Image forming system and image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming system according to the present invention includes a jam detection unit 111 which detects a jam of a paper conveyed along conveyance paths 118 e, 127, 138 , and 148 of an image forming system 100 , and a control unit 111 which temporarily stops the conveyance of papers when the jam has been detected by the jam detection unit, after the originating paper is removed, conveys papers, other than an originating paper having caused the jam, remaining in the conveyance path in such away that an interval between a preceding paper and a following paper in the conveyance path is expanded, and discharges the papers from the image forming system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image forming system comprising:
 a jam detection unit which detects a jam of a paper conveyed along a conveyance path of said image forming system; and   a control unit which temporarily stops conveyance of the paper when said jam detection unit has detected said jam, after an originating paper having caused said jam is removed, conveys papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that an interval between a preceding paper and a following paper in said conveyance path is expanded, and discharges said papers from said image forming system.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein, before temporarily stopping said conveyance of said paper after said jam detection unit detects said jam, said control unit withdraws said papers, other than said originating paper, by conveying said papers to a place other than a predetermined specific place in said conveyance path.   
     
     
         3 . The image forming system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by delaying start of conveyance of said following paper by a predetermined time from start of conveyance of said preceding paper.   
     
     
         4 . The image forming system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded to be equal to or more than a reference interval provided in normal paper conveyance.   
     
     
         5 . The image forming system as claimed in  claim 3 ,
 wherein, when said preceding paper remains in a temporary stop position of a paper set in normal paper conveyance, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is maintained or expanded by simultaneously performing said start of said conveyance of said following paper and said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper or delaying said start of said conveyance of said following paper by a first time as said predetermined time from said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper, and when said preceding paper remains in a position other than said temporary stop position, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by delaying said start of said conveyance of said following paper by a second time as said predetermined time longer than said first time from said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper.   
     
     
         6 . The image forming system as claimed in  claim 3 ,
 further comprising:   a correction unit which corrects at least one of bending, inclination, and deviation of the passing paper,   wherein, when said correction unit exists in said conveyance path from a remaining position of said preceding paper to discharge positions of the papers, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said conveyance of said following paper and said conveyance of said preceding paper are simultaneously started, and when said correction unit does not exist in said conveyance path from said remaining position of said preceding paper to said discharge positions of said papers, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by delaying said start of said conveyance of said following paper by a third time as the predetermined time from said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper.   
     
     
         7 . The image forming system as claimed in  claim 4 ,
 wherein, when the interval between the remaining position of said preceding paper and the remaining position of said following paper in said conveyance path is narrower than said reference interval, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by delaying said start of said conveyance of said following paper by a fourth time as the predetermined time from said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper, and when said interval between said remaining position of said preceding paper and said remaining position of said following paper is equal to or wider than said reference interval, said control unit simultaneously starts said conveyance of said following paper and said conveyance of said preceding paper.   
     
     
         8 . The image forming system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 further comprising:   a first detection unit which detects a paper, which exists in at least a position of said conveyance path conveyed by each conveyance driving source, in said each conveyance driving source respectively,   wherein, when said first detection unit detects that said preceding paper and said following paper remain in at least positions of said conveyance path conveyed by a common first conveyance driving source, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by conveying said preceding paper and said following paper until said preceding paper passes through at least said position of said conveyance path conveyed by said first conveyance driving source, temporarily stopping conveyance of said following paper by said first conveyance driving source and conveying said preceding paper by a second conveyance driving source other than said first conveyance driving source when said preceding paper has passed through at least said position of said conveyance path conveyed by said first conveyance driving source, and restarting said conveyance of said following paper by said first conveyance driving source after a predetermined fifth time passes, and discharges said papers from said image forming system.   
     
     
         9 . The image forming system as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 further comprising:   a second detection unit which detects that a paper has passed through a predetermined position in said conveyance path,   wherein said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such away that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by starting conveyance of said following paper when said second detection unit detects that said preceding paper has passed through said predetermined position of said conveyance path after conveyance of said preceding paper is started.   
     
     
         10 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a jam detection unit which detects a jam of a paper conveyed along a conveyance path of an image forming system including said image forming apparatus; and   a control unit which temporarily stops conveyance of a paper when said jam detection unit has detected said jam, after an originating paper having caused said jam is removed, conveys papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that an interval between a preceding paper and a following paper in said conveyance path is expanded, and discharges said papers.   
     
     
         11 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein, before temporarily stopping said conveyance of said paper after said jam detection unit detects said jam, said control unit withdraws said papers, other than said originating paper, by conveying said papers to a place other than a predetermined specific place in said conveyance path. 
     
     
         12 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 ,
 wherein said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by delaying start of conveyance of said following paper by a predetermined time from start of conveyance of said preceding paper.   
     
     
         13 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 ,
 wherein said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded to be equal to or more than a reference interval provided in normal paper conveyance.   
     
     
         14 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 ,
 wherein, when said preceding paper remains in a temporary stop position of a paper set in normal paper conveyance, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is maintained or expanded by simultaneously performing said start of said conveyance of said following paper and said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper or delaying said start of said conveyance of said following paper by a first time as said predetermined time from said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper, and when said preceding paper remains in a position other than said temporary stop position, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by delaying said start of said conveyance of said following paper by a second time as said predetermined time longer than said first time from said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper.   
     
     
         15 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 ,
 further comprising:   a correction unit which corrects at least one of bending, inclination, and deviation of the passing paper,   wherein, when said correction unit exists in said conveyance path from a remaining position of said preceding paper to discharge positions of the papers, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said conveyance of said following paper and said conveyance of said preceding paper are simultaneously started, and when said correction unit does not exist in said conveyance path from said remaining position of said preceding paper to said discharge positions of said papers, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by delaying said start of said conveyance of said following paper by a third time as the predetermined time from said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper.   
     
     
         16 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 ,
 wherein, when the interval between the remaining position of said preceding paper and the remaining position of said following paper in said conveyance path is narrower than said reference interval, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by delaying said start of said conveyance of said following paper by a fourth time as the predetermined time from said start of said conveyance of said preceding paper, and when said interval between said remaining position of said preceding paper and said remaining position of said following paper is equal to or wider than said reference interval, said control unit simultaneously starts said conveyance of said following paper and said conveyance of said preceding paper.   
     
     
         17 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 ,
 further comprising:   a first detection unit which detects the paper, which exists in at least a position of said conveyance path conveyed by each conveyance driving source, in said each conveyance driving source respectively,   wherein, when said first detection unit detects that said preceding paper and said following paper remain in at least positions of said conveyance path conveyed by a common first conveyance driving source, said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such a way that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by conveying said preceding paper and said following paper until said preceding paper passes through at least said position of said conveyance path conveyed by said first conveyance driving source, temporarily stopping conveyance of said following paper by said first conveyance driving source and conveying said preceding paper by a second conveyance driving source other than said first conveyance driving source when said preceding paper has passed through at least said position of said conveyance path conveyed by said first conveyance driving source, and restarting said conveyance of said following paper by said first conveyance driving source after a predetermined fifth time passes, and discharges said papers from said image forming system.   
     
     
         18 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 ,
 further comprising:   a second detection unit which detects that the paper has passed through a predetermined position in said conveyance path,   wherein said control unit conveys said papers, other than said originating paper, remaining in said conveyance path in such away that said interval between said preceding paper and said following paper in said conveyance path is expanded by starting conveyance of said following paper when said second detection unit detects that said preceding paper has passed through said predetermined position of said conveyance path after conveyance of said preceding paper is started.