Image forming apparatus for sorting and discharging printed sheets into mail bins

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a printer section for printing an image on a sheet and a finisher having a plurality of mail bins. The image forming apparatus discharges print, which is addressed to a specified user and outputted from the printer section, onto the mail bin assigned to the user among the plurality of mail bins, facilitating mail bin assignment to allow labor of network management to be saved. There is provided a card reading device for reading an ID card for identifying a user. There is also provided assigning means that identifies the user from information read by the card reading device when the ID card is inserted into the card reading device and that assigns a mail bin to the user when no mail bin has been assigned to the user.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising: 
 an image forming section for forming an image on a sheet;    a plurality of bins;    a card reading device for reading information from an ID card;    assigning means for assigning a bin to a user corresponding to the information read by the card reading device; and    discharging means for discharging the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming section into the bin assigned by the assigning means.    
     
     
         2 . An image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 
 the assigning means determines whether or not a bin has already been assigned to the user corresponding to the information read by the card reading device.    
     
     
         3 . An image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects a bin which is assigned to a smallest number of users from among the plurality of bins when no bin has yet been assigned to the user corresponding to the information read by the card reading device, so as to assign the bin to the user.    
     
     
         4 . An image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects a bin that first reaches the smallest number of users when there are a plurality of bins which each are assigned to the smallest number of users, so as to assign the bin to the user.    
     
     
         5 . An image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects a bin containing a smallest number of sheets discharged per unit time, so as to assign the bin to the user.    
     
     
         6 . An image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 canceling means for canceling assignment of a certain bin to a specified user when a print job from the specified user to whom the certain bin has been assigned is not received for a fixed time.    
     
     
         7 . An image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 canceling means for canceling assignment of all bins to all users at an appointed time.    
     
     
         8 . An image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 canceling means for canceling assignment of the bin to the user when the ID card of the user is pulled out of the card reading device.    
     
     
         9 . An image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects an empty bin that has not yet been assigned so as to assign the empty bin to the user.    
     
     
         10 . An image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects a specified sheet container when no empty bin exists and assigns the specified sheet to the user.    
     
     
         11 . A sheet container unit that sorts inputted sheets into a plurality of bins and contains the inputted sheets, comprising: 
 a card reading device for reading information from an ID card;    assigning means for assigning a bin to a user corresponding to the information read by the card reading device; and    discharging means for discharging an inputted sheet into the bin assigned by the assigning means.    
     
     
         12 . A sheet container unit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein 
 the assigning means determines whether or not a bin has already been assigned to the user corresponding to the information read by the card reading device.    
     
     
         13 . A sheet container unit as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects a bin which is assigned to a smallest number of users from among the plurality of bins when no bin has yet been assigned to the user corresponding to the information read by the card reading device, so as to assign the bin to the user.    
     
     
         14 . A sheet container unit as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects a bin that first reaches the smallest number of users when there are a plurality of bins which each are assigned to the smallest number of users, so as to assign the bin to the user.    
     
     
         15 . A sheet container unit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects a bin containing a smallest number of sheets discharged per unit time, so as to assign the bin to the user.    
     
     
         16 . A sheet container unit as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 canceling means for canceling assignment of a certain bin to a specified user when a print job from the specified user to whom the certain bin has been assigned is not received for a fixed time.    
     
     
         17 . A sheet container unit as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 canceling means for canceling assignment of all bins to all users at an appointed time.    
     
     
         18 . A sheet container unit as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 canceling means for canceling assignment of the bin to the user when the ID of the user card is pulled out of the card reading device.    
     
     
         19 . A sheet container unit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects an empty bin so as to assign the empty bin to the user.    
     
     
         20 . A sheet container unit as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein 
 the assigning means selects a specified sheet container when no empty bin exists so as to assign the specified sheet container to the user.    
     
     
         21 . A sheet containing method for containing a sheet in a bin assigned to each user, comprising the steps of: 
 reading information from an ID card by means of a card reading device;    assigning a bin to a user corresponding to the information read by the card reading device; and    discharging an inputted sheet into the bin assigned by assigning means.    
     
     
         22 . A sheet containing method as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein 
 it is determined whether or not a bin has already been assigned to the user corresponding to the information read by the card reading device.    
     
     
         23 . A sheet containing method as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein 
 a bin which, is assigned to a smallest number of users is selected from among a plurality of bins when no bin has yet been assigned to the user corresponding to the information read by the card reading device, so as to assign the bin to the user.    
     
     
         24 . A sheet containing method as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein 
 a bin that first reaches the smallest number of users is selected when there are a plurality of bins which each are assigned to the smallest number of users, so as to assign the bin to the user.    
     
     
         25 . A sheet containing method as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein 
 a bin containing a smallest number of sheets discharged per unit time is selected so as to assign the bin to the user.    
     
     
         26 . A sheet containing method as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of: 
 canceling assignment of a certain bin to a specified user when a print job from the specified user to whom the certain bin has been assigned is not received for a fixed time.    
     
     
         27 . A sheet containing method as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of: 
 canceling assignment of all bins to all users at an appointed time.    
     
     
         28 . A sheet containing method as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising the step of: 
 canceling assignment of the bin to the user when the ID of the user card is pulled out of the card reading device.    
     
     
         29 . A sheet containing method as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein 
 an empty bin is selected so as to assign the empty bin to the user.    
     
     
         30 . A sheet containing method as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein 
 a specified sheet container is selected when no empty bin exists so as to assign the specified sheet container to the user.