Printing apparatus and control method that control movement of a transfer member

A control method for controlling a system for forming a printed product using a transfer member configured to move to cyclically pass through a formation area of an ink image and a transfer area in which the ink image is transferred to a cut sheet, the transfer member being provided so as to be capable of holding images to be formed on a plurality of cut sheets in a direction in which the transfer member passes through the formation area of the ink image, a supply unit configured to supply the cut sheet to the transfer member continuously, a data acquisition unit configured to acquire print data for forming the ink image on the transfer member, the print data being obtained when an image processing unit processes image data representing an image of a print target, a print unit configured to discharge ink to the transfer member based on the print data and to form the ink image on the transfer member in the formation area of the ink image, and a transfer unit configured to transfer the ink image from the transfer member to the cut sheet supplied by the supply unit in the transfer area, the method comprising:

• when continuously printing on the plurality of cut sheets of the same size, controlling the transfer member to cause the transfer member to continue the movement, controlling the supply unit so as to stop the supply of the cut sheet by the supply unit based on information concerning a time taken to process the image data representing the image of the print target by the image processing unit, and controlling the print unit so as not to form the ink image in a partial area on the transfer member that passes through the transfer area at a timing when the supply of the cut sheet to the transfer area is stopped, and to form the ink image in a remaining area.

A printing apparatus comprising:

• (A) a transfer member configured to move to cyclically pass through a formation area of an ink image and a transfer area in which the ink image is transferred to a cut sheet, the transfer member having a plurality of regions provided in a direction in which the transfer member passes through the formation area of the ink image, each of the plurality of regions being capable of holding an image to be formed on a single cut sheet;
• (B) a supply unit configured to supply the cut sheet to the transfer member continuously;
• (C) a data acquisition unit configured to acquire print data for forming the ink image on the transfer member, the print data being obtained when an image processing unit processes image data representing an image of a print target;
• (D) a print unit configured to discharge ink to the transfer member based on the print data and to form the ink image on the transfer member in the formation area of the ink image;
• (E) a transfer unit configured to transfer the ink image from the transfer member to the cut sheet supplied by the supply unit in the transfer area;
• and
• (F) a control unit configured, when continuously printing on the plurality of cut sheets of the same size, to control the print unit and the supply unit, based on information concerning a time taken to process the image data representing the image of the print target by the image processing unit, so as not to form the ink image on the one or more regions, of the plurality of regions, and to cause the cut sheet not to be supplied to the transfer area at a timing when the one or more regions, of the plurality of regions, pass through the transfer area, and to form the ink image on remaining regions, of the plurality of regions, and to cause the cut sheet to be supplied to the transfer area at a timing when the remaining regions, of the plurality of regions, pass through the transfer area, while continuing the movement of the transfer member.