INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2020-015076 filed on Jan. 31, 2020, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus having a plurality of printing modes.

An image forming apparatus capable of printing a color image may have a monochrome printing mode capable of printing a monochrome image and a color printing mode capable of printing a color image as the printing mode. In the image forming apparatus of this type, the printing mode may be switched according to a type of color of an image data to be printed. For example, when the printing mode is switched, a mode switching processing may be performed to switch a scanning speed of laser light used to write an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum. Alternatively, when the printing mode is switched, another mode switching processing may be performed to bring or separate an intermediate transferring belt, on which a toner image is formed, into contact with or from a photosensitive drum from which the toner image is transferred to the intermediate transferring belt.

However, because the mode switching processing to switch the printing mode requires a certain period of time, there is a problem that a productivity of the image forming apparatus is deteriorated when the printing mode is frequently switched.

SUMMARY

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a canceling processing part, a first switching processing part and a second switching processing part. The image forming part transfers a toner image formed on an intermediate transferring member from the intermediate transferring member to a sheet. The canceling processing part is performable an image canceling operation where the toner image formed on the intermediate transferring member is removed from the intermediate transferring member without transferred to the sheet. The first switching processing part is capable of switching a printing mode in the image forming part between a plurality of printing modes having different printing conditions in the image forming part, based on an image data under waiting for printing and a predetermined first switching condition. The second switching processing part is capable of switching the printing mode based on the image data under waiting for printing and a predetermined second switching condition when the image canceling operation is performed.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, an image forming method in an image forming apparatus including an image forming part which transfers a toner image formed on an intermediate transferring member from the intermediate transferring member to a sheet, includes a canceling step, a first switching step and a second switching step. The canceling step is performable an image canceling operation where the toner image formed on the intermediate transferring member is removed from the intermediate transferring member without transferred to the sheet. The first switching step is capable of switching a printing mode in the image forming part between a plurality of printing modes having different printing conditions in the image forming part, based on an image data under waiting for printing and a predetermined first switching condition. The second switching step is capable of switching the printing mode based on the image data under waiting for printing and a predetermined second switching condition when the image canceling operation is performed.

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is shown by way of illustrative example.

