Claims
- 1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- first key means for entering a number corresponding to copying repetitions to be made in a copying operation;
- second key means for causing the start of the copying operation of the number of repetitions entered by said first key means;
- third key means for interrupting a first copying operation for performing copying repetitions, the number of said copying repetitions being entered with said first key means;
- memory means operable during a second copying operation for storing the number of repetitions to be performed to complete the first copying operation, said memory means operating in a case where the first copying operation has been interrupted by said third key means, and operating in a case where said third key means is actuated but the first copying operation has not yet been started and the number of repetitions for the first copying operation has been set to a number other than that of an initial state of said apparatus;
- intermediate means for performing and completing the second copying operation for producing a desired number of other copies during an interruption of the first copying operation while said memory means maintains the number of repetitions associated with completion of the first copying operation; and
- means for starting the first copying operation in accordance with the number stored in said memory means in response to said second key means after completion of the second copying operation caused by said intermediate means during said interruption of the first copying operation, whereby a higher-priority copying operation is effected before a lower-priority copying operation.
- 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate means completes the second copying operation of a single copy in response to actuation of said third and second key means in that order after said first key means has been actuated.
- 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said memory means stores the number in response to actuation of said third key means at least until the end of said second copying operation.
- 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for indicating the number entered by said first key means and a copy count, said memory means storing the number or count indicated by said indicating means after actuation of said third key means.
- 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said indicating means indicates the number "1" as a preset copy number after the number of repetitions has been stored in said memory means.
- 6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said indicating means indicates the number stored in said memory means in response to completion of the second copying operation.
- 7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said indicating means automatically indicates the number stored in said memory means, when the second copying operation is terminated while in progress.
- 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising fourth key means for stopping the continuation of first copying operation, and means responsive to said fourth key means for controlling said intermediate means and said starting means to stop the second copying operation in response to actuation of said fourth key means during performance of the second copying operation caused by second intermediate means and to release the mode for the second copying operation and to recall the number of copies associated with the first copying operation to permit resumption of the first copying operation.
- 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for generating a signal associated with a malfunction in the apparatus, and means responsive to said malfunction signal generating means for controlling said intermediate means to interrupt the second copying operation in response to a malfunction signal received during performance of the second copying operation caused by said intermediate means to hold the mode for the second copying operation and the number of copies associated therewith, and to permit resumption of the copying operation when the malfunction is removed.
- 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising additional key means for releasing the second copying operation mode and for recalling the number of copies associated with the first copying operation.
- 11. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said malfunction includes a jam or storage of copying material.
- 12. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for preventing said memory means from operating to effect a further copying operation based on actuation of said third key means during performance of the second copying operation by said intermediate means.
- 13. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of copying material feeding units, and additional key means for selecting one of said feeding units or a size of the copying material, said memory means storing data concerning the copying material provided from said additional key means, said intermediate means completing the second copying operation in accordance with data for another desired copying material while said memory means stores the data concerning the copying material for the first copying operation.
- 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said starting means starts the first copying operation in accordance with the data concerning the copying material stored in said memory means in response to operation of said second key means after a completion of the second copying operation.
- 15. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said starting means refrains from starting the copying operation when the copying material feeding unit associated with the data concerning the copying material and stored in said memory means prior to the resumption does not contain copying material.
- 16. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said starting means refrains from starting the copying operation when none of said feed units contains copying material associated with the data concerning the copying material stored in said memory means.
- 17. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of copying repetitions to be set is performed by actuating said third, first and second key means in that order.
- 18. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- first key means for entering a number corresponding to copying repetitions to be made in a copying operation;
- second key means for causing the start of the copying operation of the number of repetitions entered by said first key means;
- third key means for interrupting a first copying operation which is performed in response to actuation of said first and second key means;
- memory means for storing the number of repetitions to be performed to complete the first copying operation, during an interruption of the first copying operation caused by said third key means, said number of repetitions to be performed being different from that set in an initial state of said apparatus;
- operable means for performing and completing a second copying operation for producing a desired number of other copies while said memory means maintains the number of repetitions associated with completion of the first copying operation;
- means for resuming the first copying operation in accordance with the number stored in said memory means in response to said second key means after completion of the second copying operation caused by said operable means;
- fourth key means for stopping the continuation of the first copying operation while data for said first copying operation is maintained; and
- means responsive to said fourth key means for controlling said operable means to stop the second copying operation in response to actuation of said fourth key means during performance of the second copying operation caused by said operable means, to cancel the number of copies associated with the second copying operation, to release a mode for the second copying operation and to recall the number of copies associated with the first copying operation to permit the resumption of the first copying operation.
- 19. Apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising means for indicating the number entered by said first key means and a copy count, said memory means storing the number or count indicated by said indicating means after actuation of said third key means.
- 20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said indicating means indicates the number "1" as a preset copy number after the number of repetitions has been stored in said memory means.
- 21. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said indicating means indicates the number stored in said memory means in response to the completion of the second copying operation.
- 22. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said indicating means automatically indicates the number stored in said memory means when the second copying operation is terminated while in progress.
- 23. Apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising means for generating a signal associated with a malfunction in the apparatus, and means, responsive to said malfunction signal generating means, for controlling said operable means to interrupt the second copying operation in response to a malfunction signal received during performance of the second copying operation caused by said operable means, to hold the mode for the second copying operation and the number of copies associated therewith, and to permit resumption of the second copying operation when the malfunction is removed.
- 24. Apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising means for preventing operating to effect a further copying operation based on actuation of said third key means during performance of the second copying operation by said operable means.
- 25. Apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a plurality of copying material feeding units, and additional key means for selecting one of said feeding units or a size of the copying material, said memory means storing data concerning the copying material provided from said additional key means, said operable means completing the second copying operation in accordance with data for another desired copying material while said memory means stores data concerning the copying material for the first copying operation.
- 26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said resuming means resumes the first copying operation in accordance with the data concerning the copying material stored in said memory means in response to actuation of said second key means after completion of the second copying operation.
- 27. An image forming apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said operable means comprises operation units for performing copy processes.
- 28. An image forming apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said operation units perform paper feed, exposure, development, fixing and paper ejection processes.
- 29. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- first key means for entering a number of repetitions for producing copies in a copying operation;
- second key means for causing the start of the copying operation of the number of repetitions entered by said first key means;
- third key means for interrupting a first copying operation which is performed in response to actuation of said first and second key means;
- memory means for storing the number of repetitions to be performed to complete the first copying operation, during an interruption of the first copying caused by said third means;
- intermediate means for performing and completing a second copying operation for producing a desired number of other copies while said memory means maintains the number of repetitions associated with the first copying operation;
- means for resuming the first copying operation in accordance with the number stored in said memory means in response to actuation of said second key means after completion of the second copying operation caused by said intermediate means;
- means for generating a signal associated with a malfunction in the apparatus;
- means responsive to said malfunction signal generating means for controlling said intermediate means so as to interrupt the second copying operation in response to a malfunction signal received during performance of the second copying operation caused by said intermediate means to hold the number of copies associated therewith and to permit the second copying operation to resume when the malfunction is removed; and
- means for cancelling the number of copies associated with the second copying operation, and for recalling the number of copies associated with the first copying operation in accordance with the second entry by said third key means prior to starting the second copying operation so as to cancel the second copying operation and to resume the first copying operation.
- 30. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said cancelling means comprises additional key means for cancelling the number of copies associated therewith during an interruption of the second copying operation caused by said control means.
- 31. Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said malfunction consists of a jam or a shortage of copying material, and wherein a flag is set when said first copying operation is interrupted by said third key means.
- 32. Apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising means for indicating the number entered by said first key means and a copy count, said memory means storing the number or count indicated by said indicating means after actuation of said third key means.
- 33. An image forming apparatus according to claim 32, where said indicating means indicates the number "1" as a preset copy number after the number of repetitions has been stored in said memory means.
- 34. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said indicating means automatically indicates the number stored in said memory means when the second copying operation is terminated while in progress.
- 35. An image forming apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said intermediate means comprises operation units for performing copy processes.
- 36. An image forming apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said operation units perform paper feed, exposure, development, fixing and paper ejection processes.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
52-160280 |
Dec 1977 |
JPX |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 910,855 filed Sept. 24, 1986 which is a continuation of Ser. No. 608,124, filed May 8, 1984, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 231,030, filed Feb. 3, 1981, which in turn is a continuation of Ser. No. 972,815, filed Dec. 26, 1978, all now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Continuations (4)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
910855 |
Sep 1986 |
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Parent |
608124 |
May 1984 |
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Parent |
231030 |
Feb 1981 |
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Parent |
972815 |
Dec 1978 |
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