Patent ID: 7672021
Filing Date: 2010-03-02
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming section which includes an image forming device forming an image onto a recording medium; a plurality of recording medium supply sections which store recording media and supply the recording media to the image forming section; a conveyance device which conveys the recording media supplied from the plurality of recording medium supply sections; and an end timing control device which controls a timing at which the recording media of each of the plurality of recording medium supply sections come to an end, by controlling selection of supply source of the recording medium used for image formation by the image forming device, from among the plurality of recording medium supply sections; a mode setting device which switches between: a first control mode in which the end timing control device controls the supply of the recording media in such a manner that when the one of the plurality of recording medium supply sections has come to the end, the at least the prescribed quantity of the recording medium remains in the at least one of the other recording medium supply sections; and a second control mode in which the end timing control device controls the supply of the recording media in such a manner that at least two of the plurality of recording medium supply sections come to the end at substantially same time, wherein the end timing control device implements control according to one of the first control mode and the second control mode depending on a setting of the mode setting device, and wherein the end timing control device controls supply of the recording media in such a manner that when one of the recording medium supply sections has come to an end, at least a prescribed quantity of the recording media remains in at least one of the other recording medium supply sections.