Image forming apparatus
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus to which a sheet discharge device can be detachably mounted, said apparatus comprising:
- an image formation unit for forming images on a recording medium;
a first transporting path for discharging a recording medium from said image formation unit to said sheet discharge device;
a second transporting path for reversing the transportation direction of said recording medium so as to be discharged to said sheet discharge device, said second transporting path being longer than said first transporting path for discharging a recording medium from said image formation unit to said sheet discharge device;
a transporting path switching unit for switching between transporting said recording medium to said first transporting path or said second transporting path;
a setting unit for setting the discharge speed for discharging said recording medium from said first transporting path and said second transporting path to a recording sheet stacking unit, and also setting the reverse transportation speed for reversing said recording medium in said second transporting path; and
a determining unit for determining whether or not said sheet discharge device has been connected to said image forming apparatus;
wherein said setting unit sets said discharge speed to a first discharge speed which is slower than said reverse transportation speed in the event that determination is made by said determining unit that said sheet discharge device has not been connected to said image forming apparatus; and
wherein said setting unit sets said discharge speed to a second discharge speed which is faster than said first discharge speed in the event that determination is made by said determining unit that said sheet discharge device has been connected to said image forming apparatus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image forming apparatus comprises: an image formation unit for forming images on a recording medium; a first transporting path for discharging a recording medium to a sheet discharge device; a longer second transporting path for reversing the transportation direction of the recording medium; a transporting path switching unit for switching between the first transporting path or the second transporting path; a setting unit for setting the discharge speed for discharging the recording medium from the first and second transporting paths to a recording sheet stacking unit, and also setting the reverse transportation speed; and a determining unit for determining whether or not the sheet discharge device has been connected to the image forming apparatus; wherein the setting unit sets a first discharge speed slower than the reverse transportation speed in the event that the sheet discharge device has not been connected, and otherwise sets a faster second discharge speed.
8 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus to which a sheet discharge device can be detachably mounted, said apparatus comprising:
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an image formation unit for forming images on a recording medium;
a first transporting path for discharging a recording medium from said image formation unit to said sheet discharge device;
a second transporting path for reversing the transportation direction of said recording medium so as to be discharged to said sheet discharge device, said second transporting path being longer than said first transporting path for discharging a recording medium from said image formation unit to said sheet discharge device;
a transporting path switching unit for switching between transporting said recording medium to said first transporting path or said second transporting path;
a setting unit for setting the discharge speed for discharging said recording medium from said first transporting path and said second transporting path to a recording sheet stacking unit, and also setting the reverse transportation speed for reversing said recording medium in said second transporting path; and
a determining unit for determining whether or not said sheet discharge device has been connected to said image forming apparatus;
wherein said setting unit sets said discharge speed to a first discharge speed which is slower than said reverse transportation speed in the event that determination is made by said determining unit that said sheet discharge device has not been connected to said image forming apparatus; and
wherein said setting unit sets said discharge speed to a second discharge speed which is faster than said first discharge speed in the event that determination is made by said determining unit that said sheet discharge device has been connected to said image forming apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A control method for an image forming apparatus to which a sheet discharge device can be detachably mounted and comprises
an image formation unit for forming images on a recording medium, a first transporting path for discharging a recording medium from said image formation unit to said discharge device, and a second transporting path for reversing the transportation direction of said recording medium so as to be discharged to said sheet discharge device, said second transporting path being longer than said first transporting path for discharging a recording medium from said image formation unit to said sheet discharge device; -
said method comprising;
a judging step for judging, based on printing information, whether to transport said recording medium to said first transporting path or to said second transporting path;
a reversal transportation step for transporting said recording medium in reverse at a speed faster than the image formation speed in the event of transporting said recording medium to said second transporting path;
a determining step for determining whether or not said sheet discharge device is connected to said image formation device; and
a speed changing step for changing said discharging speed of said recording medium to a speed which is different from said reversal transportation speed, according to whether or not said sheet discharge device has been determined to have been connected in said determining step. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An image forming apparatus to which a sheet discharge device can be detachably mounted, said apparatus comprising:
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an image formation unit for forming images on a recording medium;
a transporting path for discharging a recording medium from said image formation unit to said sheet discharge device;
a setting unit for setting the discharge speed for discharging said recording medium from said transporting path to a recording medium stacking unit; and
a determining unit for determining whether or not said sheet discharge device has been connected to said image forming apparatus;
wherein said setting unit sets said discharge speed to a first discharge speed in the event that determination is made by said determining unit that said sheet discharge device has not been connected to said image forming apparatus; and
wherein said setting unit sets said discharge speed to a second discharge speed which is faster than said first discharge speed in the event that determination is made by said determining unit that said sheet discharge device has been connected to said image forming apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A control method for an image forming apparatus to which a sheet discharge device can be detachably mounted, said method comprising:
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a determining step for determining whether or not said sheet discharge device has been connected to said image forming apparatus;
a step for setting the discharge speed of said recording medium to a first discharge speed in the event that determination is made in said determining step that said sheet discharge device has not been connected to said image forming apparatus; and
a step for setting said discharge speed of said recording medium to a second discharge speed which is faster than said first discharge speed in the event that determination is made in said determining step that said sheet discharge device has been connected to said image forming apparatus.
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Specification