IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising

a housing;

an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium to which the image is transferred;

a first ejection portion and a second ejection portion that eject the recording medium to the outside of the housing; a first conveying path that guides the recording medium to the first ejection portion;

a second conveying path that guides the recording medium to the second ejection portion;

a branch portion that connects the first conveying path with the second conveying path;

a switch that is disposed in the branch portion and movable between a first position to direct the recording medium, which is discharged to the outside of the apparatus, toward the first conveying path, and a second position to direct the recording medium, which is discharged to the outside of the apparatus, toward the second conveying path;

a drive unit that moves the switch from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position;

a reference position setting unit that sets a reference position of the switch in an initial state; and

a control unit that controls the drive unit such that the switch in the initial state is positioned at the reference position set by the reference position setting unit.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a usage status storage portion that stores usage information including information regarding a position of the switch,

wherein the reference position setting unit sets the reference position of the switching member based on the usage information stored by the usage status storage portion.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a usage information collection period setting unit that can set a collection period, which is a predetermined period for collecting the usage information, and that makes the usage information, in the collection period set by the usage information collection period setting unit, stored in the usage status storage portion.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the usage information collection period setting unit shortens or prolongs the collection period in a case where usage frequency of the first ejection portion or the second ejection portion in the collection period is within a predetermined range.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a number information acquisition unit that obtains number information relating to a number of the recording medium s ejected from the first ejection portion and a number of the recording mediums ejected from the second ejection portion,

wherein the reference position setting unit sets the reference position of the switch based on the number information obtained by the number information acquisition unit.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a operation unit that can instruct the reference position setting unit to change the reference position.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a noise information acquisition unit that obtains noise information based on first switching sound generated when the switch is moved from the first position to the second position, and second switching sound generated when the switch is moved from the second position to the first position,

wherein the reference position setting unit refers to the noise information obtained from the noise information acquisition unit, and sets the first position as the reference position in a case where the first switching sound is louder than the second switching sound,

and sets the second position as the reference position in a case where the second switching sound is louder than the first switching sound.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a specification unit that can specify the position of the switch and

a number specification unit that specifies a number of the recording mediums on which an image is to be formed by the image forming unit at the position specified by the specification unit,

wherein the control unit controls the drive unit to maintain the switch at the position specified by the specification unit until the number of the recording mediums specified by the number specification unit is carried into the first conveying path or the second conveying path by the switch.

9 . A method of forming an image using the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:

setting the reference position of the switch in the initial state;

controlling the drive unit such that the switch in the initial state is positioned at the reference position.

forming a first image on a first recording medium to which the image is transferred;

directing the first recording medium, which is discharged to the outside of the apparatus, toward the first conveying path,

guiding the first recording medium to the first ejection portion;

ejecting the first recording medium to the outside of the housing;

moving the switch-from the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position;

forming a second image on a second recording medium to which the image is transferred;

directing the second recording medium, which is discharged to the outside of the apparatus, toward the second conveying path;

guiding the second recording medium to the second ejection portion; and

ejecting the second recording medium to the outside of the housing;