Image formation system and control program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017308024-A1
Application number	US-201715482059-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 7, 2017
Priority date	Apr 25, 2016
Publication date	Oct 26, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is an image formation system including an image formation device and a post-processing device configured to convey a paper sheet on which an image has been formed at the image formation device or carry out post-processing thereon, including: a paper ejection tray on which the discharged paper sheet is placed; a jam detector configured to detect a jam of the paper sheet conveyed in a paper conveyance passage; a partition paper sheet inserter configured to insert a partition paper sheet on the paper ejection tray; and a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the partition paper sheet inserter such that, after the jam is detected and paper sheets to be removed, at least including a responsible paper sheet, are removed, the partition paper sheet is inserted on the paper ejection tray before the paper sheet remaining in the paper conveyance passage is discharged to the paper ejection tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image formation system including an image formation device and a post-processing device configured to either convey a paper sheet on which an image has been formed at the image formation device or carry out post-processing thereon, the image formation system comprising:
a paper ejection tray on which the discharged paper sheet is placed; a jam detector configured to detect a jam of the paper sheet conveyed in a paper conveyance passage; a partition paper sheet inserter configured to insert a partition paper sheet on the paper ejection tray by way of the paper conveyance passage; and a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the partition paper sheet inserter such that, after the jam is detected by the jam detector and paper sheets to be removed, at least including a responsible paper sheet acting as a cause of the jam, are removed, the partition paper sheet is inserted on the paper ejection tray before the paper sheet remaining in the paper conveyance passage is conveyed to be discharged to the paper ejection tray.

2 . The image formation system according to claim 1 , wherein
the paper sheets to be removed include the responsible paper sheet and a paper sheet remaining in a conveyance route for the partition paper sheet extending from the partition paper sheet inserter to the paper ejection tray, which paper sheet is positioned upstream of the responsible paper sheet in a paper conveyance direction.

3 . The image formation system according to claim 1 , wherein
in a case where the jam is detected by the jam detector and there is a paper sheet remaining in a conveyance route for the partition paper sheet extending from the partition paper sheet inserter to the paper ejection tray, which paper sheet is positioned upstream of the responsible paper sheet in a paper conveyance direction, the control unit makes a notification to a user to prompt the removal of this paper sheet by regarding this paper sheet as the paper sheet to be removed.

4 . The image formation system according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit, wherein
the control unit, after the jam is detected by the jam detector, locates a paper sheet remaining in a conveyance route for the partition paper sheet extending from the partition paper sheet inserter to the paper ejection tray, which paper sheet is positioned upstream of the responsible paper sheet in a paper conveyance direction, and displays, on the display unit, this paper sheet and the responsible paper sheet as the paper sheets to be removed, and controls the partition paper sheet inserter such that the partition paper sheet is inserted on the paper ejection tray after the paper sheets to be removed are removed.

5 . The image formation system according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of paper inserters as the partition paper sheet inserters, each of which is capable of supplying the partition paper sheet, wherein
the control unit controls such that the partition paper sheet is inserted on the paper ejection tray from the paper inserter positioned immediately upstream from the paper ejection tray in a paper conveyance direction among the plurality of paper inserters, by way of the paper conveyance passage.

6 . The image formation system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one paper inserter as the partition paper sheet inserter, which is capable of supplying the partition paper sheet, wherein
the control unit controls such that the partition paper sheet is inserted on the paper ejection tray from the paper inserter set in advance, byway of the paper conveyance passage.

7 . The image formation system according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of paper inserters as the partition paper sheet inserters, each of which is capable of supplying the partition paper sheet, wherein
the control unit chooses the paper inserter to be used, on the basis of at least one of paper information on the paper sheet ejected to the paper ejection tray and paper information on the paper sheet remaining in the paper conveyance passage, as well as paper information on the paper sheets set in the plurality of paper inserters, and controls such that the partition paper sheet is inserted on the paper ejection tray from the chosen paper inserter by way of the paper conveyance passage.

8 . The image formation system according to claim 1 , further comprising the plurality of post-processing devices, wherein
after the jam is detected by the jam detector, the control unit locates a paper sheet remaining in a conveyance route for the partition paper sheet extending from the partition paper sheet inserter to the paper ejection tray, which paper sheet is positioned upstream of the responsible paper sheet in a paper conveyance direction, and shifts the paper sheet to the paper conveyance passage in the post-processing device arranged upstream of a position of the responsible paper sheet but on a downstream side of a position of the paper sheet, to stop there.

9 . The image formation system according to claim 1 , wherein
after the jam is detected by the jam detector, the control unit moves a paper sheet being conveyed in the paper conveyance passage situated upstream of the paper sheet to be removed in a paper conveyance direction to a predetermined escape position available for purging, thereafter to stop there.

10 . A non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable control program for an image formation system including an image formation device and a post-processing device configured to either convey a paper sheet on which an image has been formed at the image formation device or carry out post-processing thereon, the control program for causing a computer to execute:
a procedure of discharging the paper sheet on which an image has been formed at the image formation device to a paper ejection tray installed at the post-processing device; a procedure of detecting a jam of the paper sheet in a paper conveyance passage in the image formation system; a procedure of, after paper sheets to be removed, at least including a responsible paper sheet acting as a cause of the jam, are removed, inserting a partition paper sheet on the paper ejection tray by way of the paper conveyance passage before a paper sheet remaining in the paper conveyance passage is conveyed to be discharged to the paper ejection tray; and a procedure of discharging the remaining paper sheet in the paper conveyance passage to the paper ejection tray.

11 . The non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable control program according to claim 10 , wherein
the paper sheets to be removed include the responsible paper sheet and a paper sheet remaining in a conveyance route for the partition paper sheet extending from a position where the partition paper sheet is inserted into the paper conveyance passage to the paper ejection tray, which paper sheet is positioned upstream of the responsible paper sheet in a paper conveyance direction.

12 . The non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable control program according to claim 10 , wherein
in the procedure of carrying out jam processing, in a case where there is the responsible paper sheet acting as a cause of the jam and a paper sheet remaining in a conveyance route for the partition paper sheet, which paper sheet is positioned upstream of the responsible paper sheet in a paper conveyance direction, a notification is made to a user to prompt the removal of these paper sheets by regarding these paper sheets as the paper sheets to be removed.

13 . The non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readab

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Zhu Dan

Classifications

• B65H7/06 Primary

  responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed (B65H7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/6552

  Means for discharging uncollated sheet copy material, e.g. discharging rollers, exit trays · CPC title

• G03G15/655

  Placing job divider sheet between set of sheets · CPC title

• G03G15/70 Primary

  Detecting malfunctions relating to paper handling, e.g. jams · CPC title

• B65H2701/1131

  of sheets · CPC title