BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image forming system configured to form an image on a sheet.

Description of the Related Art

Hitherto, an image forming system is known, which is equipped with an insert apparatus configured to feed inserting paper, in addition to a feeding portion for feeding a sheet serving as a recording medium, hereinafter referred to as a recording sheet, and which is capable of outputting a product in a state where an inserting paper is inserted between recording sheets to which image has been formed.

According to an image forming system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-221160, a pre-presence/absence-detection operation and a post-presence/absence-detection operation are utilized as two control methods of operation for feeding transfer paper from a feeding portion. In pre-presence/absence-detection operation, feeding of transfer paper is started in a state where an inserting paper to be inserted immediately before the transfer paper is not confirmed to be present in the insert apparatus. In post-presence/absence-detection operation, feeding of transfer paper is started after confirming the presence of the inserting paper to be inserted immediately before the transfer paper in the insert apparatus using a sensor. The above document discloses that pre-presence/absence-detection operation is performed in a state where a remaining amount of inserting paper on an inserting paper tray provided on the insert apparatus is high, and the operation is switched to post-presence/absence-detection operation in a state where the remaining amount of inserting paper on the inserting paper tray has been reduced.

However, according to the post-presence/absence-detection operation disclosed in the above-described document, there was a case where productivity of the image forming system was deteriorated by waiting time that has occurred for confirming the presence of the inserting paper to be inserted immediately before the transfer paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an image forming system which can achieve improvement in productivity.

According to one aspect of the invention, an image forming system includes: a first feeding portion configured to feed a recording sheet; an image forming portion configured to form an image on a recording sheet fed from the first feeding portion; a sheet conveyance path through which a recording sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming portion is conveyed; a second feeding portion including a plurality of supporting portions each configured to support an inserting sheet, and configured to feed an inserting sheet from any of the plurality of supporting portions toward the sheet conveyance path, the plurality of supporting portions including a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion; a detection portion configured to detect presence of an inserting sheet supported on each of the plurality of supporting portions; and a controller configured to execute a job including a feeding process in which a recording sheet is fed from the first feeding portion and is formed an image thereon by the image forming portion, and a process in which an inserting sheet is fed from the second feeding portion and is inserted between recording sheets, the controller being configured to execute, during execution of a process of feeding a first inserting sheet from the first supporting portion to the sheet conveyance path, a movement processing of moving a second inserting sheet supported on the second supporting portion to a position where a trailing edge of the second inserting sheet is placed downstream in a sheet conveyance direction of a detection position of the detection portion and thereafter stopping the second inserting sheet.

According to another aspect of the invention, an image forming system includes: a first feeding portion configured to feed a recording sheet; an image forming portion configured to form an image on a recording sheet fed from the first feeding portion; a sheet conveyance path through which a recording sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming portion is conveyed; a second feeding portion including a plurality of supporting portions each configured to support an inserting sheet, and configured to feed an inserting sheet from any of the plurality of supporting portions toward the sheet conveyance path; a detection portion configured to detect presence of an inserting sheet supported on each of the plurality of supporting portions; and a controller configured to execute a job including a feeding process in which a recording sheet is fed from the first feeding portion and is formed an image thereon by the image forming portion, and a process in which an inserting sheet is fed from the second feeding portion and is inserted between recording sheets, the controller being configured to change a feed source of an inserting sheet among the plurality of supporting portions in the second feeding portion each time one inserting sheet is fed during execution of the job, and execute a feeding process of a current recording sheet if a detection result of the detection portion indicates that an inserting sheet to be inserted immediately before the current recording sheet in an order of passing through the sheet conveyance path is present on any of the plurality of supporting portions.

According to still another aspect of the invention, an image forming system includes: a first feeding portion configured to feed a recording sheet; an image forming portion configured to form an image on a recording sheet fed from the first feeding portion; a sheet conveyance path through which a recording sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming portion is conveyed; a second feeding portion including a plurality of supporting portions each configured to support an inserting sheet, and configured to feed an inserting sheet from any of the plurality of supporting portions toward the sheet conveyance path; a detection portion configured to detect presence of an inserting sheet supported on each of the plurality of supporting portions; and a controller configured to execute a job of creating a sheet bundle in which a predetermined number of inserting sheets are inserted between a plurality of recording sheets, the job including a feeding process in which a recording sheet is fed from the first feeding portion and is formed an image thereon by the image forming portion, and a process in which an inserting sheet is fed from the second feeding portion and is inserted between recording sheets, the controller being configured to change a feed source of an inserting sheet among the plurality of supporting portions in the second feeding portion each time the predetermined number of inserting sheets are fed during execution of the job, and execute feeding processes of recording sheets used for creating a current sheet bundle if a detection result of the detection portion indicates that at least one inserting sheet to be used for creating the current sheet bundle is present on any of the plurality of supporting portions.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

