Patent ID: 8020856

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming section which forms normal images on sheets sequentially based on normal image data and forms sample images on a sheet based on sample image data; a discharge section which discharges normal image sheets in a stack which are sheets on which the normal images were formed and sample image sheets which are sheets on which the sample images were formed; and a control section which is configured to control at least one of the image forming section and the discharge section to discharge the normal image sheets in the stack and the sample image sheets to the discharge section so as to enable timings at which the sample image sheets were discharged to be appreciated in the stacked normal image sheets, wherein the control section is configured to control the discharge section to discharge the normal image sheets and the sample image sheets to an identical discharge destination so that the sample image sheets protrude from the normal image sheets in the stack at the identical discharge destination, and wherein the control section is configured to control the image forming section to form the sample image at a protruding portion in each of the sample image sheets which protrudes from the stacked normal image sheets.