Sheet stacking device and image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet stacking device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10906765-B2
Application number	US-201916253432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2019
Priority date	Feb 14, 2018
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A sheet stacking device includes a stacker, a detector, a blower, and a moving device. A sheet is stacked on the stacker. The detector detects a stacking amount of the sheet on the stacker. The blower blows air to the sheet stacked on the stacker. The moving device moves the blower with respect to the stacker based on the stacking amount of the sheet detected by the detector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet stacking device comprising:
a stacker on which at least one sheet is stacked;
a detector configured to detect a displacement amount of the at least one sheet on the stacker;
a blower located on a surface of an image forming apparatus, the blower configured to blow air to the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker; and
a moving device configured to,
move the blower along a vertical axis with respect to the stacker based on the detected displacement amount,
move the blower while maintaining a constant blowing angle of the blower with respect to the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker, and
move the blower to change a distance between the blower and the stacker to achieve a constant distance between the blower and a to surface of the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker.

2. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1 , wherein
the detector includes a displacement body,
the displacement body configured to contact with a top surface of the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker, and be displaced in accordance with the displacement amount of the at least one sheet; and

the moving device includes a drive device that is coupled to the displacement body, the drive device configured to drive the moving device according to displacement of the displacement body.

3. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a support configured to support the blower in a state in which a distance of movement of the blower is changeable between the blower and the stacker.

4. The sheet stacking device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a biasing body configured to bias the blower to cause the blower to be set to a home position.

5. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fixing device configured to fix an image on the at least one sheet; and
wherein the sheet stacking device is included in the image forming apparatus.

6. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1 , wherein the blower includes at least one torsion spring configured to rotatably move the blower with respect to a lower secured portion in response to an external force.

7. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a support member connected to the blower and the moving device; and
the moving device is further configured to move the blower along the support member in the vertical axis.

8. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1 , wherein the detector includes an optical sensor.

9. A sheet stacking device comprising:
a stacker on which at least one sheet is stacked;
a detector configured to detect a displacement amount of the at least one sheet on the stacker, the detector includes a displacement body, and
the displacement body is configured to contact with a top surface of the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker, and be displaced in accordance with the displacement amount of the at least one sheet;

a blower located on a surface of an image forming apparatus, the blower configured to blow air to the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker; and
a moving device configured to move the blower along a vertical axis with respect to the stacker based on the detected displacement amount, the moving device includes a drive device that is coupled to the displacement body, and
the drive device configured to drive the moving device according to displacement of the displacement body.

10. The sheet stacking device according to claim 9 , wherein the moving device is further configured to move the blower while maintaining a constant blowing angle of the blower with respect to the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker.

11. The sheet stacking device according to claim 10 , wherein the moving device is further configured to move the blower to change a distance between the blower and the stacker to achieve a constant distance between the blower and a top surface of the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker.

12. The sheet stacking device according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a support configured to support the blower in a state in which a distance of movement of the blower is changeable between the blower and the stacker.

13. The sheet stacking device according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a biasing body configured to bias the blower to cause the blower to be set to a home position.

14. The sheet stacking device according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a fixing device configured to fix an image on the at least one sheet; and
wherein the sheet stacking device is included in the image forming apparatus.

15. A sheet stacking device comprising:
a stacker on which at least one sheet is stacked;
a detector configured to detect a displacement amount of the at least one sheet on the stacker;
a blower located on a surface of an image forming apparatus, the blower configured to blow air to the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker; and
a moving device configured to move the blower along a vertical axis with respect to the stacker based on the detected displacement amount, and
wherein the blower includes at least one torsion spring configured to rotatably move the blower with respect to a lower secured portion in response to an external force.

16. The sheet stacking device according to claim 15 , wherein the moving device is further configured to move the blower while maintaining a constant blowing angle of the blower with respect to the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker.

17. The sheet stacking device according to claim 16 , wherein the moving device is further configured to move the blower to change a distance between the blower and the stacker to achieve a constant distance between the blower and a top surface of the at least one sheet stacked on the stacker.

18. The sheet stacking device according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a support configured to support the blower in a state in which a distance of movement of the blower is changeable between the blower and the stacker.

19. The sheet stacking device according to claim 18 , further comprising:
a biasing body configured to bias the blower to cause the blower to be set to a home position.

20. The sheet stacking device according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a fixing device configured to fix an image on the at least one sheet; and
wherein the sheet stacking device is included in the image forming apparatus.

Assignees

• Midorikawa Ruki
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Midorikawa Ruki

Classifications

• B65H2553/61

  Mechanical means, e.g. contact arms · CPC title

• B65H2511/15

  Height, e.g. of stack · CPC title

• G03G21/206

  Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone · CPC title

• B65H2601/273

  Adhering of handled material to another handled material or to part of the handling machine · CPC title

• B65H29/246 Primary

  acting on stacking devices · CPC title