Image forming apparatus, image forming apparatus setup system, and image forming apparatus setup method

An image forming apparatus setup system for setting up an image forming apparatus, said image forming apparatus including:

• a printer that transports sheet members supplied at preset sheet supply intervals at a predetermined first transport speed and performs image printing on the sheet members;
• and
• a processor that transports the sheet members subjected to the image printing at a predetermined second transport speed and performs development processing on the sheet members subjected to the image printing, and outputs the sheet members subjected to the development processing, wherein:
• said printer includes a first mount portion to which distributor is mounted, said distributor distributing the sheet members into plural lines to transport the distributed sheet members in the plural lines in accordance with a sheet output amount per unit time required by said image forming apparatus, while transporting the sheet members at the first transport speed, said distributor being replaceable and having a distribution processing capacity corresponding with the sheet output amount;
• and
• said image forming apparatus setup system comprising:
• said image forming apparatus;
• and
• a distributor group containing plural kinds of distributors whose distribution processing capacities have been prescribed based on sheet distribution speeds at which the sheet members are distributed into the plural lines and a single-line transporter that transports the sheet members in a single line without distributing the sheet members into the plural lines,
• wherein said image forming apparatus is set up in accordance with the sheet output amount by selecting a distributor corresponding to the sheet output amount from said distributor group and mounting said selected distributor into said first mount portion.

An image forming apparatus setup method for setting up an image forming apparatus, said image forming apparatus including:

• a printer that transports sheet members supplied at preset sheet supply intervals at a predetermined first transport speed and performs image printing on the sheet members;
• and
• a processor that transports the sheet members subjected to the image printing at a predetermined second transport speed and performs development processing on the sheet members subjected to the image printing, and outputs the sheet members subjected to the development processing, wherein:
• said printer includes:
• a distributor that distributes the sheet members into plural lines to transport the distributed sheet members in the plural lines in accordance with a sheet output amount per unit time required by said image forming apparatus, while transporting the sheet members at the first transport speed, said distributor being replaceable, having a distribution processing capacity corresponding with the sheet output amount and being capable of adjusting a sheet distribution speed at which the sheet members are distributed into the plural lines while the sheet members being transported at the first transport speed;
• and
• a control section that controls in accordance with the sheet output amount at least one of the preset sheet supply intervals and the sheet distribution speed;
• said image forming apparatus setup method comprising the steps of:
• preparing a distributor group containing plural kinds of distributors whose distribution processing capacities have been prescribed based on sheet distribution speeds at which the sheet members are distributed into the plural lines corresponding with the different output amounts and a single-line transporter that transports the sheet members in a single line without distributing the sheet members into the plural lines, and an adjuster group containing plural adjusters that adjust at least one of the sheet supply intervals and the sheet distribution speed controlled by said control section in accordance with the sheet output amount;
• selecting a distributor corresponding to the sheet output amount from said distributor group;
• and
• selecting an adjuster corresponding to the sheet output amount from said adjuster group.

An image forming apparatus including:

• a printer that transports sheet members supplied at preset sheet supply intervals at a predetermined first transport speed and performs image printing on the sheet members;
• and
• a processor that transports the sheet members subjected to the image printing at a predetermined second transport speed and performs development processing on the sheet members subjected to the image printing, and outputs the sheet members subjected to the development processing, wherein:
• said printer includes:
• a distributor that distributs the sheet members into plural lines to transport the distributed sheet members in the plural lines in accordance with a sheet output amount per unit time required by said image forming apparatus, while transporting the sheet members at the first transport speed, said distributor being replaceable, having a distribution processing capacity corresponding with the sheet output amount and being capable of adjusting a sheet distribution speed at which the sheet members are distributed into the plural lines while the sheet members being transported at the first transport speed;
• and
• a control section that controls in accordance with the sheet output amount at least one of the preset sheet supply intervals and the sheet distribution speed, and wherein
• said image forming apparatus is set up with a setup method comprising the steps of:
• preparing a distributor group containing plural kinds of distributors whose distribution processing capacities have been prescribed based on sheet distribution speeds at which the sheet members are distributed into the plural lines corresponding with the different output amounts and a single-line transporter that transports the sheet members in a single line without distributing the sheet members into the plural lines, and an adjuster group containing plural adjusters that adjust at least one of the sheet supply intervals and the sheet distribution speed controlled by said control section in accordance with the sheet output amount;
• selecting a distributor corresponding to the sheet output amount from said distributor group;
• and
• selecting an adjuster corresponding to the sheet output amount from said adjuster group.