US 7,742,716 B2Granted

Image forming system

AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.

InventorsJunichi Iida, Junichi Tokita, Shingo Matsushita, Kenji Yamada, Hiroshi Kubo, Naohiro Kikkawa

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Abstract

An image forming system includes: an image forming mechanism configured to form an image on a sheet of a transfer material; a post-processor configured to perform post-processing on a plurality of sheets of transfer materials, respectively, there being on at least one of which a respective image has been formed by the image forming mechanism; a transporter to transport the sheets through the post-processor along one or more transport paths; and a controller operable to do the following including, determine a first stopping condition of whether the number of sheets exceeds a reference number, and detect a second stopping condition of whether a cumulative thickness of the sheets loaded in the post-processor exceeds a reference thickness, and stop further image formation by the image forming mechanism when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An image forming system comprising:

an image forming mechanism configured to form an image on a sheet of a transfer material and to transport a plurality of sheets including the sheet having the image formed thereon through a transport path provided in the image forming mechanism;
a post-processor configured to receive the plurality of sheets transported from the image forming mechanism, the post-processor including,
a stapling tray provided inside the post-processor and configured to store therein the plurality of sheets transported from the image forming mechanism through a transport path provided in the post-processor, and
a stapler configured to staple two or more of the plurality of sheets stored in the stapling tray;
a transporter to transport the plurality of sheets through the image forming mechanism and the post-processor along the transport paths provided in the image forming mechanism and the post processor;
a display configured to display information to an operator;
and
a controller configured to,
determine a first stopping condition of whether the number of the plurality of sheets transported to the stapling tray exceeds a reference number,
detect a second stopping condition of whether a cumulative thickness of the plurality of sheets stored in the stapling tray provided in the post-processor exceeds a reference thickness,
stop further image formation by the image forming mechanism when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied, and
display an instruction via the display to request the operator to manually remove the plurality of sheets stored in the stapling tray when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied.

9 more elements

A method for operating an image forming apparatus and a post-processor, the method comprising:

forming an image on a sheet of a transfer material using the image forming apparatus;
transporting a plurality of sheets including the sheet having the image formed thereon from the image forming apparatus to a stapling tray provided inside the post-processor through a transport path provided in the image forming apparatus and a transport path provided in the post-processor;
storing the plurality of sheets transported to the stapling tray provided in the post-processor, the plurality of sheets stored in the stapling tray being subjected to stapling;
at least one of the following,
counting the number of the plurality of sheets to be loaded in the stapling tray provided in the post-processor, and detecting whether the number of the plurality of sheets exceeds a reference number to obtain a first stopping condition, and
detecting a cumulative thickness of the plurality of sheets stored in the sheet tray provided in the post-processor exceeds a reference thickness to obtain a second stopping condition;
stopping further image formation by the image forming apparatus when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied;
and
displaying an instruction via a display to request an operator to manually remove the plurality of sheets stored in the stapling tray when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied.

6 more elements

A post processing apparatus, comprising:

a transporter configured to transport a plurality of sheets received from an image forming apparatus through a transport path provided in the image forming apparatus and a transport path provided in the post processing apparatus;
a stapling tray configured to store therein the plurality of sheets transported from the image forming apparatus through the transport paths provided in the image forming apparatus and the post processing apparatus;
a stapler configured to staple two or more of the plurality of sheets stored in the stapling tray;
and
a controller configured to communicate with a controller of the image forming apparatus, wherein when the plurality of sheets is transported from the image forming apparatus, the controller is further configured to,
determine a first stopping condition of whether the number of the plurality of sheets transported from the image forming apparatus exceeds a reference number,
detect a second stopping condition of whether a cumulative thickness of the plurality of sheets stored in the stapling tray exceeds a reference thickness,
stop further image formation by the image forming apparatus when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied, and
display an instruction via a display to request an operator to manually remove the plurality of sheets stored in the stapling tray when at least one of the first and second stopping conditions is satisfied.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.