# US 2019/0168982 A1 · Image forming apparatus, method for controlling the same, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

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- Number: US 2019/0168982 A1
- Document ID: US20190168982A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/210,548
- Filed: 2018-12-05
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-06
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Satoru Yamamoto; Koji Yumoto; Takashi Yokoya; Akihiro Kawakita; Akinobu Nishikata
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168982A1

## CPC

- B65H 29/60: diverting the stream into alternative paths (B65H29/62 takes precedence)
- B65H 3/44: Simultaneously, alternately, or selectively separating articles from two or more piles
- B65H 5/062: {between rollers or balls}
- B65H 7/04: responsive to absence of articles, e.g. exhaustion of pile (B65H7/14 takes precedence)
- B65H 7/20: Controlling associated apparatus
- B65H 9/006: {the stop being formed by forwarding means in stand-by}
- B65H 31/24: multiple or compartmented, e.d. for alternate, programmed, or selective filling
- B65H 39/042: the piles being disposed in superposed carriers
- B65H 2511/414: of mode of operation
- B65H 2511/515: Absence
- B65H 2801/06: Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus including a controller configured to start feeding a sheet from a feeding unit without confirming a presence or absence of an insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet when an amount of insert sheets stacked on a stacking tray as a feed source is higher than a predetermined amount, wherein in a case in which the amount of the insert sheets on the stacking tray is lower than the predetermined amount, the controller starts feeding a sheet from the feeding unit without confirming a presence or absence of the insert sheet when an other stacking tray on which an amount of insert sheets is higher than the predetermined amount is present, and the controller starts feeding the sheet from the feeding unit after confirming the presence or absence of the insert sheet when the other stacking tray is absent.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a feeding unit configured to feed a sheet;
an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet fed from the feeding unit;
a plurality of stacking trays on which insert sheets to be inserted between sheets are stacked;
an insert unit configured to feed an insert sheet stacked on a stacking tray of the plurality of stacking trays as a feed source and to convey the insert sheet;
detection units configured to detect amounts of insert sheets stacked on the plurality of stacking trays, respectively; and
a controller configured to start feeding of a sheet from the feeding unit without confirming a presence or absence of an insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet in a case in which an amount of insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source is higher than a predetermined amount,
wherein the insert unit switches the feed source from the stacking tray to an other stacking tray of the plurality of stacking trays in a case in which the insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source become absent, and
wherein in a case in which the amount of the insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source is lower than the predetermined amount,
the controller starts feeding of a sheet from the feeding unit without confirming a presence or absence of an insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet when an other stacking tray on which an amount of insert sheets is higher than the predetermined amount is present, and
the controller starts the feeding of the sheet from the feeding unit after confirming the presence or absence of the insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet when the other stacking tray is absent.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first setting unit configured to set a switching setting to enabled or disabled, the switching setting being for switching the feed source from the stacking tray to the other stacking tray by the insert unit in the case in which the insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source become absent,
wherein in a case in which the switching setting is set to disabled, the insert unit does not switch the feed source from the stacking tray to the other stacking tray even in the case in which the insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source become absent, and
wherein in the case in which the switching setting is set to disabled, the controller starts feeding a sheet from the feeding unit after confirming the presence or absence of the insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet in the case in which the amount of the insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source is lower than the predetermined amount.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second setting unit configured to set types and sizes of the insert sheets stacked on the plurality of stacking trays,
wherein in a case in which an other stacking tray on which insert sheets of the same type and the same size as the insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source is set is absent, the controller starts feeding a sheet from the feeding unit after confirming the presence or absence of the insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet in the case in which the amount of the insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source is lower than the predetermined amount.

### Claim 4

A control method for an image forming apparatus which includes a feeding unit configured to feed a sheet, an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet fed from the feeding unit, a plurality of stacking trays on which insert sheets to be inserted between sheets are stacked, an insert unit configured to feed an insert sheet using a stacking tray of the plurality of stacking trays as a feed source and to convey the insert sheet for merging downstream of the image forming unit, detection units configured to detect amounts of insert sheets stacked on the plurality of stacking trays, respectively, and a controller configured to start feeding of a sheet from the feeding unit without confirming a presence or absence of an insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet in a case in which an amount of insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source is higher than a predetermined amount, wherein the insert unit switches the feed source from the stacking tray to an other stacking tray in a case in which the insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source become absent, the control method comprising:
determining, in a case in which the amount of the insert sheets stacked on the stacking tray as the feed source is lower than the predetermined amount, whether an other stacking tray on which an amount of insert sheets is higher than the predetermined amount is present;
starting feeding a sheet from the feeding unit without confirming a presence or absence of an insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet when the other stacking tray is present; and
starting feeding the sheet from the feeding unit after confirming the presence or absence of the insert sheet to be inserted before the sheet when the other stacking tray is absent.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program which makes a computer execute the control method as recited in claim 4.