Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus 100 allowing insertion of an insert-sheet between discharged sheets of recording paper includes: an image forming unit 122 forming an image on the recording paper; an operation unit 130 designating an insertion position for inserting the insert-sheet; a discharge unit discharging the sheets of recording paper having images formed and the insert-sheet; and a control unit 102 controlling timing for inserting the insert-sheet. The insertion position is designated by a copy-by-copy basis with one copy being a set of sheets of recording paper having all images included in a job instructing image formation on the recording paper formed thereon. The control unit 102 controls the discharge unit such that the sheets of recording paper having the image formed thereon are discharged by the number determined from the insertion position and thereafter the insert-sheet is discharged. Thus, the insert-sheet can be inserted at an arbitrary position designated on the copy-by-copy basis, and the user can easily handle the output sheets of recording paper.

1 . An image forming apparatus allowing insertion of an insert-sheet indicating separation between a plurality of sheets of recording paper each having an image formed on its surface and then discharged, comprising:
 an image forming device forming an image on the recording paper;   an input device designating an insertion position to insert said insert-sheet;   a discharge device discharging said recording paper having the image formed thereon and said insert-sheet; and   a control device controlling said discharge device; wherein   said insertion position is designated on a copy-by-copy basis, each copy being a set of sheets of recording paper on which all images included in a job instructing image formation on the recording paper are formed;   said control device causes said discharge device to discharge the sheets of recording paper having the images formed thereon by the number of copies determined from said insertion position, and thereafter to discharge said insert-sheet shifted in a prescribed direction; and   said input device includes   a display displaying pieces of information each indicating each of the number of sets on which image formation is instructed, in a manner distinguishable from each other and in the order of discharge of said sets, and   an insertion designating device designating said insertion position by designating whether or not said insert-sheet is to be inserted between said pieces of information indicating consecutively discharged two said sets.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said image forming device forms an image on that portion of a periphery of said insert-sheet which does not overlap with the discharged recording paper when said insert-sheet is shifted in said prescribed direction and discharged by said discharge device. 
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a character input device allowing input of a character; wherein   said image formed on said portion of said insert-sheet includes an image of a character input by said character input device.   
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said input device includes a designating device designating any of positions before and after all sheets of recording paper having images of said job formed thereon and discharged, and before and after every prescribed number of copies of sheets of recording paper having images of said job formed thereon and discharged, as said insertion position; and
 in response to at least one of the positions before and after all sheets of recording paper having images of said job formed thereon and discharged being designated by said input device as said insertion position, said image forming device forms said image of said character on the insert-sheet to be inserted to the designated insertion position.   
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a calculating device calculating the number of said sets that have been discharged until said insert-sheet is discharged; wherein   in response to at least one of the positions before and after every prescribed number of copies of sheets of recording paper having images of said job formed thereon and discharged being designated by said input device as said insertion position, said image forming device forms an image of a numeral indicating a value larger by 1 than the number of said sets calculated by said calculating device on the insert-sheet to be inserted to the designated insertion position.   
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a calculating device calculating the number of said sets that have been discharged until said insert-sheet is discharged; wherein   said image formed on said portion of said insert-sheet is an image of a numeral indicating a value larger by 1 than the number of said sets calculated by said calculating device.   
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an insert-sheet designating device designating a paper feed tray from which said insert-sheet is fed; wherein   said control device causes said discharge device to pick up and discharge said insert-sheet from said paper feed tray designated by said insert-sheet designating device.   
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a size designating device designating a size of said insert-sheet; wherein   said control device includes a determining device determining whether an insert-sheet of the size designated by said size designating device can be discharged to a discharge destination to which said recording paper having the image formed thereon is discharged; and   in response to a determination by said determining device that said insert-sheet cannot be discharged to said discharge destination to which said recording paper having the image formed thereon is discharged, said control device controls said discharge device such that a sheet of recording paper is picked up from a tray containing said recording paper on which the image is to be formed and discharged in place of said insert-sheet.   
     
     
         9 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said input device includes a designating device designating any of positions before and after all sheets of recording paper having images of said job formed thereon and discharged, and before and after every prescribed number of copies of sheets of recording paper having images of said job formed thereon and discharged, as said insertion position. 
     
     
         10 . A method of controlling an image forming apparatus allowing insertion of an insert-sheet indicating separation between a plurality of sheets of recording paper each having an image formed on its surface and then discharged, comprising the steps of:
 an image forming step of forming an image on the recording paper;   an input step of designating an insertion position to insert said insert-sheet; and   a discharge step of discharging said recording paper having the image formed thereon and said insert-sheet; wherein   said insertion position is designated on a copy-by-copy basis, each copy being a set of sheets of recording paper on which all images included in a job instructing image formation on the recording paper are formed;   said discharge step includes a step of discharging the sheets of recording paper having the images formed thereon by the number of copies determined from said insertion position, and thereafter discharging said insert-sheet shifted in a prescribed direction; and   said input step includes   a display step of displaying pieces of information each indicating each of the number of said sets on which image formation is instructed, in a manner distinguishable from each other and in the order of discharge of said sets, and   an insertion designating step of designating said insertion position by designating whether or not said insert-sheet is to be inserted between said pieces of information indicating consecutively discharged two said sets.