Image forming apparatus and method

Details Image forming apparatus and method Image forming apparatus and method

1998-12-15

2001-05-22

Moses, Richard (Department: 2852)

Electrophotography

Control of electrophotography process

Responsive to copy media characteristic

C358S296000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06236815

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and method which are used to form an image on a sheet such as a transfer sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional image forming apparatus typified by a copying machine, when a plurality of originals are to be copied, they are copied from the last original, and each transfer sheet is discharged out of the machine with its image-bearing surface facing up. According to this copying method, the order of output sheets output outside the machine is kept the same as that of the originals by starting copying from the last original.
A composite copying machines having both printer and FAX functions has recently been developed. When this composite copying machine functions as a printer, information to be output is sequentially processed from the first page. As a result, the order of output sheets output out of the machine is reversed. For this reason, a mechanism of discharging sheets upon reversing them is added to the output unit of the copying machine to correct the order of output sheets by reversing/outputting them.
When the sheet reversing mechanism mounted on the output unit of the conventional copying machine is to be used, a sheet must be conveyed along a guide with a curvature, resulting in damage to the sheet. This makes it difficult to convey a sheet or damages the sheet depending on the type of sheet. When a sheet like an OHP sheet is used, the quality of the image formed on the sheet deteriorates owing to damage to the sheet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus and method which solve the above problem.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus designed to reverse/discharge image-bearing sheets and a method therefor, which can output the sheets in a proper order without increasing the time required to output the sheets and damaging them.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5004928 (1991-04-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5072304 (1991-12-01), Abe et al.
patent: 5432617 (1995-07-01), Sugishima
patent: 5440410 (1995-08-01), Sugishima
patent: 5488463 (1996-01-01), Nimura et al.
patent: 5717501 (1998-02-01), Iwamoto et al.
patent: 5781823 (1998-07-01), Isobe et al.

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