According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a detachable device, an antenna, and a control unit. The detachable device is attachable to and detachable from the own apparatus and includes a wireless tag. The antenna receives a wireless signal from the wireless tag if the detachable device is mounted. The control unit determines that the detachable device is mounted to the own apparatus based on the wireless signal received by the antenna.

An image forming apparatus, detection method, and image forming system are provided. The apparatus includes a communication interface, a detector, and a notification interface. The communication interface communicates with a wireless tag at a connection position where a sheet conveyance path is formed between the apparatus and a retrofit device equipped with the wireless tag. The detector detects a connection state between the retrofit device and the apparatus based on a communication result of the communication interface. The notification interface provides a notification based on the connection state detected by the detector. The detection method includes detecting a connection state between the retrofit device and the apparatus based on a communication result of the communication interface, and providing a notification based on the connection state detected in the detection. The image forming system includes an apparatus and a retrofit device provided with a wireless tag.

In a printing system capable of supplying a sheet of a job having undergone print processing by the printing unit of a printing apparatus to a post-processing unit capable of executing at least a specific type of post-processing among a plurality of types of post-processes, when the target job requires the specific type of post-processing, the printing apparatus is inhibited from executing print processing of the job without explicitly determining a sheet necessary for the print processing of the job by a user using a user interface unit. When the target job does not require the specific type of post-processing, the printing apparatus is permitted to execute print processing of the job without explicitly determining a sheet necessary for the print processing of the job by the user using the user interface unit.

An image forming apparatus improved in a setting process for a recording medium to thereby make it possible to prevent print processing from failing to be executed. In the image forming apparatus including a plurality of sheet feeders for storing recording sheets, when recording sheets are stored in one of the sheet feeders, at least one of the recording sheets is conveyed from the corresponding sheet feeder, and the type of the conveyed recording sheet is identified. Then, the identified type of the recording sheet is set as the type of the stored recording sheets. This makes it possible to prevent occurrence of a situation in which print processing is not executed because the identified type of the recording sheet does not match the set type of the recording sheets, whereby it is possible to prevent print processing from failing to be executed.

Provided are systems and methods for identifying, isolating, and/or aligning sheets. An identification system can facilitate accurate identification of a sheet by (i) vacating one or more components of the system that are not the sheet from a zone of detection, and/or (ii) determining a reference axis of the sheet. An isolation system can facilitate accurate isolation of a sheet by (i) providing targeted air flow, and/or (ii) introducing a wave into the sheet. Identification systems and/or isolation systems described herein may facilitate isolation of sheets that were previously fastened together by one or more fasteners. An alignment system can facilitate accurate alignment of a first sheet at an upstream location relative to a second sheet at a downstream location via machine learning.

A printing device includes a first accommodating unit, an image-recording unit, a cutting unit, and a second accommodating unit. The first accommodating unit is configured to accommodate a printing medium therein. The printing medium is conveyed in a first conveying direction along a first conveying path. The cutting unit is configured to cut the printing medium to separate the printing medium into a first printing medium and a second printing medium. The second accommodating unit is configured to accommodate therein the second printing medium which has is produced by cutting the printing medium by the cutting unit. A length of the second accommodating unit in a printing medium conveying direction is shorter than a length of the first accommodating unit in the printing medium conveying direction. The second printing medium is conveyed to the second accommodating unit in a second conveying direction along a second conveying path.

A printing device includes a first accommodating unit, an image-recording unit, a cutting unit, and a second accommodating unit. The first accommodating unit is configured to accommodate a printing medium therein. The printing medium is conveyed in a first conveying direction along a first conveying path. The cutting unit is configured to cut the printing medium to separate the printing medium into a first printing medium and a second printing medium. The second accommodating unit is configured to accommodate therein the second printing medium which has is produced by cutting the printing medium by the cutting unit. A length of the second accommodating unit in a printing medium conveying direction is shorter than a length of the first accommodating unit in the printing medium conveying direction. The second printing medium is conveyed to the second accommodating unit in a second conveying direction along a second conveying path.

A read unit of a scanner device reads the information fixed to a medium by printing. A transmission control unit executes the control of transmitting, to a server, the information of the medium acquired in the form of digital image data. An information acquisition unit acquires the information transmitted from a shredder. An information management unit stores the information acquired by the information acquisition unit in an acquired information database in such a way as to be identified as the information of the medium so as to be managed to be capable of being read out as the information of the medium. An information readout unit acquires a readout indication transmitted from an observer terminal. Then, the information readout unit reads the information of the medium out of the acquired information database via the information management unit.

An optical scanning unit includes a rotatable multi-faceted mirror having a plurality of faces reflecting light flux emitted from a light source to scan a scanning area in a main scanning direction. A width of the light flux striking the rotatable multi-faceted mirror is smaller than a length of a face of the rotatable multi-faceted mirror. The entire of light flux striking the rotatable multi-faceted mirror is reflected at a first face when the light flux reflected by the rotatable multi-faceted mirror is directed to the center portion of the scanning area. A part of the light flux striking the rotatable multi-faceted mirror is reflected at the first face while the remaining of the light flux is reflected at a second face when the light flux reflected by the rotatable multi-faceted mirror is directed to a least one of the two end portions of the scanning area.

An image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus that includes an image forming section that forms an image on a recording material in accordance with a print job and a first reception section that receives a command about output of the print job; and a post-processing apparatus that includes a post-processing section that performs post-processing on the recording material transported from the image forming apparatus in accordance with the print job and a second reception section that receives a command about the post-processing and that receives a command about re-output of the print job in a case where the print job is to be possibly re-output.