Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Hiromasa Maenishi

Yutaka Ando

Mitsuhiko Sato

Takashi Yokoya

Akihiro Arai

Toshiyuki Miyake

Shunsuke Nishimura

Nozomi Kumakura

Naoto Watanabe

Akinobu Nishikata

Yushi Oka

Takayuki Fujii

Hidenori Sunada

Asahiro Nakayoshi

The image forming system comprises an accessory device and an image forming apparatus, the accessory device for storing device identification information for identifying its own device, and the image forming apparatus to which the accessory device is connected. The image forming apparatus stores the device identification information of the accessory device included in the image forming system. Further, the image forming apparatus receives a participation notification which requires participating in the image forming system from a new accessory device including the device identification information. If the device identification information included in the received participation notification is not stored, the image forming apparatus stores the information. If already stored, the image forming apparatus discards the participation notification.

Image forming system and method for identifying accessory device and image forming apparatus

An image forming system capable of properly managing maintenance information on a punch die mounted on a puncher. The puncher punches holes in a sheet using a removably mounted punch die. A punch die memory mounted on the punch die stores maintenance information concerning the punch die. A CPU of the image forming system detects mounting of a punch die. A RAM of the same stores maintenance information concerning each of punch dies mounted on the puncher. When a punch die is mounted on the puncher, the CPU performs comparison between maintenance information is stored in the RAM, and maintenance information stored in the punch die memory, and when the maintenance information stored in the RAM is older, the CPU updates the information in the RAM to the information in the punch die memory.

Image forming system including punching unit

An image reading apparatus includes: a first size-detecting portion which detects a size of an original disposed on a disposing portion; a conveying portion which conveys the original disposed on the disposing portion to a reading portion, a second size-detecting portion which detects the size of the original to be conveyed by the conveying portion; a controller which calculates an overlap region between a reading region and an original region, with the reading region determined based on a reading size obtained by a obtain portion and the detection of the first size-detecting portion, and the original region determined by the second size-detecting portion; and a notifying portion which makes a predetermined notification based on the information that has been calculated.

Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus

A punching apparatus capable of performing update work for updating maintenance information, irrespective of whether or not a punch die is mounted. A puncher includes a punching unit that punches a sheet using an exchangeable punch die provided with a die memory, and a CPU that detects mounting of a punch die in the punching unit. The CPU receives an update request requesting update of maintenance information stored in the die memory of the punch die. If mounting of the punch die is detected, when the update request designating the punch die is received, the CPU updates the maintenance information of the punch die based on the update request. If mounting of the punch die is not detected, the CPU updates the maintenance information of the punch die when mounting of the punch die is detected.

Punching apparatus capable of updating maintenance information and punching system

A sheet processing apparatus capable of discharging even a lateral displacement uncorrectable sheet onto a discharge tray without collision with an alignment plate. A finisher conveys a sheet along a conveying path. A shift unit corrects a lateral displacement of the sheet based on a result of detection by a lateral displacement detection sensor. Sheets discharged via the conveying path are stacked on a discharge tray. A pair of alignment plates disposed above the stacking tray are lowered and are moved between a standby position and an alignment position to be brought into abutment with respective opposite edges of the discharged sheet in the alignment position. A finisher controller makes a distance between the alignment plates in a standby position different according to a sheet type, even when a size of the sheet in the width direction is the same.

Sheet processing apparatus equipped with lateral displacement correction function

A sheet stacking apparatus for performing post-processing on sheets received from an image forming apparatus and discharging the processed sheets. A stacking tray has the received sheets stacked thereon. A CPU controls a tray lifting/lowering motor to drive the stacking tray to be lifted or lowered. The CPU determines a vertically moving state of the stacking tray. When the stacking tray is not lowered though the tray lifting/lowering motor is controlled to lower the stacking tray, the CPU notifies the image forming apparatus that a job should be suspended. After notifying, the CPU controls the tray lifting/lowering motor to lift the stacking tray. Then, when the stacking tray can be lifted, the CPU notifies the image forming apparatus that the job is to be resumed.

Sheet stacking apparatus having tray that is lifted and lowered and image forming apparatus

An image forming system which can recognize the network configuration in real time is provided. The image forming system comprises an image forming apparatus for performing image formation and one or more accessory devices capable of establishing communication with the image forming apparatus via network bus. The image forming apparatus stores identification information which identifies each of the one or more accessory devices. The accessory device detects a communication state of the network bus to notify the image forming apparatus or accessory device which is adjacent of occurrence of communication error not via the network bus. When the occurrence of the communication error of the network bus is notified from the accessory device which is adjacent, the image forming apparatus realizes the network configuration in real time and erases the identification information stored.

Image forming system and network management device including an image forming apparatus and an accessory device

A sheet processing apparatus capable of determining whether or not a press operation is to be performed on a folded part of a sheet bundle according to the number of sheets of the sheet bundle. If a folding priority mode is not set on a selection screen displayed on a display unit of the sheet processing apparatus, a controller of the sheet processing apparatus determines whether or not the number of sheets of the sheet bundle indicated in sheet bundle information is equal to or larger than a threshold value. The controller sets a press mode in the sheet bundle information to 'press,' if the number of sheets of the sheet bundle is equal to or larger than the threshold value, and sets the press mode to 'pressless,' if the number of sheets of the sheet bundle is less than the threshold value.

Sheet processing apparatus that performs post-processing, and image forming system having the same

When information about weight of a sheet indicates weight less than a predetermined weight, a sheet stacking apparatus configured to align sheets to be stacked on a stacking tray discharges the sheet onto the stacking tray while overlapping the sheet with another sheet by an overlapping unit, and, when the information about the weight of the sheet indicates weight not less than the predetermined weight, the sheet stacking apparatus discharges the sheet onto the stacking tray without overlapping the sheet with another sheet by the overlapping unit.

Sheet stacking apparatus

A sheet post-processing apparatus for performing post-processing on a sheet having an image formed thereon. A stapling section or a scoring section performs processing on a sheet and a sheet bundle. The upper limit value of a sheet count of sheets processable at a time by the post-processing unit is equal to N (N is an integer). A buffer path performs buffer processing for retaining a conveyed sheet, placing the retained sheet and a sheet following the retained sheet one on the other, and conveying the superimposed sheets as a sheet bundle. A CPU controls the buffer path the stapling section or the scoring section such that when the processing is being performed on the sheet or the sheet bundle, the buffer processing is performed on a following sheet, and that the processing is performed on each sheet bundle having been subjected to the buffer processing.

Sheet post-processing apparatus that performs buffer processing, and image forming apparatus

A sheet post-processing apparatus that is capable of aligning a sheet bundle accurately even if sheet types like sheet sizes are different, and is capable of setting a reference position depending on a selected finish. A conveyance unit conveys a sheet. A sheet stacking unit stacks sheets conveyed by the conveyance unit as a sheet bundle. A stapler applies a staple process to the sheet bundle stacked on the sheet stacking unit. A position determination unit determines a staple position at which the staple process is applied to the sheet bundle. An alignment unit aligns the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking unit in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction with respect to one of both sides parallel to the sheet conveyance direction. The alignment unit determines the one side as a reference side depending on the staple position determined by the position determination unit.

Sheet post-processing apparatus with an alignment-side determination feature

A post-processing apparatus which enable reduction of shift alignment time and improvement of productivity. A shift unit performs a shifting operation for shifting a conveyed sheet, in a lateral direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction. An alignment unit aligns the sheet by a pair of alignment members thereof which are moved toward each other such side edges of the sheet in the lateral direction are held therebetween. A CPU of a finisher controller controls the alignment unit and the shift unit such that an operation for moving the alignment members from respective first standby positions in the lateral direction to respective second standby positions closer to the sheet than the corresponding first standby positions is executed in parallel with the shifting operation by the shift unit.

Post-processing apparatus having sheet alignment function and method of controlling the same

A sheet stacking apparatus includes an alignment member to align a sheet stacked on a stacking tray in a width direction perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet is discharged. When stacking a plurality of sheets on the stacking tray, the sheet stacking apparatus lowers the stacking tray, so that a predetermined distance is maintained between the top surface sheet and a sheet discharge port. If the stacking tray is lowered to a predetermined position while the alignment unit is executing an alignment operation at a first position, the sheet stacking apparatus lowers the alignment member to a second position lower than the first position and causes the alignment member to execute the alignment operation at the second position.

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Matsudo, Japan

Hiromasa Maenishi