Image forming apparatus, paper feed control method, and program

Abstract

To provide an image formation apparatus, sheet-feeding control method and program that can continue printing with good image quality even if a sheet in a sheet feeding tray runs out in the middle of a job.SOLUTION: An image formation apparatus includes: an image formation part (main device 20) which forms an image on a sheet; multiple storage parts (sheet feeding trays 11) which store the sheets; a measurement part 12 which measures a physical property value of the sheet that varies with the environment; a sheet feeding switching part which switches the sheet feeding destination to the other storage part when sheet run-out occurs in the storage part that is feeding the sheets while the image is being formed by the image formation part; and a control part which performs control such that a difference becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value when the difference between the physical property value of the sheet stored in the storage part that is a switching candidate by the sheet feeding switching part and the physical property value of the sheet stored in the storage part where the sheet run-out has occurred.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Claims

1. An image forming unit that forms an image on paper, Multiple storage compartments for storing the aforementioned paper, A measuring unit for measuring the physical properties of the paper which vary depending on the environment, When a paper shortage occurs in the paper storage unit during image formation by the image forming unit, the paper feeding switching unit switches the paper feeding destination to another paper storage unit. A control unit that controls the difference between the physical properties of the paper stored in the storage unit that is a candidate for switching by the paper feed switching unit and the physical properties of the paper stored in the storage unit where the paper ran out, to be less than or equal to a predetermined value, if the difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, An image forming apparatus characterized by comprising:

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned physical property value includes at least one of water content and resistance.

3. The device comprises at least one of a dehumidifying unit for dehumidifying the paper stored in the storage unit and a humidifying unit for humidifying the paper stored in the storage unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit controls the dehumidifying unit or the humidifying unit so that the difference becomes less than or equal to the predetermined value.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the dehumidifying section includes at least a heater that controls the temperature inside the storage section.

5. The dehumidifying unit is equipped with a fan that circulates the heat generated by the heater. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit controls at least one of the heater lighting time, the fan airflow, and the fan operating time so that the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the control unit switches the control content based on the difference when controlling at least one of the heater lighting time, the fan airflow, and the fan operating time.

7. It includes a determination unit that determines the required image quality for the job currently in progress. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that when the control unit controls at least one of the heater lighting time, the fan airflow, and the fan operating time, it switches the control content based on the required image quality determined by the determination unit.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a setting change unit for changing settings related to control content.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that it includes a setting change unit for changing the settings related to the required image quality.

10. The system includes a plurality of paper discharge units that discharge the paper on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit executes a subsequent job while controlling the difference to be less than or equal to the predetermined value, and discharges the paper on which the image was formed by the execution of the subsequent job to a different paper discharge section than the paper on which the image was formed by the job under control to be less than or equal to the predetermined value.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the control unit, when executing the subsequent job, feeds the paper from a storage unit different from the storage unit used in the job under control so that the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, if there are multiple storage units to which the control unit is subject to control so that the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value, the control unit prioritizes the storage unit storing the paper with the smallest difference and performs control so that the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

13. The measuring unit is provided on the common transport path for the paper, The control unit, If a paper shortage occurs in the storage unit during image formation by the image forming unit, the paper stored in the storage unit that is a candidate for switching by the paper feed switching unit is transported to the measuring unit to measure the physical properties. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, if the difference between the physical properties of the paper stored in the storage section that is a candidate for switching by the paper feed switching unit and the physical properties of the paper stored in the storage section where the paper has run out is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the paper stored in the storage section that is a candidate for switching by the paper feed switching unit is discharged as is, and the paper stored in the other storage sections that are candidates for switching is transported to the measuring unit to have the physical properties measured.

14. A paper feeding control method for an image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit for forming an image on paper; a plurality of storage units for storing the paper; and a measuring unit for measuring the physical properties of the paper which vary depending on the environment, If a paper shortage occurs in the paper storage unit while the image forming unit is feeding paper, a paper feeding switching step is performed to switch the paper feeding destination to another paper storage unit. A control step is performed to control the paper so that the difference between the physical properties of the paper stored in the storage unit that is a candidate for switching in the paper feed switching step and the physical properties of the paper stored in the storage unit where the paper ran out is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, so that the difference becomes less than or equal to the predetermined value. A paper feed control method including the following.

15. A computer for an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming unit for forming an image on paper, a plurality of storage units for storing the paper, and a measuring unit for measuring the physical properties of the paper which vary depending on the environment, If a paper shortage occurs in the paper storage unit while the image forming unit is feeding paper, the paper feeding switching unit switches the paper feeding destination to another paper storage unit. A control unit that controls the difference between the physical properties of the paper stored in the storage unit that is a candidate for switching by the paper feed switching unit and the physical properties of the paper stored in the storage unit where the paper ran out, to be less than or equal to a predetermined value, if the difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. A program designed to function as such.

Images