JPH0749350B2 - Image recorder - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus such as a copying machine or a facsimile, and in particular, has a folding function of folding a recorded medium (for example, recording paper) at a predetermined folding position. Image recording apparatus.

[Prior Art] In a conventional image recording apparatus of this type, when a folding mode is designated, a recording sheet on which image recording has been completed is half-folded in half or Z-folded in three at a predetermined folding position according to the designation. Some include a paper folding device for folding. There is also provided an automatic document feeder (referred to as RF or ARF) that automatically feeds the documents set on the stacking tray one by one to a document reading position (for example, an exposure position). Furthermore, a so-called cassette that has a size corresponding to the size of the document fed from RF is automatically selected to feed the transfer paper.
A device having an APS (automatic paper cassette selection) function has also been developed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in this type of conventional device, a folding mode is specified by an operation key, and a plurality of originals of different sizes are mixedly mounted on an RF (automatic document feeder), and the APS mode is used. When performing image recording, there is a certain limit to the paper size that can be folded by the paper folding device, so immediately after image recording in the folding mode, image recording in the non-folding mode may be performed. In this case, there is a problem that the later recording sheet collides with the recording sheet being folded.

The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks and provides an image recording apparatus in which the recording paper does not collide with the preceding recording paper even when the image recording processing is performed in a mixture of the folding mode and the non-folding mode. The purpose is to

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the object, the present invention is a recording medium having an appropriate size according to the size of each original continuously fed to an original reading position by an automatic original feeder. Is automatically selected and supplied to the image recording unit, and in the image recording apparatus capable of folding the recording medium on which the image is recorded by the image recording unit, folding processing is performed for each recording medium during image recording based on the size of the recording medium. Determination means for determining whether or not is possible, and if the determination of this time by the determination means is a negative determination and the previous determination is an affirmative determination, the recording medium targeted for the determination of this time is selected according to the determination. And a control means for supplying the image to the image recording unit or discharging the image from the image recording unit after a predetermined time delay.

[Operation] In the present invention, during continuous recording in the APS mode, the determination unit determines whether or not folding processing is possible based on the size of each recording sheet, and a size that cannot be folded during use of the folding unit. When it is determined that the recording paper has been selected, the recording paper is ejected from the recording means after a delay of the time when the recording paper does not collide. Therefore, even when the folding mode and the non-folding mode are mixed, it is possible to prevent the recording sheet from colliding with the preceding recording sheet.

Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, in which a is a judging means, and an image recording apparatus (for example, a copying machine) having an automatic document feeding function, an automatic cassette selecting function and a paper folding function. During image recording, the apparatus determines for each recording medium (for example, paper) whether or not folding processing is possible based on the size of the medium. b is a control means, and a determination means a
If the present determination (determination output) is a negative determination and the previous determination is a positive determination, the recording medium that is the subject of the present determination is delayed by a predetermined time according to the determination and is transferred to the image recording unit. Supply or discharge from image recording section. Reference numeral c is a conveying means for conveying the recording medium controlled by the control means.

FIG. 2 shows the internal structure of an embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, 100 is a main body having an image reading function and an image recording function, 200 is a double-sided processing function that reverses the recording medium (paper) during double-sided recording, and multiplex recording is performed multiple times on the same recording medium. A pedestal having a recording function, 300 is a circulation type document feeder (hereinafter, referred to as RDF) that automatically feeds documents, 400 is a paper folding device that folds a sheet at a predetermined position, and a sorting function and a staple function. Finisher (post-processing device) and these 200
Each device of ~ 500 can be freely combined with the main body 100 .

A. Main unit ( 100 ) In the main unit 100 , 101 is the platen glass on which the original is placed,
103 is an illumination lamp (exposure lamp) for illuminating the original, 105,1
Reference numerals 07 and 109 respectively denote a scanning reflection mirror (scanning mirror) for changing the optical path of the reflected light of the original document, 111 denotes a lens having focusing and variable magnification functions, and 113 denotes a fourth reflection mirror (scanning mirror) for changing the optical path. . 115 is an optical system motor for driving the optical system, and 117, 119 and 121 are sensors.

131 is a photosensitive drum, 133 is a main motor for driving the photosensitive drum 131, 135 is a high-voltage unit, 137 is a blank exposure unit, 139 is a developing device, 141 is transfer charge electricity, 147 is a separation charging device, and 145 is a cleaning device. is there.

151 is the upper cassette, 153 is the lower cassette, 155 and 157
Is a paper feed roller, and 159 is a registration roller. Also, 161
Is a conveyor belt that conveys the recording paper on which an image has been recorded to the fixing side, 163 is a fixing device that fixes the conveyed recording paper by thermocompression bonding, and 167 is a sensor used during double-sided recording.

The surface of the above-mentioned photosensitive drum 131 is composed of a photoconductor and a seamless photosensitive member using a conductor, and the drum 131 is rotatably supported by a shaft and operates in response to the pressing of a copy start key described later. The motor 133 starts rotation in the direction of the arrow in this figure. Next, when the predetermined rotation control of the drum 131 and the potential control processing (preprocessing) are completed, the original placed on the original table glass 101 is illuminated by the illumination lamp 103 integrated with the first scanning mirror 105, The reflected light of the original is reflected by the first scanning mirror 105, the second scanning mirror 107, and the third scanning mirror 107.
Scanning mirror 109, lens 111, and fourth scanning mirror 113
An image is formed on the drum 131 via the.

The drum 131 is corona charged by the high voltage unit 135.
After that, the image (original image) irradiated by the illumination lamp 103 is slit-exposed, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the drum 131 by the known NP method.

Next, the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 131 is developed by the developing roller 140 of the developing device 139 and visualized as a toner image, and the toner image is transferred onto the transfer paper by the transfer charger 141 as described later. .

That is, the transfer paper in the upper cassette 151 or the lower cassette 153 is sent to the inside of the main body device by the paper feed roller 155 or 157, and is sent to the photosensitive drum 131 at the correct timing by the registration roller 159, and is transferred to the leading edge of the latent image. The leading edge of the transfer paper is aligned. After that, the transfer charger 141
The toner image on the drum 131 is transferred onto the transfer paper by passing the transfer paper between the transfer paper and the drum 131. After completion of this transfer, the transfer paper is separated from the drum 131 by the separation charger 143, guided to the fixing device 163 by the conveyor belt 161, and fixed by pressing and heating, and then the discharge roller 165.
Is discharged to the outside of the main body 100 .

After the transfer, the drum 131 continues to rotate and the surface thereof is cleaned by the cleaning device 145 including a cleaning roller and an elastic blade.

B. Pedestal ( 200 ) Pedestal 200 can be separated from the main body 100 ,
It has a deck 201 capable of storing 2000 sheets of transfer paper and an intermediate tray 203 for double-sided copying. Further, the lifter 205 of the deck 201 capable of storing 2000 sheets ascends according to the amount of the transfer paper so that the transfer paper always contacts the paper feed roller 207.

Further, 211 is a paper discharge flapper for switching the path between the double-sided recording side or the multiplex recording side and the discharge side path, 213 and 215 are conveyance belt conveyance paths, and 217 is an intermediate tray weight for pressing the transfer sheet, and a paper ejection flapper. The transfer paper that has passed through 211 and the transport paths 213 and 215 is turned over and the intermediate tray 20 for double-sided copying is used.
Stored in 3. Reference numeral 219 denotes a multiple flapper that switches between double-sided recording and multiplex recording paths. The multiplex flapper 219 is provided between the conveying paths 213 and 215 and rotates upward to guide the transfer paper to the multiplex recording conveying path 221. A multiple paper ejection sensor 223 detects the end of the transfer paper passing through the multiple flapper 219. Reference numeral 225 is a paper feed roller that feeds the transfer paper to the drum 131 side through the path 227. Reference numeral 229 is a discharge roller for discharging the transfer paper to the outside of the machine.

During double-sided recording (double-sided copying) or multiplex recording (multiplex copying), first, the discharge flapper 211 of the main body 100 is raised to store the copied transfer sheet in the intermediate tray 203 via the transport paths 213 and 215 of the pedestal 200. To do. At this time, the multiple flapper 219 is lowered during double-sided recording, and the multiple flapper 219 is raised during multiplex recording. The intermediate tray 203 can store up to 99 transfer sheets, for example. The transfer paper stored in the intermediate tray 203 is pressed by the intermediate tray weight 217.

At the time of the next-side recording or the multiplex recording to be performed next, the transfer sheets stored in the intermediate tray 203 are registered one by one by the action of the sheet feeding roller 225 and the weight 217 from the bottom to the registration of the main body 100 via the path 227. It is guided to the roller 159.

C. RDF (Circulating Document Feeder) ( 300 ) In RDF 300 , 301 is a stacking tray for setting documents. Reference numerals 302 and 303 denote document size detection sensors, which are provided at predetermined intervals in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of the document. The size of the document in the width direction is determined by both sensors 302 and 303.
It is possible to make a determination by checking whether or not the document is being detected, or whether only one of the sensors 303 (however, the sensor 303 is on the back side of the paper surface) is detecting the document. A more accurate size can be determined by increasing the number of this type of sensor. In addition, the size in the length direction is measured by the sensor.
It can be determined by the time when the document is detected by 303 (or 302).

Also, in this RDF 300 , from the stack tray 301 to the sheet path 304
The original sent to the exposure surface through the sheet pulse 305 can be stacked on the stack tray 301 again.

The more detailed operation of the RDF 300 is described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-206619 filed by the present applicant, but since it is not directly related to the present invention, it is omitted here.

D. Paper Folding Device ( 400 ) The paper folding device 400 performs half-folding, in which the recorded transfer paper is folded at approximately the center position, and Z-folding, in which three cross-sections are folded into three at two predetermined positions. In this paper folding device 400 , 401 is a flapper that guides the transfer paper downward when folding the paper.
Reference numerals 03 and 405 are paths (conveyance paths), and 401 and 409 are rollers.

In the paper folding device 400 , when z-folding is designated by the Z-folding key described later, the flapper 401 is turned on to guide the recorded paper to the lower path 403, and the leading end of the paper is cut at the end of the path 403. When stopped, the portion of the sheet that has been folded in 1/4 through the roller 407 hits the end of the path 405, and the sheet is folded in half again, and again passes from the roller 407 through the roller 409 to the finisher. Guided to 500 . When half-folding is specified by the half-folding key described later, the recorded paper is folded in half at the path 403, and then the roller 409 is not moved to the path 405.
Is discharged to the finisher 500 . On the other hand, when the folding key is not designated and the sheet is not folded, the flapper 401 is turned off and the recorded sheet is directly discharged to the finisher 500 .

In E. finisher (500) finisher 500 for sorting or stapling the recorded sheets, 501 path switching discharge flapper selecting switched to either path sorting for path 503 and the staple path 505, 507 A staple tray for temporarily stacking and storing the recorded paper before being stapled, 509 a width regulating plate for lateral width regulation provided on the staple tray 507, 511 staples a plurality of recorded papers whose width is regulated by the width regulating plate 509. The stapler (document binding machine) 513 is a stacker tray for storing stapled recorded paper,
The width aligning plate 509 is drive-controlled by a stepping motor (not shown). Reference numeral 515 is a sorting tray for sorting recording paper that is not stapled.

The recorded paper discharged from the main body 100 or from the petistal 200 is half-folded or Z-folded by the paper folding device 400 according to the designation of the key and then discharged to the swing-type sorting tray 515 of the finisher 500 . Alternatively, the recorded sheets ejected to the staple tray 507 and ejected to the staple tray 507 are width-regulated by the width aligning plate 509 for each part of the designated number of sheets, and are bound by the stapler 511 to be stacked on the stacker tray 5
Dropped to 13.

That is, in the finisher 500 , when the staple mode is selected by the staple key described later, the paper discharge flapper 501 is turned on and the recorded paper is discharged to the staple tray 507 via the path 505, and when the specified number of sheets is reached. According to an instruction from the main body 100 , the width aligning plate 509 and the stapler 511 are turned on, and the recorded paper is stapled. After that, the stapled paper is dropped onto the stacker tray 513. By repeating this operation, a plurality of recorded documents which are gathered and stapled are completed.

When the stapling process is not selected, the paper discharge flapper 501 is turned off and switched to the sorting side, and the recorded paper is discharged to the sorting tray 515 through the path 503.
At that time, according to an instruction from the main body 100 , it is possible to stack the recorded papers by shifting the right and left by 30 mm in units of a good number of sheets.

FIGS. 3A to 3D show an example of the arrangement configuration of the operation panel provided in the main body 100 described above. The operation panel has a key group 600 and a display group 700 as described below.

F. Key group ( 600 ) In FIGS. 3 (A) to (D), 601 is an asterisk (*) key, which allows the operator (user) to set the binding margin amount, the size of the document frame erase, etc. Used in the setting mode of. 602 is an all reset key, which is pressed when returning to the standard mode. 603 is a preheat key, body 1
Press to put the 00 machine into the preheat state and to release the preheat state. Also, this key 603 is pressed when returning to the standard mode from the auto shutoff state.

Reference numeral 604 denotes a copy start key (copy start key), which is pressed to start copying.

A clear / stop key 605 has the function of a clear key during standby (standby) and a stop key during copy recording. This clear key is pressed to cancel the set number of copies. It is also used when canceling the * (asterisk) mode. The stop key is pressed when interrupting continuous copying. After the copying at the time of pushing is completed, the copying operation is stopped.

A numeric keypad 606 is pressed to set the number of copies. It is also used when setting the * (asterisk) mode. 607 is a memory key, which allows the user to register modes that are frequently used.

Reference numerals 608 and 609 denote copy density keys, which are pressed when manually adjusting the copy density. 610 is an AE key for automatically adjusting the copy density according to the density of the original
Press to cancel (automatic density adjustment) and switch the density adjustment to manual (manual). Reference numeral 611 denotes a cassette selection key, which is pressed to select the upper cassette 151, the interruption cassette 153, and the lower paper deck 201. When a document is placed on the RDF 300 , APS (automatic paper cassette selection) can be selected with this key 611. When APS is selected, a cassette of the same size as the original is automatically selected.

Reference numeral 612 denotes a unity size key, which is pressed when making a copy at the same size (actual size). Reference numeral 613 denotes an auto scaling key, which is pressed to automatically reduce or enlarge the image of the original according to the designated transfer paper size. 614 and 615 are zoom keys,
Press to specify any magnification between 142%. 616 and 617 are fixed-size variable keys, which are pressed to specify reduction / enlargement of the fixed size.

Reference numeral 618 denotes a double-sided key, which is pressed to make a double-sided copy from a single-sided original, a double-sided copy from a double-sided original, or a single-sided copy from a double-sided original. 619 is a binding margin key, which can create a binding margin of a specified length on the left side of the transfer paper. A photo key 620 is pressed when copying a photo original. Reference numeral 621 denotes a multiple key, which is pressed when creating (combining) images from the two originals on the same surface of the transfer paper.

Reference numeral 622 denotes a document frame erasing key, which is pressed by the user when erasing a frame of a standard size document, and the size of the document at that time is set by the asterisk key 601. Reference numeral 623 denotes a sheet frame erasing key, which is pressed when erasing a document frame according to the size of the cassette.

Reference numeral 624 denotes a page continuous shooting key, which is pressed to copy the left and right pages of the original on different sheets.

Reference numeral 625 denotes a staple key, which is pressed when the sheets after recording are stapled. 626 is a Z-fold key, A3 or B4
Press to fold a size of recorded paper into a z-shaped cross section. 627 is a half-fold key, which is pressed to fold an A3 or B4 size recorded sheet in half.

628 is a sort key, and a sorting tray (sorter) 515
If is connected, it is lit in standard mode. At this time, when canceling the sort mode or when setting the sort mode, the key 628 is pressed. Reference numeral 629 denotes a group key, which makes a plurality of copies from one original and stores them in the sorting tray 515 for each bin if the sorting tray 515 is connected. An interrupt key 630 is used when interrupt copying is performed during a series of copying operations.

G. Display Group ( 700 ) In FIGS. 3A to 3D, 701 is an LCD (liquid crystal) type message display, for example, one character is composed of 5 × 7 dots and a 40 character sentence message is displayed. it can. This display 701 is a semi-transmissive liquid crystal and uses two colors for the backlight. Normally, a green backlight is lit, and an orange backlight is lit when there is an abnormality or the copying is impossible.

A magnification display 702 displays the copy magnification set with the zoom keys 616 and 617 in%. Reference numeral 703 denotes a unity-magnification display, which lights up when the unity-size is selected. 704 is a color phenomenon device display, which lights up when the sepia developing device is set. A copy number display 705 displays the number of copies or a self-diagnosis code. Reference numeral 706 is a used cassette display, which includes the upper cassette 151, the interruption cassette 153, and the lower deck 20.
Shows which one is selected.

Reference numeral 707 denotes a document direction display, which displays the document setting direction (portrait or landscape). Reference numeral 708 denotes an AE display, which lights up when AE (automatic density adjustment) is selected by the AE key 610. Reference numeral 709 denotes a preheat indicator, which lights up in the preheat state. When in the auto shut off state, this indicator
709 flashes. 710 is a ready / wait indicator,
It is a two-color LED of green and orange. Green lights up when ready (when copying is possible) and lights up orange when waiting (when copying is not possible).

711 is a double-sided copy display unit, which can copy double-sided originals,
Lights when one of two-sided copy is selected from one-sided original.

When using the RDF 300 in the standard mode, the number of copies is 1, the density AE mode, automatic paper selection, normal size, single-sided copy to single-sided copy are set. In the standard mode when the RDF 300 is not used, the number of copies is one, the density manual mode is the same size, and one-sided original to one-sided copying is set. RDF 300
The difference between using and not using the is determined by whether or not a document is set in the RDF 300 .

H. Controller ( 800 ) FIG. 4 shows a circuit configuration example of the controller 800 of the embodiment shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 801 is a central processing unit (CPU) that performs arithmetic control for executing the present invention, and for example, N
EC (NEC Corporation) microcomputer μCO
Use M87AD. Reference numeral 803 is a read-only memory (ROM) in which a control procedure (control program) as shown in FIG. 5 according to the present invention is stored in advance, and the CPU 801 is connected via a bus according to the control procedure stored in the ROM. Control each component. Reference numeral 805 denotes a random access memory (RAM) which is a main storage device used as a storage area for input data, a work storage area, or the like.

807 is an interface (I / O) that outputs a CPU 801 control signal to the load of the main motor 133 and the like, and 809 is an interface that inputs an input signal of the image destination sensor 121 and sends it to the CPU 801.
811 is an interface for controlling input / output of the key group 600 and the display group 700 . These interfaces
The 807, 809, and 811 use, for example, an NEC input / output circuit port μPD8255.

The display group 700 is each of the indicators shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D and uses LEDs and LCDs. Also keys 60
Reference numeral 0 denotes each key in FIGS. 3A to 3D, and the CPU 801 can know which key is pressed by a known key matrix.

I. Operation Example Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

The user sets one or more originals on the stacking tray 301 of the RDF (recycling original feeder) 300 , which is a type of automatic original feeder, and presses the half-fold key 627 or the Z-fold key 626. And the copy start key 604 is pressed,
The operation procedure of FIG. 5 is started.

That is, when the copy start key 604 is pressed (step S
1) Send a control signal to the RDF 300 to feed one document on the stacking tray 301 to the document reading side of the main body 100 (step S
2) When the document is set on the platen glass 101 at the exposure position and the document feeding is completed (step S3), the size of the document is detected (step S4). This document size can be detected by the detection output of the document size detection sensors 302 and 303 of the RDF 300 .

Next, a cassette (151, 153, 201) having a size suitable for the detected document size is selected and the size is stored (step S5). Next, it is determined whether the size of the cassette paper (also referred to as transfer paper or paper) of the selected cassette is A3 (plate) or B4 (plate) that can be half-folded or Z-folded (step S6). When the determination is negative, that is, when the size of the cassette paper is a size that cannot be folded, it is determined in the next step whether the size of the cassette paper used last time is A3 or B4 (step S7). When the determination is affirmative, a predetermined time, for example, a waiting time of 1 second is provided (step S8). That is, if a sheet of a size other than A3 or B4 that cannot be folded is selected immediately after a sheet of A3 or B4 that can be folded, then a rear-end collision is prevented in step S8 before proceeding to the copying operation of step S9. A sufficient time, for example, one second, is set to prevent the next sheet from colliding with the sheet being folded.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S6 that the paper selected this time is the size of A3 or B4 to be folded, the waiting time is unnecessary, and the copying operation of step S9 is directly performed. Also, if it is determined in step S7 that the previously selected paper size is not a folding target, or there is no risk of a rear-end collision in the case of the first copying process, the standby time for rear-end collision prevention is not necessary. The procedure moves to the copy operation in step S9.

Next, after performing the recording operation for one copy on the cassette paper (step S9), it is checked whether or not the copied cassette paper (hereinafter referred to as recording paper) has a foldable A3 or B4 size. If a positive determination is made (step S10), a half-folding or Z-folding instruction is given to the paper folding device 400 according to the folding mode specified in advance by the folding keys 626 and 627, and the flapper 401 of the paper folding device is set. When turned on, the paper folding is executed (step S11), and when the negative determination is made at step S10, the flapper 401 is turned off (step S1).
2) It is determined whether or not copying of the set number of sheets has been completed (step S12), and when the determination is negative, the process returns to step S9 again, and steps until the copying of the set number of sheets is completed.
The processes of S9 to S13 are repeated.

After copying the set number of sheets, the original on the platen glass 101 is discharged by the RDF 300 (step S14), and the RDF 300
If there is the next original on the stacking tray 301 of (step S1
5) Return to the first step S2, and repeat the processing of the copying cycle of steps S2 to S15.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, when there is a recording medium that is not the folding target immediately after the recording medium that is the folding target, the recording medium that is not the folding target is delayed in recording for a predetermined time and then ejected. By doing so, the effect that the subsequent recording medium collides with the preceding recording medium is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic structure of the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the whole embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 (A) is provided on the main body 100 of FIG. (B) is an enlarged plan view of the AA portion of (A), (C) is an enlarged plan view of the BB portion of (A), and (D) is (A). 4) is an enlarged plan view of the CC portion of FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the control device in the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. Is. 100 …… Main body, 131 …… Photosensitive drum, 139 …… Developer, 151
…… Upper cassette, 153 …… Lower cassette (interruption cassette), 159 …… Registration roller, 163 …… Fixer, 200 …
… Petistal, 201… Deck (lower deck), 203…
… Intermediate tray for double-sided copying, 207 …… Feeding roller, 211 ……
Paper ejection flapper, 217 …… Intermediate tray weight, 219 …… Multiple flapper, 300 …… RDF (recycling document feeder), 302,30
3 …… Original size detection sensor, 400 …… Paper folding device, 401
...... Flapper, 500 …… Finisher, 501 …… Flapper,
507 ... Staple tray, 509 ... Width stabilizer (horizontal width regulating plate), 511 ... Stapler, 513 ... Stacker tray,
515-sorting tray, 600- key group, 601-asterisk (*) key, 604-copy start key, 611-cassette selection key, 618-double-sided key, 621-multiplex key, 62
5 …… Staple key, 626 …… Z fold key, 628 …… Sort key, 629 …… Group key, 630 …… Interrupt key,
700 ... display group, 701 ... message display, 705 ... copy number display, 706 ... cassette display used, 711 ... double-sided copy display, 800 ... control device, 801
... CPU, 803 ... ROM, 805 ... RAM, 807, 809, 811 ... interface.

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G03G 15/00 534 2107-2H // B65H 85/00 7612-3F

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A) A recording medium having an appropriate size is automatically selected according to the size of each original continuously fed to an original reading position by an automatic original feeding device, and is supplied to an image recording unit. An image recording apparatus capable of folding a recording medium on which an image is recorded by an image recording unit, b) whether or not the folding process is possible for each recording medium during image recording based on the size of the recording medium. Determination means for determining, and c) if the determination of this time by the determination means is a negative determination and the determination of the previous time is an affirmative determination, the recording medium that is the target of the determination of this time is selected according to the determination. An image recording apparatus comprising: a control unit that supplies the image to the image recording unit or discharges the image from the image recording unit after a predetermined time delay.