US 11,891,262 B2
Sheet stacker with sheet flipping confirmation
Peter J. W. Van Dongen, Venlo (NL); Dominique M. L. Perdaen, Venlo (NL); and Christopher J. Borchert, Venlo (NL)
Assigned to CANON PRODUCTION PRINTING HOLDING B.V., Venlo (NL)
Filed by Canon Production Printing Holding B.V., Venlo (NL)
Filed on Nov. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/054,038.
Claims priority of application No. 21209928 (EP), filed on Nov. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0159298 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. B65H 43/04 (2006.01); B65H 29/40 (2006.01); B65H 31/18 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 43/04 (2013.01) [B65H 29/40 (2013.01); B65H 2301/4212 (2013.01); B65H 2511/24 (2013.01); B65H 2553/412 (2013.01); B65H 2801/03 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sheet stacker comprising:
a flipper for flipping a sheet with respect to an orientation of the sheet before being received by the flipper onto a stack support or a stack of sheets on said stack support;
sensors arranged for detecting an out-of-plane deformation of a top sheet with respect to the stack support or the stack of sheets on said stack support at least for each sheet added to the stack; and
a controller configured to determine from data from the sensors whether the top sheet was successfully flipped and stacked,
wherein the sensors and the stack support are movable with respect to one another,
wherein the sensors define a detection position and are arranged such that the detection position is at the top of the stack during an entire stack forming process,
wherein the sensors further comprise an optical emitter configured for emitting a light beam towards the top sheet and a detector,
wherein the optical emitter and the detector are positioned with respect to one another such that an intensity of light received by the detector from the emitter is different when the top sheet is planar as compared to when the top sheet is non-planar, and
wherein the light beam is parallel to an undeformed top sheet.