Electrophotographic apparatus capable of selectively using cut sheet and continuous paper and method therefor

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• first supplying means for supplying cut sheet as printing paper towards a common feeding path;
• second supplying means for supplying fanfold paper as printing paper towards said common feeding path;
• feeding means for feeding the printing paper supplied from one of said first and second supplying means along said common feeding path, said feeding means including a pair of feeding rollers rotatably arranged at a preset position on said common feeding path, the printing paper passing between the feeding rollers;
• image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive medium;
• developing means for developing the latent image on the photosensitive medium into a toner image;
• transferring means for transferring the toner image on said photosensitive medium onto the printing paper lying on said common feeding path at a transferring position;
• fixing means for fixing the transferred toner image on the printing paper at a fixing position on said common feeding path, the fixing position being set on an upstream side of the preset position with respect to a feeding direction of the printing paper;
• and
• cutting means for cutting fanfold paper at a cutting position set on a downstream side of the feeding rollers;
• wherein said cutting means includes means for aligning one of perforation lines of the fanfold paper along which the fanfold paper is to be cut off with the cutting position;
• holding means for holding a portion of the fanfold paper which lies on a downstream side with respect to the aligned perforation line;
• and a cutting member for cutting off the fanfold paper at the aligned perforation line by pulling the fanfold paper in a direction perpendicular to the aligned perforation line while being moved along the aligned perforation line.

An electrophotographic method comprising:

• a supplying step of selecting one of cut sheet and continuous paper as a printing paper and supplying the selected printing paper towards a common feeding path;
• a feeding step of feeding the printing paper supplied from said supplying step along said common feeding path;
• an image forming step of forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive medium;
• a developing step of developing the latent image on said photosensitive medium into a toner image;
• a transferring step of transferring the toner image onto the printing paper at a preset transferring position set on said common feeding path;
• a fixing step of fixing the transferred toner image on the printing paper at a preset fixing position set on said common feeding path;
• a cutting step of cutting apart the continuous paper at a cutting position defined on a downstream side of said fixing position in a feeding direction of the printing paper;
• a separation step of separating said common feeding path from said photosensitive medium and a fixing unit for effecting said fixing step;
• and
• a retracting step of drawing back the continuous paper which is left behind on said common feeding path after the continuous paper is cut apart to a position which lies on an upstream side of said common feeding path and does not prevent supply of the cut paper.

An electrophotographic method comprising:

• a supplying step of selecting one of cut paper and fanfold paper as a printing paper and supplying the selected printing paper towards a common feeding path;
• a feeding step of feeding the printing paper supplied from said supplying step along said common feeding path, the printing paper passing between a pair of feeding rollers which are rotatably arranged at a present position on said common feeding path;
• an image forming step of forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive medium;
• a developing step of developing the latent image on said photosensitive medium into a toner image;
• a transferring step of transferring the toner image onto the printing paper at a transferring position set on said common feeding path, the transferring position being set on an upstream side of the preset position in a feeding direction of the printing paper;
• a fixing step of fixing the transferred toner image on the printing paper at a fixing position between the transferring position and the present position on said common feeding path;
• and
• a cutting step of cutting apart the fanfold paper at a cutting position defined on a downstream side of the preset position on said common feeding path after said fixing step is effected;
• wherein said cutting step includes a process for aligning one of perforation lines of the fanfold paper along which the fanfold paper is to be cut off with the cutting position;
• a holding process for holding a portion of the fanfold paper which lies on a downstream side with respect to the aligned perforation line;
• and a cutting process for cutting off the fanfold paper at the aligned perforation line by pulling the fanfold paper in a direction perpendicular to the aligned perforation line.