Paper feeder and an image forming apparatus provided with the same

The combination comprising an image forming apparatus and a paper feeder apparatus for feeding copy paper to the image forming apparatus and wherein the paper feeder apparatus is provided independently of the image forming apparatus, the combination comprising:

• an image forming apparatus having a document setting means for receiving a document to be copied, said image forming apparatus having an inlet to receive copy paper;
• paper feeder apparatus comprising a paper discharge outlet and paper transport means for transporting copy paper to said discharge outlet, said paper transport means being positioned juxtaposed to said image forming apparatus such that copy paper discharged from said discharge outlet is fed to said inlet of said image forming apparatus;
• said paper feeder apparatus further comprising document detection means positioned on said document setting means of said image forming apparatus and operable to detect whether a document to be imaged by said image forming apparatus is properly set on said document setting means;
• said paper feeder apparatus further comprising control means connected between said paper transport means and said document detection means, said control means comprising prohibition means for prohibiting transport of copy paper by said paper transport means when said detecting means detects that a document has not been properly set on said document setting means, said control means further comprising warning means for notifying an operator when said detecting means detects that a document has not been properly set on said document setting means;
• whereby said paper feeder apparatus is provideable independently of said image forming apparatus.