JP2703915B2 - Image forming apparatus capable of division recording - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that divides one image into a plurality of recording materials and outputs the divided images.

(Prior art)

For example, if a document of A4 size (210 mm × 297 mm) is copied at a magnification of 600%, a print image of 1260 mm × 1782 mm is obtained. The diagram for explaining that
FIG.

FIG. 10 (A) is a view in which an A4 size document is placed horizontally, and FIG. 10 (B) is a view showing a state of a print sheet when FIG. 10 (A) is enlarged by 600%. When the printing paper (roll paper) has a maximum width in the A2 longitudinal direction (594 mm), as shown in FIG. 9 (A), the A4 size document is vertically divided into three parts, and each part is shown in FIG. Copying is performed in correspondence with the print papers', ',' shown in B).

In this case, roll paper is used as the print paper, and the feed amount in the sub-scanning direction is an arbitrary length. In this example, the feed amount in the sub-scanning direction is 1260 mm.

Since cut paper was used as the printing paper for this type of enlarged copy in general, for example, when using A3 size cut paper, 18 print papers were required in the above example, and later There is a drawback in that the work amount is increased due to the large number of sheets when combining them into one sheet. Thus, by using roll paper and setting the sub-scan feed amount to an arbitrary length, the number of print paper sheets can be reduced, and a larger copy can be obtained.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, when making a large-size copy using roll paper as in the above-described conventional example, it takes a very long time for one copy. Therefore, if a problem such as a paper jam occurs during the copy operation, copy time and work to re-take a copy from the beginning, even if a small print paper such as A4 or A3 size is required, especially when a quick copy is required However, a heavy burden is imposed on the user (operator), which is a problem.

Also, as shown in the conventional example, when copying on a print sheet of 1260 mm per sheet, due to trouble during copying,
The printing paper, ink, etc., which were copied before the trouble, were wasted, resulting in a major problem in terms of cost.

[Means for solving the problem]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording sheet, comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording sheet from an arbitrary portion of an image for one page; Detecting means for detecting a trouble state in the image forming apparatus; and detecting the trouble state by the detecting means, the image forming means is provided even if the image forming means is in the process of forming an image of one page on a recording sheet. Control means for stopping the operation of the image forming apparatus; storage means for storing a position at which the image forming is stopped by the control means; and Input means for manually inputting an instruction to restart the image forming operation of the forming means from the top of the one-page image or from an image near a position where the image is stopped halfway; When an instruction to start from the top of the image for one page is given by the input unit, the detection unit causes the image formed on the top of the recording sheet to form an image on a new recording sheet before the trouble state is detected. When an instruction is given from an image near the stop position, an image is formed on a new recording sheet from an image near the position stored in the storage means.

(Operation)

With the above configuration, it is possible to prevent waste of the recording material and increase in the working time.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples.

FIG. 1 shows an outline drawing of a digital color copying machine to which the present invention is applied.

 The whole can be divided into two parts.

The upper part of FIG. 1 is a color image scanner 1 for reading a document image and outputting digital color image data.
(Hereinafter, abbreviated as a scanner unit 1) and a controller unit 2 which is built in the scanner unit 1 and performs various image processing of digital color image data and has a processing function such as an interface with an external device. .

The scanner unit 1 reads a three-dimensional object and a sheet document placed below the document holder 11 and also has a built-in mechanism for reading a large-size sheet document.

The operation unit 10 is connected to the controller unit 2 and is used to input various information as a copier. The controller unit 2 instructs the scanner unit 1 and the printer unit 3 on operations according to the input information.
Further, when a complicated editing process needs to be performed, a digitizer or the like is attached in place of the document presser 11, and this is connected to the controller unit 2, thereby enabling advanced processing.

The lower part of FIG. 1 shows a printer unit 3 for recording a color digital image signal output from the controller unit 2 on recording paper. In this embodiment, the printer unit 3 is a full-color ink jet printer using a recording head of an ink jet recording system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-59936.

The two parts described above are separable and can be installed at remote locations by extending the connecting cable.

(Printer Unit) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the digital color copying machine of FIG. 1 as viewed from the side.

First, an exposure lamp 14, a lens 15, and a full-color image sensor 16 (in this embodiment, a CCD) capable of reading a line image, an original image placed on an original platen glass 17, a projected image by a projector, or Then, the sheet original image is read by the sheet feeding mechanism 12. Next, various types of image processing are performed by the scanner unit 1 and the controller unit 2,
The data is recorded on the recording paper by the printer unit 3.

In FIG. 2, the recording paper is a paper feed cassette 20 for storing cut sheets of a small fixed size (in this embodiment, A4 to A3 size) and a large size (in this embodiment, A2 to A1 size). It is supplied from a roll paper 29 for performing.

In addition, paper can be fed from outside of the apparatus (manual paper feeding) by feeding recording sheets one by one along the paper feeding unit cover 21 from the manual feed slot 22 in FIG.

The pick-up roller 24 is a roller for feeding cut paper one by one from the paper feed cassette 20. The fed cut paper is conveyed to the first paper feed roller 26 by the cut paper feed roller 25. You.

The roll paper 29 is sent out by a roll paper feed roller 30, cut into a fixed length by a cutter 31, and conveyed to a first feed roller 26.

Similarly, the recording paper inserted from the manual feed port 22 is conveyed to the first paper feed roller 26 by the manual feed roller 32.

Pick-up roller 24, paper feed roller 25,
The roll paper feed roller 30, the first feed roller 26, and the manual feed roller 32 are provided with a not-shown paper feed motor (in this embodiment, a DC servo motor).
(Using a motor), and an on / off control can be performed at any time by an electromagnetic clutch attached to each roller.

When the printing operation is started by an instruction from the controller unit 2, the recording paper selected and fed from any of the above-described paper feeding paths is transported to the first paper feeding roller 26. In order to remove the skew of the recording paper, a first paper feed roller 26 is turned on after a predetermined amount of paper loop is formed, and the recording paper is conveyed to a second paper feed roller 27.

Between the first paper feed roller 26 and the second paper feed roller 27, the recording paper is slacked by a predetermined amount in order to perform accurate paper feed operation between the paper feed roller 28 and the second paper feed roller 27. Create The buffer amount detection sensor 33 is a sensor for detecting the buffer amount. By always making a buffer during paper transport, the load on the paper feed roller 28 and the paper feed second roller 27 can be reduced, especially when large-size recording paper is transported, and accurate paper feed operation is possible. Become.

When printing with the recording head 37, the recording head 37
The operation carriage 34 on which the etc. are mounted is the carriage rail
A reciprocating scan is performed on the scan 36 by a scan motor 35. And
In the forward scan, the image on the recording paper is printed, and in the backward scan, the paper feed roller 28 feeds the recording paper by a predetermined amount. At this time, while the drive system is being detected by the buffer amount detection sensor 33 by the paper feed motor, control is performed so that a predetermined buffer amount is always obtained.

The printed recording paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 23 and the printing operation is completed.

Reference numerals 91, 92, and 93 denote paper detectors, which are provided on the rear side of the first paper feed roller 26, the second paper feed roller 27, and the paper feed roller 28, respectively. Used.

Next, the details around the scanning carriage 34 will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, a paper feed motor 40 is a drive source for intermittently feeding recording paper, and drives the second paper feed roller 27 via a paper feed roller 28 and a second paper feed roller clutch 43.

The scanning motor 35 is a driving source for scanning the scanning carriage 34 in the directions of arrows A and B via the scanning belt 34. In this embodiment, a pulse motor is used for the paper feed motor 40 and the scanning motor 35 because accurate paper feed control is required.

When the recording paper reaches the second paper feed roller 27, the second paper feed roller clutch 43 and the paper feed motor 40 are turned on, and the recording paper is conveyed on the platen 39 to the paper feed roller 28.

The recording paper is detected by a paper detection sensor 44 provided on the platen 39, and the sensor information is used for position control, jam control, and the like.

When the recording paper reaches the paper feed roller 28, the paper feed second roller clutch 43 and the paper feed motor 40 are turned off, and the platen 39 is turned off.
Suction operation is performed from the inside by a suction motor (not shown),
The recording paper is brought into close contact with the platen 39.

Prior to the image recording operation on the recording paper, the scanning carriage 34 is moved to the position of the home position sensor 41, and then forward scanning is performed in the direction of arrow A, and cyan C, magenta M, Image recording is performed by ejecting yellow Y and black K ink from the recording head 37. When the image recording for the predetermined length is completed, the scanning carriage 34 is stopped, and conversely, the backward scanning is started in the direction of arrow B, and the scanning carriage 34 is returned to the position of the home position sensor 41. During the backward scanning, the paper is fed by the length recorded by the recording head 37 in the direction of arrow C by driving the paper feed roller 28 by the paper feed motor 40.

In the present embodiment, the recording head 37 is an ink jet nozzle of the above-described system, and four 256 nozzles each assembled in each of Y, M, C, and K are used.

When the scanning carriage 34 stops at the home position detected by the home position sensor 41, the recovery operation of the recording head 37 is performed. This is a process for performing a stable printing operation, and in order to prevent unevenness at the start of ejection due to a change in viscosity of ink remaining in the nozzles of the printing head 37, the feeding time, the internal temperature of the apparatus, and the like. Recording head 37 according to pre-programmed conditions such as
This is a process of performing a pressurizing operation, an idle discharge operation of ink, and the like.

The image recording is performed on the entire surface of the recording paper by repeating the operation described above.

(Scanner Unit) Next, the operation of the scanner unit 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a mechanical mechanism inside the scanner unit 1. FIG.

The CCD unit 18 is a unit composed of a CCD 16, a lens 15, etc., and has a main scanning motor 5 fixed on a rail 54.
The image forming apparatus moves on a rail 54 by a driving system in the main scanning direction including a pulley 51, a pulley 51, a pulley 52, and a wire 53, and reads an image on the document table glass 17 in the main scanning direction. Shade 55, home
The position sensor 56 is used for position control when the CCD unit 18 is moved to the main scanning home position in the correction area 68 in the figure.

The rail 54 is mounted on the rails 65 and 69, and includes the sub-scanning motor 60, pulleys 67, 68, 71, 76, shafts 72, 73, and wires 66, 69.
It is moved by the drive system 70 in the sub-scanning direction. The light-shielding plate 57 and the home position sensors 58 and 59 are used in the book mode for reading a document such as a book placed on the platen glass 17 and in the sheet mode for reading a sheet, respectively. Is used for position control when the rail 54 is moved.

The sheet feed motor 61, the sheet feed rollers 74 and 75, the pulleys 62 and 64, and the wire 63 are mechanisms for feeding a sheet document. This mechanism is a mechanism for feeding a sheet document placed on the document table glass 17 and placed downward by the sheet feed rollers 74 and 75 by a predetermined amount.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a reading operation in the book mode and the sheet mode.

In the book mode, the CCD unit 18 is moved to the book mode home position (book mode HP) shown in the correction area 68 in FIG. The reading operation of the entire surface starts.

Prior to scanning the original, parameters necessary for processing such as shading correction, black level correction, and color correction are set based on the output of reading the correction area 68. afterwards,
The main scanning motor 50 starts scanning in the main scanning direction in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. When the reading operation of the area indicated by is completed, the main scanning motor 50 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the sub-scanning motor 60 is driven to move the correction area 68 of the area in the sub-scanning direction. Subsequently, similar to the main scanning of the area, processing such as shading correction, black level correction, and color correction is performed as necessary, and the area is read.

By repeating the above scanning, the reading operation of the entire area is performed. After the reading operation of the area is completed, the CCD unit 18 is again set to the book mode home mode.
Return to position.

In the present embodiment, the platen glass 17 can actually read a document having a maximum size of A2.In practice, it is necessary to perform a larger number of scans.However, in the present invention, the operation is simplified in order to make the operation easier to understand. .

In the sheet mode, the CCD unit 18 is moved to the illustrated sheet mode home position (sheet mode HP).
Then, the CCD unit 18 is repeatedly moved back and forth in the area, and the sheet original is repeatedly read while the sheet feed motor 61 is intermittently operated to read the entire sheet original.

That is, processing such as shading correction, black level correction, and color correction is performed in the correction area 68 prior to scanning of the document, and then scanning in the main scanning direction is started by the main scanning motor 50 in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. . When the reading operation on the forward path in the area is completed, the main scanning motor 50 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the sheet feed motor 61 is driven during the scanning on the backward path to move the sheet document by a predetermined amount in the sub-scanning direction. Subsequently, the same operation is repeated to read the entire surface of the sheet document.

Assuming that the above-described reading operation is an equal-magnification reading operation, the area that can be read by the CCD unit 18 is actually a large area as shown in FIG. This is because the digital color copying machine of the present embodiment has a magnification / reduction function. That is, since the area that can be recorded by the recording head 37 is fixed at 256 bits at a time as described above, for example, when a 50% reduction operation is performed, the image information of the area of 512 bits at least twice as large is required. Is necessary. Therefore, the scanner section 1 has at least 51
It consists of a 2-bit CCD and has a built-in function to read and output image information in an arbitrary image area by one main scan reading.

In the case of enlargement, as shown in FIG. 9A, the document is divided into a plurality of areas, and the above-described reading operation is performed on each area.

The above-described scanning method is called a serial scanning method.

(Explanation of Entire Function Block) Next, the function block of the digital color copying machine of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The control units 102, 111, and 121 are control circuits that control the scanner unit 1, the controller unit 2, and the printer unit 3, respectively, and include a micro computer, a program ROM, a data memory, a communication circuit, and the like. Control units 102-111
The control units 111 and 121 are connected to each other by a communication line, and employ a so-called master-slave control mode in which the control units 102 and 121 operate according to instructions from the control unit 111.

When operating as a color copier, the control unit 111 operates according to input instructions from the operation unit 10 and the digitizer 114.

The operation unit 10 can use a liquid crystal as a display unit and has a touch panel made of a transparent electrode on its surface, for example, to perform selection instructions such as designation of colors and designation of an editing operation. Keys related to the operation, for example, a frequently used key such as a start key for instructing the start of a copying operation, a stop key for instructing a stop of the copying operation, a reset key for returning the operation mode to a normal state, and the like are provided independently. .

In addition, the control unit 111 includes, for example, IEEE-448, a so-called GP-
A control circuit for a general-purpose parallel interface such as an IB interface, which also controls the I / F control unit 112, is used to perform input / output of image data between external devices and remote control by the external devices via this interface. Can be done.

Further, the control unit 111 includes a multi-value synthesizing unit 106 that performs various kinds of processing related to the image, an image processing unit 107, a binarization processing unit 108,
It also controls the value synthesizing unit 109 and the buffer memory 110.

The control unit 102 controls the mechanical driving unit 105 that controls the mechanism of the scanner unit 1 described above, the exposure control unit 103 that controls the exposure of the lamp when reading a reflected original, and the halogen lamp when the projector is used. The control of the exposure control unit 104 that performs the exposure control of 90 is performed. Further, the control unit 102 also controls the analog signal processing unit 100 and the input image processing unit 101 that perform various kinds of processing related to images.

The control unit 121 controls the mechanism driving unit 105 for controlling the mechanism of the printer unit 3 described above, and absorbs the time variation of the mechanical operation of the printer unit 3 and corrects the delay due to the arrangement of the recording heads 117 to 120 on the mechanism. The synchronization delay memory 115 is controlled.

First, FIG. 6A shows a flow chart for performing copying by the serial scan method.

First, in SP701 and SP702, the user inputs the document size, the direction in which the document is placed, the magnification, and the number of prints.
Then, the number of divided areas N of the roll paper, the recording paper length required for recording one area of the roll paper, and the number of main scans M of the reader for one area are set. At the same time, the number n of divided areas for which printing has been completed and m indicating the number of times of main scanning have been initialized to zero. Then, in SP706, the document size, orientation, number of prints, magnification, number of divided areas N, and number of reader main scans M are output to the display unit, and the display unit performs display as shown in FIG. 7 (A). When the start button is pressed, printing is started in SP707.

Each time the reader finishes one main scan, m is incremented by one.
Then, the values n and m are output to the display unit (SP708 to 710). When m = M, n is incremented by 1 to determine whether or not copying of all divided areas has been completed (SP714). If not all have been completed, the reader starts reading the next divided area, The printer cuts the roll paper (SP713). The printer also cuts the roll paper when copying of all divided areas is completed.

As described above, copying is executed until n = N, during which n and m are output to the display unit for each main scan of the reader.

The display as shown in FIG. 7 (B) becomes possible by the values of the display portions n and m.

As this kind of display, a method of using a plurality of segments of LEDs or the like to indicate what percentage of the whole is completed can be considered, but as in the present embodiment, one copy process is performed using a plurality of print papers. When performing, the display is insufficient. At least, it is desirable to notify the operator of the number of the sheet and the portion of the print sheet that is being copied.

FIG. 6 (B) shows a flowchart in the event of a trouble, which is a drawing that best illustrates the features of the present invention.
In the figure, it is assumed that a trouble, for example, a paper jam or a scanning failure of a reading or recording head has occurred due to some factor after the start of printing. At this point, the copying is interrupted, the roll paper is cut, and the trouble occurrence routine shown in FIG. 6C is started.

First, the copy area at the time of occurrence of the paper jam is stored in the RAM. As a means for detecting a copy area when copying is interrupted, reading is performed by counting the reading time (copy time) since the reading speed of the document image of a reader (scanner) for reading the document image is usually constant. The area can be grasped.

In this routine, it is monitored whether or not the paper jam has been removed (the trouble has been eliminated). When the paper jam has been removed, the apparatus enters a copy standby state.

Here, when restarting the copy after a trouble, the area stored when the copy was interrupted due to a paper jam, in fact, the overlap area than the area at the time of the interruption was taken, so that it was possible to attach it several cm before Let the operator choose whether or not to copy again from the area. As a means for making the selection, a display as shown in FIG. 7 (C) is displayed on a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal) on the operation panel, and the display part is pressed instead of the start key.

However, in this case, it is necessary to attach a part that has already been copied before the occurrence of a paper jam and a part that has been copied again after the occurrence of the paper jam. Therefore, if it is not acceptable to bond a long sheet (for one roll of paper) in the middle, or if there is time to start copying or to start copying again from the beginning, the initial state shown in FIG. To have the start key pressed instead of the part to be retaken.

As a result, by having the operator (user) select a copy control method after the occurrence of a trouble from the above two modes, it is possible to satisfy the intended use according to the situation at that time.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (D), in the mode of retrieving from the area stored when the copy is interrupted, the operator (user) uses the operation unit 10 to determine how much (how many cm) to retrieve from the previous area. You may make it input. In this case, the CCD unit may be returned and re-scanned by the value of the area to be re-scanned from the position of the already-scanned area stored at the time of occurrence of the trouble.

[Other embodiments]

The means for detecting the copy area at the time of occurrence of a trouble such as a paper jam is not limited to the means for counting the reading time (copy time) of a reader (scanner) for reading a document image. If the drive is a pulse motor, the read area can be detected fairly accurately by counting the number of pulses of the pulse motor.

Further, when the reading method is the serial scanning method shown in FIG. 5, a very accurate detecting means is not required since the reading is performed again from an area several centimeters before the area where the operation was actually interrupted. Then, the means for counting the number of scans (m in FIG. 6A) read before the occurrence of the trouble can be a simple detecting means.

Note that, depending on another driving method of the reading system, another reading method, and the like, an optimal area detecting unit at the time of trouble can be considered, and thus the present invention is not limited to the above example.

Trouble after starting printing is not limited to paper jams.
In some cases, the power is turned off due to the opening of the printer unit door, or the power switch is turned off (the breaker is turned off, the power is cut off).

In particular, even when the power switch is turned off (breaker is turned off, power failure occurs), the copy area (count) at the time of trouble occurrence (device power OFF) is provided by having a charging battery and a backup RAM. It is possible to memorize, and when the power switch is restored, the trouble is canceled and it is possible to copy again from the area just before the trouble occurred as in the above embodiment,
Naturally, the copy information such as SP701 and SP702 in FIG. 1 input before the copy is also stored in the backup RAM, so that it is not necessary to input the copy information again.

Further, even if the continuous paper runs out during copying (printing), the presence of the means for detecting the end of the continuous paper determines that a trouble has occurred and interrupts the copying (printing). When a new continuous sheet is set, copy restart processing can be performed in the same manner as in the above embodiment.

In addition to the use as a copying machine, a printer (recording device) as an output device for computer graphics
The same applies when used as

That is, since image data output from a host computer or the like is printed out by a printer (recording device), the number of image data being output (transferred) is always counted by a host (computer or the like). If you detect any trouble during printing, stop counting,
When the printout is restarted, the image data is output (transferred) from the image data slightly before the stopped count and printed out. This can be easily dealt with only by controlling the software of the data layer on the host (computer or the like) side.

In general, image data handled by a computer graphic or the like is often a raster scan signal like a scanning signal of a TV, and a printer which cannot output a raster scan signal as it is is shown in FIG. Inside, a memory bank (402 to 404) such as a DRAM is built in, image data is once taken into the memory bank, and read out so as to become a data signal (for example, a serial scan signal) suitable for the output of the printer. That is, the data signal conversion from raster scan to serial scan is performed by changing the order of the memory addresses at the time of writing and at the time of reading. Depending on the arrangement of the signal data, the up-count and down-count of the counter, the preset value of the count value, and the configuration of the address matrix can be changed to flexibly deal with various image data. . Thus, by always counting the reading of the image data from the memory bank, the image data corresponding to the printout interruption area when a trouble occurs can be grasped by the counter.
Therefore, as a reprinting method after a trouble, if the preset address of the counter is set from the beginning of the image data, printing can be restarted from the beginning, and the count value slightly before the count value at the time of trouble can be pre-printed. If the image data is transferred as the set address, it is possible to restart the printout from a region immediately before the interruption of the printout. As described above, by incorporating a memory bank, a conversion table, and the like in the printer, the present control method can be applied to a host (computer or the like) that handles image data of any form.

As a supplementary explanation of FIG. 8, a general-purpose interface such as a GPIB control unit 400 or a centro control unit 401 is built in an interface with a host (computer). The conversion table 413 is a circuit for performing color conversion of multi-valued data such as RGBCMY, and similarly an exclusive OR gate 41.
Reference numeral 4,415 denotes a circuit for performing color conversion (bit inversion) of binary data, which can be connected to a host (computer) that handles RGB or CMY color data.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the image formation is interrupted in the middle of the recording sheet due to a trouble during the image formation, the image formation is restarted from the vicinity of the interrupted position or the image is formed at the top of the recording sheet. Since it is possible to select whether or not to resume image formation from an image that has been used, it is possible to prevent waste of recording sheets and increase in work time, and it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus with good operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is an external view of a copying apparatus to which the present invention can be applied, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the copying apparatus, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a recording unit of the copying apparatus, and FIG. Diagram showing the configuration,
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a moving path of the image reading unit, and FIG. 6 (A).
6 is a flowchart showing a copying operation by a serial scan, FIG. 6B is a flowchart showing a copying operation when a trouble occurs, and FIGS. 6C and 6D are flowcharts showing a trouble process; FIG. (A) to (C) show examples of display on the display unit, FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the copying apparatus, FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit when the printer is operating, and FIG. FIG. 10A is a diagram showing an original divided reading, and FIG. 10B is a diagram showing a recording material divided and recorded.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording sheet, an image forming means capable of forming an image on a recording sheet from an arbitrary portion of an image for one page, and detecting a trouble state in the image forming apparatus Control means for stopping the operation of the image forming means when the trouble state is detected by the detecting means, even if the image forming means is in the process of forming one page of image on the recording sheet. A storage unit for storing a position where the image forming is stopped by the control unit; and a restart of the image forming operation of the image forming unit after the operation of the image forming unit is stopped due to a trouble and before the image forming operation is restarted. Input means for manually inputting an instruction as to whether or not to execute from the top of the image for one page or from an image near a position where the image is stopped halfway, and the control means controls the input means for one page by the input means. When an instruction to start from the beginning of the image is given, the image is formed on a new recording sheet from the image formed at the beginning of the recording sheet before the detection of the trouble state by the detection means, and the vicinity of the position where the image is stopped on the way. An image forming apparatus capable of divisional recording, wherein an image is formed on a new recording sheet from an image in the vicinity of the position stored in the storage means when an instruction is given from the image of (1). 2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the input means gives an instruction to start from an image near the position where the image is stopped halfway, the image formation from how far before the position stored in the storage means. An image forming apparatus capable of dividing and recording, comprising: a second input unit for inputting whether to perform an operation.