An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of members for forming an image; a transmitting unit configured to transmit a sonic wave; a receiving unit configured to receive a first sonic wave that has been transmitted from the transmitting unit and has passed through a sheet and a second sonic wave that is generated from at least one of the plurality of members; a detection unit configured to detect information regarding a type or state of the sheet based on the first sonic wave; and a determination unit configured to determine a state of a member that has generated the second sonic wave based on the second sonic wave.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet conveyed from a sheet storing unit by a sheet conveying unit, and a registering unit that registers detected sheet thickness information and detected sheet surface characteristics information. Based on information, distinct front and back surfaces of a conveyed predetermined sheet and a type of the conveyed predetermined sheet is determined. If the predetermined sheet type matches a type of an upcoming sheet on which the image will be formed and the determined front and back surfaces matches front and back surfaces of the upcoming sheet, an image is formed on the predetermined sheet. If the predetermined sheet type matches the upcoming sheet type and the determined front and back surfaces do not match the upcoming sheet front and back surfaces, information is displayed conveying that the predetermined sheet front and back surfaces are inverted.

A printer and a printing method are proposed. The printer and the printing method include transferring printing paper until a cutting target marker first disposed after a location at which the printing of a unit output has been completed based on the transfer direction of the printing paper reaches a cutting position, and cutting the corresponding location when the printing paper is transferred until the cutting target marker reaches the cutting position.

An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a measurement result obtained by a measurement unit that measures a characteristic of a print medium to be used in a printing apparatus, a notification control unit configured to cause a notification unit to provide notification of information indicating a print media type, and a storage unit configured to store information on a predetermined characteristic of each of a plurality of print media types, wherein, based on the measurement result acquired by the acquisition unit and usage history information indicating print media types used in the printing apparatus, the notification control unit causes the notification unit to provide notification of information indicating a print media type for which information on the predetermined characteristic stored in the storage unit corresponds to a characteristic indicated in the measurement result and which has a usage history indicated in the usage history information.

An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet medium under an operation condition set in accordance with a type of the medium, includes a hardware processor that: detects which of a plurality of assumed types the type of the medium applies to, based on output from a sensor; and performs control under which, before the type of the medium is detected, shift to a quasi-rise state, in which preparation for image formation under a provisional condition has partially been completed, is performed, the provisional condition corresponding to an operation condition corresponding to one of the plurality of assumed types, and after the type of the medium is detected, shift to a rise state, in which preparation for image formation under a fixed condition has been completed, is performed, the fixed condition corresponding to an operation condition corresponding to the detected type.

An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material has a second image forming mode that (i) controls the target control temperature of a heater to be lower than in a normal image forming mode and at least (ii) extends a period of time from the start of image forming to a point of time at which the recording material reaches the nip portion to be longer than in the normal image forming mode based on (A) recording material information indicating the hardness of the recording material, at least one of (B) margin information indicating the size of the margin at the leading end in the transport direction of the recording material and (C) toner amount information at the leading end of the image formed on the recording material, and (D) information of an environment in which the image forming apparatus is installed.

An image formation apparatus includes an image former and a detection sensor. The image former forms an image on paper delivered in a first paper delivery path. The detection sensor includes an irradiator and an acquirer. The irradiator and the acquirer are arranged at positions facing each other through the first paper delivery path. The irradiator irradiates the paper with a predetermined pattern image while the paper is passing through the detection sensor. The acquirer acquires a calculation image including a transmission image formed after the predetermined pattern image has been transmitted through the paper. In the image formation apparatus, the degree of image expansion is calculated from a predetermined area including the transmission image in the calculation image, and printing conditions are adjusted according to the degree of image expansion.

An optical sensor includes a light source; and an optical detector detecting intensity of light that is reflected by a recording medium, the light from the light source and irradiated onto the recording medium. Further, when an incident angle of the light incident to the recording medium from the light source relative to a normal line of the recording medium is given as 1, a formula 75185 is satisfied.

Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of detecting a type of a sheet accommodated in a sheet feeding tray in advance. The image forming apparatus includes a conveyor, an image former, a fixer, a detector, and a processor. The conveyor conveys the sheet accommodated in the sheet feeding tray along a conveying path. The image former forms an image on the sheet. The fixer fixes the image onto the sheet. The detector is arranged on the conveying path and detects the type of the sheet. The processor executes a sheet type detection mode which is a mode for causing the detector to detect the type of the sheet conveyed by the conveyor before executing an image forming mode which is a mode for causing the image former to form the image and causing the fixer to fix the image.

The present invention provides an image forming method for forming a decorated image having a resin layer and a powder contacted with each other, the method including: forming a resin layer on a recording medium; and supplying a powder onto the recording medium, in which the recording medium has a surface with an arithmetic mean height Sa of 1.000 or more.