# US 12,298,699 B2 · Image forming system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,298,699 B2 - Document ID: US12298699B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/183,254 - Filed: 2023-03-14 - Published: 2023-09-21 - Granted: 2025-05-13 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-16 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Noriyuki Monden - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12298699B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/6582: {Special processing for irreversibly adding or changing the sheet copy material characteristics or its appearance, e.g. stamping, annotation printing, punching} - G03G 15/5008: {Driving control for rotary photosensitive medium, e.g. speed control, stop position control} - G03G 15/5029: {by measuring the copy material characteristics, e.g. weight, thickness} - G03G 15/6552: {Means for discharging uncollated sheet copy material, e.g. discharging rollers, exit trays} - G03G 21/20: Humidity or temperature control {also ozone evacuation; Internal apparatus environment control} - G03G 2215/00717: Detection of physical properties - G03G 2215/00818: Punch device - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image forming system includes a punch unit, provided in a post-processing apparatus, which includes a punch member that performs punching processing of forming a punch hole in a sheet conveyed along a conveyance path from an image forming apparatus while the punch member rotates, and a detection unit configured to detect a surface property of the sheet conveyed along a conveyance path from the image forming apparatus toward the punch unit. A control unit controls conveyance of the sheet such that the sheet is conveyed to the punch unit at a conveyance speed corresponding to the detected surface property, and controls rotation of the punch member such that the punch member performs the punching processing on the sheet conveyed from the image forming apparatus while the punch member rotates at a rotation speed corresponding to the conveyance speed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming system including an image forming apparatus, and a post-processing apparatus which is connected to a downstream side of the image forming apparatus in a conveyance direction of a sheet and which performs punching processing of forming a punch hole in a sheet conveyed along a conveyance path from the image forming apparatus, the image forming system comprising: a punch unit, provided in the post-processing apparatus, which includes a punch member that performs the punching processing on the sheet conveyed from the image forming apparatus while the punch member rotates; a surface property detection unit configured to detect a surface property of the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path toward the punch unit; a basis weight detection unit configured to detect a basis weight of the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path toward the punch unit; and a control unit configured to: control conveyance of the sheet such that the sheet is conveyed to the punch unit at a conveyance speed corresponding to the surface property detected by the surface property detection unit, control rotation of the punch member such that the punch member performs the punching processing on the sheet conveyed from the image forming apparatus while the punch member rotates at a rotation speed corresponding to the conveyance speed, and control discharge of the sheet such that the sheet is discharged without the punching processing being performed on the sheet, in a case where the basis weight detected by the basis weight detection unit is greater than a basis weight threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the basis weight threshold is set in advance as a condition under which the punch unit is overloaded in the punching processing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the conveyance speed of the sheet to a conveyance speed corresponding to the surface property in a case where the conveyance speed of the sheet during conveyance along the conveyance path is not the conveyance speed corresponding to the surface property detected by the surface property detection unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image forming system according to claim 3, wherein the post-processing apparatus further includes a first conveyance roller and a second conveyance roller, which are disposed upstream and downstream, respectively, from the punch unit in the conveyance path, and are configured to convey the sheet in the post-processing apparatus, and the control unit changes the conveyance speed before the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path reaches the first conveyance roller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the post-processing apparatus further includes: a sensor, provided upstream from the punch unit in the conveyance path, configured to detect the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path; and a motor configured to rotationally drive the punch member, and wherein the control unit causes the punch member to perform the punching processing on the sheet by driving the motor according to a speed profile corresponding to the conveyance speed, using as a reference a timing at which a leading end of the sheet is detected by the sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance speed corresponding to the surface property is defined in advance for each of a plurality of types of sheets each having a different surface property. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance speed corresponding to the surface property is defined in advance as a conveyance speed at which slippage does not occur between a conveyance roller and a sheet when the conveyance roller conveys the sheet in the conveyance path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising: a temperature and humidity sensor configured to detect a temperature and a humidity in an installation environment of the image forming system, wherein the control unit further controls whether or not to perform the punching processing on the sheet based on at least two of the following: the basis weight detected by the basis weight detection unit; an absolute moisture content in air obtained based on information output from the temperature and humidity sensor; and a total number of times the punching processing is performed by the punch unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image forming system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the post-processing apparatus to discharge the sheet without performing the punching processing on the sheet in a case where the basis weight detected by the basis weight detection unit is greater than a basis weight threshold, and the basis weight threshold is set to a lower value the higher the absolute moisture content is. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image forming system according to claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the post-processing apparatus to discharge the sheet without performing the punching processing on the sheet in a case where the basis weight detected by the basis weight detection unit is greater than a basis weight threshold, and the basis weight threshold is set to a lower value as the total number of times increases. ### Claim 11 An image forming system including an image forming apparatus, and a post-processing apparatus which is connected to a downstream side of the image forming apparatus in a conveyance direction of a sheet and which performs punching processing of forming a punch hole in a sheet conveyed along a conveyance path from the image forming apparatus, the image forming system comprising: a punch unit, provided in the post-processing apparatus, which includes a punch member that performs the punching processing on the sheet conveyed from the image forming apparatus while the punch member rotates; a basis weight detection unit configured to detect a basis weight of the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path toward the punch unit; a temperature and humidity sensor configured to detect a temperature and a humidity in an installation environment of the image forming system; and a control unit configured to control rotation of the punch member such that the punch member performs the punching processing on the sheet conveyed from the image forming apparatus while the punch member rotates at a rotation speed corresponding to a conveyance speed of the sheet, wherein the control unit further controls whether or not to perform the punching processing on the sheet based on at least two of the following: the basis weight detected by the basis weight detection unit; an absolute moisture content in air obtained based on information output from the temperature and humidity sensor; and a total number of times the punching processing is performed by the punch unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image forming system according to claim 11, wherein the control unit controls the post-processing apparatus to discharge the sheet without performing the punching processing on the sheet in a case where the basis weight detected by the basis weight detection unit is greater than a basis weight threshold, and the basis weight threshold is set to a lower value the higher the absolute moisture content is. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The image forming system according to claim 11, wherein the control unit controls the post-processing apparatus to discharge the sheet without performing the punching processing on the sheet in a case where the basis weight detected by the basis weight detection unit is greater than a basis weight threshold, and the basis weight threshold is set to a lower value as the total number of times increases.