Abstract: An image recording system is configured in which a plurality of image recording apparatuses provided with a recording medium storage portion are disposed in a line, and a recording medium storage means shared by these image recording apparatuses is provided, and a recording medium that has been recorded by the plurality of image recording apparatuses is transported toward the recording medium storage means and stored in the recording medium storage means.

Abstract: An ejection mechanism includes: a pair of ejection rollers that upwardly eject at an oblique angle a recording medium carried along a predefined carry path; and an ejection tray that includes a piling surface on which the recording medium ejected from the pair of ejection rollers is piled and a side wall surface that faces a trailing edge of the recording medium piled on the piling surface, wherein, the side wall surface is positioned on an ejection direction upstream side with respect to a plumb line that contacts the pair of the ejection rollers on a ejection direction downstream side, and is formed inclining toward a point separated from the plumb line as the side wall surface travels downward from a bottom part of the pair of the ejection rollers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sticking preventing device including a main conveying path connected from a fixing device, a first conveying path connected to the main conveying path, a second conveying path branching from the main conveying path and having a conveying route longer than that of the first conveying path, a switching device provided at a branching point of the first conveying path and the second conveying path and configured to switch a recording-medium conveying route to the first conveying path and the second conveying path, and a temperature sensor provided above a discharge port of the first conveying path and a discharge port of the second conveying path, and a control unit configured to, if the temperature of a recording medium to be discharged detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than the temperature at which sticking occurs, displace the switching device to switch the conveying route from the first conveying path to the second conveying path.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of restricting copying using, as a master copy, a copy of a produced work such as a book. An MFP is provided with a printing permission/prohibition judging section and an output paper sheet selection section. The printing permission/prohibition judging section judges whether or not restriction information for restricting image formation is contained in either (i) an information tag provided in a document, or (ii) image data acquired by an image scanning section. The output paper sheet selection section selects a regulatory-information-containing recording paper sheet (i.e.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms an image electrophotographically, comprises an image transfer unit which transfers a toner image to a recording medium, a fixing unit comprising a heat roller and a pressure roller, a conveying direction change unit which changes a conveying direction of the recording medium discharged from the fixing unit upwardly, a discharge roller which discharges the recording medium, of which conveying direction has been changed by the conveying direction change unit, to a discharge part, and a curl removing roller which is provided on a conveying extending between the conveying direction change unit and the discharge roller and bends the recording medium in an opposite direction from a bend direction imparted to the recording medium at the heat roller.

Abstract: A document feeding apparatus includes a first delivery roller delivering a document sheet discharged from a fixing unit, a second delivery roller discharging the document sheet to a paper delivery tray, a motor driving the second delivery roller, a lever installed at the downstream, or upstream, side of the first delivery roller out of a document sheet transporting pathway, which rotates at a predetermined angle when contacting the document sheet and returns to an original position when not contacting the document sheet, a sensor sensing a rotation time and a returning time of the lever, and a controller determining a double feeding or slipping state of the document sheet based on a signal transferred from the sensor regarding the rotation time and the returning time of the lever, and controlling the driving speed of the motor according to the determination result.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet stacking apparatus, whose lifting and lowering mechanism having excellent assembly properties and maintenance properties. A sheet stacking apparatus includes: a stacking portion which stacks a discharged sheet thereon; a housing portion which can support the stacking portion so as to lift and lower the stacking portion; and a lifting and lowering mechanism which lifts and lowers the stacking portion. In the sheet stacking apparatus, the stacking portion has a connecting portion which connects the stacking portion to the housing portion. The connecting portion can connect the stacking portion to the housing portion in a direction perpendicular to the lifting and lowering direction of the stacking portion.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a sheet; a paper feeding cassette configured to store sheets to be supplied to the image forming unit; a case configured to house the image forming unit and the paper feeding cassette; a scanner provided in an upper part of the case, shifted with respect to an area surrounded by sides of the case, and configured to read an image of an original document; a second connecting section provided in an upper part of the case, which is an area of the area surrounded by sides of the case where the scanner is not located, and connected to a first connecting section provided on a bottom surface of a paper discharging apparatus that receives a sheet from the image forming unit; and a discharging unit configured to discharge the sheet from the image forming unit to a conveying path of the paper discharging apparatus when the first connecting section and the second connecting section are connected.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a body casing having on upper surface thereof a paper ejection tray on which a sheet of paper ejected after formation of an image is stacked; a side cover capable of opening and closing a side surface of the body casing on the downstream side in the direction of ejection of the sheet of paper so as to cover the side surface of the body casing; and an extension tray being attached to an upper portion of the side cover. The extension tray is capable of extending to the downstream side in the direction of ejection of the sheet of paper with respect to the paper ejection tray so as to support an end portion of the sheet of paper.

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: Provided are intermediate coupling unit that can maintain universal applicability of image forming apparatus so it can singly form images/be installed in small offices, but can also couple two apparatuses if necessary, and image forming apparatus adaptable to this unit. Intermediate coupling unit includes carry-in port at lower surface right side, plural conveying roller pairs sandwiching and conveying internally-carried-in recording medium, discharge ports formed near upper surface right/left ends for externally discharging recording medium, first/second flaps switching among conveying paths, A, B, C, paper discharge tray fixed at upper internal position, and internal paper feed cassette detachable downward. Two identical-shape printers are linked through conveying path A and enable double-speed-printing when coupled to top/bottom of intermediate coupling unit to face same direction, and linked through conveying path B and enable fast-double-side-printing when coupled to face opposite directions.

Abstract: A printer includes a main body for printing and outputting paper, a bracket attached to the main body, a driving mechanism, and a tray for receiving the paper. The bracket includes two sidewalls. A retaining member is secured to each sidewall. A first spring member is secured between each retaining member and the corresponding sidewall. The driving mechanisms are secured to the sidewalls. Each driving mechanism includes a sliding member slidable on the sidewall. The tray is received in the bracket. The tray has tray posts. The sliding members are slid to bring the tray. The tray posts slide the retaining members from a first position to a second position before passing across the retaining members, and the retaining members are slid from the second position to the first position by rebounding of the first springs after the tray posts pass across the retaining members.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a discharge device of an image forming apparatus, an image forming apparatus having the same, and a control method thereof, which prevents jamming or loading defects of paper to be discharged. To this end, a press force adjusting device is provided to adjust a press position of an elastic press member upward or downward. The press force adjusting device includes a press plate to support the elastic press member and a height adjustor to adjust a height of the press plate. The height adjustor adjusts the height of the press plate via rotation of a cam body having an eccentric rotation center. The height adjustment enables adjustment in the curling degree of paper depending on a paper thickness or environment conditions.

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: In so-called an image forming apparatus of an in-body paper discharging type, a technology which improves convenience of handling of sheets discharged from the apparatus is provided. The holding unit holding a sheet received by a predetermined sheet receiver is moved between a sheet receiving position positioned above the discharge tray in a body for receiving the sheet discharged from the discharge port by the predetermined sheet receiver of the holding unit and a retracted position at which the holding unit is retracted from above the discharge tray so as to avoid the abutment with the sheet placed on the discharge tray.

Abstract: A program execution unit of an MFP apparatus does not use a preset priority for each kind of job or a print estimated time with low precision. Instead, the program execution unit controls a print order of pages of print images, which are generated by each job, so as to maximize the operation rate of a print engine. Printed matters, which include pages of respective jobs in a mixed fashion, are sorted according to jobs in a subsequent stage. Thereby, grouping, which is similar to the prior art, is executed, thereby realizing a print control which requires no exceptional operation.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has a discharge device, an air blow device and a detection device, wherein an amount of blown air by the air blow device when the height of the recording materials detected by the detection device is higher than a preset first detection position is smaller than an amount of blown air by the air blow device when the detected height of the recording materials is lower than the first detection position. Thereby, there is provided an image forming apparatus which is improved in the alignment of the recording materials on the stacking portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharge tray determination device and a print controller. The discharge tray determination device determines a discharge tray for sample print output from available discharge trays specifiable by the image forming apparatus. The print controller divides a print job into print processes and controls print output in response to a sample print output request to cause a print process for sample print output for specifying the discharge tray determined by the discharge tray determination device to interrupt the print job.

Abstract: A sheet discharger including a pair of rotary bodies to discharge a sheet to a discharge part by rotating while sandwiching the sheet and to hold the sheet, a part of which is discharged and exposed from a discharge exit of the sheet discharger, and a separation unit operatively connected to the pair of rotary bodies, including an operating part provided closer to the discharge exit than the pair of rotary bodies to support the sheet held by the pair of rotary bodies, that separates the pair of rotary bodies from each other by withdrawal of the sheet held by the pair of rotary bodies toward the discharge exit of the sheet discharger.

Abstract: A discharge tray which needs to turn as a cover of an apparatus body opens and closes can be folded. When the cover is opened, the discharge tray is folded, and a wide installation area and a wide occupying area are not required. An image forming apparatus includes the apparatus body which forms an image on a recording paper sheet, an upper cover 130 which opens and closes the apparatus body, and a discharge tray 200 on which a sheet discharged from the apparatus body is stacked. The discharge tray is divided into a sheet stacking portion 133 and trays 210, 220 and 230 in a discharge direction of the recording paper sheet, and the discharge tray is provided over the apparatus body and the cover. The trays are turnably connected such that they can be folded as the upper cover opens and they can be extended as the upper cover closes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit having a rotary heating member and a rotary pressure member forming a nip therebetween, a guide wall positioned immediately downstream of the fixing unit and on the side of the rotary heating member with respect to a boundary defined by the transfer medium passing the nip, a guide member positioned on the side of the rotary pressure member with respect to the boundary and face to face with the guide wall, the guide member and the guide wall cooperatively guiding the transfer medium discharged from the fixing unit, and a guide member positioning mechanism for shifting the guide member between a first position where the guide member is moved away from the guide wall and a second position where the guide member is moved closer to the guide wall than at the first position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can expand the space of a discharging unit includes a scanner rotating unit provided below a scanner unit to rotate the scanner unit, to open the top of a discharging unit, and to expand a space of the discharging unit if the collective height of sheets accumulated in the discharging unit reaches or exceeds a predetermined value, and a control unit arranged to detect whether the collective height of the sheets accumulated in the discharging unit reaches or exceeds the predetermined value to operate the scanner rotating unit in accordance with the detection result.

Abstract: A sheet discharge unit of an image forming apparatus includes a first path discharging the sheet to the outside, a second path for feeding the sheet again to the image forming unit in the case of performing a duplex image forming process, a sheet conveyor conveying the sheet from the first path to the outside, and a corrugating member corrugating the sheet in a width direction of the sheet orthogonal to a conveying direction of the sheet to give the sheet stiffness when the sheet conveyor conveys the sheet. The second path includes an upstream path section having a width that extends in a thickness direction of the sheet, the width being set to be narrow to such a degree that the corrugation of the sheet is reduced when the sheet passes the upstream path section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing media trays in an image production device is disclosed that may include determining if a media tray door is open, and if so, starting a timer, determining if a misfeed indication has been set, and if so, determining if the timer has reached a first predetermined value, and if it has not, determining if the media tray door has been closed, and if so, returning the image production device to a pre-media tray opening state. Otherwise, if it is determined that a misfeed indication has been set, determining if the timer has reached a second predetermined value, and if it has not, determining if the media tray door has been closed, and if so, returning the image production device to the pre-media tray opening state.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes: an image-forming unit; a sheet discharge unit; a sheet support unit; and a reading unit. The image-forming unit forms images on a recording sheet. The sheet discharge unit discharges, in a sheet discharging direction, a recording sheet formed with an image by the image-forming unit. The sheet support unit is disposed above the image-forming unit, and supports sheet discharged from the sheet discharge unit. The reading unit is disposed above the sheet support unit, with an underside surface of the reading unit opposing a top surface of the sheet support unit. The sheet discharge unit is configured to discharge the sheet diagonally upwardly so that sheet discharged by the sheet discharge unit contacts the underside surface of the reading unit.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a paper path architecture for parallel printing using multiple marking engines. The media path configuration enables all the media feed trays to be located in one place, relative to the marking engines. A cross-over module is located between marking engines. The cross-over module can interleave media sheets that are being transported away from a first marking engine with the sheets being transported to the second marking engine. The cross-over module also includes a straight through path that enables media sheets to be transported directly to a finishing device without going through either marking engine. The marking engines include internal duplex loops such that media can be supplied to each engine in alternate groups. A merge module selectively merges the media which can then be further processed in a finishing transition module prior to communication to a finishing device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided with an image reading unit configured to read an image on an original, the original being discharged from a discharging side of the image reading unit, an image forming unit configured to form an image on an recording medium, and a discharge guide configured to guide the original to the discharging side of the image reading unit, the discharge guide being arranged to cover the image forming unit from the discharging side of the image reading unit. The discharging guide is configured to be movable between an opened position and closed position with respect to the image forming unit, the image forming unit being exposed to outside when the discharging guide is located at the opened position.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a discharging roller for discharging, from a main assembly of the apparatus, a recording material having been subjected to a recording operation by recording means; an openable and closable sheet discharge tray for supporting the recording material discharged by the discharging roller; locking means for holding the sheet discharge tray at a closed position; drive transmitting means for transmitting a driving force to release the locking means in interrelation with main assembly driving means; and advancing and retracting means for advancing and retracting the drive transmitting means relative to the main assembly driving means in interrelation with a position of the sheet discharge tray, wherein the locking means is effective to release the locking means by the main assembly driving means so as to permit the drive transmitting means to retract away from the main assembly driving means by a weight of the sheet discharge tray and an urging force of urging means when the sheet disc

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: A technique that can contribute to improvement of analysis accuracy in analysis processing concerning an image forming apparatus is provided. An image forming apparatus that forms, on a sheet, a test pattern formed by a color obtained by mixing toners of plural colors, scans a test pattern image formed on the sheet with a color sensor, and performs predetermined image quality control processing on the basis of information scanned, the image forming apparatus including an analysis-information forming unit that forms predetermined information used for an analysis concerning the image forming apparatus on a sheet.

Abstract: The color image forming apparatus comprises a transfer belt device which feeds a transfer member such as a paper and a plurality of image forming units. The image forming units are disposed facing toward the transfer belt device. The transfer belt device, at least in a portion in which the image forming units have been disposed, is arranged such that it is inclined with respect to the ground. Each of the image forming unit forms a desired image and sequentially transfers the formed image on the transfer member fed by the transfer belt device.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a liftable/lowerable sheet stacking portion on which sheets to be ejected are stackable. The sheet stacking portion moves downward as an amount of stacked sheets increases. The sheet stacking device includes a movable member disposed below the sheet stacking portion with a space therebetween, and a detecting portion configured to output a signal in accordance with a position of the movable member. Ejection of the sheet to the sheet stacking portion is stopped on the basis of the signal output from the detecting portion in accordance with downward movement of the movable member.

Abstract: There is described an image forming system, which confirms a finished state of an image at any time during the implementation of the image forming job as needed. The system includes: an image forming section to respectively form images on recording materials; a stacking section to stack the recording materials continuously ejected from the image forming section; an instruction inputting section from which an operator inputs instruction information; an ejecting section to stack a part of the recording materials in such a manner that the operator can pick up stacked recording materials by hand; a controlling section to conduct controlling operations in response to the instruction information, inputted from the instruction inputting section during an implementation of an image forming job including an operation for stacking the recording materials ejected from the image forming section, in order to eject the part of the recording materials onto the ejecting section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeding portion, an image forming portion, a discharge portion, a paper transport path, a plurality of detection members, and a control portion. The image forming portion forms images on sheets of paper fed from the feeding portion. The path transports paper from the feeding portion to the discharge portion via the image forming portion. The detection members detect transport state of paper at respective locations on the path including the feeding portion, between the feeding and image forming portions, within the image forming portion, between the image forming and discharge portions, and the discharge portion. Upon detection of paper jam at any of the locations, the control portion displays, on an indicator, information identifying a location where the jam has occurred, and the image forming portion where paper is detected by the detection members, as locations of paper to be eliminated from the path.

Abstract: An upper frame opening and closing mechanism, including an upper frame pivotally attached to a main body, which may include an image forming device, so as to open and close on a hinge, which receives a moment in an opening direction due to gravity when the upper frame is opened at an angle exceeding an inversion angle to expose the image forming device, an arm member, a rail member to guide a leading edge of the arm member along with opening and closing of the upper frame, a biasing member to bias the upper frame in the opening direction, and a cushion member to be pressed by the leading edge of the arm member so as to cushion the opening of the upper frame when the upper frame is opened at a maximum opening angle relative to the main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit; a first conveying path, along which a recording medium accommodated in a paper feeding cassette is conveyed to the image forming unit; and a second conveying path, along which a recording medium inserted into a manual paper feeding port is conveyed to the image forming unit; wherein the manual paper feeding port is formed at a front side of the image forming apparatus on an upper surface of an apparatus main body and wherein an inclined path obliquely extending from the manual paper feeding port to below and toward a rear of the apparatus main body is also formed, wherein the second conveying path is structured so that a recording medium inserted into the manual paper feeding port can fall into the inclined path due to the weight of the recording medium.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus including: a discharge tray which can moves between a first position capable of loading a discharged sheet and a second position that is separated from the first position; and a sheet loading amount detection sensor which has a sheet detection flag abutting against the upper surface of the sheet loaded on the discharge tray and capable of moving in accordance with a loading amount of the sheet loaded on the discharge tray, and detects the sheet loading amount by detecting a position of the sheet detection flag, wherein when the discharge tray means is located at the second position, the sheet detection flag is removed from a position capable of detecting the sheet loading amount.

Abstract: When the image forming device receives a print job including a print condition in its header, an operation control section extracts the print condition from the header, and makes an inquiry to a server. The server extracts an order table, indicative of a priority based on the extracted print condition, from a setting table in which a priority of sheets has been set in advance in accordance with the extracted print condition, and sends the order table by return to the image forming device. In the image forming device, a tray selection section generates a tray selection signal in accordance with the received order table and a detection signal, outputted from a tray detection section, which functions as sheet storage information of a sheet feeding tray section, so as to send the tray selection signal by return to the sheet feeding tray section.

Abstract: A paper discharge structure includes: a paper discharge roller for discharging paper with an image from a discharge port; a paper output tray located below the paper discharge roller for holding sheets of paper P discharged by the paper discharge roller; and a side-wall surface formed extending from the vicinity of the paper discharge roller to the vicinity of the paper output tray, is constructed such that the side-wall surface is formed with an inclined portion that extends from the lower part of the paper discharge roller to the vicinity of the paper output tray and is inclined with respect to the vertical direction.

Abstract: A hold-down device is disclosed for holding down the leading edges of sheet materials, such as multiple-ply sheets or integrated forms, disposed in a tray of a printer in a horizontal or flat position prior to feeding the leading edge of the top sheet or integrated form into the printer feed mechanism. Because some sheet materials are prone to curling, which causes jamming in the feed mechanism or downstream in printing path within commonly used printers, the disclosed hold-down device maintains the leading edge of the top sheet in a flat or horizontal position so it can be reliably and evenly received in the feeder mechanism of the printer, thereby reducing the chances of jamming when sheet materials that are prone to curling, such as multiple-ply sheets or integrated forms, are being printed. The hold-down device includes a base with two ends. Each end may include a retainer or other means for detachably connecting the base to the paper tray of the printer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one paper feeding section, a plurality of image forming sections, a plurality of paper output sections, a main transport path, and a plurality of paper output paths. The paper feeding section stores a recording medium therein. Any one of the image forming sections selectively forms an image on a recording medium fed from the paper feeding section and being transported on the main transport path. Each of the paper output sections receives a recording medium bearing an image formed in any one of the image forming sections. The main transport path leads from the paper feeding section and runs through the image forming sections. The paper output paths branch from an end of the main transport path into the respective paper output sections.

Abstract: An embodiment of an image forming apparatus includes: a sheet discharging unit provided in a space between a document reading unit and an image forming unit; a stack tray on which a sheet discharged to the sheet discharging unit is stacked; a rotating mechanism configured to lift and lower, with a front surface side of the stack tray as a fulcrum, the other end of the stack tray to incline the stack tray; and a control unit configured to control an angle of inclination of the stack tray in association with the discharge of the sheet such that the angle of inclination decreases as sheets stacked on the stack tray increase.

Abstract: A stacker tray assembly for a photocopier is easily mounted or removed from the copier, and permits facile handling of large copies. The stacker tray assembly for a photocopier for producing large copies has a main plate which has a copy side for insertion into the copier and a copy receiving end for receiving copies oppositely disposed therefrom. The stacker tray assembly also has a tilt plate at the copy receiving end to support the copies, as they exit the copier.

Abstract: A multi-functional peripheral device is provided. The multi-functional peripheral device includes a bottom frame and a top frame that is installed so as to be movable with respect to the bottom frame. The height of a paper stacker, to which paper is delivered and stacked, is controllable, since the top frame is movable with respect to the bottom frame.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a support portion configured to support first and second rollers to be able to increase/decrease a distance between an axis line of the first roller and an axis line of the second roller including a second roller body; an elastic member configured to urge at least one of the first and second rollers to relatively bring it close to the other; and a regulating portion configured to regulate, at a position at which part of the plurality of first roller bodies and part of the second roller body overlap each other in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, movement of the at least one of the first and second rollers in a direction of increasing the distance between the axis line of the first roller and the axis line of the second roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body discharge tray disposed in an image forming apparatus main body, onto which a sheet with an image recorded is discharged; a main body discharge member that discharges the sheet onto the main body discharge tray; an optional discharge device disposed above the main body discharge member, the optional discharge device having an optional transport path through which the sheet passes and an optional discharge member that discharges the sheet; a postprocessing device that performs postprocessing on the sheet; and a postprocessing transport device disposed above the main body discharge tray, the postprocessing transport device having a lower portion, an upper portion on which the sheet discharged from the optional discharge member is placed and a postprocessing transport path formed between the lower and upper portions, the postprocessing transport path transporting the sheet discharged from the main body discharge member to the postprocessing device.

Abstract: In order to maintain stackability while taking printing conditions into consideration, a control method for controlling a printing system for a stacking unit stacking a sheet printed by a printing unit, includes: determining whether or not a predetermined number of sheets on which the same printed data is printed by the printing unit are stacked continuously by the stacking unit; and controlling, in a case where a predetermined number of the sheets on which the same printed data is printed are determined by the determining unit to be continuously stacked by the stacking unit, the stacking unit so as to not continuously stack more of the sheets on which the same printed data is printed than the predetermined number of sheets.

Abstract: Disclosed an image forming system including: an image forming apparatus to form an image on a sheet conveyed from a feeding section to eject the sheet; and a plurality of finishers each including one or a plurality of ejection trays, which finishers are connected to the image forming apparatus and perform finishing to the sheet ejected from the image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a control section to determine a sheet feeding interval of the feeding section based on a position of the ejection tray to which a first sheet is ejected and a position of the ejection tray to which a second sheet is ejected, an image-forming order of the second sheet being immediately before an image-forming order of the first sheet.

Abstract: In a housing in which a printing unit is provided, a printed-paper storing unit that stores paper printed by the printing unit is provided to be removable to the outside. This printed-paper storing unit can be brought into a lock state in which removal to the outside of the housing is physically prevented by a fixing mechanism. When a print job sent from a user side designates internal storage of printed paper, the printed-paper storing unit is fixed in the housing by the fixing mechanism and locked. An unlock number of a number selected at random is notified to the user side to perform printing. After the printing is finished, the finish of the printing is notified to the user side and the lock state is released according to input of the unlock number to make it possible to remove printed paper to the outside.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus receives input of sheet information of a print sheet designated as a print destination of print data by a predetermined information processing apparatus as first sheet information, and stores therein sheet information of a print sheet designated as a print destination in advance by the image forming apparatus as second sheet information. A feed-timing determining unit compares the first sheet information with the second sheet information and determines the feed timing of a print sheet contained in a feed tray in accordance with the comparison result.