The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 17, 1997
Filed:
Jul. 08, 1996
Norifumi Miyake, Tokyo, JP;
Akiyoshi Kimura, Kawasaki, JP;
Yoshiyuki Suzuki, Yokohama, JP;
Tadashi Suzuki, Tokyo, JP;
Shinichi Nakamura, Kawasaki, JP;
Yoshihiko Suzuki, Tokyo, JP;
Minoru Nada, Kawasaki, JP;
Satoru Kutsuwada, Yokohama, JP;
Kenji Kobayashi, Tokyo, JP;
Satoshi Kaneko, Kawasaki, JP;
Shokyo Koh, Kawasaki, JP;
Hirohiko Tashiro, Yokohama, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus performs the printing in any of a copy mode, a facsimile mode and a print mode, having a sorter for sorting ejected sheets, wherein the operation is controlled suitably for each mode when the number of sheets stored in a bin of said sorter is over the upper limit. An image forming method using a plurality of bins, and a counter for counting the number of sheets stored in each bin, includes interrupting the print if the number of sheets stored in the bin is over the upper limit in the copy mode, and continuing the print and switching the bin, in the printer and facsimile mode, if the number of sheets is over the upper limit.