Network printer/photocopier configuration and sheet transport system therefor

An image reproducing station, comprising:

• a printer;
• a printer sheet transport system defining a stacking path and including a stacking unit, for feeding printed sheets along said stacking path from an image forming unit of said printer into said stacking unit;
• a printer sheet refeed system defining a sheet refeed path, for feeding printed sheets from said stacking unit to said sheet refeed path;
• a photocopying machine;
• a photocopying machine document loading/handling unit including a document-loading transport path and a document feed path communicating with the document-loading transport path;
• a printer-mounting surface on said photocopying machine adjacent the document loading/handling unit;
• and
• a guide mechanism mounting said printer onto said printer-mounting surface, said guide mechanism for shiftably guiding said printer between an operational position wherein said sheet refeed path of said printer communicates with said document feed path of said document loading/handling unit, and a retreated position substantially off said photocopying machine.

An image reproducing station in network connection with at least one data processor generating printing data including associated printing process and photocopying process control data, the image reproducing station comprising:

• a printer;
• a printer sheet transport means having a stacking unit, said printer sheet transport means for feeding printed documents from an image forming unit of the printer into said stacking unit;
• a photocopying machine having a document loading/handling unit associable with said printer, said photocopying machine therein for making copies of printed documents from said printer;
• a document transport system including a printer sheet refeed means in said printer for feeding printed documents from said stacking unit out of said printer, and including a document feed path in said document loading/handling unit, whereby said document transport system transports printed documents from said stacking unit into said document loading/handling unit;
• a printer control unit with a data receive unit for receiving printing data from a network data processor, said printer control unit therein for controlling said printer in response to the printing data to produce accordingly printed documents, said printer control unit connected to said printer sheet transport means and to said document transport system;
• and
• a photocopier control unit with a data receive unit for receiving photocopying process control data from one of a network data processor and said printer control unit, said photocopier control unit connected to said document loading/handling unit and to said document transport system;
• wherein
• said printer control unit and said photocopier control unit are correspondingly configured to permit operating instructional input to one of said printer control unit and said photocopier control unit during standby in a respective one of said printer and said photocopying machine while the other of said printer and said photocopying machine is operating.