Image forming apparatus and control program

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a sheet conveyance unit configured to include a sheet conveyance path and convey a sheet along the sheet conveyance path;
• a sheet detector configured to detect the sheet in the sheet conveyance path;
• a job acquiring unit configured to acquire a print job related to the sheet;
• an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet;
• and
• a processor configured to control the sheet conveyance unit to perform one of first sheet conveyance and second sheet conveyance, the first sheet conveyance being performed to convey the sheet along the sheet conveyance path in accordance with sheet information included in the print job, the second sheet conveyance being performed to discharge the sheet to outside in accordance with a result of detection performed by the sheet detector, regardless of the sheet information, wherein
• when sheet conveyance in the sheet conveyance path is resumed after a suspension, the processor controls the sheet conveyance unit to perform the second sheet conveyance on a remaining sheet which remains in the sheet conveyance path and does not hinder the sheet conveyance resumed after suspension,
• wherein while the second sheet conveyance is being performed, the processor determines whether a remaining sheet is being properly conveyed, in accordance with a staying time during which the remaining sheet stays at a first position in the sheet conveyance path, and a reaching time required for the remaining sheet to be conveyed from the first position to a second position located on a downstream side of the first position in a sheet conveying direction, the staying time and the reaching time being determined with respect to each remaining sheet being conveyed in the sheet conveyance path.

A non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable control program for causing an image forming apparatus to execute:

• starting a printing process, and conveying a sheet along a sheet conveyance path in the image forming apparatus in one of a first sheet conveyance and a second sheet conveyance, wherein the first sheet conveyance conveys the sheet along the sheet conveyance path in accordance with sheet information included in the print job, and the second sheet conveyance discharges the sheet to outside the image forming apparatus in accordance with a result of detection performed by a sheet detector installed in the sheet conveyance path, regardless of the sheet information;
• suspending the printing process and suspending sheet conveyance in the sheet conveyance path;
• when sheet conveyance in the sheet conveyance path is resumed after a suspension, and the sheet detector detects a sheet in a section of the sheet conveyance path, conveying the sheet in accordance with a result of detection performed by the sheet detector, regardless of the sheet information, in the second sheet conveyance, and discharging the sheet to outside, the sheet not hindering the sheet conveyance;
• and
• when sheet conveyance in the sheet conveyance path is resumed after the suspension, and the sheet detector does not detect the sheet in the section of the conveyance path, control the sheet conveyance unit to activate the sheet conveyance unit in the section and then determine if the sheet is detected by the sheet detector, and if the sheet is detected after activation of the sheet conveyance unit, conveying the detected sheet in the second sheet conveyance in the sheet conveyance path and does not hinder the sheet conveyance resumed after suspension.

An image forming method comprising:

• conveying a sheet along a sheet conveyance path;
• detecting the sheet in the sheet conveyance path;
• acquiring a print job related to the sheet;
• forming an image on the sheet;
• performing first sheet conveyance wherein the sheet is conveyed in accordance with sheet information included in the print job,
• when sheet conveyance in the sheet conveyance path is resumed after a suspension, and the sheet detector detects a sheet in a section of the sheet conveyance path, conveying the sheet in accordance with a result of detection performed by the sheet detector, regardless of the sheet information, in the second sheet conveyance, and discharging the sheet to outside, the sheet not hindering the sheet conveyance;
• and
• when sheet conveyance in the sheet conveyance path is resumed after the suspension, and the sheet detector does not detect the sheet in the section of the conveyance path, control the sheet conveyance unit to activate the sheet conveyance unit in the section and then determine if the sheet is detected by the sheet detector, and if the sheet is detected after activation of the sheet conveyance unit, conveying the detected sheet in the second sheet conveyance in the sheet conveyance path and does not hinder the sheet conveyance resumed after suspension.