Finisher, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium and method for controlling transportation of media sheets

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for controlling transportation of media sheets, to be executed in a finisher, the finisher including:

• (i) a sheet transporter that transports media sheets along a sheet path;
• (ii) a sheet cutter that is disposed on the sheet path and that receives printed media sheets that were subjected to print processing by a print engine and divides each of the printed media sheets into two or more cut media sheets that line lie in the sheet path, by cutting each of the printed media sheets in a direction crossing the sheet path;
• (iii) a sheet inserter that inserts insertion sheets not to be subjected to print processing, into the sheet path;
• (iv) a sheet stacker that stacks the cut media sheets and the insertion sheets transported by the sheet transporter thereon;
• (v) a sheet buffer that is disposed on a branch line branching off from the sheet path at a branch position on the sheet path between the sheet cutter and the sheet stacker;
• and (vi) a controller that controls transportation of media sheets with the sheet transporter, the program comprising instructions that are executable by the controller to cause the controller to perform operations comprising:
• setting a sheet insertion mode to one of a pre-sheet insertion mode and a post-sheet insertion mode, where the sheet insertion mode is a mode for use in inserting an insertion sheet to be put between cut media sheets given by a division of one of the printed media sheets, into the sheet path by the sheet inserter, the pre-sheet insertion mode is a mode in which the insertion sheet is inserted into the sheet path so that the insertion sheet passes through the sheet cutter before the sheet cutter divides the one of the printed media sheets, and the post-sheet insertion mode is a mode in which the insertion sheet is inserted into the sheet path so that the insertion sheet passes through the sheet cutter after the sheet cutter divides the one of the printed media sheets;
• and
• according to the sheet insertion mode, controlling transportation of cut media sheets given by a division of one of the printed media sheets with the sheet cutter and an insertion sheet inserted into the sheet path by the sheet inserter, by causing the sheet transporter to transport either of a part of the cut media sheets and the insertion sheet into the sheet buffer and change an order of the cut media sheets and the insertion sheet being transported along the sheet path so that the insertion sheet is positioned between the cut media sheets.

A method for controlling transportation of media sheets, for use in a finisher including:

• (i) a sheet transporter that transports media sheets along a sheet path;
• (ii) a sheet cutter that is disposed on the sheet path and that receives printed media sheets that were subjected to print processing by a print engine and divides each of the printed media sheets into two or more cut media sheets that lie in the sheet path, by cutting each of the printed media sheets in a direction crossing the sheet path;
• (iii) a sheet inserter that inserts insertion sheets not to be subjected to print processing, into the sheet path;
• (iv) a sheet stacker that stacks the cut media sheets and the insertion sheets transported by the sheet transporter thereon;
• (v) a sheet buffer that is disposed on a branch line branching off from the sheet path at a branch position on the sheet path between the sheet cutter and the sheet stacker;
• and (vi) a controller that controls transportation of media sheets with the sheet transporter,
• the method comprising:
• setting, by the controller, a sheet insertion mode to one of a pre-sheet insertion mode and a post-sheet insertion mode, where the sheet insertion mode is a mode for use in inserting an insertion sheet to be put between cut media sheets given by a division of one of the printed media sheets, into the sheet path by the sheet inserter, the pre-sheet insertion mode is a mode in which the insertion sheet is inserted into the sheet path so that the insertion sheet passes through the sheet cutter before the sheet cutter divides the one of the printed media sheets, and the post-sheet insertion mode is a mode in which the insertion sheet is inserted into the sheet path so that the insertion sheet passes through the sheet cutter after the sheet cutter divides the one of the printed media sheets;
• and
• according to the sheet insertion mode, controlling, by the controller, transportation of cut media sheets given by a division of one of the printed media sheets with the sheet cutter and an insertion sheet inserted into the sheet path by the sheet inserter, by causing the sheet transporter to transport either of a part of the cut media sheets and the insertion sheet into the sheet buffer and change an order of the cut media sheets and the insertion sheet being transported along the sheet path so that the insertion sheet is positioned between the cut media sheets.