US 11,939,177 B2
Image forming apparatus
Hiroto Nishihara, Ibaraki (JP); Yohei Katto, Chiba (JP); Yutaka Ando, Ibaraki (JP); Teruhito Kai, Chiba (JP); and Akihiro Kawakita, Chiba (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Nov. 20, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/953,455.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-218302 (JP), filed on Dec. 2, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0163242 A1, Jun. 3, 2021
Int. Cl. B65H 1/18 (2006.01); B65H 1/04 (2006.01); B65H 1/26 (2006.01); G03G 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 1/18 (2013.01) [B65H 1/04 (2013.01); B65H 2301/4434 (2013.01); B65H 2551/20 (2013.01); G03G 15/6502 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an accommodating portion configured to accommodate a sheet;
an image forming portion configured to form an image on the sheet fed from the accommodating portion;
a lifter plate that is provided in the accommodating portion and on which the sheet is stacked;
a lifting and lowering mechanism configured to lift and lower the lifter plate;
a first sensor configured to detect that the lifter plate is in a lower-limit position in the accommodating portion;
a second sensor configured to detect the sheet stacked on the lifter plate at a predetermined position above the lower-limit position;
a supporter configured to support the lifter plate being at the lower-limit position, wherein the supporter is arranged not to support the lifter plate being at a position above the lower-limit position;
a locking portion including a latch member movable between (a) a locking position where the latch member locks the accommodating portion so as not to be drawn out and (b) a release position where the latch member permits the accommodating portion to be drawn out; and
a control unit configured to execute an operation in one of a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode, when a predetermined instruction is received,
wherein in the first mode, the control unit causes the lifting and lowering mechanism to lower the lifter plate until the second sensor does not detect the sheet, and causes the lifting and lowering mechanism to stop the lowering of the lifter plate if the first sensor detects that the lifter plate is in the lower-limit position before the second sensor does not detect the sheet, and controls the locking portion such that the latch member is allowed to move to the release position from the locking position after the predetermined instruction is received and before the first sensor detects that the lifter plate is in the lower-limit position, and
wherein in the second mode, the control unit causes the lifting and lowering mechanism to lower the lifter plate until the first sensor detects that the lifter plate is in the lower-limit position irrespective of a detection result of the second sensor, and controls the locking portion such that (a) the latch member is kept in the locking position after the predetermined instruction is received before the first sensor detects that the lifter plate is in the lower-limit position and (b) the latch member moves to the release position from the locking position after the first sensor detects that the lifter plate is in the lower-limit position.