Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-23
2003-06-17
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S227000, C271S291000, C414S789900
Reexamination Certificate
active
06580966
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which can invert a sheet, a method of controlling the image forming apparatus, and a recording medium which records a program for such the control.
2. Related Background Art
Recently, a printer which can designate a facedown discharge of recording sheets (facedown sheet discharge) and a faceup discharge of recording sheets (faceup sheet discharge) by a printer driver on the side of a computer is developed. When the facedown sheet discharge is designated, the printer inverts the recording sheet and then discharges the inverted recording sheet. There is a printer which discharges the inverted sheet to the sheet discharge unit same as that to which an uninverted sheet is discharged, and is a printer which discharges the inverted sheet to the sheet discharge unit different from that to which an uninverted sheet is discharged.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-243486 discloses an image forming apparatus which inverts and discharges a sheet on which an image was formed. In this apparatus, when it is designated to set an OHP (overhead projector) insert sheet mode and further designated to form the image same as that formed on an OHP sheet also on an insert sheet (i.e., a common sheet), a right image is formed on the insert sheet and this insert sheet is inverted and discharged, while a mirror image is formed on the OHP sheet and this OHP sheet is discharged without inversion. Such control is performed because the OHP sheet is not preferable to be inverted (i.e., unsuitable for inversion).
However, in recent application software, a sheet size and a sheet type can be set for each page in one print job, a problem is caused when a job partially having a page of postcard size or a job partially having a page of thick sheet is intended to be subjected to printing. Namely, as well as the above OHP sheet, the sheet of postcard size and the thick sheet are not preferable to be inverted, whereby there is some fear that these sheets cause a sheet jam when the inversion sheet discharge is designated.
Even if the pages which are preferable to be inverted are inverted and discharged and the pages which are not preferable to be inverted are discharged without inversion, a problem that the pages which were discharged faceup and the pages which were discharged facedown are mixed with others and stacked on the sheet discharge unit in one print job is caused. Further, a problem that the faceup-discharged pages and the facedown-discharged pages are stacked on the different sheet discharge units respectively is caused.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus by which it is possible to prevent that recording sheets inverted and discharged and recording sheets discharged without inversion are mixed with others in one print job, a method of controlling the image forming apparatus, and a recording medium which records a program for such the control.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus by which it is possible to prevent that recording sheets obtained in one image forming job are discharged to separate sheet discharge units respectively, a method of controlling the image forming apparatus, and a recording medium which records a program for such the control.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit for forming images included in an image forming job on sheets;
an inverter for inverting the sheet formed by the image forming unit;
a controller for controlling a transportation of the sheet whether or not the sheet formed is transported to the inverter; and
a discriminator for discriminating if the image forming job includes at least one page which is not preferable to be transported to the inverter,
wherein the controller controls the transportation of the sheet so that all sheets regarding the image forming job are not transported to the inverter when the discriminator discriminates that the image forming job includes at least one sheet which is not preferable to be inverted.
Further, the present invention provides a method for controlling an image forming apparatus having an inverter for inverting the sheet, comprising the steps of:
forming images included in an image forming job on sheets;
discriminating if the image forming job includes at least one page which is not preferable to be transported to the inverter; and
controlling a transportation of the sheet so that all sheets regarding the image forming job are not transported to the inverter when the discriminating step discriminates that the image forming job includes at least one sheet which is not preferable to be inverted.
Further, the present invention provides a recording medium for storing a program code for controlling an image forming apparatus having an inverter for inverting the sheet, the program code comprising:
a code for causing the image forming apparatus to form images included in an image forming job on sheets;
a code for discriminating if the image forming job includes at least one page which is not preferable to be transported to the inverter; and
a code for controlling a transportation of the sheet so that all sheets regarding the image forming job are not transported to the inverter when the discriminating code discriminates that the image forming job includes at least one sheet which is not preferable to be inverted.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the attached drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5076560 (1991-12-01), Russel
patent: 5078379 (1992-01-01), Leisner
patent: 5119213 (1992-06-01), Graves
patent: 5374049 (1994-12-01), Bares et al.
patent: 5449163 (1995-09-01), Wong et al.
patent: 5530790 (1996-06-01), Ueyama
patent: 5579083 (1996-11-01), Naito et al.
patent: 5839841 (1998-11-01), Iunui et al.
patent: 5954436 (1999-09-01), Kageyama et al.
patent: 6151478 (2000-11-01), Katsuta et al.
patent: 11-243486 (1999-09-01), None
Butler Michael E.
Walsh Donald P.
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