Sheet sorting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745971-B2
Application number	US-202016951918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2020
Priority date	Nov 29, 2017
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A sheet sorting apparatus comprising a first tray, a second tray, a conveyance unit, a tray detection unit, a stacking amount detection unit, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance unit to not convey the sheet to the second tray, in a case where the stacking amount detection unit detects that the amount of sheets reaches the predetermined amount, wherein the control unit is configured to permit the conveyance unit to convey the sheet to the second tray, in a case where the tray detection unit detects that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body in a state where the stacking amount detection unit detects that the amount of sheets reaches the predetermined amount and conveyance of the sheet to the second tray by the conveyance unit is stopped.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet sorting apparatus comprising:
a first tray detachable from an apparatus main body;
a second tray arranged vertically below the first tray;
a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet to either of the first tray and the second tray;
a tray detection unit configured to detect that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body;
a sheet detection unit having a flag attached to the first tray, wherein the sheet detection unit is configured to detect a sheet stacked on the second tray and the flag is configured to move in contact with a surface of the sheet stacked on the second tray; and
a control unit configured to control the conveyance unit not to convey the sheet to the second tray, in a case where the sheet detection unit detects that an amount of sheets reaches a predetermined amount,
wherein a first discharge port is formed at a position corresponding to the first tray, and a second discharge port is formed at a position corresponding to the second tray,
wherein the control unit controls a state to be a forbidden state where forming an image on the sheet is stopped and the conveyance unit is forbidden to convey the sheet from the second discharge port to the second tray, in the case where the sheet detection unit detects that the amount of sheets reaches the predetermined amount, and
wherein the control unit controls the state to be a permitted state where forming the image on the sheet is resumed, the image is formed on the sheet that the conveyance unit is forbidden to convey from the second discharge port to the second tray, and the conveyance unit is permitted to convey the sheet from the first discharge port to the second tray, in a case where the tray detection unit detects that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body in the forbidden state.

2. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the sheet detection unit further includes a signal output unit configured to output a signal according to a position of the flag, and
wherein the sheet detection unit is configured to detect the sheet stacked on the second tray based on the signal output from the signal output unit.

3. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the case where the tray detection unit detects that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body in a state where the sheet detection unit detects the sheet stacked on the second tray, the control unit determines whether to permit the conveyance unit to convey the sheet to the second tray.

4. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit determines whether to permit the conveyance unit to convey the sheet to the second tray based on a size of a sheet conveyed to the second tray.

5. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein, in a case where the sheet conveyed to the second tray has a first size, the control unit does not permit the conveyance unit to convey the sheet to the second tray, and
wherein, in a case where the sheet conveyed to the second tray has a second size larger than the first size, the control unit permits the conveyance unit to convey the sheet to the second tray.

6. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of sheets stackable on the second tray in a state where the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body is greater than an amount of sheets stackable on the second tray in a state where the first tray is attached to the apparatus main body.

7. A sheet sorting apparatus configured to be detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus having a control unit and to receive a sheet conveyed from the image forming apparatus in a state of the sheet sorting apparatus being attached to the image forming apparatus, the sheet sorting apparatus comprising:
a first tray detachable from an apparatus main body of the sheet sorting apparatus;
a second tray arranged vertically below the first tray;
a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet to either of the first tray and the second tray;
a tray detection sensor configured to output a signal according to detachment of the first tray from the apparatus main body; and
a sheet detection sensor having a flag attached to the first tray,
wherein the sheet detection sensor is configured to output a signal in a case where the sheet is conveyed to the second tray,
wherein the flag is configured to move in contact with a surface of the sheet stacked on the second tray,
wherein a first discharge port is formed at a position corresponding, to the first tray, and a second discharge port is formed at a position corresponding to the second tray,
wherein a state is controlled to be a forbidden state where forming an image on the sheet is stopped and the conveyance unit is forbidden to convey the sheet from the second discharge port to the second tray, in a case where the sheet detection sensor outputs a signal indicating that an amount of sheets reaches a predetermined amount to the control unit included in the image forming apparatus, and
wherein the state is controlled to be a permitted state where forming the image on the sheet is resumed, the image is formed on the sheet that the conveyance unit is forbidden to convey from the second discharge port to the second tray, and the conveyance unit is permitted to convey the sheet from the first discharge port to the second tray, in a case where the tray detection sensor outputs a signal indicating that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body in the forbidden state to the control unit included in the image forming apparatus.

8. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the sheet detection sensor further includes a signal output unit configured to output a signal according to a position of the flag.

9. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the flag is detachably attachable to the apparatus main body along with the first tray.

10. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein an amount of sheets stackable on the second tray in a state where the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body is greater than an amount of sheets stackable on the second tray in a state where the first tray is attached to the apparatus main body.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Takahashi Genki
• Sato Kazuhisa

Classifications

• B65H31/22 Primary

  removable or interchangeable · CPC title

• B65H29/58

  Article switches or diverters · CPC title

• B65H31/24

  multiple or compartmented, e.d. for alternate, programmed, or selective filling · CPC title

• B65H33/14

  by diverting batches to separate receivers {(B65H33/16 takes precedence; article switches or diverters B65H29/58)} · CPC title

• G03G15/6538 Primary

  Devices for collating sheet copy material, e.g. sorters, control, copies in staples form · CPC title