Image forming apparatus and information processing apparatus

Abstract

The invention discloses an image forming apparatus and an information processing apparatus. An image forming apparatus includes: a selector configured to select a first mode for forming an image on a first recording material, the first recording material including a closed first side, a closed second side, an open third side, and an open fourth side; a tray on which the first recording material is to be placed; an image former configured to form an image on the first recording material conveyed from the tray; a display; and a controller configured to control an orientation of an image to be formed according to an orientation in which the first recording material is placed on the tray in a case where the first mode is selected by the selector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material by using an electrophotographic method or an electrostatic recording method. Background Art

[0002] Image forming devices typically use paper, such as those defined in the Japanese Industrial Standards, as recording material to print images. Image forming devices can use various sizes and types of paper or file folders as recording material. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-168394 discloses an image forming device that uses a file folder.

[0003] A file folder has a shape in which at least one side is closed and at least one side is open. When an image is formed on a recording material having such a shape, there is a possibility that the orientation in which the recording material is placed does not match the orientation in which the image is formed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, an image forming device includes: a selection component, which is configured to select a first mode for forming an image on a first recording material, the first recording material including a closed first side, a closed second side, an open third side and an open fourth side; a placement component, on which the first recording material is to be placed; an image forming component, which is configured to form an image on the first recording material conveyed from the placement component; a display component; and a control component, which is configured to control the orientation of the image to be formed according to the orientation in which the first recording material is placed on the placement component when the first mode is selected by the selection component.

[0005] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an image forming device includes: a selection component configured to select a first mode for forming an image on a first recording material, the first recording material including a closed first side, a closed second side, an open third side, and an open fourth side; a placement component on which the first recording material is to be placed; an image forming component configured to form an image on the first recording material conveyed from the placement component; a display component; and a control component configured to, when the first mode is selected by the selection component and duplex printing is performed, perform a conversion process of reversing the orientation of a first image to be formed on a first surface of the first recording material or the orientation of a second image to be formed on a second surface of the first recording material, the second surface being opposite to the first surface, wherein the first image and the second image are formed to have reversed orientations in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction on the image forming surface of the recording material.

[0006] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an information processing device is communicatively connected to an image forming device, the image forming device including: a placing component on which a first recording material is to be placed, the first recording material including a closed first side, a closed second side, an open third side and an open fourth side; and an image forming component configured to form an image on the first recording material conveyed from the placing component, the information processing device including: a selecting component configured to select a first mode for forming an image on the first recording material; a display component; and a control component configured to control the orientation of the image to be formed according to the orientation in which the first recording material is placed on the placing component when the first mode is selected by the selecting component.

[0007] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an information processing device is communicatively connected to an image forming device, the image forming device including: a placing component on which a first recording material is to be placed, the first recording material including a closed first side, a closed second side, an open third side and an open fourth side; and an image forming component configured to form an image on the first recording material conveyed from the placing component, the information processing device including: a selecting component configured to select a first mode for forming an image on the first recording material; a display component; and a control component configured to perform a conversion process on the image forming surface of the recording material to reverse the orientation of the first image to be formed on the first surface of the first recording material or the orientation of the second image to be formed on the second surface of the first recording material in a width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction in a case where the first mode is selected by the selecting component and duplex printing is performed, the second surface being opposite to the first surface.

[0008] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the attached drawings). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 It is a configuration view of the image forming system.

[0010] Figure 2 This is an illustration of the main controller.

[0011] Figure 3 It is a configuration description view of the operating unit.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus.

[0013] Figure 5 is an exemplary view of the sheet type selection screen.

[0014] Figure 6 is a flowchart for illustrating image forming processing.

[0015] Figure 7 is an exemplary view of a double-sided printing selection screen.

[0016] Figure 8A and Figure 8B is an exemplary view of the guide screen.

[0017] Figure 9 is an exemplary view of the instruction screen.

[0018] Figure 10A 、 Figure 10B 、 Figure 10C and Figure 10D This diagram illustrates how folders are placed.

[0019] Figure 11 is an exemplary view of an input screen for the placement status of a recording material.

[0020] Figure 12A 、 Figure 12B 、 Figure 12C and Figure 12D This is an explanatory diagram of image inversion.

[0021] Figure 13 is an exemplary view of a setting screen for setting whether to enable conversion processing of an image signal.

[0022] Figure 14 is an exemplary view of a double-sided printing selection screen.

[0023] Figure 15 is a flowchart for illustrating image forming processing.

[0024] Figure 16 is an exemplary view of a selection screen for selecting on which surface of a recording material an image is to be printed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Now, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a description of at least one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is given. In at least one embodiment, a description is given of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus as an example, but the present disclosure is also effective for other types of image forming apparatuses (such as inkjet type apparatuses).

[0026] Figure 11 is a configuration diagram of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus according to at least one embodiment. Image forming system 1X includes an image forming apparatus 100 that forms a toner image on a recording material S, and an operating unit 110 having a display 111. Image forming apparatus 100 according to at least one embodiment is an electrophotographic tandem full-color printer. Image forming apparatus 100 may be configured to form images using an electrostatic recording method. Image forming apparatus 100 includes, as image formers, an image forming unit Pa for forming a yellow image, an image forming unit Pb for forming a magenta image, an image forming unit Pc for forming a cyan image, and an image forming unit Pd for forming a black image.

[0027] The image forming apparatus 100 forms a toner image on a recording material S based on data related to a toner image included in image data, acquired from an external device 1000 such as a personal computer or an original reading device (not shown) communicably connected to the image forming apparatus 100. Examples of materials that can be used as the recording material S include sheets made of paper such as plain paper, cardboard, rough paper, textured paper, and coated paper, and, in at least one embodiment, a bag-shaped folder formed of a sheet made of plastic.

[0028] Now a description is given of the conveying process of the recording material S. The recording material S is accommodated and placed in the box 10, or placed on the tray 17. The recording material S is fed from the box 10 or the tray 17 by the feed roller 13 according to the image formation timing. For example, the tray 17 is provided so as to be openable and closable by the user. The recording material S fed by the feed roller 13 is conveyed to the alignment roller 12 arranged along the conveying path 114. The alignment roller 12 performs skew correction and timing correction, and then conveys the recording material S to the secondary transfer unit T2. The secondary transfer unit T2 is a transfer nip unit formed by the internal secondary transfer roller 14 and the external secondary transfer roller 11. The secondary transfer unit T2 transfers the toner image onto the recording material S by applying a secondary transfer voltage to the external secondary transfer roller 11.

[0029] A description will now be given of the image forming process in which a toner image is transferred to the secondary transfer unit T2 at the same timing as the process in which the recording material S is transferred to the secondary transfer unit T2. A description will be given of the configurations of the image forming units Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd. The image forming units Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd have substantially the same configuration, except that the colors of the images (toner images) to be formed differ between yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Here, a description will be given of the image forming unit Pd that forms a black toner image, and descriptions of the other image forming units Pa, Pb, and Pc will be omitted.

[0030] The image forming unit Pd primarily includes a developing device 1d, a charging device 2d, a photosensitive drum 3d, a photosensitive drum cleaner 4d, an exposure device 5d, a primary transfer roller 6d, and the like. The photosensitive drum 3d is a photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on its surface and rotates about a drum shaft. The charging device 2d uniformly charges the surface of the rotating photosensitive drum 3d. The exposure device 5d forms an electrostatic latent image by irradiating the charged surface of the photosensitive drum 3d with a laser beam driven based on an image signal. The developing device 1d develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 3d using a developer, thereby forming a black toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3d.

[0031] The primary transfer roller 6d is provided so as to sandwich the intermediate transfer belt 80 at a position opposing the photosensitive drum 3d. The primary transfer roller 6d transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 3d onto the intermediate transfer belt 80 by applying a primary transfer voltage. Transfer residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 3d after the transfer is collected by the photosensitive drum cleaner 4d.

[0032] In the same manner, a yellow toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 3a of the image forming unit Pa, and the toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 80 by the primary transfer roller 6a. A magenta toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 3b of the image forming unit Pb, and the toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 80 by the primary transfer roller 6b. A cyan toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 3c of the image forming unit Pc, and the toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 80 by the primary transfer roller 6c.

[0033] Intermediate transfer belt 80 is an endless belt stretched around inner secondary transfer roller 14 and tension rollers 15 and 16, and is driven in the direction of arrow R2. In at least one embodiment, tension roller 16 also serves as a drive roller for driving intermediate transfer belt 80. Image forming processing is performed by each of image forming units Pa to Pd at a timing at which the transferred toner images of the respective colors are sequentially superimposed on intermediate transfer belt 80. Consequently, a full-color toner image is ultimately formed on intermediate transfer belt 80.

[0034] The intermediate transfer belt 80 rotates to transport the toner image to the secondary transfer unit T2. The toner image is transported to the secondary transfer unit T2 at the same time as the recording material S is transported to the secondary transfer unit T2. Consequently, the toner image is transferred to a predetermined position on the recording material S. Transfer residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 80 after transfer by the secondary transfer unit T2 is removed by the transfer cleaner 22.

[0035] The toner image is carried on the recording material S through the transport and image formation processes described above. The recording material S is transported from the secondary transfer unit T2 to the fixing device 50. The fixing device 50 fixes the toner image onto the recording material S by applying heat and pressure to the recording material S carrying the toner image. To this end, the fixing device 50 includes a first roller with a built-in heat source and a second roller biased toward the first roller. The recording material S is transported by being sandwiched between the first and second rollers. At this time, the recording material S is heated by the heat source and pressurized by the second roller. As a result, each toner image carried by the recording material S is melted and mixed, and fixed onto the recording material S as a full-color image.

[0036] The recording material S on which the image has been fixed is guided to either the transport path 301 or the transport path 305 by the flapper 300. When the printed surface (image forming surface) is not reversed in single-sided printing and when printing on both surfaces is completed in double-sided printing, the flapper 300 guides the recording material S to the transport path 305. The recording material S guided to the transport path 305 is delivered to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100.

[0037] When printing on the front surface (first surface) is completed in duplex printing and when the printed surface is reversed in single-sided printing, the flapper 300 guides the recording material S to the conveying path 301. The recording material S is conveyed to the reversing unit 302 via the conveying path 301. The conveying direction of the recording material S conveyed to the reversing unit 302 is reversed, and the recording material S is guided by the flapper 303 to either the conveying path 301 or the duplex printing conveying path 304. By reversing the conveying direction by the reversing unit 302 and conveying the recording material S to the conveying path 301 or the duplex printing conveying path 304, the printed surface of the recording material S is reversed.

[0038] When the printing surface is reversed during single-sided printing, the flapper 303 guides the recording material S to the conveying path 301. The recording material S guided to the conveying path 301 is delivered from the conveying path 301 to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100 via the conveying path 305. When double-sided printing on the front surface is completed, the flapper 303 guides the recording material S to the double-sided printing conveying path 304. The recording material S guided to the double-sided printing conveying path 304 is conveyed to the secondary transfer unit T2. As a result, an image is printed on the rear surface (second surface) of the recording material S.

[0039] The developer to be used in at least one embodiment is a two-component developer comprising a toner and a carrier. The toner comprises a binder resin, a colorant and a release agent (wax). A known binder resin can be used as the binder resin. For example, a vinyl copolymer represented by a styrene-(meth) acrylic copolymer, a polyester resin, a mixed resin in which vinyl copolymer units and polyester units are chemically bonded to each other, an epoxy resin or a styrene-butadiene copolymer can be used as the binder resin. A known colorant can be used as the colorant for each color of yellow, magenta, cyan and black.

[0040] For example, an oxide of an aliphatic hydrocarbon wax or an aliphatic hydrocarbon wax or its block copolymerization product can be used as a releasing agent. An aliphatic hydrocarbon wax is, for example, a low molecular weight polyethylene, a low molecular weight olefin copolymer wax, a microcrystalline wax, a Fischer-Tropsch wax or a paraffin wax. An oxide of an aliphatic hydrocarbon wax is, for example, a polyethylene oxide wax. Block copolymerization product is a wax containing fatty acid ester as a main component, an ester wax or a product (such as deacidified carnauba wax) obtained by deacidifying part or all of the fatty acid ester. The example of a wax containing fatty acid ester as a main component includes carnauba wax and montanic acid ester wax. Ester wax is, for example, a synthetic reaction product of a higher fatty acid and a higher alcohol, such as behenyl behenate or behenyl behenate.

[0041] The operation of such an image forming apparatus 100 is controlled by a main controller 101 . Figure 2 1 is an explanatory diagram of the main controller 101. The main controller 101 can communicate with the printer 120 and the operation unit 110. The printer 120 includes various units used in, for example, the above-described transport process and image forming process.

[0042] The main controller 101 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 102, a read-only memory (ROM) 103, a random access memory (RAM) 104, and an image processor 105. The CPU 102 controls the overall operation of the image forming system 1X by executing a computer program stored in the ROM 103. The RAM 104 provides a work area when the CPU 102 performs processing. The image processor 105 transmits image signals generated by performing predetermined image processing on image data acquired from the external device 1000, such as converting the image data into a format that can be processed by the exposure devices 5a to 5d of the image forming units Pa to Pd, to the image forming units Pa to Pd.

[0043] The printer 120 includes a placement portion 124, a transport unit 123, a fixing unit 122, and an image forming unit P. The image forming unit P represents the image forming units Pa to Pd mentioned above. The placement portion 124 is a cassette 10 and a tray 17, and a recording material S is accommodated or placed therein. The transport unit 123 feeds the recording material S from the placement portion 124, transports the recording material S to the secondary transfer unit T2 and the fixing device 50, and delivers the recording material S to the outside of the image forming system 1X. The transport unit 123 includes a feed roller 13 and a registration roller 12. The fixing unit 122 is the fixing device 50 mentioned above, and fixes the toner image on the recording material S. The image forming unit P includes image forming units Pa to Pd that form the toner images of the respective colors as described above. The image forming unit P controls the driving of the laser beams output from the exposure devices 5a to 5d based on the image signal obtained from the image processor 105.

[0044] In order to perform optimal print settings, the image forming apparatus 100 according to at least one embodiment is required to set a sheet type based on an instruction from a user using the operation unit 110. The operation unit 110 is a user interface having a display 111 as an input interface and an output interface. The operation unit 110 is used, for example, to obtain a sheet type setting for the recording material S used for image formation. Figure 3 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the operation unit 110 .

[0045] The operation unit 110 in at least one embodiment includes a setup key 1002, a power save key 1003, a hard key group 1104, a reset key 1105, a stop key 1106, and a start key 1107 as input interfaces. Furthermore, the operation unit 110 may include a touch panel provided on the display 111 as an input interface. Content input using the input interface (e.g., information required for creating job information, such as the type of recording material S, the number of print copies, and output attribute information) is sent to the CPU 102. A user can input information using the input interface.

[0046] The setting key 1002 is pressed when performing various settings such as sheet type setting. The power saving key 1003 is pressed when the image forming apparatus 100 is set to sleep mode or when the image forming apparatus 100 is awakened from sleep mode. When the power saving key 1003 is pressed in normal mode, the image forming apparatus 100 transitions to sleep mode, and when the power saving key 1003 is pressed in sleep mode, it transitions to normal mode. The hard key group 1104 includes a numeric keypad, a clear key, and an authentication key. The reset key 1105 is pressed when various settings are reset. The stop key 1106 is pressed when an ongoing operation is stopped. The start key 1107 is pressed when a printing operation is started or when instructing the start of another function. The start key 1107 includes a two-color light emitting diode (LED) of green and red (not shown). When the start key 1107 lights up green, this indicates that the operation can be started, and when the start key 1107 lights up red, this indicates that the operation cannot be started.

[0047] The various keys described above are hardware keys, but these various keys may be realized by software keys displayed on the display 111. In addition, the various keys may be realized by combining hardware keys and software keys.

[0048] <Examples of Other Image Forming Apparatuses>

[0049] refer to Figure 1 The image forming apparatus 100 described herein prints an image while conveying the recording material S in a horizontal direction parallel to the lower surface of the image forming apparatus 100. That is, the conveyance path 114 along which the recording material S is conveyed is a horizontal path extending in the horizontal direction. Among image forming apparatuses, there are those that print an image while conveying the recording material S in a vertical direction (vertical direction) orthogonal to the lower surface of the image forming apparatus (vertical path). Figure 4 1 is a configuration diagram of such an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 201 is a laser beam printer of a tandem intermediate transfer type using an electrophotographic process. The image forming apparatus 201 is based on an image received from an external device 1000 (see FIG. 1 ) via a network. Figure 1 ) or forms a full-color image or a monochrome image on a recording material S as a recording medium based on image data acquired from an image reading device 202 provided on top of the image forming apparatus 201, and outputs the recording material S.

[0050] The image forming apparatus 201 has components for forming an image inside a main body 201A, and includes an image reading device 202 and a component having a plurality of components connected to the main body 201A. Figure 1The operation unit 502 is configured identically to the operation unit 110. A delivery space D is defined between the main body 201A of the image forming apparatus 201 and the image reading device 202, and includes a placement portion 223 for receiving a recording material S to be delivered thereto after image formation.

[0051] The image reading device 202 is a scanner that reads an image from an original document to generate image data. The image reading device 202 is used, for example, when copying an original document. In at least one embodiment, the image reading device 202 is configured as part of the image forming apparatus 201. The image reading device 202 is not limited to this configuration and can be configured to be electrically connected to the image forming apparatus 201 as a separate device from the image forming apparatus 201.

[0052] The image forming apparatus 201 includes, in a main body 201A, an image forming mechanism 201B, an intermediate transfer unit 201C, a secondary transfer unit 201D, a fixing device 201E, and a cassette feeding unit 230. The main body 201A includes a manual feeding unit 235.

[0053] The box feeding units 230 each feed recording material S from a corresponding one of the feed boxes 231 that accommodate the recording material S. The box feeding unit 230 includes a pickup roller 232 and a separating unit for separating the recording material S sent out from the pickup roller 232. The separating unit includes a feeding roller 233 and a delay roller 234. The recording material S is fed one by one from the feed box 231 by the pickup roller 232 and the separating unit. In at least one embodiment, a description is given of a configuration in which a plurality of (four in this example) box feeding units 230 are provided. However, any number of box feeding units 230 may be provided. The recording material S fed from the box feeding unit 230 is conveyed to the alignment roller 240 via conveying rollers 280 and 290.

[0054] The recording material S can be fed from a unit other than the cassette feeding unit 230, that is, from the manual feeding unit 235. The manual feeding unit 235 includes a tray 236 for receiving the recording material S manually placed by the user. Similar to the cassette feeding unit 230, the manual feeding unit 235 includes a pickup roller and a separation unit, and the recording materials S are fed one by one from the tray 236. The recording material S fed from the manual feeding unit 235 is also conveyed to the registration roller 240 via the conveying rollers 280 and 290.

[0055] Image forming mechanism 201B is of a four-drum full-color type and includes a laser scanner 210 and four image forming units 211. The four image forming units 211 form toner images of four colors, specifically yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). Each image forming unit 211 includes a photosensitive drum 212, a charging device 213, and a developing device 214. A toner cartridge 215 is arranged above the image forming unit 211. The toner cartridge 215 replenishes each developing device 214 with toner.

[0056] The intermediate transfer unit 201C includes an intermediate transfer belt 216 wound around a drive roller 216a and a tension roller 216b. Inside the intermediate transfer belt 216, four primary transfer rollers 219 are provided adjacent to the intermediate transfer belt 216 at positions opposite to the photosensitive drums 212. The intermediate transfer belt 216 is rotated in the direction of arrow R3 by the drive roller 216a driven by a drive unit (not shown).

[0057] The secondary transfer unit 201D includes a secondary transfer roller 217 positioned so as to sandwich the intermediate transfer belt 216 at a position opposing the drive roller 216a. The fixing device 201E is positioned downstream of the secondary transfer roller 217 in the direction in which the recording material S is conveyed, and includes a pressure roller 220a and a heating roller 220b. A first delivery roller 225a, a second delivery roller 225b, and a duplex printing reversing unit 201F are positioned downstream of the fixing device 201E in the direction in which the recording material S is conveyed. The duplex printing reversing unit 201F includes a reversing roller 222 and a re-transfer path R. The reversing roller 222 is rotatable in both forward and reverse directions. The re-transfer path R allows the recording material S, having an image formed on one side thereof, to be conveyed to the image forming mechanism 201B.

[0058] The image forming apparatus 201 configured as described above operates as follows. The image forming apparatus 201 receives image data and an instruction to start a print job from the image reading apparatus 202 or from the external device 1000, and forms an image corresponding to the image data on the recording material S. A print job is a series of operations executed based on a print signal instructing the formation of an image on the recording material S, wherein a transport process and an image formation process are performed, and after image printing is completed, the recording material S is delivered to the placement section 223. The image forming apparatus 201 receives an instruction to start a print job from the operation unit 502 or the external device 1000.

[0059] Image forming mechanism 201B uses charging device 213 to uniformly charge the surface of photosensitive drum 212 to a potential having a predetermined polarity. Laser scanner 210 irradiates the uniformly charged surface of photosensitive drum 212 with a corresponding laser beam modulated based on image data. In this way, an electrostatic latent image of the corresponding color (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) is formed on each surface of photosensitive drum 212.

[0060] Image forming mechanism 201B develops the electrostatic latent image formed on photosensitive drum 212 using developing device 214. The electrostatic latent image is developed on photosensitive drum 212 using toner of the corresponding color, forming a toner image of the corresponding color on photosensitive drum 212. The toner images are sequentially transferred from photosensitive drum 212 to rotating intermediate transfer belt 216 in a superimposed manner via primary transfer roller 219. In this manner, a full-color toner image is formed on intermediate transfer belt 216. Intermediate transfer belt 216 rotates to transport the toner image to secondary transfer unit 201D.

[0061] In parallel with this operation of forming the toner image, the recording material S is conveyed one by one to the registration roller 240 by the cassette feeding unit 230 or the manual feeding unit 235. The registration roller 240 corrects the skew of the recording material S conveyed to the registration roller 240. After the skew is corrected, the recording material S is conveyed to the secondary transfer unit 201D by the registration roller 240 in synchronization with the timing at which the toner image carried on the intermediate transfer belt 216 is conveyed to the secondary transfer unit 201D. The secondary transfer unit 201D transfers the full-color toner image from the intermediate transfer belt 216 to the recording material S using a secondary transfer bias applied to the secondary transfer roller 217.

[0062] The recording material S, onto which the toner image has been transferred, is conveyed to the fixing device 201E. The fixing device 201E holds and conveys the recording material S using a roller nip defined by a pressure roller 220a and a heating roller 220b. While holding and conveying the recording material S, the fixing device 201E heats the recording material S using the heating roller 220b, melting and mixing the toners of the various colors on the recording material S. Furthermore, the fixing device 201E presses the recording material S with the pressure roller 220a, thereby fixing the melted and mixed toners to the recording material S. At this time, the viscosity of the melted toners causes the recording material S to adhere to the heating roller 220b.

[0063] The recording material S, to which an image has been fixed, is delivered to the delivery space D by either the first delivery roller 225a or the second delivery roller 225b. The recording material S is placed on a placement portion 223 provided in a protruding manner on the bottom surface of the delivery space D. In the case where images are formed on both surfaces of the recording material S, the recording material S, to which an image has been fixed on one surface thereof, is conveyed to a re-conveying path R by the reversing roller 222. The recording material S is again conveyed to the image forming mechanism 201B, and an image is formed on the other surface of the reversed recording material S. The re-conveying path R allows the recording material S to be conveyed to a conveying path between the conveying roller 290 and the registration roller 240.

[0064] In this manner, in the image forming apparatus 201, the recording material S is conveyed along a conveying path (vertical path) extending in the vertical direction. During image formation, the recording material S is conveyed from the registration roller 240 to the fixing device 201E in the vertical direction from the lower side toward the upper side, with the upper side being the leading edge. When conveyed through the re-conveying path R, the recording material S is conveyed in the vertical direction from the upper side toward the lower side, with the lower side being the leading edge.

[0065] The operation of the image forming apparatus 201 is performed by Figure 2 The printer 120 is controlled by the same main controller 101 as shown in FIG. In this case, the placement section 124 of the printer 120 includes a cassette feeding unit 230 and a manual feeding unit 235. The transport unit 123 includes various rollers such as transport rollers 280 and 290 and a registration roller 240. The fixing unit 122 includes a fixing device 201E. The image forming unit P includes an image forming unit 211.

[0066] As described above, in addition to using a sheet of paper, the recording material S for printing in the image forming apparatuses 100 and 201 described above may use a folder formed into a bag shape by folding a sheet material of a plastic material. The folder is, for example, a folder in which at least one side (edge) among a plurality of sides (edges) overlapped by folding a sheet material of a plastic material is open and the remaining sides (edges) are closed. The open side (edge) is referred to as an "open portion", and the closed side (edge) is referred to as a "fixed portion". The fixed portion includes, for example, a folded portion formed by folding a plastic material, and a closed portion in which the side (edge) is fixed by a welding method using heat or ultrasonic waves or by a bonding method using an adhesive. Typically, two sides of the folder are fixed and closed, while the remaining two sides are open.

[0067] When conveying a document with its open portion as the leading edge, the unsecured edge of the document with the open portion may open during conveyance. This can reduce the conveyance speed of the document and cause conveyance problems such as paper jams. Therefore, to prevent image conveyance problems, the document is conveyed with its secured portion as the leading edge in the conveyance direction.

[0068] Both the image forming devices 100 and 201 have a conveying path for duplex printing (duplex printing conveying path 304, re-conveying path R). In the case of performing duplex printing on a folder, after printing an image on the first surface (front surface) of the folder, the folder is reversed so that the printed surface becomes the second surface (back surface), and the folder is conveyed to the conveying path for duplex printing. In the case of performing printing on the first surface, the folder is conveyed with the fixed portion as the leading edge side in the conveying direction, thereby preventing conveying failure. However, reversing the printing surface means that the folder is conveyed along the conveying path for duplex printing with the open portion as the leading edge side. As described above, in the case of conveying the folder with the open portion as the leading edge side, a conveying failure occurs.

[0069] To this end, when duplex printing is performed on a folder, after the image is printed on the first surface, the folder is temporarily transported from the image forming device 100 or 201, the printed surface is reversed to the second surface, and then the folder is transported again from the feeding unit. The folder is transported with a fixed portion (e.g., a folded portion) as the leading edge, so when printing is performed on the second surface, the orientation of the image is reversed 180 degrees compared to the orientation of the image when printing on the first surface. Therefore, when duplex printing is performed on a folder, it is required to optimize the image signal so that the orientations of the images printed on the first and second surfaces match. However, it is difficult for users to perform this optimization.

[0070] In at least one embodiment, printing can be performed on a folder by selecting the type of sheet (recording material S) to be used for printing from a sheet type selection screen. Figure 5 12 is an exemplary view of a sheet type selection screen. A selection screen 1201 is displayed on the display 111. On the selection screen 1201, the type of recording material S can be freely selected, and a folder is provided as one of the freely selectable sheet types.

[0071] When the user selects and presses a folder from the pull-down menu on the selection screen 1201, the selected portion is displayed with its background highlighted. When the user then presses the select button 1203, the selection of a folder as the sheet type is input to the main controller 101. The CPU 102 thereby sets the type of recording material S to a folder.

[0072] In at least one embodiment, the printing surface can be set by using a setting screen for printing surface setting displayed on the display 111. As used herein, "printing surface setting" refers to a setting of which surface of a folder an image is to be printed on in single-sided printing, in addition to single-sided printing and double-sided printing.

[0073] Setting information (image forming conditions) corresponding to a folder, to be used when forming an image in order to prevent degradation of transmission performance and image quality, is pre-stored in ROM 103. CPU 102 acquires the setting information about the folder from ROM 103 and uses the acquired setting information to perform control during image formation by printer 120. Thus, degradation of transmission performance and image quality when printing on a folder is prevented.

[0074] <First embodiment>

[0075] A description will now be given of a case where an image is printed on a folder. The main controller 101 determines an image signal for forming an electrostatic latent image based on image data. Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the image forming process for acquiring a print job. While this description describes the process performed using image forming apparatus 100, the same process can be performed using image forming apparatus 201. In the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the user places a folder (recording material S) in placement section 124 such that the fixed portion of the folder becomes the leading edge of the recording material S in the conveying direction. As described above, the fixed portion of the folder is the folded portion and the closed portion.

[0076] The main controller 101 receives a print job including image data (step S101). For example, the print job is input from the external device 1000. The main controller 101 determines whether a folder is set to the recording material S by using the image processor 105 (step S102). In the case of receiving the print job, in the above Figure 5 The sheet type setting is performed on the selection screen 1201 shown in FIG. A case where a folder is set is referred to as a "first mode," while a case where a single sheet having neither a fixed portion nor an open portion other than a folder is set is referred to as a "second mode." If a folder is not set as the recording material S (step S102: No), the main controller 101 forms an image on the recording material S using the printer 120 without converting the image signal via the image processor 105 (step S107).

[0077] In a case where the folder is set as the recording material S (step S102 : Yes), the main controller 101 determines whether double-sided printing is set (step S103 ). Figure 714 is an exemplary view of a duplex printing selection screen displayed on the display 111. The duplex printing selection screen is a screen for setting the printing surface. The duplex printing selection screen includes a single-sided / double-sided selection screen 1401. When the user selects either single-sided printing or double-sided printing from the single-sided / double-sided selection screen 1401 and presses a select button 1402, the main controller 101 sets the selected single-sided printing or double-sided printing.

[0078] In the case where single-sided printing is set (step S103: No), the main controller 101 forms an image on the recording material S using the printer 120 without converting the image signal through the image processor 105 (step S107). During single-sided printing, the main controller 101 may display a guidance screen on the display 111 that provides guidance on the orientation when the recording material S is placed. An example of the guidance screen is shown in FIG. Figure 8A and Figure 8B In addition to providing instructions for placing the folded portion of the folder placed on the tray 17 as the leading edge side in the conveying direction, Figure 8A and Figure 8B The guidance screens 1701 and 1702 in FIG. 1 also provide instructions on the printing surface. In this case, the printing surface is the front surface.

[0079] Figure 8A The guidance screen 1701 includes a message prompting the user to place the folder so that the front surface faces upward, with the folded portion of the folder as the leading edge in the conveying direction. The image forming apparatus 100 prints an image while conveying the recording material S along a horizontal path extending in the horizontal direction. In this case, by placing the folder on the tray 17 with the front surface of the folder facing upward as the printing surface, an image is printed on the front surface of the folder.

[0080] Figure 8B The guidance screen 1702 includes a message prompting the user to place the folder so that the rear surface faces upward, with the folded portion of the folder as the leading edge in the conveying direction. The image forming apparatus 201 prints an image while conveying the recording material S along a vertical path extending in the vertical direction. In this case, by placing the folder on the tray 236 with the front surface of the folder facing downward as the printing surface, an image is printed on the front surface of the folder.

[0081] If duplex printing is set (step S103: Yes), the main controller 101 determines whether the image signal conversion processing performed by the image processor 105 is enabled (step S104). The determination of whether the image signal conversion processing performed by the image processor 105 is enabled is performed based on whether the image signal conversion enable setting described later has been set to enabled by the user. If the image signal conversion processing is set to disabled (step S104: No), the main controller 101 uses the printer 120 to form an image on the recording material S without converting the image signal by the image processor 105 (step S107). In this case, after the image is printed on the first surface, the folder is transported out of the image forming device 100, placed in the placement section 124 with the printed surface as the rear surface, and the image is printed on the second surface. When the image is printed on the second surface, the image signal conversion processing is not performed.

[0082] If image signal conversion processing is enabled (step S104: Yes), the main controller 101 uses the printer 120 to form an image on the first surface, which is the front surface, of the recording material S without converting the image signal, and then transports the recording material S from the image forming apparatus 100 (step S105). The first surface is the surface on which the image is first printed on the recording material S during duplex printing. In this case, the image signal representing the image printed on the first surface does not undergo conversion processing. The user inverts the printed surface of the recording material S with the image printed on the first surface (turns the printed surface of the recording material S over to the second surface) and places the inverted recording material S in the placement section 124. The main controller 101 converts the image signal representing the image to be printed on the second surface, which is the rear surface, so that the image processor 105 inverts the image to be printed on the second surface 180 degrees (step S106). The second surface is the surface opposite the first surface. Based on the image signal converted by the image processor 105, the main controller 101 uses the printer 120 to form an image on the second surface of the recording material S (step S107). Both printing of the image on the first surface and printing of the image on the second surface are performed on the document folder being conveyed with the folded portion being the leading edge in the conveying direction.

[0083] During duplex printing, similarly to single-sided printing, the main controller 101 may display a guidance screen on the display 111 that provides guidance on the orientation when placing the recording material S. An example of the guidance screen is shown in FIG. Figure 8A and Figure 8B This is the same as the boot screen during single-sided printing, but the meaning of the boot screen is different.

[0084] Figure 8AThe guidance screen 1701 includes a message prompting the user to place the folder with the front surface (first surface) facing upward, with the folded portion of the folder as the leading edge side in the conveying direction and the closed portion as the far side. Figure 8A The guidance screen 1701 is displayed during the processing step of step S105. Figure 8B The guidance screen 1702 includes a message prompting the user to place the folder with the back surface (second surface) facing upward, with the folded portion of the folder as the leading edge side in the conveying direction and the closed portion as the near side. Figure 8B The guidance screen 1702 is displayed during the processing step of step S107 after the printing of the first surface is completed. As used herein, "near side" and "far side" are directions orthogonal to the conveying direction, with the front side of the image forming apparatus 100 being the near side and the rear side of the image forming apparatus 100 being the far side.

[0085] This instruction is a message used when a folder is placed on the tray 17 of the image forming apparatus 100. When a folder is placed on the tray 236 of the image forming apparatus 201, the message includes opposite instructions for the front and rear surfaces. That is, when the image forming apparatus 201 is used, the message is displayed during the processing step of step S105. Figure 8B The guidance screen 1702 is displayed during the processing step of step S107. Figure 8A The guidance screen 1701 is displayed.

[0086] In addition, in the case of performing double-sided printing, the main controller 101 may display the Figure 9 This instruction screen is displayed on the display 111 at the start of the processing step of step S105 or step S107. When the main controller 101 detects that the printing on the front surface (first surface) is completed and the folder is placed on the tray 17, the main controller 101 deletes the instruction screen from the display 111. Figure 9 and execute printing on the rear surface (second surface).

[0087] When the image forming process of step S107 is completed, the main controller 101 determines whether the print job is completed (step S108). If the print job is not completed (step S108: N), the main controller 101 repeats the process steps starting from step S102. If the print job is completed (step S108: Yes), the main controller 101 ends the image forming process.

[0088] In the above-mentioned process, by conveying the folded portion of the recording material S as the leading edge, an image can be printed on the folder while preventing wrinkling and conveyance problems. Furthermore, if a folder is selected as the type of recording material S and duplex printing is selected, the main controller 101 performs image processing on the image signal to flip the image on the second surface 180 degrees so that the orientation of the image to be printed on the second surface matches that of the image to be printed on the first surface. Consequently, images can be printed on both surfaces of the folder while matching the orientation of the images on the front and back surfaces.

[0089] In the first embodiment, the orientation of the image on the first surface is not reversed, while the orientation of the image on the second surface is reversed. However, the reverse is also possible. That is, processing can be performed so that the orientation of the image on the first surface is reversed 180 degrees, while the orientation of the image on the second surface is not reversed. In the first embodiment, an example is described in which the recording material S is conveyed with the folded portion as the leading edge. However, the recording material S may be conveyed with the closed portion as the leading edge.

[0090] The file folder has fixed parts (folding part and closing part) on both sides. Therefore, there are four ways (states) in which the file folder can be placed, depending on whether the folding part (long side) or the closing part (short side) is placed as the leading edge side in the conveying direction, and which of the first surface (front surface) and the second surface (back surface) is placed facing up. Figure 10A 、 Figure 10B 、 Figure 10C and Figure 10D This diagram illustrates how folders are placed. Figure 10A An example is shown in which the folded portion (long side) is placed as the leading edge side in the conveying direction and the front surface is placed facing upward. Figure 10B An example is shown in which the folded portion (long side) is placed as the leading edge side in the conveying direction and the rear surface is placed facing upward. Figure 10C An example is shown in which the closed portion (short side) is placed as the leading edge side in the conveying direction and the front surface is placed facing upward. Figure 10D An example is shown in which the closed portion (short side) is placed as the leading edge side in the conveying direction and the rear surface faces upward.

[0091] In the case of double-sided printing, the main controller 101 instructs the user as follows Figure 10A Place the folder as shown in the figure and instruct the user to place the folder as shown in the figure before starting printing on the second surface. Figure 10B Alternatively, instruct the user as Figure 10C After placing the folder as shown in FIG, the main controller 101 instructs the user to print as shown in FIG. Figure 10D Place the folder as shown in .

[0092] A description is now given of the reversal of the orientation of the image in the case where the folded portion is placed so as to be located on the leading edge side ( Figure 10A and Figure 10B In this case, when printing an image with the closed portion positioned at the bottom (vertical direction), the image is required to be reversed, but when printing an image with the folded portion positioned at the bottom (horizontal direction), the image is not required to be reversed. A description is now given of the reversal of the orientation of the image in the case where the closed portion is positioned so as to be positioned at the leading edge side ( Figure 10C and Figure 10D In this case, when printing an image with the folded portion at the bottom (horizontally), the image is required to be reversed, but when printing an image with the closed portion at the bottom (vertically), the image is not required to be reversed. In this way, whether or not the image is required to be reversed (rotated) is determined based on the placement state of the folder and the orientation (vertical direction, horizontal direction) of the image.

[0093] The image signal conversion enable setting mentioned above can be set based on the placement state of the folder and the orientation of the image as described above. The orientation of the image is determined based on information included in the received print job.

[0094] Instead of the main controller 101 instructing the orientation of the recording material S during placement, the user may input the placement state of the recording material S to the main controller 101. In this case, the main controller 101 displays an input screen for the placement state of the recording material S on the display 111. Figure 11 is an exemplary view of such an input screen.

[0095] from Figure 11 In the input screen 1501 of the main controller 101, four placement states of the recording material S can be input: "Vertical placement: front surface," "Vertical placement: rear surface," "Horizontal placement: front surface," and "Horizontal placement: rear surface." The user can input the placement state of the recording material S during front surface printing and rear surface printing by selecting the placement state of the recording material S during front surface printing and rear surface printing from the input screen 1501 using the operation unit 110 and pressing the selection button 1503. The main controller 101 can determine whether to request inversion (rotation) of the image based on the input placement state of the recording material S during front surface printing and rear surface printing and the orientation of the image (vertical direction, horizontal direction). Vertical placement is a state in which the recording material S is placed on the tray 17 so that the long side of the recording material S is parallel to the conveying direction. Figure 10C and Figure 10D Horizontal placement is a state in which the recording material S is placed on the tray 17 so that the short side of the recording material S is parallel to the conveying direction. Figure 10A and Figure 10B is an example of horizontal placement.

[0096] Figure 12A 、 Figure 12B 、 Figure 12C and Figure 12D This is an explanatory diagram of image inversion. Figure 12A The folded portion is shown to be placed on the leading edge side ( Figure 10A and Figure 10B ) and the case where the image is printed with the closed portion at the bottom (vertical direction). In this case, the image is reversed between the front surface and the back surface. Figure 12B The folded portion is shown to be placed on the leading edge side ( Figure 10A and Figure 10B ) and the case where the image is printed with the folded portion at the bottom (horizontally). In this case, the image is not reversed between the front surface and the back surface. Figure 12C The closing portion is shown to be placed on the leading edge side ( Figure 10C and Figure 10D ) and the case where the image is printed with the folded portion at the bottom (horizontally). In this case, the image is reversed between the front surface and the back surface. Figure 12D The closing portion is shown to be placed on the leading edge side ( Figure 10C and Figure 10D ) and the image is printed with the closed portion at the bottom (vertical direction). In this case, the image is not reversed between the front and rear surfaces. In this way, the image formed on the front surface and the image formed on the rear surface are formed to be reversed in the width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction.

[0097] Figure 13 It is an exemplary view of a setting screen for setting whether to enable the conversion processing of the image signal performed by the image processor 105. The image signal conversion enable setting is performed based on an instruction from the user. For example, in a case where the user has prepared the image signal in advance according to the orientation when the recording material S is placed, the image processor 105 is not required to perform the conversion processing of the image signal. In addition, as described above, whether the image is required to be reversed (rotated) is determined depending on the placement state of the folder and the orientation (vertical direction, horizontal direction) of the image. Therefore, it is preferable to set the image signal conversion enable setting separately for each print job. In a case where the user determines that the image signal conversion processing cannot be performed normally due to an unexpected situation (such as a malfunction in the operation of the image forming device 100), the image signal conversion enable setting is set to disabled.

[0098] That is, the image signal conversion enabling setting is set to enabled or disabled depending on the print product and the circumstances of each user. Consequently, higher-quality print products can be provided. In the first embodiment, a selection screen for enabling / disabling image signal conversion processing is displayed on the display 111 of the operation unit 110. The user selects enabling or disabling from this selection screen using the operation unit 110.

[0099] exist Figure 6 In the processing steps of step S101, except Figure 5 In addition to the sheet type selection screen 1201 shown in FIG, Figure 13 12. The image signal conversion enable setting enable / disable setting screen 1202 is displayed. In this case, the setting screen 1202 is displayed by pressing a button for starting sheet type selection from a menu screen (not shown). The user can select whether to enable or disable the image signal conversion enable setting from the setting screen 1202 by using the operation unit 110.

[0100] The user selects a sheet type from the selection screen 1201 using the operation unit 110, selects whether to enable or disable the image signal conversion enable setting from the setting screen 1202, and presses the selection button 1203. The CPU 102 then acquires the selection results for the sheet type and the image signal conversion enable setting. Based on these acquired selection results, the CPU 102 stores information indicating the selected type of recording material S (sheet type) and the selected image signal conversion enable setting in the RAM 104. In this manner, the main controller 101 sets the type of recording material S and whether to enable / disable the image signal conversion process. The main controller 101 executes the image forming process based on the information stored in the RAM 104.

[0101] In the first embodiment, a description is given of an example in which various settings related to printing are performed by the user operating the operation unit 110, but the same processing can be performed even when the user operates the external device 1000. The external device 1000 is an information processing device including an input device and a display. The external device 1000 has the function of the main controller 101, and, for example, a printer driver for using the image forming system 1X is installed in the external device 1000. On the display of the external device 1000, the printer driver displays a screen for selecting the settings to be printed according to the progress of the processing. Figure 5 、 Figure 7 and Figure 13 In addition, according to the progress of the processing, the display of the external device 1000 is displayed. Figure 8A and Figure 8B The boot screen and Figure 9 The command screen appears. Figure 14is an exemplary view of a double-sided printing selection screen displayed on the display 1502 of the external device 1000. This selection screen is similar to Figure 7 Even when setting is performed by using the external device 1000, printing on a folder can be performed as described above.

[0102] <Second embodiment>

[0103] A description will now be given of when an image is printed on a folder. The main controller 101 determines an image signal for forming an electrostatic latent image based on image data. Figure 15 1 is a flowchart illustrating the image forming process when acquiring a print job. Here, the process is described for the image forming apparatus 100, but the same process can be performed even when the image forming apparatus 201 is used. In the second embodiment of the present disclosure, the user places a folder (recording material S) in the placement section 124 so that the fixed portion of the folder becomes the leading edge of the recording material S in the conveying direction.

[0104] and Figure 6 Similar to the processing steps of step S101 and step S102, the main controller 101 receives a print job including image data and determines whether the folder is set to the recording material S based on the sheet type setting (steps S201 and S202). If the folder is not set to the recording material S (step S202: No), the main controller 101 forms an image on the recording material S using the printer 120 without converting the image signal through the image processor 105 (step S207).

[0105] In the case where the folder is set to the recording material S (step S202: YES), the main controller 101 determines whether single-sided printing is set (step S203). Figure 7 or Figure 14 . In the case where the double-sided printing is set (step S203: No), the main controller 101 forms images on both surfaces of the recording material S using the printer 120 without performing the image signal conversion processing by the image processor 105 (step S207).

[0106] In the case where single-sided printing is set (step S203: Yes), Figure 6Similar to the processing steps of step S104, the main controller 101 determines whether the conversion processing of the image signal by the image processor 105 is enabled (step S204). In the case where the conversion processing of the image signal is set to be disabled (step S204: No), the main controller 101 uses the printer 120 to form an image on the recording material S without converting the image signal by the image processor 105 (step S207).

[0107] If the image signal conversion process is set to be enabled (step S204: Yes), the main controller 101 determines whether to execute the image signal conversion process (image inversion) of the image signal representing the image to be printed on one surface so as to invert the image by 180 degrees (step S205). If the image signal conversion process is not executed (step S205: No), the main controller 101 forms an image on the recording material S using the printer 120 without converting the image signal by the image processor 105 (step S207).

[0108] The determination of whether to perform image signal conversion processing to reverse the image by 180 degrees is performed as follows. ROM 103 pre-stores information regarding whether the image is reversed depending on which surface of the recording material S the image is to be printed on. For example, ROM 103 stores information indicating that, when the closing portion of the file folder is set to the near side, the image is not reversed if the leading edge is a folded portion, but is reversed if the trailing edge is a folded portion. The determination of whether to reverse the image depending on which surface the image is to be printed on can be performed in the opposite manner.

[0109] In the case of inputting a job, the main controller 101 displays the Figure 16 16 is a selection screen 1601 for selecting on which surface of the recording material S (folder) the image is to be printed. Figure 16 , the surface on the leading edge side that becomes the folded portion when the closed portion is set to the near side is "surface A", and the surface on the trailing edge side that becomes the folded portion when the closed portion is set to the near side is "surface B".

[0110] The user selects either surface A or surface B from the selection screen 1601 by using the operation unit 110 and presses the selection button 1602. As a result, the operation unit 110 transmits information about the selected surface to the main controller 101. The main controller 101 acquires the information about the selected surface from the operation unit 110 and recognizes which of the surface A and surface B has been selected. Figure 16 In the display, information indicating whether to convert an image signal of an image to be printed on any of these surfaces can be displayed.

[0111] The main controller 101 performs the determination of step S205 based on the selection made on the selection screen 1601 and the information stored in the ROM 103 regarding whether the image is to be inverted depending on which surface of the recording material S is to be printed. If the selected surface is the surface on which the image is to be inverted during printing, the main controller 101 determines that the image signal of the image to be printed on the selected surface is to be converted (step S205: Yes). In this case, the main controller 101 uses the image processor 105 to perform image signal conversion processing so that the image to be printed is inverted 180 degrees (step S206). After the image signal conversion processing performed by the image processor 105, the main controller 101 uses the printer 120 to form an image on the second surface of the recording material S (step S207).

[0112] When the image forming process of step S207 is completed, the main controller 101 determines whether the print job is completed (step S208). If the print job is not completed (step S208: No), the main controller 101 repeats the process steps starting from step S202. If the print job is completed (step S208: Yes), the main controller 101 ends the image forming process.

[0113] In the above-mentioned process, by conveying the folded portion of the recording material S as the leading edge, an image can be printed on the folder while preventing wrinkling and conveyance problems. Furthermore, images can be printed on both surfaces of the folder while matching the orientations of the images on the front and back surfaces. If a folder is selected as the type of recording material S and single-sided printing is selected, image signal conversion processing is enabled and the surface to be single-sided printed is the surface to be subjected to conversion processing, conversion processing of the image signal representing the image to be printed on the surface is performed.

[0114] Similar to the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the user can also perform various settings related to printing by operating the external device 1000. The printer driver displays the settings for the external device 1000 on the display according to the progress of the process. Figure 5 、 Figure 14 and Figure 16 Even when setting is performed by using the external device 1000, printing can be performed on a folder.

[0115] In the second embodiment, the conversion process of the image signal is not performed when double-sided printing is set, but the image signal can be converted by Figure 6The image signal conversion process is performed in the processing steps of steps S104 to S106. In the second embodiment, an example is given of conveying the recording material S with the folded portion as the leading edge, but the recording material S may be conveyed with the closed portion as the leading edge. In this case, duplex printing can be performed by temporarily conveying the recording material S from the image forming apparatus 100 or 201 after printing an image on the first surface and placing the recording material S in the placement portion 124 when printing an image on the second surface.

[0116] As described in the first and second embodiments, in at least one embodiment, the possibility that the orientation in which the recording material is placed and the orientation in which the image is formed will not match can be reduced.

[0117] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

[0118] This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-064419, filed April 12, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a selection member configured to select a first mode for forming an image on a first recording material, the first recording material including a closed first side, a closed second side, an open third side, and an open fourth side; a placing member on which the first recording material is to be placed; an image forming section configured to form an image on the first recording material conveyed from the placing section; Display components; as well as A control unit configured to control an orientation of an image to be formed according to an orientation in which the first recording material is placed on the placing unit when the first mode is selected by the selecting unit.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an input unit configured to receive, as input, an orientation of an edge and an orientation of a surface of the first recording material placed on the placing unit, wherein the control section is configured to control the orientation of the image to be formed according to the orientation of the side and the orientation of the surface of the first recording material acquired from the input unit.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first side is formed by folding a sheet material of the first recording material, and The second edge is formed by closing edges that overlap when the sheet material is folded.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a conveying path extending in a vertical direction orthogonal to a lower surface of the image forming device; as well as a transporting member configured to transport the first recording material from the placing member to the image forming member by transporting the first recording material from a lower side of the transport path toward an upper side of the transport path, wherein the display section is configured to display a message prompting a user to place the first recording material on the placing section with the printing surface of the first recording material facing downward when the first mode is selected by the selecting section.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a conveying path extending in a horizontal direction parallel to a lower surface of the image forming device; as well as a transporting member configured to transport the first recording material from the placing member to the image forming member via the transport path, wherein the display section is configured to display a message prompting a user to place the first recording material on the placing section with the printing surface of the first recording material facing upward when the first mode is selected by the selecting section.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a duplex printing conveying path configured to reverse a recording material having an image printed on a first surface by the image forming section and convey the recording material to the image forming section again; a placing member configured to receive delivery of a recording material; as well as a conveying member configured to convey a recording material, wherein the transport component is configured to, when the first mode is selected by the selection component and duplex printing is set, deliver the first recording material to the placement component without guiding the first recording material along the duplex printing transport path after the image forming component prints an image on the first surface of the first recording material.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display unit is configured to display a message prompting a user to place the first recording material delivered to the placing unit on the placing unit in a second orientation that is reversed from a first orientation used when the first recording material is placed on the placing unit to print an image on the first surface.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising: a selection member configured to select a first mode for forming an image on a first recording material, the first recording material including a closed first side, a closed second side, an open third side, and an open fourth side; a placing member on which the first recording material is to be placed; an image forming section configured to form an image on the first recording material conveyed from the placing section; Display components; as well as a control unit configured to, when the first mode is selected by the selection unit and duplex printing is performed, execute a conversion process of reversing the orientation of a first image to be formed on a first surface of the first recording material or the orientation of a second image to be formed on a second surface of the first recording material, the second surface being opposite to the first surface, The first image and the second image are formed on an image forming surface of the recording material so as to have reversed orientations in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction. 9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control section is configured to perform the conversion process on the second image. 10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the control section is configured to cause the image forming section to form the first image on the first surface of the first recording material and then perform the conversion process on the second image. 11 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the control section is configured to cause the image forming section to form the second image subjected to the conversion process on the second surface of the recording material. 12 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control section is configured to perform the conversion process on the first image. 13 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the control section is configured to perform the conversion process on the first image and then cause the image forming section to form the first image subjected to the conversion process on the first surface of a recording material.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control section is configured to display a setting screen for setting whether to execute the conversion process of the image on the display section, and to avoid executing the conversion process when avoidance of executing the conversion process is selected from the setting screen.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a memory section configured to store information as to whether the conversion process is performed depending on which surface of the recording material the image is to be printed on, wherein the control unit is configured to determine, based on the information stored in the memory unit, whether to perform the conversion processing on the image to be formed on the surface selected for forming the image by single-sided printing when the first mode is selected by the selection unit and single-sided printing is selected.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the control section is configured to perform the conversion process if the surface selected to print the image thereon by simplex printing is a surface to be subjected to the conversion process when printing is performed based on the information.

17. An image forming device according to claim 16, wherein the control component is configured to display a setting screen for setting whether to execute the conversion processing of the image on the display component, and to execute the conversion processing when execution of the conversion processing is selected from the setting screen and when the surface selected as the surface on which the image is to be printed by single-sided printing is the surface to be subjected to the conversion processing when printing is performed based on the information.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first recording material is a file folder formed into a bag shape by folding a plastic sheet material.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first recording material is a file folder formed into a bag shape by folding a plastic sheet material.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a conveying member configured to convey the recording material, wherein the image forming section is configured to form an image on the recording material transported by the transport section, and The transport member is configured to transport the document folder with the folded portion of the document folder serving as a leading edge in a transport direction.

21. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a conveying member configured to convey the recording material, wherein the image forming section is configured to form an image on the recording material transported by the transport section, and The transport member is configured to transport the document folder with the folded portion of the document folder serving as a leading edge in a transport direction.

22. An information processing apparatus communicably connected to an image forming device, the image forming device comprising: a placing member on which a first recording material is to be placed, the first recording material including a closed first side, a closed second side, an open third side, and an open fourth side; and an image forming section configured to form an image on the first recording material conveyed from the placing section, the information processing apparatus including: a selection unit configured to select a first mode for forming an image on the first recording material; display components; and A control unit configured to control an orientation of an image to be formed according to an orientation in which the first recording material is placed on the placing unit when the first mode is selected by the selecting unit.

23. An information processing apparatus communicably connected to an image forming device, the image forming device comprising: a placing member on which a first recording material is to be placed, the first recording material including a closed first side, a closed second side, an open third side, and an open fourth side; and an image forming section configured to form an image on the first recording material conveyed from the placing section, the information processing apparatus including: a selection unit configured to select a first mode for forming an image on the first recording material; display components; and a control component configured to, when the first mode is selected by the selection component and duplex printing is performed, perform a conversion process of reversing the orientation of a first image to be formed on a first surface of the first recording material or the orientation of a second image to be formed on a second surface of the first recording material in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction on the image forming surface of the recording material, the second surface being opposite to the first surface.

Images