WO2017026328A1

WO2017026328A1 - Image forming apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2017026328A1
Application number: PCT/JP2016/072662
Authority: WO
Inventors: 武徳山本
Original assignee: 京セラドキュメントソリューションズ株式会社
Priority date: 2015-08-10
Filing date: 2016-08-02
Publication date: 2017-02-16

Abstract

An image forming apparatus (1) is provided with: a storage unit (23); a printing unit (6); a sheet size detection unit (16); a size determination unit (25); and a control unit (20). The storage unit (23) stores image data of an original image. The printing unit (6) prints the original image on a sheet. The sheet size detection unit (16) is used to detect a size of the sheet. The size determination unit (25) calculates the size of the sheet in a sheet conveyance direction on the basis of an output from the sheet size detection unit (16) and compares the size of the sheet with the size of the original image to derive the difference between the sizes. If the size of the original image in the sheet conveyance direction is greater than the size of the sheet, the control unit (20) causes the printing unit (6) to divide the image data of the original image to allow the original image to be printed over a plurality of sheets, and causes the printing unit (6) to print the original image on a plurality of sheets P.

Description

Image forming apparatus

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus represented by a copying machine.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printers, and facsimiles stack and store a large number of sheets used for printing, and separate sheets one by one and send them to an image forming unit. Here, there is a case where the size of the paper used for printing is inappropriate with respect to the size of the original image desired to be printed. Prior arts proposed to solve this problem are disclosed in

Patent Documents

1 and 2.

In the conventional image forming apparatuses described in

Patent Documents

1 and 2, a paper size detection unit that detects the size of a paper supplied from a paper supply unit and used for printing, and a paper size detected by the paper size detection unit are set in advance. A size determination unit that compares the size of the printed paper. These conventional image forming apparatuses stop the image forming operation and the printing operation when the size of the paper used for printing is inappropriate as a result of the comparison by the size discrimination unit. This prevents printing on an inappropriate size paper.

JP-A-9-249338 JP 2008-221543 A

However, the related arts disclosed in

Patent Documents

1 and 2 stop the printing function when the size of the paper used for printing is inappropriate, so that the print job received by the image forming apparatus thereafter cannot be continuously executed. There was a problem. Further, when the printing function is stopped, the memory for storing the image data of the original image becomes full, and it may be difficult to receive the print job.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is capable of continuing printing without stopping the printing function even when an inappropriate size of paper used for printing occurs. The purpose is to provide.

In order to solve the above problems, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a storage unit, a printing unit, a paper size detection unit, a size determination unit, and a control unit. The storage unit stores image data of an original image. The printing unit prints an original image on paper. The paper size detection unit is used to detect the size of the paper output by the printing unit. The size determination unit calculates the size of the paper in the paper transport direction based on the output of the paper size detection unit, compares the size of the paper in the paper transport direction with the size of the original image stored in the storage unit, and compares them. Derive differences. When the size of the original image in the paper transport direction is larger than the size of the paper, the control unit causes the printing unit to divide the image data of the original image so that it can be printed over a plurality of sheets of paper. Execute printing on paper.

According to the configuration of the present invention, when an inappropriate situation occurs in the size of the paper used for printing, that is, when the size of the original image is larger than the size of the paper, the image data of the original image is printed over a plurality of sheets. Is done. Therefore, it is possible to continue printing without stopping the printing function. As a result, a print job received by the image forming apparatus thereafter can be continuously executed. Further, since the memory for storing the image data of the original image does not become full, the image forming apparatus can continuously receive the print job.

1 is a front view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the printing result of the image forming apparatus of 1st Embodiment of this invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a printing process of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the printing result of the image forming apparatus of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of print processing of the image forming apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the printing result of the image forming apparatus of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a printing process of an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following contents.

<First Embodiment>
First, an image forming operation and a printing operation of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an example of a front view of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a printing result of the image forming apparatus. This image forming apparatus is a so-called multi-function machine having copy, image reading, printer, and facsimile functions, and is of a color printing type in which a toner image is transferred onto a sheet using an intermediate transfer belt.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 has a document transport unit 3 mounted on the upper surface of a main body 2 and includes a document image reading unit 4 inside the main body 2 below the main body 2. When the user causes the image forming apparatus 1 to execute an image reading job including facsimile transmission, the user loads an original on which an image such as a character, a figure, or a pattern is drawn on the original conveying unit 3 or the original is an original image reading unit. 4 is placed on a contact glass (not shown) on the upper surface. In the document conveying section 3, one or a plurality of documents are separated and sent out one by one, and the document image reading section 4 reads the image. For an original on the contact glass, an image is read by scanning light inside the original image reading unit 4. The image data of the read original image is stored in, for example, the storage unit 23 (see FIG. 2).

A command for the user to cause the image forming apparatus 1 to execute a print job, an image reading job, and a facsimile transmission job is received using the operation panel 5 provided at the upper part of the main body 2 and on the front side of the document image reading unit 4. For example, the operation panel 5 accepts settings such as printing conditions such as the type and size of paper used for printing, enlargement / reduction, and presence / absence of double-sided printing, and inputs settings such as a fax number and a sender name in facsimile transmission. Or accept. Furthermore, the operation panel 5 also serves as a notifying unit for notifying the user of the status, cautions, error messages, and the like of the device on the display unit 5w.

On the other hand, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a printing unit 6 for executing a print job in a portion below the image reading unit 4 of the main body 2. The printing unit 6 includes a paper feeding unit 7, a paper transport unit 8, an exposure unit 9, an image forming unit 10, a transfer unit 11, and a fixing unit 12.

The paper feed unit 7 stacks and stores the paper P, and separates the paper P one by one and sends it out to the paper transport unit 8. The paper transport unit 8 receives the paper P sent from the paper feed unit 7 and transports the paper P vertically upward along the right side surface of the main body 2 to the secondary transfer unit 11 w of the transfer unit 11.

When printing image data of a document, the image data information is subjected to image processing and the like via the control unit 20 shown in FIG. The exposure unit 9 irradiates the image forming unit 10 with laser light controlled based on the image data.

The image forming unit 10 is provided with four units: an image forming unit 10Y for yellow, an image forming unit 10M for magenta, an image forming unit 10C for cyan, and an image forming unit 10K for black. In the following description, the identification symbols “Y”, “M”, “C”, and “B” representing each color are omitted unless particularly limited.

The transfer unit 11 includes an intermediate transfer belt 11z,

primary transfer units

11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K, a secondary transfer unit 11w, and an intermediate transfer cleaning unit 11x. The four image forming units 10 are arranged in a so-called tandem system arranged in a line from the upstream side to the downstream side in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 11z.

In each color image forming unit 10, an electrostatic latent image of a document image is formed by the laser light emitted by the exposure unit 9, and a toner image is developed based on the electrostatic latent image. At this time, the image forming unit 10 forms an output image for each line from the image data of the original image stored in the storage unit 23, for example, in the direction intersecting the paper transport direction. Then, the output line measurement unit 15 (see FIG. 2) sequentially measures the output lines of the output image formed by the image forming unit 10.

The toner images are primarily transferred onto the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 11z by

primary transfer units

11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K disposed above the

image forming units

10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K of the respective colors. The toner image of each image forming unit 10 is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 11z at a predetermined timing along with the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 11z, so that the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 11z has four colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. A color toner image is formed by superimposing the color toner images.

The color toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 11z is transferred to the paper P sent in synchronization by the paper transport unit 8 at the secondary transfer nip portion formed in the secondary transfer unit 11w. The intermediate transfer cleaning unit 11x cleans the intermediate transfer belt 11z by scraping off toner remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 11z after the secondary transfer.

The paper P on which the unfixed toner image has been transferred at the secondary transfer nip portion is sent to the fixing portion 12 and is sandwiched between the heating roller and the pressure roller. As a result, the toner image is heated and pressurized and fixed on the paper P. The paper P discharged from the fixing unit 12 is output to the in-body paper discharge unit 14 through the paper discharge port 13. In this way, the printing unit 6 prints the original image on the paper P.

The image forming apparatus 1 includes a CPU 21 and an image processing unit 22 shown in FIG. 2 and a control unit 20 composed of other electronic components (not shown) for operation control of the entire apparatus. The control unit 20 uses a central processing unit (CPU) 21 and an image processing unit 22 to control components such as the original image reading unit 4 and the printing unit 6 based on programs and data stored and input in the storage unit 23. Thus, a series of printing operations is realized. Note that the printing unit 6 includes components such as a paper feeding unit 7, a paper transport unit 8, an exposure unit 9, an image forming unit 10, a transfer unit 11, and a fixing unit 12 that receive commands from the control unit 20 individually, and the configuration thereof. The elements are linked to execute printing of the original image on the paper P.

Further, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a communication unit 24 for performing communication such as facsimile transmission / reception with an external communication device or a computer. The communication unit 24 is connected to a telephone line or a network line, and uses these lines to exchange image data and the like with an external communication device or computer. The control unit 20 causes the communication unit 24 to execute transmission and reception of data to an external communication device or the like. The image data of the original image received from the outside is stored in the storage unit 23, for example.

Further, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a paper size detection unit 16 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The paper size detection unit 16 is disposed adjacent to a conveyance guide member (not shown) of the paper conveyance unit 8 between the paper supply unit 7 and the secondary transfer unit 11w. The paper size detection unit 16 is configured using, for example, a transmissive optical sensor and a rotating plate that shields light emitted from the optical sensor by contacting the paper P. In the paper size detection unit 16, the rotation plate rotates depending on the presence or absence of the paper P, and the level of the output signal of the optical sensor is switched.

Further, the control unit 20 includes a size determination unit 25 shown in FIG. The size determination unit 25 calculates the size of the paper P in the paper conveyance direction based on the output of the paper size detection unit 16 and a preset paper conveyance speed. For example, the size determination unit 25 multiplies the paper conveyance speed by a period from when the paper size detection unit 16 detects the downstream end (front end) of the paper P in the paper conveyance direction to detection of the upstream end (rear end). The size of the paper P in the paper transport direction is calculated. Further, the size determination unit 25 compares the size of the paper P in the paper transport direction with the size of the original image stored in the storage unit 23 and derives the difference therebetween.

Then, the control unit 20 executes processing for determining whether or not the size of the paper P used for printing is appropriate with respect to the size of the original image desired to be printed in the printing operation. The control unit 20 divides the image data of the original image so that the image data of the original image can be printed on a plurality of sheets P when the size of the original image in the sheet conveyance direction derived by the size determination unit 25 is larger than the size of the sheet P. Thus, the original image is printed on a plurality of sheets P.

In dividing the image data of the original image, the control unit 20 outputs the output image to the image forming unit 10 when the output line of the output image sequentially measured by the output line measuring unit 15 cannot be output as an output image for one sheet. The formation is temporarily stopped and the printing unit 6 is caused to execute printing on the paper P. Further, the control unit 20 causes the image forming unit 10 to form an output image that remains halfway on the subsequent paper P. Regarding the output image remaining halfway, the control unit 20 causes the image forming unit 10 to form an output image after the line already output for the previous paper P on the subsequent paper P. When the output image, which is the image data of the original image, extends to the third and subsequent sheets of paper P, these processes are sequentially repeated.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the original image (raster image) has a size corresponding to A4-R (A4 portrait orientation), and the paper P used for printing has a size of A5-E (A5 landscape orientation). . The image forming unit 10 forms an output image for each line on the first sheet P in the direction intersecting with the sheet conveyance direction in order from the top in the sheet conveyance direction. When the output line cannot be output as the output image of the first sheet P in the middle of the area corresponding to the text “ABCDEFG” of the original image, the image forming unit 10 temporarily stops the formation of the output image. The printing unit 6 then prints the first sheet P. Subsequently, the image forming unit 10 forms an output image on the second sheet P after the output line in the middle of the area corresponding to the text “ABCDEFG” that has been output on the first sheet P. Since the output image remaining halfway fits on the second sheet P, the printing unit 6 prints the second sheet P.

In this printing process, the same size printing is adopted. Further, for example, this printing process may be applied at the time of facsimile reception at night.

Subsequently, an example of the printing process by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described along the flow shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of print processing of the image forming apparatus 1.

When the image forming apparatus 1 accepts a job related to each function of the copy, printer, and facsimile, the printing operation is started (start in FIG. 4).

In step # 101, the image data of the original image is stored in the storage unit 23. The image data of the original image is obtained by being read by the document image reading unit 4 or received from an external device via the communication unit 24.

In step # 102, the control unit 20 causes the paper feeding unit 7 to start conveying the paper P. The paper P sent out from the paper supply unit 7 reaches a position where the paper size detection unit 16 is disposed in the middle of the paper transport unit 8.

In step # 103, the control unit 20 causes the size determination unit 25 to calculate the size of the paper P. The size determination unit 25 calculates the size of the paper P in the paper conveyance direction based on the output of the paper size detection unit 16 and a preset paper conveyance speed.

In step # 104, the control unit 20 causes the size determination unit 25 to compare the size of the paper P in the paper transport direction with the size of the original image stored in the storage unit 23 and derive the difference therebetween.

In step # 105, it is determined whether or not the size of the original image is smaller than or the same as the size of the paper P. If the size of the original image is smaller than or the same as the size of the paper P, the process proceeds to step # 106. If the size of the original image is larger than the size of the paper P, the process proceeds to step # 107.

In step # 106, for an original image whose size is smaller than or the same as that of the sheet P, a command for causing the image forming unit 10 to perform image formation related to the original image and the sheet for the printing unit 6 The control unit 20 issues a command to execute printing on P.

In step # 107, it is determined whether or not printing of all pages has been completed. When printing of all pages is completed, the printing process is terminated (END in FIG. 4). If printing of all pages has not been completed, the process returns to step # 102 and the printing operation is continued.

In step # 108, with respect to the original image whose size is larger than the sheet P, the image forming unit 10 instructs the image forming unit 10 to form an image for one sheet of the original image, and the printing unit 6 instructs the sheet P to be formed. The control unit 20 issues a command to execute printing on the printer.

In Step # 109, it is determined whether or not there is an output image that remains halfway. If the output image still remains, the process returns to step # 108, and the image forming unit 10 forms an output image after the output line on the previous sheet P on the subsequent sheet P, and the printing unit 6 prints. If the output image extends beyond the third sheet of paper P, the process of step # 108 is sequentially repeated. If no output image remains, the process proceeds to step # 107.

Second Embodiment
Next, an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a printing result of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a printing process of the image forming apparatus. Since the basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. And

In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 5, with respect to the output image remaining halfway, the control unit 20 determines a predetermined predetermined line from the last line that has been output to the previous sheet P (first sheet). The image forming unit 10 forms the output image on the next sheet P (second sheet) after returning by several y lines.

As the predetermined number y of output lines to be returned, a numerical value such as 15 lines can be arbitrarily set as appropriate. In addition, a predetermined number y of the text “ABCDEFG” formed over the output image printed on the previous paper P (first sheet) and the output image of the next paper P (second sheet) is formed. It may be derived based on the character size. The character size can be derived by the image processing unit 22 or the like.

In the flow shown in FIG. 6, the image data for a predetermined number y lines is not discarded from the last line that has been output to the previous paper P at the time of image formation in step # 208, and stored in the storage unit 23 or the like. Save it.

When the output image still remains in the determination process of step # 209, in step # 210, the control unit 20 determines the start position of the output line for the next paper P from the last line already output for the previous paper P. A process of returning by the number y of lines is executed. Then, returning to step # 208, an output image is formed and printed from the starting position where the predetermined number y of lines have been returned to the subsequent paper P.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a printing result of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a printing process of the image forming apparatus. Since the basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. And

In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, with respect to the output image remaining halfway, the control unit 20 performs the output from the last line already output to the previous sheet P (first sheet). Then, the image forming unit 10 forms the output image on the next sheet P (second sheet) by returning to the output line w that is a white pixel over the entire area of one line that is present most recently. The output line w that is a white pixel over the entire line can be detected by the image processing unit 22 or the like. Then, the number of lines z from the last line that has been output to the previous paper P (first sheet) to the output line w that is a white pixel over the entire area of one line that is closest to the last line is also derived. The

In the flow shown in FIG. 8, the image data that has been output for the previous paper P at the time of image formation in step # 308 is not discarded, but is stored in the storage unit 23 or the like.

When the output image still remains in the determination process in step # 309, the control unit 20 is closest to the last line with respect to the image processing unit 22 with respect to the image data that has been output for the previous paper P in step # 310. The output line w, which is a white pixel, is detected over the entire area of one line. The image processing unit 22 detects the output line w retroactively from the last line that has been output for the previous paper P, and derives the number z of lines from the last line that has been output to the output line w.

Note that the output line w, which is a white pixel, is detected from the output image on the previous paper P during the image formation in step # 308 over the entire area of one line that is closest to the final line, and output from the final line that has been output. The number of lines z up to the line w may be derived. In this case, image data up to the number of lines z going back from the last line that has been output to the previous paper P is not discarded, but is stored in the storage unit 23 or the like.

In step # 311, the control unit 20 executes a process of returning the start position of the output line for the subsequent paper P from the last line output to the previous paper P by the number z of lines. Then, returning to step # 308, an output image is formed and printed from the start position where the number of lines z is returned to the next paper P.

In addition, in order to detect the output line w that is a white pixel over the entire line, a range that goes back from the last line that has been output to the previous paper P can be set in advance. As a result, it is possible to prevent a large return toward the beginning of the output image data.

As in the first to third embodiments, the image forming apparatus 1 includes the storage unit 23, the printing unit 6, the paper size detection unit 16, the size determination unit 25, and the control unit 20. The storage unit 6 stores image data of the original image. The printing unit 6 prints the original image on the paper P. The paper size detection unit 16 is used to detect the size of the paper P output from the printing unit 6. The size determination unit 25 calculates the size of the paper P in the paper transport direction based on the output of the paper size detection unit 16 and compares the size of the paper P in the paper transport direction with the size of the original image stored in the storage unit 23. Derive those differences. When the size of the original image in the paper transport direction is larger than the size of the paper P, the control unit 20 causes the printing unit 6 to divide the image data of the original image so that it can be printed on a plurality of sheets of paper P, thereby Printing on a sheet of paper P is executed.

According to this configuration, when an inappropriate situation occurs in the size of the paper P used for printing, that is, when the size of the original image is larger than the size of the paper P, the image data of the original image is printed over a plurality of sheets. The Therefore, it is possible to continue printing without stopping the printing function. Thereby, the print job received by the image forming apparatus 1 thereafter can be continuously executed. Furthermore, since the storage unit 23 or the like that stores the image data of the original image does not become full, the image forming apparatus 1 can continuously receive print jobs. In particular, it is effective to apply this configuration to facsimile reception at night when there is no user around the image forming apparatus 1.

In addition, the printing unit 6 forms an output image for each line in the direction intersecting the paper conveyance direction from the image data of the original image stored in the storage unit 23, and the output formed by the image forming unit 10. And an output line measuring unit 15 that sequentially measures the output lines of the image. Then, when the output line of the output image sequentially measured by the output line measuring unit 15 cannot be output as an output image for one sheet, the control unit 20 causes the image forming unit 10 to temporarily stop the output image formation. The printing unit 6 is caused to print on the paper P, and the image forming unit 10 is caused to form an output image that remains halfway on the subsequent paper P.

According to this configuration, when the image data of the original image is printed over a plurality of sheets P, the output image can be divided for each output line. Thereby, it is possible to print all on the paper P without losing the original image.

In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, the control unit 20 continues the output image after the line that has been output to the previous sheet P to the image forming unit 10 with respect to the output image remaining halfway. P is formed.

According to this configuration, the image area formed on the paper P is minimized. Therefore, it is possible to print the original image on a smaller number of sheets P.

In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment, the control unit 20 outputs a predetermined number y of predetermined output from the last line that has been output to the previous paper P to the image forming unit 10 with respect to the output image that remains halfway. The output image is formed on the next sheet P by returning the line.

Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the second embodiment, the control unit 20 outputs the output image that has been printed from the last line that has been output to the previous paper P to the image forming unit 10 with respect to the output image that remains halfway. The output image is formed on the subsequent paper P by returning the line derived on the basis of the size of the character formed across the output image on the subsequent paper P.

Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment, the control unit 20 uses white pixels throughout the entire line from the last line that has been output to the image forming unit 10 for the previous paper P with respect to the output image that remains halfway. Returning to a certain output line w, an output image is formed on the following paper P.

According to these configurations, it is possible to print without dividing a photograph, a pattern, a character, or the like that may be formed across the previous paper P and the next paper P. Therefore, it is possible to easily recognize the original image printed on the paper P.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 is an image forming apparatus for color printing. However, the image forming apparatus 1 is not limited to such a model, and may be an image forming apparatus for monochrome printing, other printers, or the like. Absent.

The present invention can be used in an image forming apparatus.

Claims

A storage unit for storing image data of the original image;
A printing unit that prints the original image on paper;
A paper size detection unit for detecting the size of the paper output by the printing unit;
A size that calculates the size of the paper in the paper conveyance direction based on the output of the paper size detection unit and compares the size of the paper in the paper conveyance direction with the size of the original image stored in the storage unit and derives the difference between them A discriminator;
When the size of the original image in the paper transport direction is larger than the size of the paper, the printing unit is divided so that the image data of the original image can be printed over a plurality of sheets, and the original image is printed on a plurality of sheets A control unit for executing
An image forming apparatus comprising:
The printing unit is
An image forming unit that forms an output image for each line in a direction crossing the paper conveyance direction from the image data of the original image stored in the storage unit;
An output line measuring unit that sequentially measures output lines of an output image formed by the image forming unit;
With
The control unit causes the image forming unit to temporarily stop forming an output image when the output line of the output image sequentially measured by the output line measuring unit cannot be output as an output image for one sheet of paper. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus causes the printing unit to execute printing on a sheet, and causes the image forming unit to form an output image that remains halfway on a subsequent sheet.
3. The control unit according to claim 2, wherein the control unit causes the image forming unit to form an output image after a line that has already been output on the previous sheet, on the subsequent sheet with respect to the output image remaining halfway. The image forming apparatus described.
The control unit forms an output image on a subsequent sheet by returning a predetermined number of lines from the last line that has been output to the image forming unit with respect to the output image that remains halfway. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:
The control unit, regarding the output image remaining halfway, is a character formed across the output image printed from the last line output to the image forming unit on the previous paper and the output image of the next paper. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an output image is formed on a subsequent sheet by returning a line derived based on the size of the image.
With respect to the output image remaining halfway, the control unit returns to the output line that is a white pixel over the entire line from the last line that has been output to the image forming unit with respect to the previous sheet, and outputs the output image to the next sheet. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus is formed.