Electrophotography – Document handling – Copy
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-18
2002-02-26
Beatty, Robert (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Document handling
Copy
Reexamination Certificate
active
06351625
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a sheet processing apparatus, a sheet processing method, and a book-binding method which are capable of arranging sheets having images formed thereon and a special sheet or sheets such as cover sheets in alignment into a single bundle of sheets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, there is provided a cover sheet mode or the like, in which a special sheet or sheets such as cover sheets and ordinary sheets having images formed thereon by an image forming means are arranged in alignment into a single bundle of sheets. Usually, a sheet processing operation such as a binding operation is performed on this bundle of sheets having a special sheet or sheets inserted therein, into a book by a finisher mounted in the main body of the image forming apparatus.
When a cassette is used to supply special sheets such as cover sheets, the special sheets are fed out from the cassette in the timing to insert the special sheets, onto the same conveyance path as the ordinary sheets having images formed thereon. The special sheets thus fed are discharged via the above-mentioned conveyance path. A fixing unit is provided in the conveyance path, and the special sheets are passed through this fixing unit in the same manner as the ordinary sheets.
Where an original having a printed color image is used as such a special sheet, the quality of the printed image may be impaired by heat and pressure exerted when the sheet passes the fixing unit. Recently, color copying papers are increasingly used as the special sheets. When a color copying paper is fed from the cassette, oil and the like adhering to the surface of the color copying paper can impair the conveying efficiency of the paper feeding mechanism, and can significantly lower the reliability of the paper conveyance operation.
On the other hand, it has been proposed to provide the finisher with a special sheet feeder for supplying special sheets such that the special sheets are fed from the finisher. Such a construction has been disclosed, for example, by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 60-180894, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 60-191932, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 60-204564.
Thus, it has been proposed to provide a unit for special sheets in the image forming apparatus or in a sheet processing device such as the finisher, to arrange the special sheets fed from this unit and the sheets having images formed thereon by the image forming means in alignment into a single bundle of sheets.
However, in proposing a unit for aligning the special sheets such as cover sheets and the ordinary sheets having images formed thereon by the image forming means in alignment into a single bundle of sheets, it has not been considered that the unit should not require a complicated operation by an operator and the productivity should be improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus a sheet processing apparatus, a sheet processing method, and a book-binding method that have solved the above-mentioned problems and are capable of arranging sheets having images formed thereon and special sheets such as cover sheets in alignment into a single bundle of sheets without requiring a complicated operation by an operator, and with improved productivity.
To attain the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising memory means for storing original image information, image forming means for forming an image indicated by the original image information stored in the memory means on a transfer material and outputting the transfer material, special sheet feeding means for feeding special sheets stacked on a special sheet tray, and post processing means for performing post-processing on the transfer material output from the image forming means and a special sheet fed from the special sheet feeding means; wherein the post processing means includes receiving means for receiving the transfer material output from the image forming means and the special sheet fed from the special sheet feeding means for storage therein in a mixable manner, conveyance path means for conveying the special sheet fed from the special sheet feeding means to the receiving means, and control means for controlling storing the transfer material and the special sheet together in page order in the receiving means, by causing the special sheet to be temporarily halted on standby on the conveyance path means, and thereafter causing the special sheet and the transfer material to be conveyed to the receiving means and stored therein in page order.
Preferably, the receiving means of the post processing means comprises a plurality of receiving means, and the conveyance path means comprises a plurality of conveyance paths, and wherein the control control means of the post processing means is responsive to selection a set post-processing mode from a plurality of post-processing modes, for selecting a receiving means from the plurality of receiving means and a conveyance path from the plurality of conveyance paths, causing the special sheet to be temporarily halted on standby on the selected conveyance path, and thereafter causing the special sheet and the transfer material to be conveyed to the selected receiving means and stored therein in page order.
More preferably, the receiving means of the post processing means includes first receiving means, and the conveyance means includes a first conveyance path, and wherein the control means of the post processing means is responsive to selection of a book-binding mode as the post-processing mode, in which the special sheet and the transfer material are to be folded together in two and bound into a state openable for viewing in page order, for selecting the first receiving means and the first conveyance path, causing the special sheet to be temporarily halted on standby on the first conveyance path, thereafter causing the transfer material output from the image forming means to be conveyed to and received by the first receiving means, and thereafter causing the special sheet on standby on the first conveyance path to be received by the first receiving means.
Further preferably, the image forming means has an image processing function of performing rearranging operation and synthesizing operation on the original image information stored in the memory means, and wherein the image forming means is responsive to selection of the book-binding mode, for performing the rearranging operation and the synthesizing operation of the image processing function on the original image information such that the transfer material can be folded in two into a state openable for viewing in page order.
Typically, the post processing means includes means for stacking the special sheet on the transfer material and causing the first receiving means to receive and store the stacked special sheet and transfer material in a bundle, means for binding the bundle at a center thereof as it is stored in the first receiving means, and means for folding in two the bound bundle at the center and discharging same.
Preferably, the receiving means of the post processing means includes second receiving means other than the first receiving means, and the conveyance path means includes a second conveyance path other than the first conveyance path, and wherein the control means of the post processing means is responsive to selection of a sort mode as the post-processing mode in which a plurality of transfer materials as the transfer material having images indicated by the original image information stored in the memory means formed thereon are arranged in page order, for selecting the second receiving means and the second conveyance path, causing the special sheet to be temporarily halted on standby on the second conveyance path, thereafter c
Fukazu Yasuo
Miyake Norifumi
Moriyama Tsuyoshi
Murata Mitsushige
Okamoto Kiyoshi
Beatty Robert
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Rossi & Associates
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