Image forming apparatus, control apparatus and control method for the same, and storage medium product
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus capable of selectively executing various operating modes including an inter-OHP insertion mode in which images are formed on OHP sheets and another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, and a tab sheet output mode in which an image can be formed on a tab sheet, said image forming apparatus comprising:
- tab-sheet storage unit designating means for designating a storage unit from among a plurality of storage units each containing different type sheets; and
inter-OHP tab sheet inserting means for, when the inter-OHP insertion mode is selected, automatically feeding the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets from the storage unit designated by said tab-sheet storage unit designating means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an image forming apparatus in which images are formed on one type of sheets, such as OHP sheets, and at the same time another type of sheets, such as tab sheets, are output and inserted between the former type sheets, the invention makes it possible to avoid the user operation from becoming complicated, to keep users from suffering an increased burden, to provide a desired output result easily handled by the users. To that end, when a storage unit storing tab sheets is designated and the inter-OHP insertion mode is selected, the tab sheets are automatically fed from the storage unit designated by a tab-sheet storage unit designating unit, and are each inserted between OHP sheets.
42 Citations
53 Claims
-
1. An image forming apparatus capable of selectively executing various operating modes including an inter-OHP insertion mode in which images are formed on OHP sheets and another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, and a tab sheet output mode in which an image can be formed on a tab sheet, said image forming apparatus comprising:
-
tab-sheet storage unit designating means for designating a storage unit from among a plurality of storage units each containing different type sheets; and
inter-OHP tab sheet inserting means for, when the inter-OHP insertion mode is selected, automatically feeding the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets from the storage unit designated by said tab-sheet storage unit designating means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
tab-sheet image formation setting means for setting whether an image is formed on a tab sheet fed by said inter-OHP tab sheet inserting means; and
control means for controlling the apparatus not to form an image on the tab sheet when setting not to form an image is made by said tab-sheet image formation setting means, and for controlling the apparatus to form an image on a recording medium including a tab of the tab sheet when setting to form an image is made by said tab-sheet image formation setting means.
-
-
3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls the apparatus to record information associated with the OHP sheet on a recording medium including a tab of the tab sheet when setting to form an image is made by said tab-sheet image formation setting means.
-
4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information associated with the OHP sheet includes the page number of the OHP sheet.
-
5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information associated with the OHP sheet includes title information for the OHP sheet.
-
6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information associated with the OHP sheet includes image information to be formed on the OHP sheet.
-
7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said tab-sheet image formation setting means makes an initial setting, the setting not to form an image on a tab sheet fed by said inter-OHP tab sheet inserting means.
-
8. An image forming apparatus having an inter-OHP insertion mode in which images are formed on OHP sheets and another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, and being able to form an image on a tab sheet, said image forming apparatus comprising:
-
inter-OHP inserted sheet selecting means for selecting the type of the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets from among tab sheets and another type sheet; and
control means for controlling the apparatus to record information associated with the OHP sheet on a recording medium including a tab of a tab sheet when a tab sheet is selected by said inter-OHP inserted sheet selecting means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An image forming apparatus including inter-OHP inserting function selecting means for selecting an inter-OHP insertion mode in which images are formed on OHP sheets and another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, and being able to form an image on a tab sheet, said image forming apparatus comprising:
-
tab-sheet feed stage designating means for designating one of a plurality of storage units storing sheets, which stores tab sheets; and
inserted sheet setting means for, when the inter-OHP insertion mode is selected by said inter-OHP inserting function selecting means, setting whether the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets is a tab sheet fed from the storage unit designated by said tab-sheet feed stage designating means or another type of sheet from a different one of the plurality of storage units.
-
-
13. A control method for an image forming apparatus including inter-OHP inserting function selecting means for selecting an inter-OHP insertion mode in which images are formed on OHP sheets and another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, the apparatus being able to form an image on a tab sheet, said control method comprising the steps of:
-
a tab-sheet feed stage designating step of designating a storage unit from among a plurality of storage units each containing different type sheets; and
an inter-OHP tab sheet inserting step of, when the inter-OHP insertion mode is selected by said inter-OHP inserting function selecting means, automatically feeding the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets from the storage unit designated in said tab-sheet feed stage designating step.
-
-
14. A control method for an image forming apparatus including inter-OHP inserting function selecting means for selecting an inter-OHP insertion mode in which images are formed on OHP sheets and another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, the apparatus being able to form an image on a tab sheet, said control method comprising the steps of:
-
an inter-OHP inserted sheet selecting step of selecting the type of the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets from among tab sheets and another type sheet; and
a recording step of recording information associated with the OHP sheet on a recording medium including a tab of a tab sheet when a tab sheet is selected in said inter-OHP inserted sheet selecting step.
-
-
15. A control method for an image forming apparatus including inter-OHP inserting function selecting means for selecting an inter-OHP insertion mode in which images are formed on OHP sheets and another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, the apparatus being able to form an image on a tab sheet, said control method comprising the steps of:
-
a tab-sheet feed stage designating step of designating a storage unit storing tab sheets; and
an inserted tab sheet setting step of, when the inter-OHP insertion mode is selected by said inter-OHP inserting function selecting means, setting whether the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets is a tab sheet fed from the storage unit designated in said tab-sheet feed stage designating step or another type of sheet from a different one of the plurality of storage units.
-
-
16. A storage medium product storing a program readable by a computer, said program executing a control process for an image forming apparatus including inter-OHP inserting function selecting means for selecting an inter-OHP insertion mode in which images are formed on OHP sheets and another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, the apparatus being able to form an image on a tab sheet, said control process comprising the steps of:
-
a tab-sheet feed stage designating step of designating a storage unit from among a plurality of storage units each containing different type sheets; and
an inter-OHP tab sheet inserting step of, when the inter-OHP insertion mode is selected by said inter-OHP inserting function selecting means, automatically feeding the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets from the storage unit designated in said tab-sheet feed stage designating step.
-
-
17. A storage medium product storing a program readable by a computer, said program executing a control process for an image forming apparatus comprising first image forming means for forming an image on an OHP sheet, inter-OHP inserting function selecting means for selecting an inter-OHP inserting function in which another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, and second image forming means for forming an image on a tab sheet, said control process comprising the steps of:
-
an inter-OHP inserted sheet selecting step of selecting the type of the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets from among tab sheets and another type sheet; and
a recording step of recording information associated with the OHP sheet on a recording medium including a tab of a tab sheet when a tab sheet is selected in said inter-OHP inserted sheet selecting step.
-
-
18. A storage medium product storing a program readable by a computer, said program executing a control process for an image forming apparatus comprising first image forming means for forming an image on an OHP sheet, inter-OHP inserting function selecting means for selecting an inter-OHP inserting function in which another type of sheet different from the OHP sheet is inserted between the OHP sheets having the images formed thereon, and second image forming means for forming an image on a tab sheet, said control process comprising the steps of:
-
a tab-sheet feed stage designating step of designating a feed stage storing tab sheets; and
an inserted sheet setting step of, when the inter-OHP inserting function is selected by said inter-OHP inserting function selecting means, setting whether the sheet to be inserted between the OHP sheets is a tab sheet fed from the feed stage designated in said tab-sheet feed stage designating step or another type of sheet from a different one of the feed stages.
-
-
19. A control apparatus for controlling an image forming apparatus having a first mode for inserting, between first type sheets, one of plural types of sheets including a second type sheet having sheet type different from the first type sheet, and a second mode different from the first mode, said control apparatus comprising:
-
mode selecting means for selecting the first mode;
display control means for, when the first mode is selected by said mode selecting means, providing a display enabling users to select the second type sheet from among the plural types of sheets as the sheet type which is to be inserted between the first type sheets; and
control means for controlling said image forming apparatus, in response to selection of the second type sheet through the display provided by said display control means, such that the second type sheet of the plural types of sheets is inserted between the first type sheets. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
said image forming apparatus further comprises setting means for prompting users to set pages at which the second type sheets are to be inserted, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode;
said control means controls said image forming apparatus to execute a process of inserting the second type sheets in accordance with settings made by the users through said setting means, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode; and
said control means controls said image forming apparatus to execute a process of inserting the second type sheet between the first type sheets without prompting the users to make settings through said setting means, when the second type sheets are used in the first mode.
-
-
23. A control apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said control means controls said image forming apparatus to insert the second type sheets at pages set by the users through said setting means, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode, and to eject one second type sheet each time one first type sheet is output, when the second type sheets are used in the first mode.
-
24. A control apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said display control means provides a display enabling users to select one of plural candidates of types, including the second type, as the sheet type to be inserted in the first type sheets.
-
25. A control apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the plural candidates of types include an ordinary sheet and a tab sheet having a tab.
-
26. A control apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said image forming apparatus has a plurality of containers for containing sheet;
- and
said display control means provides a display enabling sheets types to be identified for each of the plurality of containers.
- and
-
27. A control apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said display control means provides a display indicating the sheet types, and a display enabling a sheet size and sheet presence to be identified for each of the plurality of containers.
-
28. A control apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the plural types of sheets include an ordinary sheet, an OHP sheet, a color sheet, and a tab sheet having a tab.
-
29. A control apparatus for controlling an image forming apparatus having a first mode for inserting, between first type sheets, one of plural types of sheets including a second type sheet having sheet type different from the first type sheet, and a second mode for inserting one or more second type sheets in a series of sheet bundles made up of plural pages, said image forming apparatus comprising:
-
setting means for prompting users to set pages at which the second type sheets are inserted, when the second type sheets are selected from among the plural types of sheets for use in the second mode; and
control means for controlling said image forming apparatus to insert the second type sheets at pages, which are set by the users through said setting means, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode, and to eject the first type sheet and the second type sheet alternately one by one without prompting the users to make page setting of the second type sheets through said setting means, when the second type sheets are used in the first mode.
-
-
30. A control method for controlling an image forming apparatus having a first mode for inserting, between first type sheets, one of plural types of sheets including a second type sheet having sheet type different from the first type sheet, and a second mode different from the first mode, said control method comprising the steps of:
-
a mode selecting step of selecting the first mode;
a display control step of, when the first mode is selected in said mode selecting step, providing a display enabling users to select the second type sheet from among the plural types of sheets as the sheet type which is to be inserted between the first type sheets; and
a control step for controlling said image forming apparatus, in response to selection of the second type sheet through the display provided in said display control step, such that the second type sheet of the plural types of sheets is inserted between the first type sheets.
-
-
31. A storage medium product storing a program readable by a computer, said program executing a control process for controlling an image forming apparatus having a first mode for inserting, between first type sheets, one of plural types of sheets including a second type sheet having sheet type different from the first type sheet, and a second mode different from the first mode, said control process comprising the steps of:
-
a mode selecting step of selecting the first mode;
a display control step of, when the first mode is selected in said mode selecting step, providing a display enabling users to select the second type sheet from among the plural types of sheets as the sheet type which is to be inserted between the first type sheets; and
a control step for controlling said image forming apparatus, in response to selection of the second type sheet through the display provided in said display control step, such that the second type sheet of the plural types of sheets is inserted between the first type sheets.
-
-
32. A control method for controlling an image forming apparatus having a first mode for inserting, between first type sheets, one of plural types of sheets including a second type sheet having sheet type different from the first type sheet, and a second mode for inserting one or more second type sheets in a series of sheet bundles made up of plural pages, said control method comprising the steps of:
-
a setting step of prompting users to set pages at which the second type sheets are inserted, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode; and
a control step of controlling said image forming apparatus to insert the second type sheets at pages, which are set by the users in said setting step, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode, and to eject the first type sheet and the second type sheet alternately one by one without prompting the users to make page setting of the second type sheets in said setting step, when the second type sheets are selected from among the plural types of sheets for use in the first mode.
-
-
33. A storage medium product storing a program readable by a computer, said program executing a control process for controlling an image forming apparatus having a first mode for inserting, between first type sheets, one of plural types of sheets including a second type sheet having sheet type different from the first type sheet, and a second mode for inserting one or more second type sheets in a series of sheet bundle made up of plural pages, said control process comprising the steps of:
-
a setting step of prompting users to set pages at which the second type sheets are inserted, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode; and
a control step of controlling said image forming apparatus to insert the second type sheets at pages, which are set by the users in said setting step, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode, and to eject the first type sheet and the second type sheet alternately one by one without prompting the users to make page setting of the second type sheets in said setting step, when the second type sheets are selected from among the plural types of sheets for use in the first mode.
-
-
34. An operating method in a system which includes an image forming apparatus having a first mode for inserting, between first type sheets, one of plural types of sheets including a second type sheet having sheet type different from the first type sheet, and a second mode different from the first mode, said method comprising the steps of:
-
a mode selecting step of selecting the first mode;
a display control step of, when the first mode is selected in said mode selecting step, causing a display unit to perform a display enabling users to select the second type sheet from among the plural types of sheets as the sheet type which is to be inserted between the first type sheets; and
a control step of causing said image forming apparatus to select the second type sheet, such that the second type sheet of the plural types of sheets is inserted between the first type sheets, in response to selection of the second type sheet through the display provided in said display control step. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
the display control step causes the display unit to perform a display enabling users to set pages at which the second type sheets are to be inserted, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode;
the control step controls the image forming apparatus to execute a process of inserting the second type sheets in accordance with page setting of the second type sheets by the users when the second type sheets are used in the second mode; and
the control step controls the image forming apparatus to execute a process of inserting the second type sheet between the first type sheets without the page setting of the second type sheets by the users when the second type sheets are used in the first mode.
-
-
38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the control step controls the image forming apparatus to insert the second type sheets at pages set by the users when the second type sheets are used in the second mode, and to eject one second type sheet each time one first type sheet is output, when the second type sheets are used in the first mode.
-
39. A method according to claim 34, wherein the display control provides a display enabling users to select one of plural candidates of types, including the second type, as the sheet type to be inserted in the first type sheets.
-
40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the plural candidates of types include an ordinary sheet and a tab sheet having a tab.
-
41. A method according to claim 39, wherein the image forming apparatus has a plurality of containers for containing sheets;
- and
the display control provides a display enabling sheet types to be identified for each of the plurality of containers.
- and
-
42. A method according to claim 41, wherein the display control provides a display indicating the sheet types, and a display enabling a sheet size and sheet presence to be identified for each of the plurality of containers.
-
43. A method according to claim 34, wherein the plural types of sheets include an ordinary sheet, an OHP sheet, a color sheet, and a tab sheet having a tab.
-
44. A method according to claim 34,
wherein the selection process in said selecting step and the display process in said display control step are performed through an operation unit provided to said image forming apparatus. -
45. A method according to claim 34,
wherein the selection process in said selecting step and the display process in said display control step are performed through a printer driver of a computer which is able to communicate with said image forming apparatus. -
46. A method according to claim 34,
wherein said image forming apparatus has a plurality of functions including a copying function and a printing function for printing data from an external apparatus.
-
47. An operating method in a system which includes an image forming apparatus having a first mode for inserting, between first type sheets, one of plural types of sheets including a second type sheet having sheet type different from the first type sheet, and a second mode for inserting one or more second type sheets in a series of sheet bundles made up of plural pages, said method comprising the steps of:
-
a setting step of prompting users to set pages at which the second type sheets are inserted, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode; and
a control step of controlling said image forming apparatus to insert the second type sheets at pages, which are set by the users in said setting step, when the second type sheets are used in the second mode, and to eject the first type sheet and the second type sheet alternately one by one without prompting the users to make page setting of the second type sheets in said setting step, when the second type sheets are selected from among the plural types of sheets for use in the first mode. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
wherein the setting process in said setting step and the control in said control step are performed through an operation unit provided to said image forming apparatus. -
52. A method according to claim 47,
wherein the setting process in said setting step and the control in said control step are performed through a printer driver of a computer which is able to communicate with said image forming apparatus. -
53. A method according to claim 47,
wherein said image forming apparatus has a plurality of functions including a copying function and a printing function for printing data from an external apparatus.
-
Specification