Image forming apparatus that controls way of discharging sheet bundles, control method for image forming apparatus, and storage medium

Abstract

An image forming apparatus which is capable of preventing printed matter from being discharged in a way that is not intended by a user. A printer unit prints an image on a sheet. A sheet bundle including a sheet on which the image has been printed by the printer unit is conveyed and stacked on a discharging tray, which has a stopper that prevents the stacked sheet bundle from falling down to the floor. A state of the stopper is detected, and based on the detected state, notification is provided to the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a printing unit configured to print an image on a sheet;   a conveying unit configured to convey a sheet bundle including a sheet on which the image has been printed by said printing unit;   a discharging tray configured to have the sheet bundle, which has been conveyed by said conveying unit, stacked thereon and have a stopper that prevents the stacked sheet bundle from falling onto a floor;   a detection unit configured to detect a state of the stopper; and   a notification unit configured to provide notification to a user based on a result of the detection by said detection unit.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the state detected by said detection unit is a state in which the stopper is attached to the discharging tray in a position to hold the sheet bundle or a state in which the stopper is not attached to the discharging tray in the position to hold the sheet bundle. 
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the state detected by said detection unit is a state in which the stopper is not attached to the discharging tray in a position to hold the sheet bundle, said notification unit displays a first message. 
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first message informs the user that the stopper is not attached to the discharging tray in the position to hold the sheet bundle. 
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a determination unit configured to determine the number of sheet bundles that are conveyed by said conveying unit, and
 wherein said notification unit displays a second message when the state detected by said detection unit is a state in which the stopper is attached to the discharging tray in a position to hold the sheet bundle, and the number of sheet bundle determined by said determination unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.   
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the second message informs the user that the stopper is attached to the discharging tray in a position to hold the sheet bundle. 
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said notification unit provides the notification before printing is started by said printing unit. 
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an authentication unit configured to perform authentication of the user, and
 wherein said notification unit provides the notification in response to the user being successfully authenticated by said authentication unit.   
     
     
         9 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a judgment unit configured to, when a second print job is to be executed after a first print job is executed, judge whether the notification by said notification unit is necessary based on whether a user who has ordered execution of the first job and a user who has ordered execution of the second job are the same. 
     
     
         10 . A control method for an image forming apparatus which has a printing unit that prints an image on a sheet, a conveying unit that conveys a sheet bundle including a sheet on which the image has been printed by the printing unit, and a discharging tray on which the sheet bundle conveyed by the conveying unit is stacked and which has a stopper that prevents the stacked sheet bundle from falling down to a floor, comprising:
 a detection step of detecting a state of the stopper; and   a notification step of providing notification to a user based on a result of the detection in said detection step.   
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method for an image forming apparatus which has a printing unit that prints an image on a sheet, a conveying unit that conveys a sheet bundle including a sheet on which the image has been printed by the printing unit, and a discharging tray on which the sheet bundle conveyed by the conveying unit is stacked and which has a stopper that prevents the stacked sheet bundle from falling down to a floor, the control method comprising:
 a detection step of detecting a state of the stopper; and   a notification step of providing notification to a user based on a result of the detection in the detection step.