Typewriting machines – Sheet or web – Including programmed-control-system for record-medium feed
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-28
2002-10-29
Hirshfeld, Andrew H. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Sheet or web
Including programmed-control-system for record-medium feed
C270S058090, C270S058120, C270S058130, C271S003010, C271S003020, C271S003030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06471429
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sheet processing for stacking sheets on a first tray and then discharging the sheets to a second tray in a bundle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional sheet processing apparatus stacks sheets, which are discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copy machine, on a process tray and staples the sheets on the process tray and discharges the sheets onto a stack tray in a bundle. The sheets on the process tray are discharged by a roller provided above the process tray or discharged by a belt provided below the process tray. In a case where a roller discharges the sheets, the roller waits in a position above the process tray, and then discharges the sheets by moving down on the sheets. In a case where a belt discharges the sheets, a hook provided on the belt discharges the sheets when the belt rotates. The conventional sheet processing apparatus discharges sheets from the process tray to the stack tray for each completion of an image formation job of the image forming apparatus.
It is common for users to make copies on various different kinds of sheets such as a thin sheet for a drawing and a transparent sheet for an over head projector. However, problems arise when different kinds of sheets are transported to the sheet processing apparatus. For example, a stack of thin sheets is not discharged well from the process tray and is not stacked well on the stack tray, because a thin sheet has a weak stiffness. A stack of transparent sheets may move sheets stacked on the stack tray when the stack of transparent sheets is discharged to the stack tray, because a transparent sheet tends to be charged by static.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet processing apparatus which can treat various different kinds of sheets with a good stack condition.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides sheet processing apparatus comprising a first tray for stacking sheets received from an image forming apparatus, a discharge unit for discharging the sheets from said first tray in a bundle, a second tray for stacking the sheets discharged from said first tray, a discriminating unit for discriminating an attribute of a sheet to be stacked on said first tray, and a controller for selectively controlling whether or not to discharge by said discharge unit in accordance with a discrimination of said discriminating unit.
More specifically, in the sheet processing apparatus, said discriminating unit discriminates if the sheet is a thin sheet, and wherein said controller controls said discharge unit not to discharge the sheets when the sheet is a thin sheet and to discharge the sheets when the sheet is not a thin sheet.
Also, the sheet processing apparatus further comprises a detector for detecting a sheet stacked on said first tray, wherein said sheet processing apparatus receives a sheet from an image forming apparatus, and wherein said controller controls said discharge unit in accordance with the sheet being detected by said detector when the image forming apparatus starts an image formation.
Also, in the sheet processing apparatus, said controller includes a counter for weighted counting of sheets stacked on said first tray, with weighting corresponding to a size of the sheet, and wherein said controller controls said discharge unit to discharge sheets in accordance with a count result of said counter exceeding a predetermined value.
Also, the sheet processing apparatus further comprises a jogger for jogging sheets on said first tray, wherein said discriminating unit discriminates a width of a sheet, and wherein said controller controls said discharging unit to discharge sheets in accordance with a width of a coming sheet being different from a width of a sheet stacked on said first tray.
Also, in the sheet processing apparatus, said discriminating unit discriminates if a sheet is fed from a manual feeding unit, and wherein said controller controls said discharging unit to discharge sheets in accordance with first predetermined number of sheets being fed from a feeding unit other than the manual feeding unit and to discharge sheets in accordance with a second number, which is smaller than the first number, of sheets being fed from the manual feeding unit.
In another aspect of the invention, the present invention provides Sheet processing method comprising stacking sheets transported from an upstream on a first tray, discriminating an attribute of a sheet stacked on said first tray, and selectively controlling whether or not to discharge sheets from said first tray to a second tray in a bundle in accordance with a discrimination of said discriminating step.
In another aspect of the invention, the present invention provides a recording medium, which includes code for process steps that can be read by a controller of a sheet processing apparatus, said code comprising code for stacking sheets transported from an upstream on a first tray, code for discriminating an attribute of a sheet to be stacked on said first tray, and code for selectively controlling whether or not to discharge sheets from said first tray to a second tray in a bundle in accordance with a discrimination by said discriminating code.
Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the drawings.
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Isobe Yoshinori
Kato Katsuhito
Matsumoto Yuzoh
Chau Minh H.
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Hirshfeld Andrew H.
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