Abstract: A conveying path switching structure includes a cover unit and a conveying path switch unit. The cover unit is attached to an image forming apparatus main body so as to be movable between a close state and an open state in which a fixing unit is exposed. The conveying path switch unit is rotatably attached to the cover unit and that switches a conveying path of a record medium between a discharge conveying path and a double-side conveying path. The discharge conveying path is a path where the record medium is conveyed from a discharge part of the fixing unit to a discharge unit that discharges the record medium to outside of the image forming apparatus main body in a close state. The double-side conveying path is a path where the record medium is conveyed again to an image forming unit.

Abstract: An image sheet forming method includes supplying a first sheet including a non-transparent layer, and transferring a toner image onto a toner image carrying surface of the first sheet. The method further includes integrating a second sheet, which includes a base layer and a transparent layer, with the first sheet in a manner that the toner image is sandwiched between the toner image carrying surface of the first sheet and the transparent layer of the second sheet. The method further includes separating the base layer from the second sheet while fixing the toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a rotary guide including a path for a sheet being conveyed. The guide is rotatable so that an exit of the path faces one of at least two conveyance destinations. A motor rotates the guide, and a detector outputs a detection signal when a predetermined posture of the guide is detected. An instructing section outputs instruction signals to the motor to rotate the guide toward the predetermined posture. A judging section judges whether a detection signal has been received in response to the instruction signal, and a notifying section counts a consecutive occurrence number of a judgment result to the effect that no detection signal was received in response to the instruction signal this time and gives a notification prompting an inspection request of the image forming apparatus when the consecutive occurrence number reaches a set number.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a conveying unit, which conveys a sheet; a stacking unit on which the conveyed sheet is stacked; a processing unit, which processes the stacked sheet; a buffering unit, which allows the sheet conveyed to the stacking unit by the conveying unit to pass, and buffers a predetermined number of sheets to be passed during an operation of the processing unit; a transferring unit, which receives the buffer sheets and transfers the predetermined number of buffer sheets from the buffering unit to the stacking unit; and a controlling unit, which controls a sheet conveying speed to make a speed when the transferring unit transfers the buffer sheet lower than a speed when the transferring unit receives the buffer sheets to prevent the sheet conveyed by the conveying unit from interfering the transferring unit during an operation of transferring the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a laser scanning unit that irradiates a light. A photoconductive medium forms thereon an electrostatic latent image using the light from the laser scanning unit. A developing roller transfers a developer onto the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductive medium to develop the electrostatic latent image. A transferring roller forms a transfer nip in tight contact with the photoconductive medium and transfers the developer attached on the photoconductive medium onto a paper passing through the transfer nip. A paper supplying part stacks the paper thereon. A pickup roller picks up the paper stacked on the paper supplying part. A paper edge sensor senses a top edge of the paper picked up by the pickup roller. The paper picked up by the pickup roller is directly supplied toward the transfer nip. A paper moving path is reduced, thereby minimizing the whole size of the image forming apparatus. Also, the number of parts is reduced, thereby decreasing material costs.

Abstract: Multi-colorant and monochromatic digital image print lines are connected to operate sequentially from a single sheet feeder in a first mode and switchable to operate independently from separate feeders in a second mode. The print lines may include sets of monochromatic and multi-colorant marking engines.

Abstract: A device, method and program for automatically adjusting a paper curl of media in an imaging device are provided. The imaging device includes a decurler having two rollers defining a nip. A first roller has a substantially uncompressible surface, and a second roller has a substantially compressible surface. The first roller penetrates the second roller at the nip. The amount of curl of the media is adjusted at the nip by automatically adjusting the penetration of the second roller into the first roller. The amount of penetration of the second roller into the first roller is based on a set of factors and conditions. A penetration value based on the factors and conditions is used to adjust the position of the first roller and the second roller respective to each other, which in turn, will alter or reduce the media curl to a target curl.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a recording medium stacking unit including a stacking member having a stacking surface on which the recording medium having the image formed by the image forming unit is stacked, an outside member that is located at the outside of the stacking surface so as to extend in a substantially vertical direction to the stacking surface and detachably mounted in the recording medium stacking unit, and a support member having a support portion that supports the stacking member; an outside member recognizing unit that recognizes whether the outside member is mounted on the recording medium stacking unit, or not; and a controller that controls one of a maximum number of recording media to be stacked and a maximum height of stack of recording media in the recording medium stacking unit according to whether the outside member recognizing unit recognizes that the outside member is mounted, or not.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus connected to a conveying-speed-changeable sheet post processing device includes a discharging unit which discharges a sheet in a reverse discharge mode with front and back surfaces of the image-formed sheet reversed, and a non-reverse discharge mode without front and back surfaces of the image-formed sheet reversed, and discharges the sheet at a first speed or a second speed lower than the first speed; and a control unit which controls the discharging unit to discharge the sheet at the first speed in the reverse discharge mode and at the second speed in the non-reverse discharge mode. When the sheet is discharged at the second speed, the control unit controls the discharging unit to discharge a subsequent sheet at the second speed even if the subsequent sheet is to be discharged in the reverse discharge mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on a first sheet; a fixing unit that fixes the image on the first sheet; a discharging unit that discharges the first sheet and a second sheet; a first transporting path that transports the first sheet on which the image is fixed to the discharging unit; a branch path that is branched from the first transporting path downstream of the fixing unit in a sheet transporting direction, the first sheet being transported to the branch path from the first transported path; a second transporting path that transports the second sheet in a direction opposite to the sheet transporting direction to the discharging unit; a plurality of sheet stock units in which sheets are stocked; a first sheet feed unit that feeds the first sheet from at least one of the plurality of sheet stock units to the first transporting path; and a second sheet feed unit that feeds the second sheet from at least one of the plurality of sheet stock units to the second tr

Abstract: A paper-sheet punching device punches a hole in a paper sheet. The paper sheet punching device includes a punching unit that receives a paper sheet via an inlet, and punches a hole in the paper sheet; and a return roller that delivers the paper sheet with the hole via an outlet.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device including: a sheet feeding tray; a first air blowing section which blows air against a lateral side of the sheet bundle; a second air blowing section which blows air against a leading edge of the sheet bundle; a sheet adsorption conveyance section which conveys sheets one by one; a sheet type information transmission section; a shielding member arranged to open or shield the ventilating path; a shielding state switching section which switches to any one state of opening, partial shielding and overall shielding, wherein in the partial shielding state, less amount of air is allowed to pass than the opening state; a sheet adsorption detecting section; and a control section which controls to switch among the state of opening, partial shielding and overall shielding of the ventilating path, in accordance with the information from the sheet type and the sheet adsorption detection.

Abstract: A printer including a printing unit for printing on a sheet, a cassette containing stacked sheets and located below the printing unit, a supply unit that feeds the sheet from the cassette toward the printing unit, a sheet support plate positioned in the printing unit where the sheet is placed during printing, and an opening formed on the sheet support plate. A cover plate is located in the printing unit and moves between a covering position to cover the opening and an uncovering position to uncover the opening. The cover plate is at the covering position during printing, and the cover plate is at the uncovering position when a pair of feed-out rollers rotates in a reverse direction to guide the sheet through the opening of the sheet support plate to a refeed position between the cassette and the supply unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries a developer image; a transfer member that transfers the developer image carried on the image carrier onto an image forming surface of a recording medium being conveyed; a fixation member that is disposed downstream of the transfer member in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, and fixes the developer image transferred on the recording medium; a first member that is disposed between the transfer member and the fixation member to face the image forming surface of the recording medium; and a second member that is disposed between the transfer member and the fixation member to face a non-image forming surface that is opposite the image forming surface, wherein the first member is provided with a first electrically-conductive member having an electric conductivity and being grounded.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments are directed to the printing of mixed output jobs automatically as a single integrated job. More particularly, a merging module connects two print systems, for example, at approximately 90 degrees to one another, although other configurations are possible. The merging module includes at least one sheet rotator in a plane that is common to both the paper paths of both print engines. It also includes at least two bypass paths (one above and one below the rotator) to route the two paper paths around the rotator and enable both print engines to deliver their output to the appropriate finishing device.

Abstract: An improved architecture for use in a tightly integrated serial or parallel printer includes an inverter module that comprises a straight pass-through media path, as well as, an invert path. This auxiliary ‘pass-through’ media path of the inverter allows a sheet to enter the inverter ‘backwards’ through the traditional duplex exit path and continue straight out the inverter into the media path of a downstream engine to receive an image thereon.

Abstract: A tightly integrated parallel printer includes a reconfigurable media path module that has a baffle that accepts sheets from above at a 12 o'clock position when in a first configuration and accepts sheets from a 6 o'clock position when in a second configuration. The two configurations of the baffle are established to permit one common media entry transport to be mounted in either of two positions, each satisfying one of the desired configurations.

Abstract: A guide body for guiding the back surface of toner-image-bearing paper is formed from an insulating material and is disposed so as to face a paper transport path. A paper-transport-path-facing portion of the guide body, which faces the paper transport path, has guide ribs projecting upward toward the paper. A covering metal sheet is configured such that a covering portion thereof partially covers a guide surface of the paper-transport-path-facing portion which faces the paper transport path. The covering metal sheet has slits formed therein and corresponding to the guide ribs. The slits allow the guide surface to be partially exposed therethrough.

Abstract: An image forming device includes one or more flexible fingers to simulate a narrow gap baffle and provide a baffle-like support for different document media. These flexible fingers help guide the documents from one subsystem to another, for instance, entering into the decurler nip on the host image forming device decurler assembly. These flexible fingers act as two baffles. For heavy weight documents, the flexible fingers deflect and move out of the way. For medium to light weight documents, the flexible fingers control the document position during its trajectory.

Abstract: When no blank page is to be printed (S407) and an interleave page is to be output before or after a page to be printed (S405), if both a page to be printed and an interleave page to be output following the page to be output are blank pages (S406, S408), the page to be output and the interleave page are not printed out (S409).

Abstract: A bearing member includes a bearing part that rotationally supports a rotational body, a load application part formed in the bearing part, wherein the load application part contacts the rotational body and applies a load to the rotational body in a radial direction of the rotational body, and a holding groove formed in the bearing part in a rotation axis direction of the rotational body, wherein the holding groove has an opening at one end, wherein the holding groove is adapted to hold a lubricant that is to be supplied to a sliding contact area between the rotational body and the load application part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a primary transfer section which transfers a toner image formed in an image forming section onto an intermediate transfer belt; a back-up roller arranged on an inner periphery side of the intermediate transfer belt; a secondary transfer roller that is in pressure contact with the back-up roller through the intermediate transfer belt and transfers the toner image from the intermediate transfer belt onto a transfer material while conveying the transfer material; a moving mechanism which moves a position where the secondary transfer roller is in contact with the back-up roller through the intermediate transfer belt; and a controller which controls the moving mechanism based on information relating to a thickness of the transfer material obtained by a thickness information obtaining section.

Abstract: A drive unit for changing the driving rate of paper ejection rollers for ejecting sheets of paper after fixing is installed, and an image forming apparatus has an option, and when ejecting the sheets of paper to an intra-body paper ejection unit, after the sheets of paper pass a fixing device, the paper ejection rate of paper ejection rollers 24 is increased, and the ejection force of the sheets of paper P is increased, and paper jamming at the time of paper ejection to the intra-body paper ejection unit is prevented.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes first to fifth transport paths. The first path transports a sheet from a sheet feeding section to a sheet output section through a first confluence, an image recording section, a first bifurcation, and a second confluence in that order. The second path transports a sheet from the first bifurcation down to a switchback section through a second bifurcation and a third bifurcation in that order. The third path transports a sheet from the third bifurcation to the first confluence through a third confluence, and vice versa. The third path is positioned between the switchback section and a portion of the first transport path located in the image recording section. The fourth path transports a sheet from the second bifurcation to the third confluence, and vice versa. The fifth path transports a sheet from the second bifurcation to the second confluence.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus is provided with a decurling mechanism to correct a curl formed on a sheet; a pair of guides including a first guide member and a second guide member arranged to oppose to the first guide member, the pair of guides constituting a conveyance passage to guide a sheet discharged from the decurling mechanism toward the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction; and an auxiliary guide arranged to protrude obliquely in the sheet conveying direction from the side of the first guide member toward the second guide member to a predetermined position in the conveyance passage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printer body having a developing portion and a fixing portion therein; a plurality of sheet feeding rollers successively disposed along a sheet discharge path of the printer body and driven to discharge a sheet from fixing portion to an upper portion of the printer body; and a rear cover portion having a rear cover provided on a side of the printer body to open and close, a guide rib member to guide the sheet from the fixing portion, an idle roller to rotate in contact with one of the sheet feeding rollers to feed the sheet, and a supplementary guide member to change a position thereof when the rear cover is open to prevent the sheet being discharged to the guide rib member from running into the idle roller.

Abstract: A transfer material separating device includes a transfer material moving member (intermediate transfer belt) adapted to move with a transfer material held in contact with and pressed against it so as to have a liquid developer image transferred onto the transfer material and a transfer material separation/suction section (a suction wheel, a suction wheel support lever, a cam and a spring) for sucking the transfer material moving with the transfer material moving member at the surface opposite to the image transfer surface thereof and separating the transfer material from the transfer material moving member.

Abstract: A transfer material separating device comprises a transfer material separating gas current section for separating a transfer material being moved with a transfer material moving member from the transfer material moving member by blowing gas to the transfer material and a control section for controlling the current of gas being blown from the transfer material separating gas current section to the transfer material, the transfer material separating gas current section including a gas current generating section for generating a gas current, a first gas current duct arranged at a position corresponding to a central part of the transfer material in the direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal relative to the transfer material conveying direction and having a first gas blowing port connected to the gas current generating section, a second gas current duct arranged adjacent to the first gas current duct in the direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal relative to the transfer material conveying direc

Abstract: A transfer material separating device includes a transfer material separation air blower unit configured to blow air to a transfer material moving together with a transfer material moving member and separate the transfer material from the transfer material moving member, in which the transfer material separation air blower unit includes a first blowing unit configured to blow air toward a center portion of the transfer material in the direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the direction of movement of the transfer material, and a second blowing unit configured to blow air in the direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of movement of the transfer material to side portions of the transfer material in the direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the direction of movement of the transfer material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image forming portion that forms a toner image on an image carrying body, a transfer portion that transfers the toner image formed on the image carrying body to a recording medium, a detector that detects at least one of a skew and a passing position of the recording medium, and a controller that is provided downstream of the transfer portion in a recording medium transporting direction and controls at least one of the skew and the passing position of the recording medium according to a detection result by the detector.

Abstract: The image recording apparatus includes: a recording head; a re-feeding roller configured to re-feed a one-side recorded medium toward the recording head; and a flap provided on an upstream side of the re-feeding roller in a conveying direction of the one-side recorded medium. The flap extends from an upstream end to a downstream end in the conveying direction. The downstream end of the flap is closer to the re-feeding roller than the upstream end in the conveying direction. The flap is configured to support and introduce the one-side recorded medium to the re-feeding roller. A downstream end portion of the flap has: a first region opposing the re-feeding roller; and a second region except the first region. The downstream end portion has a cutout portion provided in at least a part of the second region.

Abstract: Printing apparatii and methods are provided. In one aspect the printing method is provided for recording an image on a receiver medium having an image receiving layer and a support layer and with a stiffening and/or expansion layer therebetween comprising: a medium transport system for conveying a receiver medium to a range of positions wherein a print engine can record an image on the receiver medium; and an activation system is adapted to apply an activating energy or an activating material to the receiver medium to cause said stiffening and/or expansion layer to generally uniformly increase the stiffness and/or thickness of the receiver medium.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus is provided which is capable of forming an image on an intended position on a recording medium regardless of the paper sheet width (whether the sheet is wide or narrow). The image-forming apparatus 10 has a first recording head 31 which moves only within a first one side (right side in FIG. 1) of a first delivery belt 21 in the paper sheet width direction (arrow-B direction and arrow-C direction) perpendicular to the arrow-A direction. In the downstream side of the first delivery belt 21 in the arrow-A direction and slightly rightward in the paper sheet width direction, a second delivery belt 22 of an endless type extending in the arrow-A direction is provided for delivering the recording medium in the arrow-A direction. A second recording head 32 is provided which moves in the paper sheet width direction only within a second one side of the second delivery belt 22 opposite to the first one side.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet tray; an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording sheet; a sheet transporting path that allows a transportation of the recording sheet fed from the sheet tray to the image forming unit; and a sheet detecting unit that detects a passage of a rear end, with respect to a direction in which the recording sheet is transported, of the recording sheet along the sheet transporting path. The transportation of the recording sheet is temporarily stopped at the time of, or after a predetermined time from when the rear end is detected by the sheet detecting unit. The transportation of the recording sheet is resumed on the basis of data on a size of the transported recording sheet and a timing of image formation by the image forming unit.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a folding unit that folds a sheet, a sheet storing unit that stores the sheet folded by the folding unit, a post-processing unit that performs a non-fold process on the sheet transported from the folding unit, a path select unit that switches the sheet destination to the sheet storing unit or the post-processing unit, and a control unit that detects whether there is a fold process command and/or a non-fold process command, and controls the path select unit according to the detecting result. The control unit controls the path select unit to switch the sheet destination to the post-processing unit when there is a non-fold process command, regardless of a fold process command.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a transfer unit having a photosensitive drum and a transfer roller, a fixing unit including a press roller and a heating roller, and a guide member on a non-image-forming surface side of the recording medium between the transfer and fixing units. At a transfer nip where the transfer roller contacts the drum, a developer image is transferred onto the recording medium. At a fixing nip where the press roller impinges upon the heating roller, the developer image is fixed onto the recording medium. The guide member guides the recording medium into the fixing unit and includes a grounded conductive member and ribs, which control contact of the recording medium with the conductive member by protruding towards the non-image-forming surface of the recording medium. The conductive member and the ribs are formed parallel with a line that connects the transfer nip and the fixing nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and an image forming method thereof. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming part which forms a color image on a printing medium, a pickup roller which picks up the printing medium, and a controller which controls the pickup roller to try to pick up the printing medium if image forming for a first color among a plurality of colors is completed, and controls the image forming part to form an image corresponding to a second color among the plurality of colors after trying to pick up the printing medium.

Abstract: A stripper assembly strips a media sheet from a photoreceptor belt. A support bracket supports a stripping finger base which includes a multiplicity of attached stripping fingers. The support bracket is fixed proximate to the photoreceptor belt in a media stripping position. Each stripping finger has a protruding distal stripping end extending toward the photoreceptor belt to form a gap therewith. The magnitude of the stripping finger-photoreceptor belt gap is controlled by adjusting the position or spacing of the finger base with respect to the support bracket. The support bracket pivots about an inboard pivot axial. The opposite support bracket outboard end is releasable, thus enabling the support bracket to pivot away from the photoreceptor belt.

Abstract: A system for adding a post-collation operation to an imaging job is disclosed. The system includes a computing device with executable instructions. The executable instructions are executable on the computing device and are configured to implement a method for adding a post-collation operation to the imaging job. The imaging job is received downstream from an origination point of the imaging job and upstream from a job interpreter/rasterization process in an imaging device. New commands are inserted into the imaging job that relate to a post-collation operation. Another use of the method for multi-job interleaving is also disclosed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has transfer rollers for transferring an unfixed image, fixing rollers with a changeable conveying speed, discharging rollers with a changeable conveying speed thereof and for discharging the recording material on which the image has been fixed by the pair of fixing rollers, a loop detecting sensor for detecting the loop of the recording material between the transfer rollers and the fixing rollers, and a control for changing the conveying speed of the fixing rollers on the basis of the detection of the loop detecting sensor so that the loop of the recording material is maintained with a predetermined range, wherein the control board controls the conveying speed of the discharging rollers so as to become equal to the conveying speed of the fixing rollers after the recording material has passed the transfer rollers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing having a planar top surface and a plurality of legs projecting downward from end portions of the housing for supporting the housing on ground. A paper feed unit, an image forming unit, and an output unit are arranged in a substantially horizontal direction inside the housing.

Abstract: A load torque variation upon entry or exit of a sheet into a nipping portion is reduced while a nipping force necessary for image formation is provided. An image transfer apparatus, an image fixing apparatus, or a registration apparatus comprises an opposite roller, a transfer roller, and a compression spring for pressing the opposite roller onto the transfer roller. A sheet of transfer material is transported into a nipping portion between the opposite roller and the transfer roller, where an image on the opposite roller is transferred to the transfer material. The apparatus includes a retaining unit configured to retain a certain distance between the first rotating body and the second rotating body as long as the thickness of the transfer material that passes through the nipping portion remains the same.

Abstract: A contact member makes contact with a surface of an image carrier belt to form a transfer nip. A guiding member guides a recording medium fed by a feeding unit to a guide target point on an upstream side of an entering point of the transfer nip on the surface of the image carrier belt in a moving direction of the image carrier belt.

Abstract: A sheet discharge control system used in an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit to form a toner image on a transfer sheet includes a fixer configured to fix the toner image on the transfer sheet by passing the transfer sheet therethrough, a discharge roller located downstream of the fixer in a sheet transport direction, configured to discharge the transfer sheet onto a discharge unit, a transport unit configured to transport the transfer sheet along a transport path between the image forming unit and the discharge unit, a control unit configured to change a sheet transport speed according to one of a number in order of transport or a current position of the transfer sheet.

Abstract: The height of an image reading unit or an operating panel in an image forming apparatus is adjusted to facilitate their operation depending on the physical characteristics of a user, such as his height or use of a wheel chair. A second operating panel and a second automatic document feeder (ADF) are disposed on the side of the image forming apparatus, so that a user on a wheel chair can access them easily. The second ADF houses plural sheet trays that are configured to open or close together. When the sheet trays are closed, a first operating panel disposed at the top of the apparatus is activated while the second operating panel on the side is deactivated. When the sheet trays are open, the second operating panel is activated while the first operating panel is deactivated.

Abstract: The present invention is an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus which includes a primary imaging member for producing an electrostatic latent image on a receiver, a development station for applying toner particles to said latent image which forms a developed toner image on the receiver. A fuser assembly is included for fixing the developed toner image, to form a fused toner image on the receiver. A transport member is provided for transporting the receiver to or from the fuser assembly, the transport member having a substrate bearing an oil-absorbing layer that includes transparent alumina inorganic particles of siloxane coated gamma-alumina, dispersed in an organic binder, and a fluorosurfactant.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a circulating transfer path for transferring a sheet. The image forming apparatus is capable of forming images on both surfaces of the sheet by: transferring the sheet having an image formed on a first surface thereof along the circulating transfer path; and forming another image on a second surface of the sheet after the transfer. The circulating transfer path is utilized for securing time taken for the sheet having an image formed thereon to dry.

Abstract: A sheet transport path switching mechanism includes a movable guide to be moved rotatably about a support shaft parallel to the width direction of a transport path so as to selectively take either a main posture where the movable guide directs a sheet to the downstream side of a main transport path relative to a branch point, and a branch posture where the movable guide directs a sheet to a branch transport path. An engagement hook is provided in an apparatus body and supports a central region in the longitudinal direction of the movable guide to prevent the movable guide from being deformed due to interference with a sheet fed toward the branch transport path. The mechanism prevents deformation of the movable guide while facilitating reduction in material and production costs and adequately meeting requirements of waste treatment.

Abstract: A discharging unit including: a casing; a discharger to discharge printing medium; a storage plate disposed in the casing below the discharger, to store the printing media discharged by the discharger; and a separation preventing unit to prevent the printing media from being ejected from the discharging unit by selectively protruding from the storage plate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus connectable to a bookbinding apparatus that binds a sheet stack with a cover sheet to produce a book includes an information acquisition unit, an area designation unit, and an image forming unit. The cover sheet includes a front cover area, a back cover area, and a spine area located between the front cover area and the back cover area. The information acquisition unit acquires information on a width of the spine area in the cover sheet prior to binding the sheet stack. The area designation unit designates an image formation area in which an image is to be formed in the cover sheet based on the information on the width of the spine area acquired by the information acquisition unit. The image formation area includes the spine area. The image forming unit forms the image in the image formation area designated by the area designation unit.