US 11,745,971 B2
Sheet sorting apparatus
Genki Takahashi, Mishima (JP); and Kazuhisa Sato, Suntou-gun (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Nov. 18, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/951,918.
Application 16/951,918 is a continuation of application No. 16/201,180, filed on Nov. 27, 2018, granted, now 10,870,552.
Claims priority of application No. 2017-229295 (JP), filed on Nov. 29, 2017; and application No. 2018-184602 (JP), filed on Sep. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0070579 A1, Mar. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. B65H 31/22 (2006.01); B65H 29/58 (2006.01); B65H 31/24 (2006.01); G03G 15/00 (2006.01); B65H 33/14 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 31/22 (2013.01) [B65H 29/58 (2013.01); B65H 31/24 (2013.01); B65H 33/14 (2013.01); G03G 15/6538 (2013.01); G03G 15/6552 (2013.01); B65H 2408/11 (2013.01); B65H 2511/15 (2013.01); G03G 2215/00911 (2013.01); G03G 2221/1696 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sheet sorting apparatus comprising:
a first tray detachable from an apparatus main body;
a second tray arranged vertically below the first tray;
a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet to either of the first tray and the second tray;
a tray detection unit configured to detect that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body;
a sheet detection unit having a flag attached to the first tray, wherein the sheet detection unit is configured to detect a sheet stacked on the second tray and the flag is configured to move in contact with a surface of the sheet stacked on the second tray; and
a control unit configured to control the conveyance unit not to convey the sheet to the second tray, in a case where the sheet detection unit detects that an amount of sheets reaches a predetermined amount,
wherein a first discharge port is formed at a position corresponding to the first tray, and a second discharge port is formed at a position corresponding to the second tray,
wherein the control unit controls a state to be a forbidden state where forming an image on the sheet is stopped and the conveyance unit is forbidden to convey the sheet from the second discharge port to the second tray, in the case where the sheet detection unit detects that the amount of sheets reaches the predetermined amount, and
wherein the control unit controls the state to be a permitted state where forming the image on the sheet is resumed, the image is formed on the sheet that the conveyance unit is forbidden to convey from the second discharge port to the second tray, and the conveyance unit is permitted to convey the sheet from the first discharge port to the second tray, in a case where the tray detection unit detects that the first tray is detached from the apparatus main body in the forbidden state.