Patent ID: 8708336
Filing Date: 2014-04-29
Classification: B65H,G03G

Abstract:
1. A recording medium discharge device comprising: a recording medium discharge unit configured to discharge a recording medium from a recording medium discharge port; a stacking unit configured to stack the recording medium that is discharged from the recording medium discharge port by the recording medium discharge unit; an ascending and descending unit configured to ascend and descend the stacking unit in a vertical direction relative to the recording medium discharge port; an upper surface detecting unit configured to detect that the upper surface portion of the recording medium that is stacked in the stacking unit ascended and descended by the ascending and descending unit is positioned at a predetermined recording medium receiving position; a discharge detecting unit configured to detect that the recording medium is discharged from the recording medium discharge port to the stacking unit; a drive controlling unit configured to cause the ascending and descending unit to lower the stacking unit by a predetermined fixed amount when discharge of the recording medium to the stacking unit is detected by the discharge detecting unit, and to cause the ascending and descending unit to raise the stacking unit from the lowered position to which the stacking unit is lowered by the fixed amount to a position at which the upper surface of the recording medium stacked in the stacking unit is detected by the upper surface detecting unit; a measuring unit configured to measure the raising time that is the time from the commencement to the completion of the raising operation of the stacking unit by the ascending and descending unit controlled by the drive controlling unit; and a determining unit configured to determine whether or not the raising time measured by the measuring unit is a predetermined abnormal time; wherein when the raising time is determined by the determining unit not to be the abnormal time, the drive controlling unit causes the recording medium discharge unit to execute a subsequent recording medium discharge to the stacking unit; and when the raising time is determined by the determining unit to be the abnormal time, the drive controlling unit causes the recording medium discharge unit to stop a subsequent recording medium discharge to the stacking unit, and the drive controlling unit then causes the ascending and descending unit to lower the stacking unit by an amount corresponding to the time difference between the raising time and a predetermined reference time, and causes the recording medium discharge unit to recommence the subsequent recording medium discharge.