An image forming apparatus includes processing circuitry; and a memory storing computer-executable instructions that cause the processing circuitry to perform printing onto a sheet; discharge the sheet onto which the printing has been performed; and control the sheet to be discharged in a manner such that a location of a paper jam can be identified among a plurality of sheets, upon detecting that the paper jam has occurred while printing onto the plurality of sheets.

A sheet processing apparatus is described. The sheet processing apparatus includes a housing section, a conveyance mechanism and a controller. The housing section accommodates a sheet. The conveyance mechanism conveys the sheet accommodated in the housing section to a predetermined position at the downstream side in a sheet conveyance direction. The controller controls the conveyance mechanism to remove a needle-free binding section of a sheet bundle if a conveyance jam of the sheet occurs.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image using developer, a mount section on which a container containing the developer is mounted, a drive mechanism that includes a motor that rotates to supply the developer to the image forming unit from the container mounted on the mount section, and a controller configured to obtain an output value related to a load of the motor while rotating the motor without mounting the container on the mount section after the container is detached from the mount section, and detect a failure of the container detached from the mount section based on the output value.

When it is judged that a predetermined operation for eliminating a cause for stopping a job is being executed, a following job is restricted from being executed prior to a stopped job. A control method for controlling a job processing apparatus for storing received jobs in a storage unit and sequentially executing the stored jobs includes determining, when a cause for stopping the job to be executed is generated, whether a state in which the cause for stopping the job is not eliminated has continued for a predetermined time, executing, when it is determined that the state in which the cause for stopping the job is not eliminated has continued for the predetermined time, a following job that follows the job is executed prior to the job, judging whether a predetermined operation for eliminating the cause for stopping the job is being executed, and restricting, when it is judged that a predetermined operation for eliminating the cause for stopping the job is being executed, the following job is restricted from being executed prior to the job.

A sheet conveyance device includes a sheet receiving part, a first discharge part, a sheet conveyance path, an escape conveyance path, a branch guide, an escape tray, a second discharge part, and a first sheet detection part. When a device failure occurs, the branch guide switches the conveyance direction such that the sheet remaining on the sheet conveyance path is discharged on the escape tray by the second discharge part, through the escape conveyance path sequentially. Then, the second discharge part stops a discharging of the sheet in a state where the sheet remains in the second discharge part when the sheet is a last sheet to be conveyed to the escape tray. Then, a receiving of a new sheet to the sheet receiving part from the image forming apparatus is inhibited while the first sheet detection part detects the last sheet.

An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body that rotates, an image forming unit, and a return operation controller. The image forming unit includes a charger, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, and a cleaning unit. The return operation controller causes a clean-up step to be executed in which the image holding body is cleaned while rotating the image holding body when returning from an emergency stop. In the clean-up step, the return operation controller reduces or zeroes out a pressing force between the transfer unit and the image holding body at least until a developing operation area on a surface of the image holding body that is stopped upon the emergency stop facing toward a direction in which the developing unit operates passes through a pressing area pressed by the transfer unit.

An image forming apparatus includes an RFID tag reader, an image forming unit, and a processor. The RFID tag reader is configured to read information from an RFID tag on a sheet conveyed along a conveyance path. The image forming unit includes a developer carrier. The processor is configured to determine, based on information read from the RFID tag on the sheet, whether information written to the RFID is correct. The processor is configured to cause the sheet to be conveyed to the image forming unit, a developer image already formed on the developer carrier to be removed without printing of the developer image on the sheet, and then print an alternative toner image indicative of a tag writing error on the sheet using the developer carrier.

An image forming system in which a first control unit transmits, in a state there identification information is not set in an external apparatus, a confirmation command for confirming a state of the external apparatus to a second control unit before the first control unit transmits a registration command to the second control unit.

An image forming apparatus includes a storage, circuitry, and an information provider. The storage is configured to temporarily store one or more sheets to be removed without being used in the image forming apparatus. The circuitry is configured to determine whether a manual operation is performed on the image forming apparatus and whether the one or more sheets stored in the storage exceed a given value in number or height. The information provider is configured to provide information urging removal of the one or more sheets from the storage in response to determination by the circuitry that the manual operation is performed and that the one or more sheets stored in the storage exceed the given value in number or height.

A sensor unit includes a first movable member including a member-to-be-detected, a sensor, and a second movable member. When a sheet is normally fed, the first movable member is in a first position, the member-to-be-detected is in a first phase, the second movable member is in a second position, and a functional/non-functional state of the member-to-be-detected is one state. When the sheet is not fed and the first movable member is in a second position, the member-to-be-detected is in the first phase, the second movable member is in a third position, and the functional/non-functional state is the other state. When the first movable member is in the first position and the second movable member is in a fourth position, by movement of the member-to-be-detected to a second phase, the functional/non-functional state is changed from the one state to the other state and an output of the sensor changes.