Patent ID: 7190916

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an engine control part for controlling an engine; a controller part connected in a communicable manner to said engine control part; print scheduling means for setting a schedule of a print operation for every material for recording from said controller part to said engine control part; a recording material discharging device control part connected in the communicable manner to said controller part and serving to control a recording material discharging device for discharging the recording material to outside; recording material discharging schedule operation means for setting a schedule of a recording material discharging operation from said controller part to said recording material discharging device control part; recording material discharging interval notifying means for notifying said controller part of a recording material discharging interval till said recording material discharging device becomes receivable of the recording material next time when said recording material discharging schedule operation means sets the schedule of the recording material discharging operation for said recording material discharging device control part; and recording material discharging interval designation means for notifying said engine control part of information about the recording material discharging interval of which said recording material discharging interval notifying means has notified, from said controller part, wherein said engine control part sets the recording material discharging interval designated by said recording material discharging interval designation means as a recording material discharging interval from the recording material discharged by said recording material discharging device last time, and determines a print operation start timing in consideration of the designated recording material discharging interval and, in the case of performing the print operation for a different sheet discharging port after discharging the recording material to said recording material discharging device last time, a time expended for this print operation.