Sheet stacking apparatus, method for controlling the same, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9242829-B2
Application number	US-201414552462-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2014
Priority date	Nov 28, 2013
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A sheet stacking apparatus includes a lowering control unit, a determination unit, a notification unit, and a control unit. The lowering control unit lowers a discharge tray based on an amount of sheets discharged to the tray. The determination unit can determine that lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled before the discharge tray reaches a lower end position. The notification unit notifies removal of an object present below the discharge tray when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled. The control unit executes control so as to raise the discharge tray in response to the determination that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet stacking apparatus comprising:
a lowering control unit configured to lower a discharge tray based on an amount of sheets discharged to the discharge tray;
a determination unit configured to determine that lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled before the discharge tray reaches a lower end position;
a notification unit configured to notify removal of an object present below the discharge tray when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled;
a control unit configured to execute control to raise the discharge tray in response to the determination that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled; and
a reception unit configured to receive an instruction for notifying the removal of the object to the sheet stacking apparatus by a user,
wherein the control unit executes control to further lower the discharge tray after the instruction has been received.

2. The sheet stacking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled, the notification unit further notifies removal of the sheets discharged to the discharge tray.

3. The sheet stacking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disable, the control unit executes control to raise the discharge tray by a height designated by a user.

4. A sheet stacking apparatus comprising:
a lowering control unit configured to lower a discharge tray based on an amount of sheets discharged to the discharge tray;
a determination unit configured to determine that lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled before the discharge tray reaches a lower end position;
a notification unit configured to notify removal of an object present below the discharge tray when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled;
a control unit configured to execute control to raise the discharge tray in response to the determination that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled; and
a confirmation unit configured to confirm whether the sheets discharged to the discharge tray are removed,
wherein, after the confirmation unit has confirmed that the sheets are removed, the control unit executes control to further raise the discharge tray.

5. A method for controlling a sheet stacking apparatus, the method comprising:
lowering a discharge tray based on an amount of sheets discharged to the discharge tray;
determining that lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled before the discharge tray reaches a lower end position;
notifying removal of an object present below the discharge tray when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled;
executing control to raise the discharge tray in response to the determination that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled; and
receiving an instruction for notifying the removal of the object to the sheet stacking apparatus by a user,
wherein executing control includes executing control to further lower the discharge tray after the instruction has been received.

6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling a sheet stacking apparatus, the method comprising:
lowering a discharge tray based on an amount of sheets discharged to the discharge tray;
determining that lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled before the discharge tray reaches a lower end position;
notifying removal of an object present below the discharge tray when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled;
executing control to raise the discharge tray in response to the determination that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled; and
receiving an instruction for notifying the removal of the object to the sheet stacking apparatus by a user,
wherein executing control includes executing control to further lower the discharge tray after the instruction has been received.

7. A method for controlling a sheet stacking apparatus, the method comprising:
lowering a discharge tray based on an amount of sheets discharged to the discharge tray;
determining that lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled before the discharge tray reaches a lower end position;
notifying removal of an object present below the discharge tray when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled;
executing control to raise the discharge tray in response to the determination that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled; and
confirming whether the sheets discharged to the discharge tray are removed,
wherein, after it is confirmed that the sheets are removed, executing control includes executing control to further raise the discharge tray.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling a sheet stacking apparatus, the method comprising:
lowering a discharge tray based on an amount of sheets discharged to the discharge tray;
determining that lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled before the discharge tray reaches a lower end position;
notifying removal of an object present below the discharge tray when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled;
executing control to raise the discharge tray in response to the determination that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled; and
confirming whether the sheets discharged to the discharge tray are removed,
wherein, after it is confirmed that the sheets are removed, executing control includes executing control to further raise the discharge tray.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Miyajima Jun

Classifications

• B65H31/10

  and applied at the top of the pile · CPC title

• B65H31/08

  the articles being piled one above another · CPC title

• B65H31/30

  Arrangements for removing completed piles (bands, chains, or like moving receivers B65H31/28) · CPC title

• B65H31/18

  Positively-acting mechanical devices · CPC title

• B65H43/06 Primary

  detecting, or responding to, completion of pile (B65H43/08 takes precedence) · CPC title