US 12,252,369 B2
Sheet stacker module
Johannes A. M. Henderickx, Venlo (NL); Hermanus M. Kuypers, Venlo (NL); Fabian T. Rosenboom, Venlo (NL); Lodewijk T. Holtman, Venlo (NL); Joshua D. Curran, Venlo (NL); Erik P. J. Verhoeven, Venlo (NL); Johannes E. P. Peulen, Venlo (NL); Maikel W. H. Bergmans, Venlo (NL); Luc Linders, Venlo (NL); and Rob J. E. Looijmans, Venlo (NL)
Assigned to CANON PRODUCTION PRINTING HOLDING B.V., Venlo (NL)
Filed by Canon Production Printing Holding B.V., Venlo (NL)
Filed on Apr. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/729,897.
Claims priority of application No. 21173145 (EP), filed on May 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0356034 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B65H 31/10 (2006.01); B65H 31/30 (2006.01); B65H 43/06 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 31/10 (2013.01) [B65H 31/3054 (2013.01); B65H 43/06 (2013.01); B65H 2405/15 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
3. A stacker module comprising:
a lift table;
a stacker configured to place sheets that are successively supplied thereto on top of a stack forming on the lift table;
a controller configured to lower the lift table as the stack grows;
a height-adjustable eject table; and
an ejector configured to transfer a completed stack from the lift table onto the eject table,
wherein the ejector is height-adjustable for transferring stacks onto the eject table in different height positions of the lift table, the stacker module further comprising a controller configured to have the stacker module perform the steps of:
stacking the successive sheets on top of the stack forming on the lift table;
lowering the lift table as the stack grows;
activating the ejector for transferring the completed stack from the lift table onto the eject table;
calculating a target height of the stack to be formed on the lift table based on a number of sheets in a print job;
determining a height position for the eject table based on the target height of the stack, at which height position the lift table will arrive when the stack has reached the target height
moving the ejector and the eject table to the height position; and
activating the ejector as soon as the lift table has arrived in said height position.