Electrophotography – Machine operation – Job mode
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-19
2001-10-16
Grainger, Quana M. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Machine operation
Job mode
C399S405000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304733
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This application is based on applications Nos. 11-138568 and 11-144873 filed in Japan, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and, more particularly, to the image forming apparatus of a type capable of quickly finding a job of one's own without using a slip sheet even when a plurality of jobs are collected on a sheet ejection port and, also, capable of providing a criterion for performing any processing for an output object left as it is on the sheet ejection port for a long time.
2. Prior Art
The Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 5-75772, for example, discloses a system for an image forming apparatus such as a printer or copying machine, which temporarily stores video read-out data in a memory and read the video data from the memory to form an image. The image forming apparatus using the above system has advantages that it is enough to read a manuscript only once to print a number of, for example, ten copies, the next job can be read while printing a certain job and, also, a plurality of jobs can be continuously printed.
However, when a plurality of persons use an image forming apparatus using the above system and output objects are collected on a sheet ejection port, an operator must find an operator's output object by turning the output objects one inside out individually in the case of the facedown mode in which a sheet is ejected with an image bearing side facing downward. Moreover, a standard image forming apparatus not having the above system has the same problem when printing of the next job is started before a pile of output objects of the last job are removed from a sheet ejection port and output objects are collected onto the pile of the last job.
However, U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,464 and the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-143017, for example, disclose a method which allows an operator to easily find an operator's output object by outputting a slip sheet to a break of jobs.
However, when the slip sheet is used, a problem occurs that sheets are wastefully consumed though a person can easily find an output object of his own out of a pile of output objects. Moreover, another problem occurs that the number of output objects continuously increases because there is no criterion for finding an output object of one's own later or disposing of an output object left as it is for a long time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made to solve the above problems and is intended to provide an image forming apparatus capable of giving a criterion for finding a job of one's own without using any slip sheet and taking any action for an output object left as it is for a long time even if a plurality of jobs are collected on a sheet ejection port.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention in one aspect thereof provides an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet in accordance with video data, comprising timer means for measuring a length of time elapsed after a power supply has been turned on, ejected-sheet detection means for detecting an output object on a sheet ejection port, and time output control means for receiving respective signals from the timer means and ejected-sheet detection means and outputting the present time onto a sheet whenever a predetermined period expires after the power supply has been turned on and when an output object is present on the sheet ejection port.
According to the present invention, it is one of the features of the present invention to eject a sheet onto which the present time is output to a break of jobs every predetermined period by using a timer function. This makes it possible to use the time on the sheet as a criterion when finding an output object of one's own later and easily find the output object even if many output objects are collected on a sheet ejection port. Moreover, it is also possible to use the time on the sheet as a criterion when an output object is left as it is for a long time and prevent output objects from being excessively collected on the sheet ejection port.
In the case of this example, the present time is output onto a sheet every predetermined period after a power supply has been turned on and when an output object is present on a sheet ejection port. However, it is also permitted to set time for outputting time.
Also, the image forming apparatus may be of any type provided that it can form an image and may therefore be, for example, a printer or copying machine. Moreover, while the last job is still processed when time is output, it is preferable to cancel an output of time also when a predetermined period expires or a set time elapses.
That is, it is preferable that the above image forming apparatus of the present invention may further comprises job-processing detection means for detecting whether job processing is presently executed, in which case the time output control means outputs the present time onto a sheet after the job processing has been completed.
Moreover, when a job is not processed until a predetermined period expires or set time elapses since the last time was output, an output object of a job to be processed when the predetermined period expires or the set time elapses is brought to the lowest position. Therefore, it is possible to easily find the output object and it is not always necessary to output time. For this purpose, the above image forming apparatus of the present invention preferably further comprises pre-job detection means for detecting that job processing has been executed since the latest output of the present time and the time output control means cancels an output of the present time when any job processing has not been executed until the predetermined period has elapsed from the latest output of the present time or it has become a next set time.
Moreover, though the present time is output onto a sheet in this example, it is also permitted to simultaneously output the information for various counters and the final output person name as printer control information in addition to time. That is, it is also possible that the time output control means adds control information to time and outputs the time having the information to a sheet.
Furthermore, in the case of the facedown mode for ejecting a sheet with an image-bearing side facing downward, it is necessary to turn the sheet inside out whenever the time is output. Therefore, to output in a faceup fashion a sheet onto which the present time is output is very convenient because it is possible to confirm time without turning a bundle of sheets upside down. That is, it is preferable for the image forming apparatus to have a duplex printing function, and in such apparatus, faceup output and facedown output can be changed, and time output control means outputs the present time faceup.
According to the above first aspect of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, because time is printed every predetermined period by using a timer function, it is possible to quickly find a job of one's own by using printed time as a criterion and dispose of an output object left as it is on a sheet ejection port for a long time by using the printed time as a criterion.
In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus of a type having a duplex printing function so as to form an image on opposite sides of a sheet in accordance with video data, which apparatus comprises designation means for designating sheet ejection of a desired page of an output object in a faceup fashion and control means for sheet-ejecting a desired page of an output object faceup by receiving a signal from the designation means and controlling the duplex printing function while sheet-ejecting an undesignated page of the output object facedown.
It is one of the features of the present invention to sheet-eject necessary pages of a job to a facedown sheet ejection port faceup by using the duplex printing function and ther
Grainger Quana M.
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
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