US 6,611,352 B2 · Image forming apparatus and image forming method

Abstract

Images are formed in the S-D and D-D modes and sheets of recording paper after image formation are arranged in accordance with the order of pages. A document of an odd-numbered page placed on a paper feeding tray in a document transport part is fed to an image reading part and an image is read and stored into a RAM. Subsequently, a document of an even-numbered page is fed and an image is read. A sheet of recording paper housed in a paper feeding cassette is transported to an image forming part and the image is formed on one of the surfaces of the sheet of recording paper. Further, the sheet of recording paper is transported to a path, turned upside down, and transported again to the image forming part. The image stored in the RAM is read out and formed on the other surface of the sheet of recording paper. Finally, the sheet of recording paper is transported with the other surface facing downward and ejected to an output tray. By repeating the operation, the sheets of recording paper can be ejected in accordance with the order of pages.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus comprising:

reading means for reading an image on a document;
document transporting means for sequentially transporting documents to the reading means;
image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of recording paper;
recording paper transporting means for transporting the sheet of recording paper;
and
storing means for storing image information read by the reading means,
the apparatus further comprising control means,
for allowing an image drawn on one side of each document to be sequentially read by the reading means and formed on both sides of each sheet of recording paper by the image forming means,
for allowing an image of an odd-numbered document to be initially read by the reading means and stored into the storing means,
for allowing an image of an even-numbered document to be next read by the reading means and then directly formed on one of the surfaces of a sheet of recording paper by the image forming means prior to the odd-numbered document being read out of the storing means and formed on the other surface of the sheet of recording paper,
for allowing the sheet of recording paper to be turned upside down by the recording paper transporting means,
for allowing the image of the odd-numbered document stored in the storing means to be then read out and formed on the other surface of the sheet of recording paper by the image forming means, and
for allowing the sheet of recording paper to be transported with the other surface facing downward by the recording paper transporting means.

10 more elements

An image forming apparatus comprising:

reading means for reading an image on a document;
document transporting means for sequentially transporting documents to the reading means;
image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of recording paper;
recording paper transporting means for transporting the sheet of recording paper;
and
storing means for storing image information read by the reading means,
the apparatus comprising control means,
for allowing images drawn on both sides of each document to be sequentially read by the reading means and formed on both sides of each sheet of recording paper by the image forming means,
for allowing an image on the front side of a document to be read by the reading means and stored into the storing means,
for allowing an image on the back side of the document to be next read by the reading means and then directly formed on one of the surfaces of a sheet of recording paper by the image forming means prior to the front side of the document being read out of the storing means and printed on the other surface of the sheet of recording paper,
for allowing the sheet of recording paper to be turned upside down by the recording paper transporting means,
for allowing the image of the front side of the document stored in the storing means to be then read out and printed on the other surface of the sheet of recording paper by the image forming means, and
for allowing the sheet of recording paper to be transported with the other surface facing downward by the recording paper transporting means.

10 more elements

An image forming apparatus comprising:

reading means for reading an image on a document;
document transporting means for sequentially transporting documents to the reading means;
image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of recording paper;
recording paper transporting, means for transporting the sheet of recording paper;
and
storing means for storing image information read by the reading means,
the apparatus further comprising control means,
for allowing an image drawn on one side of each document to be sequentially read by the reading means and formed on both sides of each sheet of recording paper by the image forming means,
for allowing an image of an odd-numbered document to be read by the reading means and stored into the storing means,
for allowing an image of an even-numbered document to be next read by the reading means and then formed directly on one of the surfaces of a sheet of recording paper by the image forming means prior to the odd-numbered document being read out of the storing means and formed on the other surface of the sheet of recording paper,
for allowing the sheet of recording paper to be turned upside down by the recording paper transporting means,
for then allowing the image of the odd-numbered document stored in the storing means to be read out and formed on the other surface of the sheet of recording paper by the image forming means, and
for allowing the sheet of recording paper to be transported with the other surface facing downward by the recording paper transporting means, the apparatus further comprising,
detecting means for detecting the size of the document;
determining means for comparing the size of the detected document with a size of a predetermined reference document and determining whether the detected document is larger or not;
and
thinning means for thinning out image information read from the document when the detected document is larger on the basis of the determination result and storing the resulted image into the storing means.

14 more elements

An image forming apparatus comprising:

reading means for reading an image on a document;
document transporting means for sequentially transporting documents to the reading means;
image forming means for forming an image on a sheet of recording paper;
recording paper transporting means for transporting the sheet of recording paper;
and
storing means for storing image information read by the reading means,
the apparatus comprising control means,
for allowing images drawn on both sides of each document to be sequentially read by the reading means and formed on both sides of each sheet of recording paper by the image forming means,
for allowing an image on the front side of a document to be read by the reading means and stored into the storing means,
for allowing an image on the back side of the document to be read by the reading means and then formed directly on one of the surfaces of a sheet of recording paper by the image forming means prior to the front side of the document being read out of the storing means and formed on the other surface of the recording paper,
for allowing the sheet of recording paper to be turned upside down by the recording paper transporting means,
for allowing the image of the first side of the document stored in the storing means to be then read out and formed on the other surface of the sheet of recording paper by the image forming means, and
for allowing the sheet of recording paper to be transported with the other surface facing downward by the recording paper transporting means,
the apparatus further comprising,
detecting means for detecting the size of the document;
determining means for comparing the size of the detected document with the size of a predetermined reference document and determining whether the detected document is larger or not;
and
thinning means for thinning out the read image information when the detected document is larger on the basis of the determination result and storing the resultant information into the storing means.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method

Life of this patent

Image forming apparatus and image forming method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12