# US 2018/0022564 A1 · Sheet discharge apparatus and image forming apparatus including the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022564 A1 - Document ID: US20180022564A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/642,202 - Filed: 2017-07-05 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yuichi Obara; Masaaki Takeuchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022564A1 ## CPC - B65H 31/20: adjustable for different article sizes - B65H 31/22: removable or interchangeable - B65H 2402/32: Sliding support means - B65H 2405/111646: involving extension members pivotable around an axis parallel to bottom surface and perpendicular to transport direction - B65H 2405/1122: movable linearly, details therefor - B65H 2405/1124: pivotable, details therefor - B65H 2405/324: between operative position and non operative position - B65H 2601/321: Access - B65H 2601/324: Removability or inter-changeability of machine parts, e.g. for maintenance - B65H 2801/06: Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract A sheet discharge apparatus includes a main tray, a discharge unit, and an expansion tray. The main tray is pivotable between a closed position and open position relative to a sheet discharge apparatus main body. The discharge unit discharges the sheet onto the main tray in the closed position. The expansion tray expands a main tray stacking area and is movable between a storage position where the expansion tray is stored in the main tray and an expansion position where the expansion tray is slid from the storage position in a sheet discharge direction and expands the stacking area. At the expansion position, the expansion tray is pivotable independently of the main tray. A direction in which the expansion tray is pivoted upward is the same as a direction in which the main tray is pivoted from the closed to the opened position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sheet discharge apparatus comprising: a main tray on which a sheet is to be stacked and which is pivotable between a closed position at which the main tray is closed with respect to a main body of the sheet discharge apparatus and an opened position at which the main tray is opened with respect to the main body of the sheet discharge apparatus; a discharge unit configured to discharge the sheet onto the main tray in a case where the main tray is at the closed position; and an expansion tray configured to expand a stacking area of the main tray, wherein the expansion tray is provided to the main tray and movable between a storage position at which the expansion tray is stored in the main tray and an expansion position at which the expansion tray is slid from the storage position in a sheet discharge direction and expands the stacking area, wherein, at the expansion position, the expansion tray is pivotable on a pivot center provided to the main tray, in a vertically upward direction, by a predetermined angle, independently of the main tray, and wherein a direction in which the expansion tray is pivoted in the vertically upward direction is the same as a direction in which the main tray is pivoted from the closed position to the opened position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sheet discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined angle is in a range of 20 degrees or more to 90 degrees or less in a vertically upward direction with respect to the expansion position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sheet discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the expansion tray includes a region where pivoting is restricted while the expansion tray is slid in the sheet discharge direction toward the pivot center. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sheet discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the expansion tray projects from the main tray in the sheet discharge direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sheet discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the expansion tray is moved only by weight of the expansion tray, to the expansion position, from a position of the auxiliary tray pivoted in the vertically upward direction from the expansion position. ### Claim 6 A sheet discharge apparatus comprising: a main tray on which a sheet is to be stacked and which is pivotable between a closed position at which the main tray is closed with respect to a main body of the sheet discharge apparatus and an opened position at which the main tray is opened with respect to the main body of the sheet discharge apparatus; a discharge unit configured to discharge the sheet onto the main tray in a case where the main tray is at the closed position; and an expansion tray configured to expand a stacking area of the main tray, wherein the expansion tray is provided to the main tray and movable between a storage position at which the expansion tray is stored in the main tray and an expansion position at which the expansion tray is slid from the storage position in a sheet discharge direction and expands the stacking area, wherein, at the expansion position, the expansion tray is pivotable on a pivot center provided to the expansion tray, in a vertically upward direction, by a predetermined angle, independently of the main tray, wherein the pivot center of the expansion tray is provided at a position closer to an upstream edge of the expansion tray than a downstream edge of the expansion tray in the sheet discharge direction, and wherein a direction in which the expansion tray is pivoted in the vertically upward direction is the same as a direction in which the main tray is pivoted from the closed position to the opened position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The sheet discharge apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined angle is in a range of 20 degrees or more to 90 degrees or less in a vertically upward direction with respect to the expansion position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The sheet discharge apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the expansion tray includes a region where pivoting is restricted while the expansion tray is slid in the sheet discharge direction toward the pivot center. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The sheet discharge apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the expansion tray projects from the main tray in the sheet discharge direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The sheet discharge apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the expansion tray is moved only by weight of the expansion tray, to the expansion position, from a position of the auxiliary tray pivoted in the vertically upward direction from the expansion position. ### Claim 11 A sheet discharge apparatus comprising: a main tray on which a sheet is to be stacked and which is pivotable between a closed position at which the main tray is closed with respect to a main body of the sheet discharge apparatus and an opened position at which the main tray is opened with respect to the main body of the sheet discharge apparatus; a discharge unit configured to discharge the sheet onto the main tray in a case where the main tray is at the closed position; and an expansion tray configured to expand a stacking area of the main tray, wherein the expansion tray is provided to the main tray and movable between a storage position at which the expansion tray is stored in the main tray and an expansion position at which the expansion tray is slid from the storage position in a sheet discharge direction and expands the stacking area, wherein, at the expansion position, the expansion tray is pivotable on a pivot center provided to the main tray, in a vertically upward direction, by a predetermined angle, independently of the main tray.