Image Forming System and Image Forming Apparatus

Abstract

An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a stacker that includes a discharged paper storage and a transporter, the discharged paper storage storing a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus, and the transporter transporting the sheet to the discharged paper storage, wherein the image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on the sheet designated for a job and generates printed matter; and a hardware processor that performs control to cause the transporter to discharge a buffer sheet to the discharged paper storage, in which the printed matter is not discharged, before the job is executed, and that executes the job after the buffer sheet transported through the transporter is stored in the discharged paper storage to cause the transporter to transport the printed matter, which is generated by the image former, and cause the discharged paper storage to store the printed matter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image forming system comprising an image forming apparatus and a stacker that includes a discharged paper storage and a transporter, the discharged paper storage storing a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus, and the transporter transporting the sheet to the discharged paper storage, wherein
 the image forming apparatus includes:   an image former that forms an image on the sheet designated for a job and generates printed matter; and   a hardware processor that performs control to cause the transporter to discharge a buffer sheet to the discharged paper storage, in which the printed matter is not discharged, before the job is executed, and that executes the job after the buffer sheet transported through the transporter is stored in the discharged paper storage to cause the transporter to transport the printed matter, which is generated by the image former, and cause the discharged paper storage to store the printed matter.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the discharged paper storage includes an affecting part that affects the printed matter stored in the discharged paper storage, and   the buffer sheet is one or a plurality of the sheets that buffers an effect of the affecting part on the printed matter stored in the discharged paper storage.   
     
     
         3 . The image forming system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the hardware processor further determines whether or not the printed matter or the buffer sheet is stored in the discharged paper storage, and performs control to discharge the buffer sheet when determining that neither the printed matter nor the buffer sheet is stored in the discharged paper storage.   
     
     
         4 . The image forming system according to  claim 2 , further comprising
 a storage in which a function of discharging the buffer sheet by the hardware processor is set to be enabled or disabled, wherein   the hardware processor further determines to allow for discharge of the buffer sheet when the function of discharging the buffer sheet is set to be enabled, and performs control to discharge the buffer sheet when making the determination to allow for discharge of the buffer sheet.   
     
     
         5 . The image forming system according to  claim 2 , further comprising
 a plurality of feed paper storages that each stores the sheet of a different paper type fed to the image former, wherein   the hardware processor further selects the feed paper storage arbitrarily selected in advance from the plurality of feed paper storages, and performs control to discharge, as the buffer sheet, the sheet fed from the feed paper storage selected.   
     
     
         6 . The image forming system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the hardware processor selects another one of the feed paper storages when the sheet is not stored in the feed paper storage selected, and performs control to discharge, as the buffer sheet, the sheet fed from the other one of the feed paper storages.   
     
     
         7 . The image forming system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the hardware processor selects, from the plurality of feed paper storages, the feed paper storage that stores the sheet having the same size as or larger than the size of the sheet designated for the job, and performs control to discharge, as the buffer sheet, the sheet fed from the feed paper storage selected.   
     
     
         8 . The image forming, system according to  claim 4 , further comprising
 a discharge count setter that sets, in the storage, the number of the sheets discharged as the buffer sheets, wherein   the hardware processor performs control to discharge the set number of the sheets as the buffer sheets.   
     
     
         9 . The image forming system according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the discharge count setter sets, in the storage, the number of the sheets discharged according to a paper type and weight of the sheet.   
     
     
         10 . The image forming system according to  claim 8 , further comprising
 a humidity sensor that detects humidity, wherein   the hardware processor performs control to discharge the buffer sheet, the number of which is automatically increased according to an increase in the humidity detected by the humidity sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The image forming system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the hardware processor stops the control of discharging the buffer sheet when the affecting part does not affect the printed matter stored in the discharged paper storage.   
     
     
         12 . The image forming system according to  claim 11 , wherein
 when the buffer sheet is stored in the discharged paper storage while not overlapping the affecting part, the affecting part does not affect the printed matter stored in the discharged paper storage.   
     
     
         13 . The image forming system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the hardware processor stops the control of discharging the buffer sheet when the discharged paper storage has a little effect on a first sheet designated in the job executed by the hardware processor.   
     
     
         14 . The image forming system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the hardware processor further instructs the image former to form an image, which serves as a mark of the buffer sheet, on the buffer sheet.   
     
     
         15 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a transporter that transports a sheet;   a discharged paper storage that stores the sheet discharged by the transporter;   an image former that forms an image on the sheet designated for a job and generates printed matter;   a plurality of feed paper storages that stores the sheet fed to the image former; and   a hardware processor that performs control to cause the transporter to discharge a buffer sheet to the discharged paper storage, in which the printed matter is not discharged, before the job is executed, and that executes the job after the buffer sheet transported through the transporter is stored in the discharged paper storage to cause the transporter to transport the printed matter, which is generated by the image former, and cause the discharged paper storage to store the printed matter.