Image forming apparatus and method

Abstract

A copy machine achieves a reduction in power consumption when performing a saddle-stitching operation. An image forming unit forms visible images on recording sheets in accordance with image data stored in a memory device. A post-processing unit collects the recording media on an individual copy basis to prepare a bundle of the recording sheets, and performs a saddle-stitching process and a center-folding process on the bundle of the recording sheets. The post-processing unit ejects the processed recording sheets onto a predetermined eject tray. A system control part determines whether or not a total number of the recording sheets corresponding to the image data is within a limit number for the saddle-stitching process. When the total number of the recording sheets exceeds the limit number for the saddle-stitching process, the recording sheets are ejected onto the at least one eject tray other than a predetermined eject tray.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An image forming apparatus comprising: 
 a memory device storing image data;    image forming unit forming visible images on recording sheets in accordance with the image data stored in said memory device;    post-processing unit collecting the recording media on which images are formed by said image forming unit on an individual copy basis to prepare a bundle of the recording sheets, performing a saddle-stitching process and a center-folding process on the bundle of the recording sheets, and ejecting the processed recording sheets onto a predetermined eject tray;    at least one eject tray other than said predetermined eject tray onto which the recording media are ejected; and    a system control part that determines whether or not a total number of the recording sheets corresponding to the image data when the image data is recorded on the recording sheets is within a limit number for said saddle-stitching process, and, when the total number of the recording sheets exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, ejecting the recording sheets onto said at least one eject tray other than said predetermined eject tray.    
     
     
         2 . The image forming-apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, when said at least one eject tray has a sorting function to sort the recording sheets, said system control part controls to eject the recording sheets, on which images are formed, after sorting for each copy.  
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of eject trays are provided other than said predetermined eject tray, and when the tray selected when the total number of recording sheets exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, said system control part selects one of the plurality of eject trays that is not full as a tray onto which the recording sheets are ejected.  
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said system control part ejects the recording media while continuously selecting said one of the plurality of eject trays that is not full until all the recording media on which image are formed are ejected.  
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a stapler performing an end-stitching process to staple along an end portion of the recording media.  
     
     
         6 . An image forming apparatus comprising: 
 a memory device storing image data;    an image forming unit forming visible images on recording sheets in accordance with the image data stored in said memory device;    a post-processing unit collecting the recording sheets on which images are formed by said image forming unit on an individual copy basis to prepare a bundle of the recording sheets, performing a saddle-stitching process and a center-folding process on the bundle of the recording sheets, and ejecting the processed recording sheets on to a predetermined eject tray;    at least one eject tray other than said predetermined eject tray onto which the recording media are ejected; and    a system control part that determines whether or not a total number of recording sheets corresponding to the image data when the image data is recorded on the recording sheets is within a limit number for said saddle-stitching process, and, when the total number of recording media exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, performing one of a dividing process and a consolidating process before ejecting the recording media, wherein the dividing process divides the total number of the recording sheets into a plurality of copies, each of which contains a number of recording sheets equal to or smaller than said limit number for saddle-stitching process, and performs a face-attachment process on the image data on an individual copy basis before ejecting the recording sheets; and the consolidating process consolidates a plurality of pages of the image data into one page so as to reduce the total number of recording media to be smaller than said limit number for saddle-stitching process before ejecting the recording sheets.    
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said system control part causes a user to select one of the dividing process and the consolidating process.  
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a stapler performing an end-stitching process to staple along an end portion of the recording media.  
     
     
         9 . An image forming apparatus comprising: 
 memory means for storing image data;    image forming means for forming visible images, on recording media in accordance with the image data stored in said memory means;    post-processing means for collecting the recording media on which images are formed by said image forming means on an individual copy basis to prepare a bundle of the recording media, performing a saddle-stitching process and a center-folding process on the bundle of the recording media, and ejecting the processed recording media onto a predetermined eject tray;    at least one eject tray other than said predetermined eject tray onto which the recording media are ejected; and    control means for determining whether or not a total number of the recording media corresponding to the image data when the image data is recorded on the recording media is within a limit number for said saddle-stitching process, and, when the total number of the recording media exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, ejecting the recording media onto said at least one eject tray other than said predetermined eject tray.    
     
     
         10 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein, when said at least one eject tray has a sorting function to sort the recording media, said control means controls to eject the recording media, on which images are formed, after sorting for each copy.  
     
     
         11 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of eject trays are provided other than said predetermined eject tray, and when the tray selected when the total number of recording media exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, said control means selects one of the plurality of eject trays that is not full as a tray onto which the recording media are ejected.  
     
     
         12 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said control means ejects the recording media while continuously selecting said one of the plurality of eject trays that is not full until all the recording media on which image are formed are ejected.  
     
     
         13 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising means for performing an end-stitching process to staple along an end portion of the recording media.  
     
     
         14 . An image forming apparatus comprising: 
 memory means for storing image data;    image forming means for forming visible images on recording media in accordance with the image data stored in said memory means;    post-processing means for collecting the recording media on which images are formed by said image forming means on an individual copy basis to prepare a bundle of the recording media, performing a saddle-stitching process and a center-folding process on the bundle of the recording media, and ejecting the processed recording media onto a predetermined eject tray;    at least one eject tray other than said predetermined eject tray onto which the recording media are ejected; and    control means for determining whether or not a total number of recording media corresponding to the image data when the image data is recorded on the recording media is within a limit number for said saddle-stitching process, and, when the total number of recording media exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, performing one of a dividing process and a consolidating process before ejecting the recording media, wherein the dividing process divides the total number of the recording medium into a plurality of copies, each of which contains a number of recording media equal to or smaller than said limit number for saddle-stitching process, and performs a face-attachment process on the image data on an individual copy basis before ejecting the recording media; and the consolidating process consolidates a plurality of pages of the image data into one page so as to reduce the total number of recording media to be smaller than said limit number for saddle-stitching process before ejecting the recording media.    
     
     
         15 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising selection means for causing a user to select one of the dividing process and the consolidating process.  
     
     
         16 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising means for performing an end-stitching process to staple along an end portion of the recording media.  
     
     
         17 . An image forming method of forming images on sheet-like recording media, comprising the steps of: 
 storing image data in a memory device;    forming visible images on recording media in accordance with the image data stored in said memory means;    determining whether or not a total number of the recording media corresponding to the image data when the image data is recorded on the recording media is within a limit number for said saddle-stitching process;    collecting the recording media on which images are formed on an individual copy basis to prepare a bundle of the recording media;    ejecting, when the total number of the recording media exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, the processed recording media onto a predetermined eject tray having a function to perform said saddle-stitching process and a center-folding process on the bundle of the recording media; and    ejecting, when the total number of the recording media exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, the recording media onto at least one eject tray other than a predetermined eject tray.    
     
     
         18 . The image forming method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising a step of sorting, when said at least one eject tray has a sorting function to sort the recording media, the recording media into a plurality of copies before ejecting the recording media.  
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein a plurality of eject trays are provided other than said predetermined eject tray, and further comprises a step of selecting, when the tray selected when the total number of recording media exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, one of the plurality of eject trays that is not full as a tray onto which the recording media are ejected.  
     
     
         20 . The image forming method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the recording media are ejected while said one of the plurality of eject trays that is not full is continuously selected until all the recording media on which image are formed are ejected.  
     
     
         21 . The image forming method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising a step of performing an end-stitching process to staple along an end portion of the recording media when the recording media are ejected onto said at least one eject tray other than the predetermined eject tray.  
     
     
         22 . An image forming method of forming images on sheet-like recording media, comprising the steps of: 
 storing image data in a memory device;    forming visible images on recording media in accordance with the image data stored in said memory means;    determining whether or not a total number of recording media corresponding to the image data when the image data is recorded on the recording media is within a limit number for said saddle-stitching process;    performing, when the total number of recording media exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process, one of a dividing process and a consolidating process before ejecting the recording media, wherein the dividing process divides the total number of the recording medium into a plurality of copies, each of which contains a number of recording media equal to or smaller than said limit number for saddle-stitching process, and performs a face-attachment process on the image data on an individual copy basis; and the consolidating process consolidates a plurality of pages of the image data into one page so as to reduce the total number of recording media to be smaller than said limit number for saddle-stitching process;    collecting the recording media on which images are formed on an individual copy basis to prepare a bundle of the recording media;    ejecting the recording medium onto an eject tray having a function to perform said saddle-stitching process; and    performing said saddle-stitching process and a center-folding process on the bundle of the recording media.    
     
     
         23 . The image forming method as claimed in  claim 22 , further comprising a step of causing a user to select one of the dividing process and the consolidating process.  
     
     
         24 . The image forming method as claimed in  claim 22 , further comprising a step of performing an end-stitching process to staple along an end portion of the recording media when the total number of recording media exceeds the limit number for said saddle-stitching process.