Image Forming System Abnormal Sheet Handling Without Standby Tray

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image forming systems face challenges in generating a printed bundle without spoiled paper when an abnormal image is printed in the middle of a multi-page printing job, without using a standby tray that increases apparatus size.

Innovation Solution

An image forming system that includes a processor configured to manage different discharge destinations for normal and abnormal printed sheets, temporarily stop printing, notify the user to rearrange sheets, and resume printing after reprinting the abnormal page, all without using a standby tray.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If a standby tray is used to hold subsequent paper sheets when an abnormal image is detected, then paper waste is eliminated, but apparatus size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepaper wasteVSAvoidapparatus size

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the standby tray function from the main apparatus by utilizing an external discharge tray. Subsequent paper sheets are discharged to this external tray when an abnormal image is detected, eliminating the need for an internal standby tray while preventing paper waste. This separates the paper holding function from the printing apparatus itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The discharge tray serves as an intermediary between the printing apparatus and the final output. It temporarily holds subsequent paper sheets that need to be processed after the abnormal page is handled, mediating the paper flow without requiring internal standby capacity in the printer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If subsequent paper sheets are discharged to a separate tray when an abnormality is detected, then printing can resume without paper waste, but discharge destination management becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting resumption efficiencyVSAvoiddischarge destination management

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the discharge destinations into at least two separate trays: one for normal pages and another for subsequent pages when abnormalities occur. This segmentation allows independent management of different paper streams, enabling efficient printing resumption while maintaining clear tracking of paper locations through the discharge destination management unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If the system stops printing and notifies the user to rearrange paper sheets, then printing quality is maintained, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinting qualityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by automatically discharging subsequent paper sheets to a designated tray when an abnormality is detected, before the user needs to intervene. This preliminary discharge preparation reduces the overall processing time, as the papers are already positioned correctly when printing resumes, minimizing the impact on printing quality while reducing downtime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12299334B2Image forming system, non-transitory computer readable medium storing program, and image forming method for accommodating a paper sheet and executing processing of printing an image on the accommodated paper sheet

Publication Date: 2025.05.13 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An image forming system includes a processor configured to, in a case where a determination that an abnormality is not present in an image printed on a paper sheet fed from a first paper feeding source is made, discharge a first paper sheet on which the image determined as not having the abnormality is printed to a first discharge destination, in a case where a determination that the abnormality is present in the image is made, discharge a second paper sheet on which the image determined as having the abnormality is printed to a second discharge destination, discharge a paper sheet of a subsequent page of the second paper sheet to a third discharge destination and temporarily stop printing processing, notify a user of an instruction to arrange the paper sheet discharged to the third discharge destination in a second paper feeding source different from the first paper feeding source, and in a case where a notification indicating that the paper sheet discharged to the third discharge destination is arranged in the second paper feeding source is received from the user, discharge the paper sheet arranged in the second paper feeding source to the first discharge destination by transporting the paper sheet after a paper sheet on which the image of the second paper sheet is reprinted.