Image forming apparatus that provides insert sheet in proper order, method of controlling the same, and storage medium therefor

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• inputting means for inputting images;
• image forming means for forming images on blank sheets based on the input images;
• stacking means for stacking a plurality of bundles of insert sheets, wherein each bundle has insert sheets corresponding to n pages, which are to be inserted between the sheets having images formed thereon by said image forming means, in a predetermined order of pages in which the insert sheets corresponding to n pages are to be inserted, and wherein the insert sheets corresponding to the n pages in each bundle are inserted in a single bundle of one copy set including the sheets having the images formed thereon by said image forming means;
• inserter means for performing a sheet inserting operation to feed the stacked insert sheets so as to be inserted between said sheets having images formed thereon;
• reading means for reading identification information assigned to the insert sheets and generating an output indicating the read identification information;
• designating means for designating at least one insertion position in said sheets having images formed thereon for insertion of at least one of the insert sheets by said inserter means;
• interrupting means for interrupting the sheet inserting operation of said inserter means when at least one of the insert sheets has jammed while being subjected to the sheet inserting operation by said inserter means;
• detecting means for detecting based on the output of said reading means whether or not the insert sheet fed is for a top page in one of the bundles of insert sheets;
• and
• discharging means operable when said detecting means detects that the insert sheet fed first by said inserter means after a restart of the sheet inserting operation is not the insert sheet for the top page for discharging insert sheets onto an escape tray until the insert sheet for the top page is detected, and for further discharging insert sheets onto the escape tray up to an insert sheet immediately preceding a same page of insert sheet as the at least one jammed insert sheet.

A control method of controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• inputting images by inputting means;
• forming images on blank sheets based on the input images by image forming means;
• feeding insert sheets from a plurality of bundles of insert sheets stacked by stacking means, wherein each bundle has insert sheets corresponding to n pages, which are to be inserted between the sheets having images formed thereon by said image forming means, in a predetermined order of pages in which the insert sheets corresponding to the n pages are to be inserted, and wherein the insert sheets corresponding to the n pages in each bundle are inserted in a single bundle of one copy set including the sheets having the images formed thereon by said image forming means;
• feeding the stacked insert sheets by inserter means between the sheets having images formed thereon by said image forming means;
• reading identification information assigned to the insert sheets and generating an output indicating the read identification information by reading means;
• designating at least one insertion position in said sheets having images formed thereon for insertion of at least one of the insert sheets by said inserter means, by designating means;
• detecting based on the output of said reading means by detecting means whether or not the insert sheet fed is for a top page in one of the bundles of insert sheets;
• and
• discharging insert sheets by discharging means onto an escape tray until the insert sheet for the top page is detected when said detecting means detects that the insert sheet fed by said inserter means after a print start instruction has been given is not the insert sheet for the top page.

A control method of controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• inputting images by inputting means;
• forming images on blank sheets based on the input images by image forming means;
• feeding insert sheets from a plurality of bundles of insert sheets stacked by stacking means, wherein each bundle has insert sheets corresponding to n pages, which are to be inserted between the sheets having images formed thereon by said image forming means, in a predetermined order of pages in which the insert sheets corresponding to the n pages are to be inserted, and wherein the insert sheets corresponding to the n pages in each bundle are inserted in a single bundle of one copy set including the sheets having the images formed thereon by said image forming means;
• performing a sheet inserting operation by inserter means to feed the stacked insert sheets so as to be inserted between the sheets having images formed thereon by said image forming means;
• reading identification information assigned to the insert sheets and generating an output indicating the read identification information by reading means;
• designating at least one insertion position in said sheets having images formed thereon for insertion of at least one of the insert sheets by said inserter means, by designating means;
• interrupting the sheet inserting operation of said inserter means by interrupting means when at least one of the insert sheets has jammed while being subjected to the sheet inserting operation by said inserter means;
• detecting based on the output of said reading means whether or not the insert sheet fed is for a top page in one of the bundles of insert sheets by detecting means;
• and
• discharging insert sheets onto an escape tray until the insert sheet for the top page is detected, and further discharging insert sheets onto the escape tray up to an insert sheet immediately preceding a same page of insert sheet as the at least one jammed insert sheet, by discharging means, when said detecting means detects that the insert sheet fed first by said inserter means after a restart of the sheet inserting operation is not the insert sheet for the top page.