Patent ID: 8162474

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper feed unit configured to feed sheets of sheet media stored in a paper storage section one by one to a registration section; an image forming unit including an image forming section and a transfer section, and configured to form an image on a surface of each of the sheets by using the image forming section, while transferring the sheets one by one by using the transfer section, the image forming unit receiving sheets fed by the paper feed unit and then sent from the registration section; a circulating transfer unit configured to transfer the sheets each having an image formed on each sheet by the image forming unit to the registration section one by one; a paper discharge unit configured to discharge the sheets each having an image formed on each sheet by the image forming unit one by one; and a control unit configured to control whether to perform any one of a direct paper discharge operation and a circulation paper discharge operation in accordance with an image forming condition for the sheets by selectively causing the circulating transfer unit to transfer the sheets a number of times of circulation, for each printed side of the sheets, selected in accordance with the image forming condition for the sheets, whereby, in the direct paper discharge operation, the paper discharge unit discharges the sheets each having an image formed on each sheet by the image forming unit without circulation by the circulating transfer unit, and in the circulation paper discharge operation, after transfer by the circulating transfer unit, the transfer section of the image forming unit again transfers the sheets each having an image formed on each sheet by the image forming unit without performing image formation by the image forming section of the image forming unit, followed by discharge of the sheets by the paper discharge unit.