In an image forming apparatus, a control device functions as a controller and a user presence/absence determiner. When accepting an instruction to execute a print job through a touch panel, the controller controls operations of a sheet feed device, a conveyance device, and an image forming device to allow a document image represented by image data generated by a document reading device to be formed on a sheet to make a printed matter and allow the printed matter to be discharged to a sheet output tray. When the user presence/absence determiner determines that a user is present, the controller controls, before printing for at least a last sheet in the print job, the operations of the sheet feed device and the conveyance device to allow a sheet to be discharged to the sheet output tray without allowing the image forming device to form the document image on the sheet.

According to at least one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a voltage measuring device, a fixing device, and a controller. The voltage measuring device measures an input voltage. The fixing device includes a heater that heats a sheet. When the measured voltage becomes equal to or greater than a threshold value, the controller determines a heating timing of the heater based on the voltage and activates the heater at the determined heating timing.

In an image forming apparatus, a controller performs processes in accordance with an operation mode settable to one of a first subscription mode and a second subscription mode. The first subscription mode corresponds to a first subscription in which a specific-color cartridge is a subscription subject and a non-specific-color cartridge is not the subscription subject. The second subscription mode corresponds to a second subscription in which both the specific-color cartridge and the non-specific-color cartridge are the subscription subject. The controller performs restricting usage of the non-specific-color cartridge in a case where the first subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type, compared to a case where the second subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type.

An image forming apparatus includes: a hardware processor that: estimates a remaining amount of toner in a cartridge; registers a required replacement time corresponding to a time required by an operator to replace the cartridge; calculates a toner consumption speed when an image is printed, on the basis of data of the image to be printed and a printing speed when the image is printed; predicts a first timing at which the cartridge reaches a toner runout state during printing of the image, on the basis of the remaining amount of toner and the toner consumption speed; and makes notification for prompting the operator to replace the cartridge at a second timing before the first timing by the required replacement time.

A sheet conveying device includes a sheet placement table, a sheet discharge table, a conveyance mechanism, raising/lowering mechanism, and a raising/lowering control portion. The sheet discharge table is located below the sheet placement table. The conveyance mechanism conveys a sheet placed on the sheet placement table onto the sheet discharge table via an execution position at which image processing is executed by an image processing portion. The raising/lowering mechanism raises and lowers the sheet placement table. The raising/lowering control portion controls the raising/lowering mechanism to lower the sheet placement table when a human detection sensor configured to detect a human in a detection region has detected a human in the detection region.

Provided is an image data setting apparatus capable of setting image data related to a foil forming image. The image data setting apparatus includes a hardware processor determining whether a setting for the foil forming image is included in a printing job related to the image data, in which the hardware processor changes a halftone dot setting of the image data, according to a determination result.

An image forming apparatus includes a connection mechanism in electrical contact with a contact. The connection mechanism includes a terminal member, a power supplying member, an insulating member, and a holding member. The terminal member makes contact with the contact. The power supplying member feeds electric power to the contact via the terminal member and urges the terminal member toward the contact. The insulating member covers the terminal member. The holding member holds the terminal member covered with the insulating member. The terminal member, at a tip end portion of it that projects from the holding member, makes contact with the contact. The insulating member covers at least an entire region, except a contact portion with the contact, of the terminal member that projects from the holding member.

A sheet processing device is for binding sheets together. The sheet processing device includes binding units differing from each other in maximum sheet count, the maximum sheet count being a maximum number of sheets that can be bound at a time; a sheet tray configured to hold sheets until all to-be-bound sheets are placed therein, the number of the to-be-bound sheets being a largest one of the maximum sheet counts of the binding units or smaller; and a stacked-sheet-count limiting unit situated in a thickness direction of the sheets held in the sheet tray. The stacked-sheet-count limiting unit is configured to limit the number of sheets held in the sheet tray by varying a distance from a sheet support surface of the sheet tray on which the sheets are placed, depending on one of the binding units by which the sheets held in the sheet tray are to be bound.

An image forming apparatus capable of providing a management apparatus with data that can be utilized for data analysis other than detection of signs of abnormality while keeping down costs required to build and maintain a communication environment. The image forming apparatus has a sensor. In the image forming apparatus, second data for use in detecting a sign of abnormality is generated based on first data comprised of measured values obtained by the sensor. The second data is transmitted directly or indirectly to the management apparatus that detects the sign of abnormality. Wherein, the second data is data that indicates characteristics of the image forming apparatus and has a smaller data amount that that of the first data.

A sorting device includes a base portion, a tray portion, and a tray driving portion. The tray driving portion includes a motor, a supporting shaft, an input member, an output member, a link mechanism, and an urging member. The input member includes a first boss portion movably supported on the supporting shaft, and is reciprocatable up and down along the supporting shaft. The output member has a second boss portion coupled with the first boss portion via a ratchet mechanism. The link mechanism converts a rotary motion of the output member to a linear motion of the tray portion. The ratchet mechanism operates such that, when a predetermined or heavier load is applied to the output member via the tray portion, the input member is pushed down against the urging force of the urging member and engagement between the first and second ratchet teeth is released.