Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming device, including a plurality of image bearers, configured to form an image onto a sheet;
• a transfer section configured to transfer the image onto the sheet;
• a plurality of sheet feed trays configured to:
• store sheets;
• and
• supply the sheets from a sheet feed port of each of the plurality of sheet feed trays to the transfer section;
• processing circuitry configured to switch sheet feeding from one sheet feed tray in use to another sheet feed tray of the plurality of sheet feed trays when the sheets run out in the one sheet feed tray in use;
• and
• a detector configured to detect a remaining amount of sheets in the one sheet feed tray in use,
• wherein the detector includes a sensor that detects a near-end state of the one sheet feed tray in use,
• wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
• execute an image-spacing enlarging control to enlarge spacing between images formed by the image forming device in response to detecting the near-end state by the sensor,
• calculate an allowable number of sheets, based on a number of sheets supplied from the one sheet feed tray in use until the sheets run out after an initial detection of the near-end state by the sensor that causes the image-spacing enlarging control for a first time, and
• in response to a subsequent detection of the near-end state by the sensor, execute another image-spacing enlarging control after the allowable number of sheets are supplied since the subsequent detection of the near-end state by the sensor.