Image forming system

Abstract

An image forming system includes: an image forming mechanism configured to form an image on a sheet of a transfer material; a post-processor configured to perform post-processing on a plurality of sheets of transfer materials, respectively, there being on at least one of which a respective image has been formed by the image forming mechanism; a transporter to transport the sheets through the post-processor along one or more transport paths; and a controller operable to do the following including, determine a first stopping condition of whether the number of sheets exceeds a reference number, and detect a second stopping condition of whether a cumulative thickness of the sheets loaded in the post-processor exceeds a reference thickness, and stop further image formation by the image forming mechanism when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross view of an image forming system according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of an image forming apparatus included in the image forming system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an illustration (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of a control panel included in the image forming system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an illustration (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of a stapling tray included in the image forming system of FIG. 1, viewed from a direction perpendicular to a sheet transport surface;

FIG. 5 illustrates (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) the stapling tray of FIG. 4 and its driving mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a control block diagram (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of the image forming system of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a flowchart (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of processes performed when stapling is not performed;

FIG. 8 is an example screen arrangement (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of a display in the control panel of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is an example screen arrangement (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of the display in the control panel of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is an example screen arrangement (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of the display in the control panel of FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 is an example screen arrangement (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of the display in the control panel of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrates a flowchart (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of processes to transport sheets toward the stapling tray;

FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrates a flowchart (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of processes to forward sheets to the stapling tray and to eject the sheets onto an shift tray;

FIG. 14 illustrates a flowchart (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of processes after the sheets are ejected onto an shift tray;

FIG. 15 is a control block diagram of an image forming system according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 illustrates an aligning roller (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) included in the image forming system of FIG. 15 and a configuration around the aligning roller.

FIGS. 17A, 17B, and 17C illustrate positional relations (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) between a photosensor and a shield in an thickness detector included in the image forming system of FIG. 15; and

FIGS. 18A and 18B illustrate a flowchart (according to an example embodiment of the present invention) of processes performed when stapling is not performed.

Claims

1. An image forming system comprising: an image forming mechanism configured to form an image on a sheet of a transfer material;a post-processor configured to perform post-processing on a plurality of sheets of transfer materials, respectively, there being on at least one of which a respective image has been formed by the image forming mechanism;a transporter to transport the sheets through the post-processor along one or more transport paths; anda controller operable to do the following including, determine a first stopping condition of whether the number of sheets exceeds a reference number,detect a second stopping condition of whether a cumulative thickness of the sheets loaded in the post-processor exceeds a reference thickness, andstop further image formation by the image forming mechanism when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied.

2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image forming system further includes a display, the controller further being operable to indicate via the display whether to perform the post-processing when the stopping condition is satisfied, and waits for a choice by an operator.

3. The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein the image forming system performs the post-processing and restarts the image forming operation when the operator chooses to perform the post-processing.

4. The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein the image forming system further includes a display, the controller further being operable to indicate via the display an instruction to remove the sheets remaining in the post-processor when the operator chooses not to perform the post-processing.

5. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image forming system further includes a display, the controller further being operable to display an instruction via the display to remove the sheets remaining in the post-processor when the stopping condition is satisfied.

6. The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising: a sheet detector to determine whether or not the sheets in the post-processor have been removed; anda job canceller to cancel a job,wherein the job canceller cancels a pending job when the sheet detector detects that the sheets in the post-processor have been removed, or at least one of the stopping condition is satisfied.

7. The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising: a sheet detector to determine whether or not the sheets in the post-processor have been removed,wherein the image forming system displays whether to change an output mode of a pending job to perform an image forming operation on the display when the sheet detector detects that the sheets in the post-processor have been removed, and waits for a choice by an operator.

8. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image forming system displays an instruction to remove the sheets remaining in the post-processor on the display.

9. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the reference number and the reference thickness of sheets are changeable.

10. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further operable to transport ones of the sheets remaining in the transport path to the post-processor when the number of sheets exceeds the reference number or the thickness of the sheets exceeds the reference thickness

11. The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising: a job canceller to cancel a job,wherein the controller is further operable to determine a third stopping condition of whether the number of image transfer exceeds a reference number, and the job canceller cancels a pending job when one of the stopping conditions is satisfied

12. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image forming mechanism includes one of a copier, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a combination thereof.

13. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image forming mechanism includes a photoreceptor, a charger, an exposure unit, and a developing unit.

14. An image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of a transfer material;post-processing means for post-processing a plurality of sheets of transfer materials, respectively, there being on at least one of which a respective image has been formed by the image forming means;transporter means for transporting the sheets through the post-processing means along one or more transport paths;control means; andat least one of the following, counter means for counting the number of sheets to be loaded in the finisher and to detect whether the number of sheets exceeds a reference number, anda thickness detector means for detecting whether a cumulative thickness of the sheets loaded in the post-processor exceeds a reference thickness,wherein the control means also is for stopping the image forming means from performing further image formation when a stopping condition is satisfied, the stopping condition including at least one of the number of sheets exceeding the reference number or a cumulative thickness of the sheets exceeding the reference thickness.

15. A method for operating an image forming apparatus, the method comprising: forming an image on a sheet of a transfer material;post-processing a plurality of sheets of transfer materials, respectively, there being on at least one of which a respective image produced by the forming step;transporting the sheets along one or more transport paths during the post-processing step;at least one of the following, counting the number of sheets to be loaded in the finisher, and detecting whether the number of sheets exceeds a reference number, anddetecting a cumulative thickness of the sheets operated upon by the post-processing step exceeds a reference thickness; andstopping further image formation when a stopping condition is satisfied, the stopping condition including at least one of the number of sheets exceeding the reference number or the thickness of the sheets exceeding the reference thickness.

16. The method according to claim 15, further including: indicating via a display whether to perform the post-processing when the stopping condition is satisfied; andwaiting for a choice by an operator.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: performing the post-processing and restarting the image forming operation when the operator chooses to perform the post-processing.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: indicating via a display an instruction to remove the sheets remaining in a post-processor when the operator chooses not to perform the post-processing.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: indicating via a display an instruction to remove the sheets remaining in the post-processor when the stopping condition is satisfied.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: determining whether or not a removal condition is satisfied, the removal condition being satisfied when the sheets in the post-processor have been removed; anddoing at least one of the following when the determining step determines that the removal condition has been satisfied, canceling a pending job,displaying on a display whether to change an output mode of a pending job and then waiting for a choice by an operator.