Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and sheet-feeding apparatus

An image forming method to be performed by an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising a manual feed tray on which a sheet to be subjected to image formation is placed, a size detector configured to detect a size of a sheet placed on the manual feed tray, the size detector comprising a first sensor configured to detect a length of a sheet placed on the manual feed tray in a conveying direction and a second sensor configured to detect a length of a sheet placed on the manual feed tray in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction, and a sheet-feeding unit configured to feed the sheet placed on the manual feed tray, the image forming method comprising:

• detecting whether or not the sheet is placed on the manual feed tray;
• setting a fixed size of the sheet to be used with the manual feed tray in advance even if the sheet detector detects that the sheet is not placed on the manual feed tray;
• and
• in a case where the fixed size is set in advance, when the sheet is placed on the manual feed tray and a detected size that is determined in accordance with detection results of the first sensor and the second sensor of the size detector and a fixed size that is set by the fixed size setting unit are matched, starting movement of at least one of the sheet-feeding unit and the manual feed tray so that the sheet-feeding unit and the sheet on the manual feed tray are in contact with each other.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a manual feed tray on which a sheet to be subjected to image formation is placed;
• a determining unit configured to determine whether the sheet is placed on the manual feed tray or not;
• a sheet-feeding unit configured to feed the sheet placed on the manual feed tray;
• and
• a controller,
• wherein, in a case where a size of a sheet to be placed on the manual feed tray is designated by a user before the sheet is placed on the manual feed tray and the determining unit determines that the sheet is placed on the manual feed tray, the controller causes at least one of the sheet-feeding unit and the manual feed tray to start movement so that the sheet-feeding unit and the manual feed tray approach, and
• wherein, when sheet feeding is not performed even after elapse of a predetermined time period from the movement, the controller causes the at least one of the sheet-feeding unit and the manual feed tray to be moved in a direction of separating the sheet-feeding unit and the manual feed tray.