Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Attribute control
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-29
2001-11-20
Williams, Kimberly A. (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Attribute control
C358S001120, C358S001150, C358S001160, C358S296000, C399S364000, C399S374000, C399S383000, C271S003030, C271S003150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320674
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and in particular, to an image forming apparatus wherein the image recording time for recording a document composed of plural sheets by conducting image recording the document is shortened.
Recently, functions required for an image forming apparatus (hereinafter, represented by a copying machine for explanation) have been diversified, and in particular, automatic and rapid copying processing is strongly demanded for improving work efficiency for a user, and there is a strong demand for the so-called double-sided copying to record images on both of the obverse and reverse sides of a recording sheet (hereinafter referred to also as copying simply) from the viewpoint of natural resources conservation and filing space.
On the other hand, due to the recent office automation, various business machines are required to be installed in limited installation space, and small-sized business machines are strongly demanded for space saving. To satisfy these demands of automation, high speed and miniaturization, an image forming apparatus is available wherein plural sets of a document can be recorded by copying the document in the order of its pages for each set of the document while reversing the document and a recording sheet.
In the case of double-sided copying, in particular, in the method wherein a recording sheet is reversed to be sent again to the recording section without being stacked after being recorded on its one side, it is not necessary to separate and feed a stacked recording sheet again, and problems such as sheet jamming and others are hardly caused, and reliability is high.
In the case of a digital image recording apparatus, moreover, recording operations have been started after reading all image data of a document first and storing them in a memory in the double-sided copying stated above.
In the aforesaid method, however, it takes time to complete the recording for the first one set and there still is room for improvement of productivity. In particular, when the first one set of copies is required to be finished promptly first of all, among plural sets of copies which are required, this request can not be satisfied in the aforesaid method, which is a problem.
On the other hand, a method wherein recording is carried out for each page simultaneously with reading of image data on the first part of a document has also been proposed. Since recording operations are conducted harmonizing with the speed of reading image data in this case, when the reading speed is low, the recording speed has to be slowed down by means of interruption of recording operations or the like. However, in the double-sided copying method wherein the recording sheets are not stacked, plural recording sheets are conveyed through a conveyance path simultaneously, and if this is interrupted, it is difficult to convey these plural recording sheets, resulting in a decline of the recording speed and complicated control of conveyance timing for recording sheets.
Especially, when conducting reading and outputting for a double-sided document simultaneously, it is difficult to read at high speed through reversing because it is necessary for a reading unit to set a document at a prescribed position by turning the document in succession to read, while, an output unit can output at high speed if image information is already stored in a memory. From this point, it is impossible to improve productivity in the synchronized operations of the reading unit and the output unit, which is a problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been achieved in view of the conventional problems mentioned above, and its object is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming system wherein, in a mode to record a document by recording the document in the order of its pages one by one, one set of document images can be recorded quickly and thereby the time required for all copies can be shortened as far as possible.
The above object can be attained by the following image forming apparatus and the following image forming system.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
a document reading device for reading image data on a document at a reading section;
document conveying system for conveying the document to the reading section of the document reading device;
a memory to store the image data therein, the memory capable of storing the image data of plural pages of documents;
image recording system for recording an image on a recording sheet based on the image data stored in the memory;
recording sheet reversing system for receiving the recording sheet from the image recording system, wherein the image is recorded on one side of the recording sheet, for reversing the recording sheet, and for refeeding the reversed recording sheet to the image recording system without stacking the recording sheet, whereby another image is recorded on the other side of the recording sheet by the image recording system; and
controller for controlling the document reading device and the image recording system such that, when images are recorded on both sides of a recording sheet by the recording sheet reversing system, after image data of a predetermined number of pages of documents are read by the image recording system and are stored in the memory, the image recording system starts recording images based on the image data stored in the memory simultaneously as the document reading device successively reads other pages of documents.
An image forming system, comprising:
a first memory in which image data of plural pages are stored;
an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording sheet based on image data, comprising;
image receiving section for receiving image data from the first memory;
a second memory to store image data of plural pages received through the image receiving section;
image recording system for recording an image on a recording sheet based on the image data stored in the memory;
recording sheet reversing system for receiving the recording sheet from the image recording system, wherein the image is recorded on one side of the recording sheet, for reversing the recording sheet, and for refeeding the reversed recording sheet to the image recording system without stacking the recording sheet, whereby another image is recorded on the other side of the recording sheet by the image recording system; and
controller for controlling the image recording system such that, when images are recorded on both sides of a recording sheet by the recording sheet reversing system, after image data of a predetermined number of pages are stored in the second memory, the image recording system starts recording images based on the image data stored in the second memory simultaneously as other image data are successively received through the image receiving section and are stored in the second memory.
Further, the above object can be attained by the following preferable embodiments indicated in each of the following items.
Item 1
An image forming apparatus having a mode in which image data of a document composed of plural sheets are recorded on both sides of a recording sheet in order of document pages, and thereby plural sets of the document are recorded one set by one set, wherein, with regard to recording of the first one set, the document is stored in a reading memory up to the prescribed number of sheets of the document, and after that, recording on a recording sheet is started by reading image data out of the aforesaid memory simultaneously with continuation of reading operation.
In the invention of Item 1, in the recording for the first one set, prescribed number of sheets of the document are stored in the reading memory, first. After that, the reading operation is naturally continued, and image data are read out of the memory simultaneously with the reading operation, and recording on a recording sheet is started.
The recording for the second one set and the following sets are conducted based on the image data stored in the memory without th
Kurihara Susumu
Okutomi Ryuji
Soma Utami
Takahashi Atsushi
Yamauchi Kazumichi
Frishauf Holtz Goodman Langer & Chick
Konica Corporation
Lamb Twyler
Williams Kimberly A.
LandOfFree
Image forming apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image forming apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image forming apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2593611