Patent ID: 8720881
Filing Date: 2014-05-13
Classification: B65H,G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a print portion that prints an image on a sheet; multi-stage paper feed devices that hold the sheet and feed the sheet held to the print portion; a sheet size detection portion that detects a sheet size of the sheet held in each of the multi-stage paper feed devices; a storage portion that stores paper feed frequency data indicating a paper feed frequency to the print portion per sheet size; a power supply portion that performs, when the paper feed device holding the sheet of a sheet size whose paper feed frequency reaches a predetermined threshold value is the paper feed device, among the multi-stage paper feed devices, that is closer to the print portion than the paper feed device holding the sheet of a sheet size whose paper feed frequency does not reach the threshold value, among the multi-stage paper feed devices, normal power supply on the paper feed device holding the sheet of the sheet size whose paper feed frequency reaches the predetermined threshold value, and that limits, as compared with the normal power supply, power supply to the paper feed device holding the sheet of the sheet size whose paper feed frequency does not reach the threshold value so as to bring, into a power saving state, the paper feed device holding the sheet of the sheet size whose paper feed frequency does not reach the threshold value; and a notification portion that provides a notification that the paper feed device holding the sheet of the sheet size whose paper feed frequency reaches the threshold value is encouraged to be the paper feed device, among the multi-stage paper feed devices, that is closer to the print portion than the paper feed device holding the sheet of the sheet size whose paper feed frequency does not reach the threshold value.