Patent ID: 7742188

Claim:
An image forming apparatus having: a print control section for receiving image data and generating image printing data; a media transport section for transporting a recording medium, the transported recording medium having a leading edge that leads during transport; an image forming section for forming an image according to the image printing data; a transfer section for transferring the formed image onto the recording medium; a fusing section for fusing the transferred image onto the recording medium; and a thickness detector which detects a value of thickness of the recording medium; wherein the print control section comprises: a margin detector which determines from the image printing data a length in the transport direction of a non-printed area at the leading edge; and a decision module which decides whether the detected value of thickness in combination with the length detected by the margin detector satisfy a predetermined condition and printing is possible; wherein the print control section sends the image printing data to the image forming section if the predetermined condition is satisfied and printing is possible, and does not send the image printing data to the image forming section if the predetermined condition is not satisfied and the printing is therefore not possible.