Recording medium discharge apparatus and image forming apparatus equipped with recording medium discharge apparatus

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image forming unit for forming images on recording media and a recording medium discharge apparatus,
• the recording medium discharge apparatus including
• an introducing section for receiving the media from the image forming unit;
• a plurality of storing units for storing therein the media received from the introducing section, the storing units being detachable from the recording medium discharge apparatus, wherein removal of a storing unit permits storing of a larger capacity of recording media in remaining storing units;
• discharging units for discharging to the respective storing units the media received from the introducing section;
• a transporter for transporting to the discharging units the media received from the introducing section;
• transport direction switches for switching a recording medium transport direction to transport selectively to the respective discharging units the media received from the introducing section;
• storage amount detectors for each detecting a predetermined amount of recording media stored in one of the storing units, the detectors each including a light emitter for emitting light and a light receiver for receiving the light from the emitter, the emitter and the receiver being provided on opposite sides of the media discharged to the associated storing unit, the emitter and the receiver being positioned along a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the media are discharged to the storing unit, wherein full level of the one of the storing unit is detectable when the predetermined amount of recording media is stored in the one of the storing units to block off the light emitted from the emitter to the receiver;
• recording medium contacting devices for each temporarily blocking off the light from the emitter of one of the storage amount detectors by contacting a recording medium being discharged by the associated discharging unit;
• a jamming detector for detecting jamming of recording media in accordance with the operation of the contacting devices;
• and
• an introduction detector for detecting a recording medium received by the introducing section, the jamming detector being adapted to judge that, if the light being received by the light receiver of each storage amount detector is not blocked off by the associated recording medium contacting device for a predetermined time after the introduction detector detects a recording medium while the associated light emitter is lit, the medium is jamming.

A recording medium discharge apparatus, comprising:

• an introducing section for receiving recording media on which images are formed;
• a plurality of storing units for storing therein the media received from the introducing section, the storing units being detachable from the recording medium discharge apparatus, wherein removal of a storing unit permits storing of a larger capacity of recording media in remaining storing units;
• discharging units for discharging to the respective storing units the media received from the introducing section;
• a transporter for transporting to the discharging units the media received from the introducing section;
• transport direction switches for switching a recording medium transport direction to transport selectively to the respective discharging units the media received from the introducing section;
• and
• storage amount detectors for each detecting a predetermined amount of recording media stored in one of the storing units, the detectors each including a light emitter for emitting light and a light receiver for receiving the light from the emitter, the emitter and the receiver being provided on opposite sides of the media discharged to the associated storing unit, the emitter and the receiver being positioned along a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the media are discharged to the storing unit, wherein full level of the one of the storing unit is detectable when the predetermined amount of recording media is stored in the one of the storing units to block off the light emitted from the emitter to the receiver;
• recording medium contacting devices for each temporarily blocking off the light from the light emitter of one of the storage amount detectors by contacting a recording medium being discharged by the associated discharging unit;
• a jamming detector for detecting jamming of recording media in accordance with the operation of the contacting devices;
• an introduction detector for detecting a recording medium received by the introducing section;
• and
• the jamming detector being adapted to judge that, if the light being received by the light receiver of each storage amount detector is not blocked off by the associated recording medium contacting device for a predetermined time after the introduction detector detects a recording medium while the associated light emitter is lit, the medium is jamming.

A recording medium discharge apparatus, comprising:

• an introducing section for receiving recording media on which images are formed;
• a plurality of detachable storing units for storing therein the media received from the introducing section;
• discharging units for discharging to the respective storing units the media received from the introducing section;
• a transporter for transporting to the discharging units the media received from the introducing section;
• transport direction switches for switching a recording medium transport direction to transport selectively to the respective discharging units the media received from the introducing section;
• and
• storage amount detectors for each detecting a predetermined amount of recording media stored in one of the storing units;
• the detectors each including a light emitter for emitting light and a light receiver for receiving the light from the emitter, the emitter and the receiver being provided on opposite sides of the media discharged to the associated storing unit, the emitter and the receiver being positioned along a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the media are discharged to the associated storing unit;
• and
• a control unit for controlling the transport direction-switching units corresponding to each storing unit to switch the transport direction of the paper sheet depending on a detection signal of one of the detectors, wherein the plurality of storing units are aligned in a vertical direction of the casing, and the control unit switches the transport direction-switching units so that the media are successively transported in an order of the storing units aligned from the lowermost storing units toward the uppermost storing units in the associated vertical direction.