first conveying path in the sheet conveying path;

a second discharge port configured to discharge a sheet conveyed via a second conveying path in the sheet conveying path;

a first storage tray that receives the sheet discharged from the first discharge port; and

a control unit that performs control to discharge a sheet of a nonstandard size among the sheets to the first storage tray via the first conveying path.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the image forming apparatus to which a finisher is connected;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a main part of the image forming apparatus in enlargement according to the embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Throughout this description, the embodiment and example shown should be considered exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus and methods of the present invention.

An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment is explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the respective figures, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and signs.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 100 is, for example, an MFP (multi-function peripheral) as a complex machine, a printer, or a copying machine. A finishing apparatus 200 (see FIG. 2) is adjacent to and connectable to the image forming apparatus 100. In the following explanation, an MFP is explained as an example of the image forming apparatus 100.

A document table (not shown) is provided in an upper part of a main body 11 of the MFP 100. An automatic document feeder (ADF) 12 is openably and closable provided on the document table. An operation panel 13 is provided in an upper part of the main body 11. The operation panel 13 includes an operation unit 14 including various keys and a display unit 15 of a touch panel type.

A scanner unit 16 is provided below the ADF 12 in the main body 11. The scanner unit 16 scans a document fed by the ADF 12 or a document placed on the document table and generates image data. A printer unit 17 is provided in the center in the main body 11. Plural cassettes 18 that house sheets of various sizes are provided in a lower part of the main body 11.

The printer unit 17 includes photoconductive drums and lasers (details are described later). The printer unit 17 processes image data scanned by the scanner unit 16 and image data created by a PC (personal computer) or the like and forms an image on a sheet.

The sheet having the image formed thereon by the printer unit 17 is discharged to a storage tray 51 or 52 through a first conveying path 41 or a second conveying path 42. The storage tray 51 is attached to an upper part of the main body 11. The storage tray 52 is attached to a side of the main body 11 in a position lower than the storage tray 51.

The first conveying path 41 and the second conveying path 42 are provided in parallel in a height direction and configure a sheet conveying path for conveying the sheet having the image formed thereon by the printer unit 17 in the same direction (an arrow direction).

In the example shown in FIG. 1, when a sheet of a nonstandard size is processed by the image forming apparatus 100, the sheet of the nonstandard size is discharged to the storage tray 51 and a sheet of a standard size is discharged to the storage tray 52. The sheet of the standard size can also be discharged to the storage tray 51.

A gate 43 is provided to switch conveyance of a sheet S to the storage tray 51 through the first conveying path 41 and to the storage tray 52 through the second conveying path 42. The gate 43 pivots at one end with the other end as a fulcrum to switch the conveying path for the sheet S. For example, the gate 43 switches the conveying path in response to the operation of a touch panel 15.

When it is designated by the operation of the touch panel 15 to discharge a sheet to the storage tray 51 or when the sheet of the nonstandard size is designated, the sheet is conveyed to the storage tray 51 through the first conveying path 41. Otherwise, the sheet is conveyed to the storage tray 52 through the second conveying path 42.

In this way, the image forming apparatus 100 has the plural conveying paths for discharging the sheet S in the main body 11 and can discharge the sheet to the storage tray 51 or the storage tray 52. Therefore, the storage tray 51 can be used for discharge of the sheet of the nonstandard size. The sheet of the standard size can be discharged to the storage tray 52.

Since discharge direction of sheets to the first storage tray 51 and the second storage tray 52 are the same (the papers are discharged from the right to the left in the figure), it is unnecessary to switch back the sheet S and a sheet discharge direction is easily seen.

The storage tray 51 and the ADF 12 are provided to be adjacent to each other in an upper part of the main body 11. Therefore, a position for extracting a sheet and a position for inserting a sheet into the ADF 12 are at the same height and operability is improved.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the MFP 100 to which the post-processing apparatus 200 is adjacent and connected thereto. A sheet having an image formed thereon by the MFP 100 is conveyed to the post-processing apparatus 200. The post-processing apparatus 200 performs post processing for the sheet supplied from the MFP 100. The post-processing apparatus 200 performs, for example, sorting and stapling. When necessary, the post-processing apparatus 200 saddle-staples sheets, folds the sheets into two, and discharges the sheets.

Since the post-processing apparatus 200 is generally called as a finisher, the post-processing apparatus 200 is referred to as finisher 200 in the following explanation. The finisher 200 shown in FIG. 2 includes a staple unit 60 that applies stapling to a sheet bundle and a saddle unit 70 that saddle-folds a sheet. The finisher 200 includes a storage tray 53 and a fixed tray 54. The storage tray 53 is elevatable.

A configuration of the finisher 200 is briefly explained below.

First, the staple unit 60 is explained. The sheet S having an image formed thereon by the MFP 100 is discharged from the main body 11 through the second conveying path 42 and conveyed to the finisher 200.

The staple unit 60 includes a waiting tray 61, a processing tray 62, a stapler 63, and a conveying belt 64.

The sheet S discharged from the MFP 100 is received by inlet rollers 65 provided near a delivery port of the finisher 200. Paper feeding rollers 66 are provided on a downstream side of the inlet rollers 65. The sheet S received by the inlet rollers 65 is conveyed to the waiting tray 61 via the paper feeding rollers 66.

The waiting tray 61 is loaded with the sheet S and is openable. When a predetermined number of sheets S are stored, the waiting tray 61 opens. The sheets S falls to the processing tray 62 with own weight thereof or according to the operation of a fall assisting member that forcibly drops the sheets S. The processing tray 62 has a function of aligning and supporting the sheets S.

The sheets S fallen to the processing tray 62 are guided to the stapler 63 by rollers 67 and stapled. After the sheets S are stapled, the rollers 67 rotate in a reverse direction and the stapled sheets S are conveyed to the storage tray 53 by the conveying belt 64. A pawl member (not shown) that hooks a trailing end of the sheets S and feeds the sheets S is attached to the conveying belt 64.

The sheets S loaded on the waiting tray 61 may be discharged to the storage tray 53 without being stapled. In this case, the sheets S are directly discharged without being dropped to the processing tray 62. The sheets S that do not need post processing can also be discharged to the fixed tray 54. Although a conveying path for guiding the sheets S to the fixed tray 54 is provided, the conveying path is not shown in the figure.

The saddle unit 70 is explained. The saddle unit 70 is a device that saddle-folds a bundle of sheets (plural sheets) supplied from the MFP 100.

The saddle unit 70 includes a stapler 71 that applies stapling to a center portion of a sheet bundle and a blade 72 that saddle-folds the sheet bundle. The sheets S conveyed from the MFP 100 are conveyed in a direction of the stapler 71 via paper paths 73 and 74. However, before being conveyed, the sheets S are once received by a stack tray 75. The sheets S are sequentially stacked on the stack tray 75 to form a sheet bundle.

The sheet bundle on the stack tray 75 is conveyed to the stapler 71 by a guide belt 76. When the center of the sheet bundle reaches the stapler 71, the guide belt 76 once stops and the stapler 71 applies stapling to the center of the sheet bundle.

The sheet bundle stapled by the stapler 71 is lowered by the guide belt 76 and stops in a position where the center of the sheet bundle is at a nip point of a folding roller pair 77. A blade 72 is arranged in a position opposed to the folding roller pair 77. The blade 72 projects the center of the sheet bundle to the nip point of the folding roller pair 77 and pushes the sheet bundle into a space between the folding roller pair 77.

Thereafter, the folding roller pair 77 rotates while folding and nipping the sheet bundle and folds the sheet bundle into two. The sheet bundle folded into two is refolded by a discharge roller pair 78 and discharged to the storage tray 55. Although the discharge roller pair 78 refolds the sheet bundle, a refolding mechanism is not limited to the example shown in the figure. Other refolding mechanisms can also be used.

A gate 79 is provided to switch conveyance of the sheet S supplied from the MFP 100 to the staple unit 60 side or the saddle unit 70 side. When saddle-folding of the sheet S is not performed, the gate 79 conveys the sheet S discharged from the MFP 100 to the inlet roller 65. When the sheet S is saddle-folded, the gate 79 conveys the sheet S to the paper path 73.

In this way, when the finisher 200 is connected to the MFP 100, the sheet S is discharged from the main body 11 through the second conveying path 42 of the MFP 100, conveyed to the finisher 200, and subjected to the post processing.

On the other hand, when a sheet of a nonstandard size, for example, a long size is conveyed to the finisher 200 by the MFP 100, the finisher 200 cannot process the sheet of the nonstandard size.

Therefore, when the sheet of the nonstandard size is processing in the MFP 100, the sheet is discharged to the storage tray 51 via the first conveying path 41. For example, when a sheet of a long size is set in the MFP 100, a user operates the touch panel 15 of the operation unit 13 and inputs the sheet size, whereby the gate 43 is switched to guide the sheet S to the first conveying path 41.

Therefore, the sheet of the nonstandard size is discharged to the storage tray 51 without being conveyed to the finisher 200. This makes it possible to prevent, for example, the sheet of the long size from clogging the main body 11 and the finisher 200 to cause a sheet jam.

When an instruction for post processing is not received, the gate 43 is also switched to guide the sheet S to the first conveying path 41. Therefore, the sheet S not to be subjected to the post processing is discharged to the storage tray 51 and is not conveyed to the finisher 200. When the post processing is not performed, an operation of the finisher 200 can be stopped, operation sound of the finisher 200 decreases, and noise can be reduced.

On the other hand, when an image is formed on a sheet of a standard size and the sheet is stapled or saddle-folded, the sheets can be conveyed to the finisher 200 through the second conveying path 42.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the image forming apparatus 100.

In FIG. 3, the MFP 100 includes the printer unit 17 serving as an image forming unit in the center thereof. The ADF 12, the scanner unit 16, and the storage tray 51 are provided in an upper part of the MFP 100. The operation panel 13 is provided in the upper part of the MFP 100. The paper feeding cassette 18 is provided in a lower part of the MFP 100.

The printer unit 17 is, for example, a color laser printer of a tandem system. The printer unit 17 scans a photoconductive member with a laser beam from a laser exposing device 19 and generates an image.

The printer unit 17 includes image forming units 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K for respective colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). The image forming units 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K are arranged in parallel below an intermediate transfer belt 21 which is an intermediate transfer medium from an upstream side to a downstream side.

Since the image forming units 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K have the same configuration, the image forming unit 20Y is explained below as a representative image forming unit. The printer unit 17 including the image forming units 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K is shown in FIG. 4 in enlargement.

As it is seen from FIG. 4, the image forming unit 20Y has a photoconductive drum 22Y. An electrifying charger 23Y, a developing device 24Y, a primary transfer roller 25Y, a cleaner 26Y, a blade 27Y, and the like are arranged around the photoconductive drum 22Y along a rotating direction t of the photoconductive drum 22Y. A yellow laser beam from the laser exposing device 19 is irradiated on an exposing position of the photoconductive drum 22Y to form a latent image on the photoconductive drum 22Y.

The electrifying charger 23Y of the image forming unit 20Y uniformly charges the entire surface of the photoconductive drum 22Y. The developing device 24Y supplies a two-component developer including a yellow toner and a carrier to the photoconductive drum 22Y using a developing roller 24a to which a developing bias is applied. The cleaner 26Y removes a residual toner on the surface of the photoconductive drum 22Y using the blade 27Y.

Toner cartridges 28 (FIG. 3) that supply toners to the developing devices 24Y to 24K are provided above the image forming units 20Y to 20K. The toner cartridges 28 include toner cartridges for the respective colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K).

The intermediate transfer belt 21 circulatingly moves. For example, semi-conductive polyimide is used for the intermediate transfer belt 21 from the viewpoint of heat resistance and abrasion resistance. The intermediate transfer belt 21 is looped around a driving roller 31 and driven rollers 32 and 33 and is opposed to and in contact with the photoconductive drums 22Y to 22K. A primary transfer voltage is applied to a position of the intermediate transfer belt 21 opposed to the photoconductive drum 22Y by the primary transfer roller 25Y to primarily transfer a toner image on the photoconductive drum 22Y onto the intermediate transfer belt 21.

A secondary transfer roller 34 is arranged to be opposed to the driving roller 31 around which the intermediate transfer belt 21 is looped. When the sheet S passes between the driving roller 31 and the secondary transfer roller 34, a secondary transfer voltage is applied to the sheet S by the secondary transfer roller 34 to secondarily transfer the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 21 onto the sheet S. A belt cleaner 35 is provided near the driven roller 33 of the intermediate transfer belt 21.

On the other hand, the laser exposing device 19 scans a laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser element in an axial direction of the photoconductive drum 22. The laser exposing device 19 includes a polygon mirror 19a, a focusing lens system 19b, and a mirror 19c.

As shown in FIG. 3, a separation roller 36 that extracts the sheet S in the paper feeding cassette 18, conveying rollers 37, and registration rollers 38 are provided between the paper feeding cassettes 18 and the secondary transfer roller 34. A fixing device 39 is provided downstream of the secondary transfer roller 34.

The first conveying path 41 and the second conveying path 42 that guide the sheet S to the storage tray 51 or the storage tray 52 are provided downstream of the fixing device 39. A reverse conveying path 44 is also provided. The reverse conveying path 44 reverses the sheet S and guides the sheet S in a direction of the secondary transfer roller 34. The reverse conveying path 44 is used when duplex printing is performed. Since the reverse conveying path 44 is not the point of the present invention, detailed explanation thereof is omitted.

An opening 40 is provided in the main body 11 such that a sheet can be manually inserted. A conveying path from the opening 40 to the registration rollers 38 is provided.

The first conveying path 41 has plural conveying rollers 45. The second conveying path 42 has plural conveying rollers 46. The gate 43 switches a conveying path for the sheet S to the first conveying path 41 or the second conveying path 42. When the gate 43 pivots with one end as a fulcrum and the other end pivots downward, the sheet S is fed to the first conveying path 41. When the other end of the gate 43 pivots upward, the sheet S is fed to the second conveying path 42.

The sheet S conveyed through the first conveying path 41 is discharged from a discharge port 47 to the storage tray 51. The sheet S conveyed through the second conveying path 42 is discharged from a discharge port 48 to the storage tray 52. When the finisher 200 is connected to the post-stage, the sheet S is conveyed from the discharge port 48 to the finisher 200.

Operations of the image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are explained.

When image data is input from the scanner unit 16, the PC, or the like, images are sequentially formed in the image forming units 20Y to 20K.

The image forming unit 20Y is explained as an example. A laser beam corresponding to image data of yellow (Y) is irradiated on the photoconductive drum 22Y and an electrostatic latent image is formed thereon. A yellow (Y) toner image is formed on the photoconductive drum 22Y by the developing device 24Y. Subsequently, the photoconductive drum 22Y comes into contact with the rotating intermediate transfer belt 21 and primarily transfers the yellow (Y) toner image onto the intermediate transfer belt 21 using the primary transfer roller 25Y.

In the same manner as the yellow (Y) toner image forming process, magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images are formed by the image forming units 20M to 20K. The toner images are sequentially transferred onto an identical position where the yellow (Y) toner image is present on the intermediate transfer belt 21. In this way, the yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images are multiply transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 21 to obtain a full-color toner image.

The intermediate transfer belt 21 secondarily transfers the full-color toner image onto the sheet S collectively using a transfer bias of the secondary transfer roller 34. In synchronization with the full-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 21 reaching the secondary transfer roller 34, the sheet S is fed from the paper feeding cassettes 18 to the secondary transfer roller 34.

The sheet S having the toner image secondarily transferred thereon reaches the fixing device 39 and the toner image is fixed on the sheet S. The sheet S having the toner image fixed thereon is fed to the first conveying path 41 or the second conveying path 42 by the gate 43.

On the other hand, after the secondary transfer is finished, a residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt 21 is cleaned by the belt cleaner 35. After the toner image is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 21, residual toners on the photoconductive drums 22Y to 22K are removed by the cleaners 26Y to 26K and the blades 27Y to 27K. The photoconductive drums 22Y to 22K are prepared for the next image formation.

A control system of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is explained with reference to FIG. 5.

In FIG. 5, a main control unit 101 includes a CPU, a ROM 102, and a RAM 103 and controls the image forming apparatus 100 according to a control program stored in the ROM 102. The main control unit 101 controls operations of the ADF 12, the scanner unit 16, the printer unit 17, and a gate control unit 49 in response to the operation of the operation panel 13. The RAM 103 is used for temporarily storing control data and used for arithmetic work during control.

The operation panel 13 includes the plural keys 14 and the display unit 15 also serving as a touch panel. The user can give various instructions for image formation using the operation panel 13. For example, the user instructs the number of copies using the keys 14 and instructs a sheet size, a sheet type, stapling, sheet folding, and the like by operating the touch panel of the display unit 15.

When sheet discharge to the storage tray 51 is designated by the operation of the touch panel 15 or when a sheet of a nonstandard size is designated, the gate 43 is pivoted by the gate control unit 49 and the sheet is conveyed to the storage tray 51 through the first conveying path 41. Otherwise, the gate 43 is controlled to convey the sheet to the storage tray 52 through the second conveying path 42.

A finisher control unit 201 controls operations of the finisher 200. The finisher control unit 201 is connected to the main control unit 101 and transmits information to and from the main control unit 101. The image forming apparatus 100 and the finisher 200 operate in cooperation with each other. The finisher control unit 201 controls the staple unit 60 and the saddle unit 70. The control of the staple unit 60 includes execution of stapling by the stapler 63, conveyance of the sheet S to the stapler 63, and discharge of a sheet bundle after the stapling.

The control of the saddle unit 70 includes conveyance of the sheet S via the paper paths 73 and 74, movement of a sheet bundle by the guide belt 76, execution of stapling by the stapler 71, projection of the folding blade 72, and rotation control for the folding roller pair 77 and the discharge roller pair 78.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the image forming apparatus has the plural conveying paths for discharging the sheet S and can discharge a sheet of a nonstandard size to the storage tray 51 and discharge a sheet of a standard size to the storage tray 52.

When the finisher 200 is connected to the post-stage of the main body 11, the first conveying path 41 is used for conveyance of the sheet of the nonstandard size and the second conveying path 42 serves as a relay conveying path to the finisher 200. This makes it possible to convey the sheet of the standard size, which can be processed by the finisher 200, to the finisher 200. Therefore, it is possible prevent the sheet of the nonstandard size from clogging the finisher 200.

Since a sheet is discharged from one direction of the main body 11 (the left side in the figure), it is unnecessary to provide a switchback mechanism for discharge of the sheet and it is possible to reduce a size of the entire apparatus.

Besides the embodiment explained above, there are various modifications. For example, the printer unit 17 may adopt a system in which a transfer belt is not used. A sensor that detects a sheet size may be provided in the main body 11 to detect that a sheet of a size (a long size or a small size) other than a standard size is set. The main control unit 101 may pivot the gate 43 according to a result of the detection by the sensor.

A position where the operation panel 13 is provided is not limited to the position shown in the figure. For example, the operation panel 13 may be provided to stand in the vertical direction in an upper part of the main body 11.

Although exemplary embodiments are shown and described, it will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, or alterations as described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit. All such changes, modifications, and alterations should therefore be seen as within the scope.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an automatic document feeder (ADF) that is provided in an upper part of a main body of the image forming apparatus and conveys a document;

a printer unit that is provided in the main body and prints image data;

a sheet conveying path including plural conveying paths that are provided in parallel in the main body and convey sheets having images formed thereon by the printer unit in the same direction;

a first discharge port configured to discharge a sheet conveyed via a first conveying path in the sheet conveying path;

a second discharge port configured to discharge a sheet conveyed via a second conveying path in the sheet conveying path;

a first storage tray that receives the sheet discharged from the first discharge port; and

a control unit that performs control to discharge a sheet of a nonstandard size among the sheets to the first storage tray via the first conveying path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first and second conveying paths are provided in parallel in a height direction in the main body, and

the first conveying path is in a position higher than the second conveying path.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

a finisher can be connected to the main body, and

a sheet of a standard size is conveyed to the finisher via the second conveying path and the second discharge port.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first storage tray is provided adjacent to the ADF and in an upper part of the main body.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first storage tray is adapted to allow a user to take out the discharged sheet from a position beside the ADF.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

a second storage tray that receives the sheet discharged from the second discharge port is provided, and

a sheet of a standard size among the sheets is discharged to the second storage tray via the second conveying path.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second conveying paths discharge the sheets having the images formed thereon from the first and second discharge ports without switching back the sheets.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the main body further includes an operation unit, and

the control unit performs control to select the first conveying path and convey the sheets to the first storage tray when the sheet of the nonstandard size is designated by the operation unit or when discharge to the first storage tray is designated.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheet of the nonstandard size is a sheet of a size longer or smaller than a sheet of a standard size.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an automatic document feeder (ADF) that is provided in an upper part of a main body of the image forming apparatus and conveys a document;

a scanning unit that scans a document conveyed by the ADF or a document placed on a document table;

a printer unit that prints image data including information scanned by the scanning unit;

a sheet conveying path that includes plural conveying paths provided in parallel in a height direction in the main body and convey sheets having images formed thereon by the printer unit in the same direction;

a first discharge port configured to discharge a sheet conveyed via a first conveying path in a high position in the sheet conveying path, the first discharge port being provided adjacent to the ADF and in an upper part of the main body;

a first storage tray that receives the sheet discharged from the first discharge port;

a second discharge port configured to discharge a sheet conveyed via a second conveying path in a position lower than the first storage tray;

a gate configured to switch the sheets having the images formed thereon to any one of the plural conveying paths and conveying the sheets; and

a control unit that controls the gate to select a conveying path for the sheets and performs control to discharge a sheet of a nonstandard size among the sheets to the first storage tray via the first conveying path.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein

a finisher can be connected to the main body, and

a sheet of a standard size is conveyed to the finisher via the second conveying path and the second discharge port.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and second conveying paths discharge the sheets having the images formed thereon from the first and second discharge ports without switching back the sheets.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit controls the gate to convey the sheet of the nonstandard size to the first storage tray via the first conveying path when an image is formed on the sheet of the nonstandard size.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein

the main body further includes an operation unit, and

the control unit controls the gate to convey the sheet of the nonstandard size to the first storage tray via the first conveying path when the sheet of the nonstandard size is designated by the operation unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control unit controls the gate to convey the sheets to the first storage tray via the first conveying path when discharge to the first storage tray is designated by the operation unit.

16. A control method for an image forming apparatus, comprising:

providing an automatic document feeder (ADF) in an upper part of a main body of the image forming apparatus and providing a printer unit that prints image data in the main body;

arranging plural conveying paths including first and second conveying paths in parallel in the main body to convey sheets having images formed thereon by the printer unit in the same direction; and

performing control to distribute the sheets having the images formed thereon to any one of the plural conveying paths, convey a sheet of a nonstandard size among the sheets to a storage tray via the first conveying path, and discharge the sheet.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second conveying paths are arranged to guide the sheets having the images formed thereon to first and second discharge ports without switching back the sheets.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein

the main body further includes an operation unit, and

the method further includes performing control to select the first conveying path and convey the sheets to the storage tray when the sheet of the nonstandard size is designated by the operation unit or when discharge to the storage tray is designated.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the sheet of the nonstandard size is a sheet of a size longer or smaller than a sheet of a standard size.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

arranging the plural conveying paths in parallel in a height direction in the main body;

further providing a gate configured to switch the sheets having the images formed thereon to any one of the plural conveying paths and conveying the sheet; and

controlling the gate to select a conveying path for the sheets and conveying a sheet of a nonstandard size among the sheets via the first conveying path in a high position among the plural conveying paths.