Methods of operating an image forming apparatus having a shared paper

Abstract

An image forming apparatus operable in any one of a facsimile transmitting operation, facsimile receiving operation and a copy operation, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises a common paper transmission path. Paper, i.e., a document having an image thereon or a print paper to be printed on, is fed from a paper input part to the paper transmission path. A scanner, uses an image sensor, disposed along the paper transmission path generates an image signal by reading the image on the fed paper when the image forming apparatus is being operated in one of the facsimile transmitting or copy operations. The image signal is transmitted to a remote facsimile system when the image forming apparatus is being operated in the facsimile transmitting operation, or the image signal is converted to bit map data and stored when the image forming apparatus is being operated in the copy operation. A photosensitive drum and an image transfer part, disposed along the paper transmission path print an image received from the remote facsimile system when the image forming apparatus is being operated in the facsimile receiving operation, or prints an image stored as bit map data during the copy operation, on the fed paper. The paper transmission path has transmitting rollers for feeding the paper to the scanner, registration rollers for feeding the paper from the scanner to the printing part, and fixing rollers for discharging the paper from the printing part to an exit tray.