Abstract:
In a control method of sheet-feeding in an image forming apparatus in which a sheet is fed to an image forming section of the image forming apparatus having a finisher which receives the sheet on which the image is formed and finishes the sheet, the control method comprises the steps of: conducting a continuous image forming process that makes plural sets of sheets each on the image which the image has been formed; and controlling a starting of a sheet-feeder which feeds a first sheet of a set of sheets to the image forming section, according to a logical product of a condition on the continuous image forming process in the image forming apparatus and a condition of an operating process in the finisher.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile machine, and in particular, to a control technology of sheet-feeding in case of feeding a sheet to an image forming section of an image forming apparatus.  
           [0002]    In an image-forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile machine, a controller is designed so that a plurality of sets of documents representing a plurality of images may be made efficiently. The controller is provided with a continuous interval timer which establishes an interval between each of the sheets in a continuous image forming process appropriately, further, the controller controls to correct the operation of the continuous interval timer so that an interval between sets can be set to be different from an interval between sheets.  
           [0003]    The control of the continuous interval timer in the above-mentioned continuous image forming process is explained referring to FIG. 1.  
           [0004]    In the image forming process, interval “t” between images and interval T between sets are formed by a registration roller representing a second sheet-feeder. A sheet fed from each sheet-feeding cassette is stopped at the registration roller temporarily, and the sheet is conveyed to a transfer device after the registration roller starts operating.  
           [0005]    Further, the interval “t” between images is formed by the logical product of a time formed by the continuous interval timer, information of completion for sheet-feeding preparation and an image-formation synchronization signal.  
           [0006]    The time formed by the continuous interval timer is established by the parameters such as a size of sheets and an image-forming mode. Information of completion for sheet-feeding preparation is information showing that a certain period of time has passed from the signal of detection for the leading edge of a sheet generated by the sheet sensor provided right on the upstream-side of the registration roller.  
           [0007]    Though there is a case that the interval T of sets is formed by the summation of the intervals “t” of images for the number of images which constitute each set, there is a case that the interval formed by the summation of the intervals of images for the number of images is changed by the time for finishing process, and in this case, considering the time needed for finishing process, the interval T of sets is formed by adding correction time d to the time formed by the interval timer n×“t” (n is a number of images constituting one set).  
           [0008]    As shown by d 1  in FIG. 1( a ) and by d 2  in FIG. 1( b ), the correction time for forming the interval T of sets has different values depending upon the number of images forming one set. Incidentally, a 1  and a 2 , in FIG. 1( a ) and FIG. 1( b ) show the images constituting a first set, while b 1  and b 2  show the images constituting a second set.  
           [0009]    When the interval T of sets in the continuous image forming process is established by correcting the measured time by the continuous interval timer, there is a problem that a time control by the continuous interval timer becomes extremely complex. That is, the time for establishing the interval of images established by the continuous interval timer itself has various kinds of values depending upon sheet sizes and image forming modes, moreover, calculation that adds the various correction values concerning finishing process about these various kinds of establishing times and control based on the calculation become complex so that the case that appropriate condition is not established may occur.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    An object of the invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem in the control of the continuous image formation.  
           [0011]    The above-mentioned object of the invention is attained by either one of the structures shown below.  
           [0012]    (1) An image forming apparatus having an image forming section for forming an image on a sheet, a sheet storing section for storing plural sheets, a first sheet-feeder for conveying sheet from the sheet storing section, a second sheet-feeder for receiving a sheet from the first sheet-feeder and for supplying the sheet to the image forming section, a finisher for finishing an image-formed sheet and a controller for controlling sheet-feeding operation of the second sheet-feeder, wherein in the continuous image forming process which makes plural sets of image-formed sheets which are finished by the finisher, the controller controls the starting of the second sheet-feeder that forms the interval of sets based on the logical products of time passing information established by the continuous interval timer that establishes the interval between each sheet, information of completion for sheet-feeding preparation in the second sheet-feeder, image-forming information in the image forming section and information of time passing from the conveyance starting of a first sheet by the second sheet-feeder that is established by the finishing time in the finisher.  
           [0013]    (2) A control method of sheet-feeding in an image forming apparatus for supplying a sheet to the image forming section of the image forming apparatus having an image forming section and a finisher which receives the sheet to perform finishing on which an image is formed in the image forming section, wherein in the continuous image forming process that makes a plurality of image-formed sheets, by the logical products of the condition on the image forming process in the image forming apparatus and the condition of operating process in the finisher, the starting of sheet-feeder which supplies the first sheet of the set to the image forming section is controlled. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1( a ) and FIG. 1( b ) are time charts showing a sheet-feeding control in a conventional image forming apparatus.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an image forming apparatus of the embodiment of the invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a finisher of an image forming apparatus of the embodiment of the invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system of an image forming apparatus of the embodiment of the invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5( a ), FIG. 5( b ) and FIG. 5( c ) are time charts showing a sheet-feeding control of the embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 shows an image forming apparatus of the embodiment of the invention.  
         [0020]    Document feeder DF is structured to be made to hinge integrally, and is structured to set the document directly on the platen glass, by raising up document feeder DF to open the space on platen glass  22 . The present embodiment has a reading mode that reads the image of the document, while feeding the document by document feeder DF, and a reading mode that reads the image of the document, placed on the platen glass  22 .  
         [0021]    Image reading section  2 , which is a means for reading an image of the document and obtaining the image data, is provided with slit  21  representing a slit-shaped opening for reading the image of the document conveyed by the document feeder DF, platen glass  22  representing a document stand on which a document is to be placed, first mirror unit  23  in which lamp  231  representing a light source for illuminating the document and first mirror  232  reflecting a reflected light from the document are united integrally, V-mirror unit  24  in which second mirror  241  and third mirror  242  for reflecting the light from the first mirror  232  are united integrally, image forming lens  25  representing an image forming means for forming the reflected light from the document on the slit  21  or the platen glass  22  to undermentioned CCD  26 , and line-shaped CCD  26  representing an image-reading means for obtaining image information through photoelectric conversion of a light image formed by the image forming lens  25 .  
         [0022]    When the image reading section  2  reads the document that is fed by the document feeder DF, the first mirror unit  23  and the V-mirror unit  24  are positioned under the slit  21  as shown in FIGS.  1 ( a ) and  1 ( b ). Further, the lamp  231  illuminates the document fed on the slit  21  by the document feeding means  13 , and the reflected light from the document enters the CCD  26 , via the first mirror  232 , the second mirror  241 , the third mirror  242  and the image forming lens  25 . The CCD  26  converges the entered light photo-electrically to read the image of the document in the direction of the main scanning direction (i.e. in the direction perpendicular to the page of FIG. 2), and can read the full image of the document, because the document is fed in the direction of the sub-scanning direction by the document feeder DF. The image data read by the CCD  26  and obtained are subjected to appropriate the image processing, and are transformed to the image by a writing performed by a laser writing system  33  mentioned later.  
         [0023]    When the document placed on the platen glass  22  is read, the image of the document can be read by moving the first mirror unit  23  and the V-mirror unit  24  in the right direction along the platen glass  22  in FIG. 2. The document feeder DF and the image reading section  2  constitute a document reading device as mentioned above.  
         [0024]    Image forming section  3  is a means for forming an image on sheet P which is fed at the prescribed processing speed that is established in advance, based on image data obtained by the image reading section  2 . The image forming section  3  of the present embodiment is one that forms an image using an electrophotographic process. The image forming section  3  is provided with photoreceptor drum  31  representing an image carrier, charging device  32  which charges the photoreceptor drum  31  evenly, laser writing system  33  representing an exposure means which forms a latent image by exposing the photoreceptor drum  31 , based on the image data obtained through reading by the CCD  26 , developing device  34  which forms a toner image by developing the latent image on the photoreceptor drum  31 , transfer device  35  which transfers the toner image carried on the photoreceptor drum  31  to the sheet P, separating device  36  which separates the sheet P on which the toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor drum  31 , cleaning means  37  which removes toner remaining on the photoreceptor drum  31  after transferring, and fixing means  38  which fixes a toner image on the sheet P. There are arranged charging device  32 , laser writing system  33 , developing device  34 , transfer device  35 , separating device  36 , and cleaning means  37  around the photoreceptor drum  31  as illustrated.  
         [0025]    By the driving of a motor (not shown), the photoreceptor drum  31  rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow, then the photoreceptor drum  31  is charged evenly by the charging device  32 , further, latent image is formed by the laser writing system  33  whose exposure is started in synchronization with a leading edge of the sheet P fed out from registration roller  56  mentioned later, and further, the development is performed by the developing device  34 , thus a toner image based on the image data obtained by the reading action by the CCD  26  is formed. The formed toner image is transferred onto the sheet P by the transfer device  35 . The sheet P onto which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the photoreceptor drum  31  by the separating device  36 , and is fed to the fixing device  38  so that the toner image may be fixed to the sheet P by the heating and pressing function. On the other hand, the photoreceptor drum  31  from which the toner image has been transferred to the sheet P continues rotating furthermore, and the toner remained on the photoreceptor drum  31  is cleared by the cleaning means  37  to be reused for the next image formation.  
         [0026]    Incidentally, in the present embodiment, between the photoreceptor drum  31  and the registration paired rollers  56  and near the photoreceptor drum  31 , there is provided drum-preceding paired rollers  39  which feeds the sheet P having been sent out from the registration paired rollers  56  representing the second sheet feeding means, which contributes increment of feeding power for the sheet P. Furthermore, between the separating device  36  and the fixing means  38 , there are provided a feeding roller (no reference symbol assigned) and a belt (no reference symbol assigned), both of which feed the sheet P which is separated by the separating device  36 , with the downside of sheet P holding (the opposite side of the image-formed surface).  
         [0027]    In the present embodiment, there are provided multi-decks sheet storing sections  4  representing  4 A,  4 B,  4 C, under the image-forming section  3 .  
         [0028]    Sheet feeding section  5  is a first sheet feeding means that feeds the sheet P from the sheet storing section  4  to the registration paired rollers  56 , and is constituted so that the sheets P contained in each of the sheet storing sections  4 A- 4 C may be fed to the image reading section  3 .  
         [0029]    Sheet ejection and re-feeding means  6  is a means for ejecting or re-feeding the sheet P having passed through the fixing means  38 . This sheet ejection and re-feeding means  6  is provided with fixing ejecting paired rollers  56  which ejects the toner image fixed sheet P from the fixing means  38 , feeding path switchover means  62  which switches the feeding paths, depending on the occasion that the sheet P ejected from fixing and ejecting paired rollers  61  is ejected to the outside of the apparatus as it is, or the occasion that the sheet P is ejected after it is reversed or it is re-fed for forming the image on the back, sheet ejecting paired rollers  63  which ejects the sheet P to the outside of the apparatus, sheet reversing and feeding paired rollers  65  representing sheet reversing and feeding member which feeds the sheet P with switching-back by the direct and reverse rotation, and sheet re-feeding section  66  which re-feeds the sheet P reversed by the sheet reversing and feeding paired rollers  65  to the image reading section  3 .  
         [0030]    When the image-formed sheet P is ejected with its image formed surface facing upward without being reversed, the sheet P is guided by the switchover means  62  to be fed to the finishing device FS. Further, when the image-formed sheet P is reversed to be ejected, that is, when the sheet P is ejected with its image-formed surface facing downward, the sheet P, which is guided by the switchover means  62  and fed by the fixing ejection paired rollers  61 , is fed to the direction of the sheet reversing and feeding paired rollers  65  temporarily, and when the sheet P has passed the changeover means  62 , its feeding direction is reversed, and the sheet P is ejected to the outside of the apparatus by the sheet ejecting paired rollers  63 . On the other hand, when the image is formed on the back of the sheet P, the sheet P, which is guided by the changeover means  62  and fed by the fixing ejection paired rollers  61 , is fed to the direction of the sheet reversing and feeding paired rollers  65 , and the sheet P is reversed by the switch-back action of the sheet reversing and feeding paired rollers  65 , and is fed to the sheet re-feeding section  66 . The sheet P, having been fed to the sheet re-feeding section, enters the feeding path of the feeding section  5  between undermentioned loop forming paired rollers  55  and undermentioned intermediate feeding paired rollers  541 , and is fed to the image reading section  3 , in the same manner as the sheet feeding from the sheet storing section  4 .  
         [0031]    Next, the conveyance path of the sheet P in the sheet feeding section  5  will be explained. The feeding of the sheet P in the sheet feeding section  5  is performed along the conveyance path (no reference symbol assigned) That is, the sheets P, stored in each of the sheet storing sections  4 A- 4 C, are fed along the conveyance path having individual conveyance paths which feed out the sheets P from the sheet storing sections  4 A- 4 C, a lengthwise conveyance path which feeds the sheets P having been fed out through the individual conveyance paths, and a registration conveyance path which feeds the sheets P having been fed through the lengthwise conveyance path to the image reading section  3 . The individual conveyance paths are conveyance paths from the sheet storing sections  4 A,  4 B, and  4 C to pre-registration paired rollers  53 A,  53 B and  53 C, and are provided for each of the sheet storing sections  4 A- 4 C. The lengthwise conveyance path is a conveyance path from the intermediate feeding paired rollers  543  to the loop forming paired rollers  55 , where the sheets P having been fed from the sheet storing sections  4 B and  4 C pass through in common. Incidentally, the sheet P from the sheet storing section  4 A is fed from the pre-registration paired rollers  53 A to the loop forming paired rollers  55  via intermediate feeding paired rollers  541 , without passing through the intermediate feeding paired rollers  542 .  
         [0032]    The lengthwise conveyance path is a partially common used conveyance path, whose part is representing a common conveyance path on which the sheet P from the sheet storing section  4 C and the sheet P from the sheet storing section  4 B pass commonly. In the common conveyance path, there are provided intermediate feeding paired rollers  542  which feed the sheet P from the sheet storing section  4 C and the sheet P from the sheet storing section  4 B commonly, and the intermediate feeding paired rollers  541  which feed the sheet P from the sheet storing section  4 C, the sheet P from the sheet storing section  4 B, and the sheet P from the sheet storing section  4 A commonly.  
         [0033]    Next, each constitution (means) of the sheet feeding section  5  will be explained. In the following explanation, since the same kinds of a pick-up roller, a separating and feeding roller, separating and retarding roller, a separating means, a pre-registration roller and a loop forming guide are equipped in each of the sheet storing sections  4 A,  4 B and  4 C, and also have common functions, they will be explained without the indicated symbols such as A, B and C, as far as there is no necessity.  
         [0034]    The sheet feeding section  5  is provided with pick-up roller  51 , separating means  52  (serving also as a first loop forming means), composed of the separating and feeding roller  521  and the separating and retarding roller  522  which separate sheet P one by one from the sheets P fed out from the pick up roller  51 , pre-registration paired rollers  53  representing a first stopper means by which the sheet P having been separated by the separating means  52  is stopped temporarily and is conveyed again, a plurality of intermediate feeding paired rollers  541 - 543  representing the intermediate feeding means for feeding the sheet P having been fed by the pre-registration paired rollers  53 , loop forming paired rollers  55  representing a second loop forming means for feeding the sheet P having been fed by the intermediate feeding rollers, registration paired rollers  56  representing a second stopper means by which the sheet P having been fed by the loop forming paired rollers  55  is stopped temporarily and is restarted again, and a plurality of motors (not shown) representing a driving means for driving each roller. The pick-up rollers  51  and the separating means  52  are provided in each of sheet storing sections  4 A,  4 B and  4 C, and they separate sheet P one by one from the stacked sheets P.  
         [0035]    The pick up roller  51  is provided to be capable of being moved vertically by a driving means such as an unillustrated solenoid, and when the pickup roller  51  has moved to the lower position, it is on the individual conveyance path to touch the uppermost sheet of a plurality of the sheets P stored in the sheet storing section  4 , and is driven to rotate by an unillustrated driving means, thus the uppermost sheet P can be fed out. Further, when the pickup roller  51  has moved to the higher position, the pick up roller  51  is away from the sheet P. Incidentally, the sheet storing section  4  is pushed up by a means such as an unillustrated bottom plate, so that each of the top positions of a plurality of the sheets P is always kept at the same height.  
         [0036]    The separating means  52  is one that separates the sheets P, fed out by the pick up roller  51  into each sheet, and in the present embodiment, the separating means  52  has a separating and feeding roller  521 , and separating and retarding roller  522 . The separating and feeding roller  521  is a roller that comes into contact with the upper surface of the sheet P being fed, and is rotated by an unillustrated driving means, and it is a roller that feeds the sheet P to the pre-registration paired rollers  53  adjoining the down stream side in the feeding direction of sheet P. The separating and retarding roller  522  is a stopping roller having a built-in torque limiter, and is a roller that separates, one by one, the sheets P fed out from the pick up roller  51 , together with the separating and feeding roller  521 .  
         [0037]    Each of the pre-registration paired rollers  53  represents a first stopper means by which the sheet P separated by the separating means  52  is stopped temporarily and is conveyed again, which is composed of a pair of facing rollers, and is provided on the individual conveyance paths to be capable of being rotated by an unillustrated driving means respectively. Since the pre-registration paired rollers  53  have stopped the rotation when the sheet P is conveyed by the separating means  52 , the sheet P thus conveyed hits the pre-registration paired rollers  53  temporarily, and the leading edge of the sheet P is stopped. After that, the pre-registration paired rollers  53  begin to rotate, and the sheet P is fed again by the pre-registration paired rollers  53 . In this way, by making the sheet P to hit the pre-registration rollers  53  temporarily, the timing of the leading edge of the sheet P is secured precisely, and uneven conveyance can be controlled.  
         [0038]    The present embodiment is constituted to continue the feeding of the sheet P by the separating means  52 , even after the leading edge of the sheet P hits the pre-registration paired rollers  53 , and due to this, the sheet P whose leading edge is stopped is made to form a loop to correct sheet skewing.  
         [0039]    The intermediate rollers  541 - 543  are intermediate feeding means for feeding the sheet P fed by the pre-registration paired rollers  53 . The intermediate rollers  541  are the rollers which feed the sheets P fed by the pre-registration paired rollers  53 A- 53 C, that is, the rollers which feed the sheets P from the sheet storing sections  4 A- 4 C. The intermediate rollers  542  are the rollers which feed the sheets P fed by the pre-registration paired rollers  53 B and  53 C, that is, the rollers which feed the sheets P from the sheet storing sections  4 B and  4 C. The intermediate rollers  543  are the rollers which feed the sheets P fed by the pre-registration paired rollers  53 C, that is, the rollers which feed the sheets P from the sheet storing section  4 C. The loop forming paired rollers  55  are means for feeding the sheet P fed by the intermediate feeding paired rollers  541 .  
         [0040]    The registration paired rollers  56  representing a second feeding means are second stopper means by which the sheet P fed by the loop forming paired rollers  55  is stopped temporarily and conveyed again, further, which are feeding members to stop and feed the sheet P. The registration paired rollers  56  is not rotating when the sheet P is conveyed to it by the loop forming paired rollers  55 , and therefore, the sheet P thus fed hits the registration paired rollers  56  temporarily, and the leading edge of the sheet P is stopped. After that, the registration paired rollers  56  begin to rotate, and the sheet P is fed again by the registration paired rollers  56 . Further, the latent image formation by the laser writing system  33  starts, in synchronization with the sheet P fed out from the registration paired rollers  56 , and the sheet P and the toner image on the photoreceptor drum  31  are synchronized. In this way, by making the sheet P to hit the registration paired rollers  56  temporarily, the timing of the leading edge of the sheet P can be secured precisely, and uneven conveyance can be controlled, and further, the laser writing system  33  can be easily synchronized to form an image at the precise position on the sheet P.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a finishing device FS of the present embodiment of the invention. In the finishing device FS, there are arranged fixed sheet ejection tray F 91 , cover sheet feeding means F 40  on which the sheet K is placed, shift processing section  20 , stapling means composed of intermediate stacker F 30  and stapler F 50 , and folding station F 60 , perpendicularly from the top of the drawing.  
         [0042]    Entrance feeding section F 10  is arranged at the upper portion on the right side in the drawing of the finishing device FS. Further, there are arranged elevating sheet ejection tray F 92  on which the sheets side-stapled and sift-processed are placed, and fixed sheet ejection tray F 93  on which the sheets S folded in three or the sheets S folded in two are placed, on the left side of the drawing of the finishing section FS in the drawing.  
         [0043]    The finishing device FS is adjusted in terms of position and height to be installed so that receiving section F 11  of the sheet P fed from image forming apparatus main body A may agree with a sheet ejection outlet (no reference symbol assigned) of the image forming apparatus main body A.  
         [0044]    Feeding paired rollers F 12  is provided on the receiving section F 11 , and on the downstream side of it, there are arranged 1 st  conveyance path (1) on the upper stage, 2 nd  conveyance path (2) on the middle stage, and 3 rd  conveyance path (3) and 4 th  conveyance path (4) on the lower stage.  
         [0045]    The feeding of the sheet P on the 1 st -4 th  conveyance paths (1)-(4) will be explained as follows.  
         [0046]    The 1 st  conveyance path (1) is a sheet ejection path where the image-formed sheets P are ejected to be stacked in the ejecting order. In an ejecting mode using the 1 st  conveyance path, changeover means G 1  opens the 1 st  conveyance path (1) and closes the path to feeding rollers F 18 . The image-formed sheet P ejected from the image forming apparatus main body A is introduced to the receiving section F 11  to be fed by the feeding paired rollers F 12 . The sheet P is guided by changeover means G 1  to enter the 1 st  conveyance path (1) and is fed by feeding paired rollers F 14 , F 15  and F 16  to be ejected to the fixed sheet ejection tray  91 .  
         [0047]    The 2 nd  conveyance path (2) is a conveyance path where the image-formed sheets P are ejected to the elevating sheet ejection tray F 92  by a sorting process which shifts the sheets P by the prescribed number such as the number of the documents, in the lateral direction of feeding (the direction perpendicular to the direction of feeding, this applies to the following). In the mode using this conveyance path, the changeover means G 1  closes the 1 st  conveyance path (1) to open the path to the feeding paired rollers F 18 , and the changeover means G 2  opens the 2 nd  conveyance path (2), and closes the 3 rd  conveyance path (3). The sheet P fed by the feeding paired rollers F 12  is fed to the 2 nd  conveyance path (2) to be fed to the shift processing section  20  by the feeding roller F 22 . Feeding paired rollers  24  in the shift processing section F 20  have a shifting function that feeds the sheet P by shifting its position to the lateral direction of the feeding, when it receives the leading edge of the sheet P. The sheet P having passed through the shift processing section F 20  is ejected to the elevating sheet ejection tray F 92  by the sheet ejecting paired rollers F 26 .  
         [0048]    The 3 rd  conveyance path (3) is a path where a stapling process is performed for the sheets P in quantity of the prescribed number, for example, in quantity of the number of the documents. In the mode using this conveyance path, the changeover means G 1  closes the 1 st  conveyance path (1) to open the path to the feeding rollers F 18 , and the changeover means G 2  closes the 2 nd  conveyance path (2), and opens the 3 rd  conveyance path (3). The sheets P are fed by feeding paired rollers F 18 , F 32  and F 34  to be sent to the intermediate stacker F 30 . When the trailing edge of the sheet P leaves the feeding paired rollers F 34 , the sheet P slides on the intermediate stacker F 30  downward and hits movable stopper member F 51  to stop. The intermediate stacker F 30  is a stacking means for stacking the sheets P, and is also a reversing means for reversing the sheets P in the feeding direction.  
         [0049]    When the leading edge of the sheet P or sheet K arrives at the feeding paired rollers F 32  and the feeding paired rollers F 34 , the rollers F 32  and F 34  stop the sheet P or sheet K temporarily so that the timing for a stapling action at the stapler F 50  can be controlled.  
         [0050]    Symbol F 60  represents a folding device which folds the sheet P and sheet K to thrice-folded or twice-folded formation, and the folded sheets are ejected to a fixed sheet ejection tray F 93 .  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system of the embodiment of the invention. Control mean CR having a continuous interval timer TM controls second sheet feeding means PS 2  (registration paired rollers  56 ), by making an establishing condition on operation section OP and a writing order to writing means WR to be the condition of the undermentioned sheet feed control. In the operation section OP, the image forming modes such as the stapling process and the folding process in the finishing section are established.  
         [0052]    In the image forming process, the sheet P is fed by the feeding action of the first feeding means PS 1  (sheet feeding section  5 ), and is fed by making the second sheet feeding means PS 2  to start moving in synchronization with the writing action in the writing means WR. After an image is formed on the sheet P by the image forming section GS, the finishing device FS is driven to perform the finishing processes such as the stapling process and the folding process.  
         [0053]    Next, the control by the control means CR in the embodiment of the invention will be explained referring to FIG. 5 showing the time chart of the image forming process.  
         [0054]    In the embodiment, the control means CR forms the interval t between images representing the images a 1 -a 4  and the images b 1 -b 4  by controlling the second sheet feeding means PS 2 .  
         [0055]    The interval t between images is established by the following conditions:  
         [0056]    (1) Information of the time passage formed by the continuous interval timer TM,  
         [0057]    (2) Information of completion for sheet-feeding preparation, and  
         [0058]    (3) Information of image formation.  
         [0059]    For the interval T 1  and T 2  between sets, the starting time of the second sheet feeding means PS 2  is controlled by the logical product of four conditions including the above-mentioned three conditions and the following condition:  
         [0060]    (4) Information of the time passage from the starting of feeding of the leading sheet of the set by the registration roller  56 , established by the processing time in the finishing device FS.  
         [0061]    Each of the interval T 1  and T 2  between sets is an interval from the time when the leading sheet of the J th  set of the sheets P is started to be conveyed by the registration paired rollers  56  to the time when the next set, that is, the leading sheet of the (J+1) th  set of the sheets P is started to be conveyed by the registration paired rollers  56 . Further, the times mentioned in (4) that are established by the times required for the finishing are prepared beforehand i n a memory as the time from the start of conveyance of the leading sheet of the J th  set of the sheets P to the start of conveyance of the leading sheet of the (J+1) th  set of the sheets P, and they can be used by being selected for each process.  
         [0062]    (1) The time interval formed by the continuous interval timer TM is established by the sizes of sheets and the image forming modes. That is, the time interval is established by the sheets sizes such as A4 and B4 and the difference between an ejecting mode that ejects the image-formed sheets without reversing and an ejecting mode that ejects the sheets after reversing. Information of the time passage formed by the continuous interval timer TM becomes H (high) level when the time passage comes.  
         [0063]    (2) Information of completion for sheet-feeding preparation becomes H (high) when the prescribed time, that is necessary for forming a loop has passed, after the leading edge of the sheet is detected by a sheet sensor (unillustrated) arranged between the loop forming paired rollers  55  and the registration paired rollers  56 .  
         [0064]    (3) Image forming information is information showing that the image has been formed on the photoreceptor  31  so that the image on the photoreceptor  31  may be superposed on the sheet p in a precise positional relationship. Further, it is information that becomes H (high), after the time established based on the starting time of writing, from the relationship between the distance on the photoreceptor  31  from a writing position by the writing system  33  to the transfer device  35  and the distance from the registration paired rollers  56  to the transfer device  35 .  
         [0065]    In the present embodiment, information of (1)-(3) mentioned above plus information of (4) are representing the sheet-feeding-control establishing condition That is, the interval T between sets is established by the logical products of information of (1)-(4).  
         [0066]    In FIGS.  5 ( a )- 5 ( c ), the interval t between images and the intervals T 1  and T 2  between sets are established by the driving time of the second sheet feeding means PS 2  which is established by the control of the control means CR. Further, the interval t of images is formed by the logical products of the above-mentioned (1)-(3).  
         [0067]    Since the interval T of sets has a part which does not relate to the number of the images, certain interval T 1  between sets is formed, when each set in FIG. 5( a ) is composed of two images, and when each set in FIG. 5( b ) is composed of one image. Among time components of the interval T between sets, one of parts unrelated to the number of images constituting the sets is the time necessary for finishing in the finishing device FS. That is, in cases of FIGS.  5 ( a ) and  5 ( b ), the interval T 1  between sets is determined by the time necessary for finishing. On the other hand, when the set is composed of four images as shown in FIG. 5( c ), the interval T 2  of sets is decided by the interval t of images, namely, it is decided by the interval t of images decided by the logical products of above-mentioned (1)-(3).  
         [0068]    In the present embodiment as mentioned above, the interval between sets in which the finishing is considered is formed by the control theory which is extremely simple. Accordingly, the various intervals between sets in which the sizes of sheets and the image forming modes are considered can be established without mistake.  
         [0069]    By the invention mentioned in Structure 1 or 2, it has become possible to establish the interval between set in which conditions for finishing are properly considered for the various combination of sizes of the sheets and the image forming modes, accordingly, image forming apparatus which can process the continuous image forming operation at high image forming efficiency can be realized.