Sheet feeding or delivering – Delivering – Multiple discharge
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-15
2001-01-09
Skaggs, H. Grant (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Delivering
Multiple discharge
C271S258010, C271S265010, C271S294000, C271S296000, C271S302000, C271S207000, C271S176000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170821
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for sorting and storing sheets fed from an image forming device such as a copying machine, and more particularly to a sheet sorting device having sheet storing trays each incorporating therein sheet-empty detecting means and sheet-full detecting means in a rational manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An image forming device such as a copying machine, printer, facsimile and various type of printing machines is often used with a sheet sorting device for automatically sorting or distributing sheets successively fed from the image forming device to produce sheaves of sheets. The sheet sorting device is ordinarily attached to the side of the image forming device and provided with a plurality of sheet storing trays closely superposed vertically over one another, so that the sheets discharged from the image forming device are sent into the trays in order.
The sheet sorting device of this kind generally necessitates one or more sheet sensors for detecting a sheet or sheets on the tray and checking whether or not the tray is filled with sheets.
One example of a prior art sheet sorting device is disclosed as a paper discharge device in Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure No. HEI 2-310255(A). As schematically illustrated in FIG.
1
A and
FIG. 1B
, this conventional sheet sorting device is also provided with multistage trays
1
a,
1
b
. . . vertically arranged, each having a sheet sensor
2
for detecting a sheet S or sheets Sb introduced from an image forming device into a sheet storing space Rs defined on the tray through sheet transporting means
3
.
The sheet sensor
2
comprises a substantially L-shaped sheet detecting lever
2
a
supported on the tray rotatably about an axis a
1
, an actuating member
2
b
rotatable in concert with the lever
2
a,
and a pair of sheet-empty switch Sw
1
and sheet-full switch Sw
2
, which switches execute switching actions in accordance with the rotation of the actuating member
2
b.
For example, when no sheet exists on the lower tray
1
b
under the tray
1
a
having the subject lever
2
a,
the sheet detecting lever
2
a
on the upper tray
1
a
falls into an opening formed in the lower tray
1
b,
as indicated by the solid line in
FIG. 1A
, to keep the switches Sw
1
and Sw
2
in their OFF state. When one or more sheets are fed onto the tray
1
b,
the sheet detecting lever
2
a
is raised on the tray, as indicated by the solid line in
FIG. 1B
, to bring the sheet-empty switch Sw
1
to its ON state, thus recognizing that one or more sheets exist on the tray.
When the lower tray
1
b
is filled with the sheets Sb, the lever
2
a
is raised to its upper limit position as indicated by the dot-dash line in
FIG. 1B
, consequently to bring the sheet-full switch Sw
2
to its ON state. As a result the sheet-full state in which the lower tray becomes full of sheets can be realized by using the sheet-full switch Sw
2
mounted on the upper tray
1
a.
Thus, the sheet sensor
2
mounted on the specified tray in the conventional sheet sorting device serves to check as to whether any sheet exists on the specified tray and detect the sheet storage limit of the lower tray.
As the sheet detecting lever
2
a
of the sheet sensor
27
in the conventional device as noted above extends from the upper tray to the lower tray across the sheet storing space Rs, it cannot be made small in size is long as the sheet storing space Rs defined between the upper and lower trays is not narrowed, resulting in a large overall size of the sheet detecting system in the prior art device. In addition to the disadvantage, the free end arm of the L-shaped lever
2
a
cannot be made long, because the tip of the free end arm collides with the lowermost of the sheets stacked on the tray when the sheets on the tray is increased to move the lever
2
a
upward. As a result, in the event that a sheaf of sheets, which is once taken out of the sheet storing space Rs, is again inserted intentionally or accidentally into the sheet storing space Rs as indicated by the dotted arrow in
FIG. 1B
, there is a disadvantageous possibility of causing the sheets to be caught by the lever, or breaking the lever.
The latest sheet sorting device has a tendency to increase the number of the trays for heightening the efficiency of handling the sheets, but inversely, it is desired to be made compact and simple in structure. However, the conventional sheet sorting device could not be made small due to the sheet sensing system which is difficult to miniaturize by the reasons mentioned above.
Furthermore, there is a necessity of detaching one or more trays from the sheet sorting device in use. However, if any tray is detached, the sheets fed onto the lower tray do not reach the sheet detecting lever
2
a
mounted on the upper tray, resulting in malfunction of the sheet sensing system. That is, the conventional sheet sorting device cannot be used practically in the state of taking the tray out.
In addition, in the conventional sheet sorting device as mentioned above, electric elements including the switches Sw
1
and Sw
2
are secured on each tray along with the sheet detecting lever
2
a
and actuating member
2
b.
Therefore, when the tray is detached from and attached to the sheet sorting device, the work of establishing an electrical connection a disconnection between the electric elements mounted in the tray and the sheet sorting device is required. This turns out to be a very troublesome chore.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet sorting device suitably applicable to various types of image forming devices such as a copying machine and printer, which is capable of automatically storing or sorting in order one or more sheets successively fed from the image forming device with high efficiency.
Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet sorting device having multistage trays each incorporating a sheet-empty detecting system and a sheet-full detecting system which are arranged in a rational manner so as to be stably and reliably operated.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a sheet sorting device having a structure capable of miniaturizing the sheet-empty detecting system and the sheet-full detecting system, consequently to enable the device to be made small and simple in structure.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sheet sorting device having the trays each having a sheet-empty sensor capable of fulfilling its sensing function even if the lower tray under the tray incorporating the sheet-empty sensor is detached.
A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet sorting device having trays capable of being easily attached to and detached from the device without carrying out troublesome work of establishing an electrical connection or disconnection of electric elements between the tray and the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To attain the objects described above according to the present invention, there is provided a sheet sorting device comprising trays for storing one or more sheets, sheet-empty detecting means incorporated in at least one of the trays for detecting the sheet existing on the tray, and sheet-full detecting means incorporated in at least one of the trays for detecting the sheets with which the lower tray is filled.
The trays are vertically arranged as spaced to define a sheet storing space between the vertically adjoining trays, in which the sheet storage limit is prescribed.
The sheets are successively fed from an image forming device such as a copying machine into the sheet storing space defined on the lower tray. When the sheets fed onto the lower tray are piled up to the prescribed sheet storage limit, the sheet-full detecting means incorporated in the upper tray is operated, thereby to recognize the sheet-full state of the lower tray. When any sheet exists on the tray, the sheet-empty detecting means incorporated in the tray is operated.
The sheet-empty detecting means includes a sheet-empty
Nisca Corporation
Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch LLP
Skaggs H. Grant
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