Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Takeshi Yoshikai

Akiyoshi Johdai

Kimihiko Higashio

Hideo Muramatsu

Toshio Matsui

Hiroki Yamashita

Keichi Kinoshita

Kazuhito Ozawa

Tadashi Maruyama

A sheet storing apparatus wherein sheets ejected from a copying machine one after another are stacked in order, and the sheets are supplied to the copying machine again. The apparatus comprises a sheet storing unit wherein sheets are stored, a transporter for transporting sheets to the storing unit, a regulator for preventing sheets supported by a sheet support surface of the storing unit from moving back toward the entrance thereof, a pressure member for pressing each sheet transported to the unit against the support surface and a refeeder for feeding out the stored sheets one by one. Each time a sheet is transported to the unit, the pressure member presses the sheet, whereby the end of the sheet passes through the regulator to be put between the support surface and the regulator. Also, in feeding sheets out of the unit, the pressure member presses the sheet stack against the refeeder. The pressure member has a mechanism for adjusting the pressure on the sheet stack in proportion to the thickness of the stack. Each time a sheet is transported to the unit, the timing of actuating the pressure member is determined, and the position of the pressure member is detected. When it is not detected that the pressure member is in a pressing position within a specified time after a timing signal was generated, a controller judges that a sheet jam has occurred.

Sheet storing apparatus for sheets ejected from a copying machine

A sheet storing apparatus which is attachable to a copying machine and a method of controlling it, wherein sheets ejected from the copying machine one after another are stacked in order. A detector for detecting the condition of the sheet transportation is installed in a sheet transporting section thereof, and a control section controls the timing of driving a sheet storing section, a sheet transporting section and a sheet aligning section, based on an output of the detector and data on the speed of the sheet transportation in the copying machine. The control section has a timer for determining the timing of driving each section, and the value of the timer is adjusted in accordance with the data on the speed of the sheet transportation.

Sheet storing apparatus for sheets ejected from a copying machine and a

An image forming apparatus has a sheet handling section for receiving sheets printed at a copying machine, which is operable in a mode of ejecting printed sheets outside and in a mode of collecting printed sheets inside thereof to process the sheets. The apparatus comprises a sheet path located inside the apparatus, which is openable so that a jammed sheet can be removed; an outside cover which is openable so that an operator can gain access to the sheet path; a sensor for detecting whether the outside cover is in an open state or a closed state; a jam detector for detecting the occurrence of a sheet jam at each part in the sheet path; a jam reacting device; a jam reaction resetting device; and a mode selector. The jam reaction resetting device is operable in a first jam reaction react mode wherein the jam reaction resetting operation is executed in response to an outside cover close signal generated from the outside cover sensor, and in a second jam reaction reset mode wherein the jam reaction resetting operation is executed in response to the recovery of the sheet path from the sheet jam. The mode selector selects either the first jam reaction reset mode or the second jam reaction reset mode beforehand.

Image forming apparatus having sheet jam reaction reset means

Growing community of inventors

Minokamo, Japan

Takeshi Yoshikai