Apparatus and methods for determining stacker capacity

Abstract

A media stacking system suitable for processing flexible substrate sheets includes an elevating stacker support and a controller configured to control the elevating stacker support according to a weight of a cut sheet stack supported by the elevating stacker support in loading positions.

1 . A media stacking system suitable for processing flexible substrate sheets, comprising:
 an elevating stacker support; and   a controller, the controller being configured to control the elevating stacker support according to a weight of a cut sheet stack supported by the elevating stacker support in loading positions by causing a controller to set total stacker tray weight of a stacker tray to a value corresponding to an initial number of cut sheets loaded on the tray;   causing the stacker tray to a be positioned at a loading position   causing the stacker tray to receive a cut sheet for forming a cut sheet stack on the stacker tray;   determining an adjusted total stacker weight of the stacker tray having the cut sheet; and   determining whether the total stacker tray weight matches a predetermined fault weight stored in memory.   
     
     
         2 . The media stacking system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 non-volatile memory connected to the controller for storing a default fault value, wherein the default fault value corresponds to a weight that exceeds a capacity of an elevator systems connected to the controller and the stacker support.   
     
     
         3 . The media stacking system of  claim 1 , comprising the stacker support; and
 a housing, the stacker support being configured move within the housing between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is a substrate loading position and the second position is a substrate unloading position.   
     
     
         4 . A sheet stacking method for cut sheet flexible media processing, comprising:
 causing a controller to set total stacker tray weight of a stacker tray to a value corresponding to an initial number of cut sheets loaded on the tray;   causing the stacker tray to a be positioned at a loading position   causing the stacker tray to receive a cut sheet for forming a cut sheet stack on the stacker tray;   determining an adjusted total stacker weight of the stacker tray having the cut sheet; and   determining whether the total stacker tray weight matches a predetermined fault weight stored in memory, wherein if the total stacker tray weight matches the predetermined fault weight, lowering the stacker tray to an unloading position.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising the initial value being equal to zero. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising causing the stacker to move to a loading position after the setting the total stacker tray weight to the initial value. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein if the total stacker tray weight does not math the predetermined fault weight, repeating the steps of receiving a cut sheet for forming a cut sheet stack on the tray, determining an adjusted total weight of the stacker tray, and determining whether the total stacker tray weight matches a predetermined fault weight stored in memory. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising the memory being non-volatile memory. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , comprising the stacker tray being connected to an elevator system controlled by the controller. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for controlling a stacker tray of media processing system, the instructions comprising:
 causing a controller to set total stacker tray weight of a stacker tray to a value corresponding to an initial number of cut sheets loaded on the tray;   causing the stacker tray to a be positioned at a loading position   causing the stacker tray to receive a cut sheet for forming a cut sheet stack on the stacker tray;   determining an adjusted total stacker weight of the stacker tray having the cut sheet; and   determining whether the total stacker tray weight matches a predetermined fault weight stored in memory, wherein if the total stacker tray weight matches the predetermined fault weight, lowering the stacker tray to an unloading position.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , comprising wherein if the total stacker tray weight matches the predetermined fault weight, lowering the stacker tray to an unloading position. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , comprising the initial value being equal to zero. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , comprising causing the stacker to move to a loading position after the setting the total stacker tray weight to the initial value. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , comprising wherein if the total stacker tray weight does not match the predetermined fault weight, repeating the steps of receiving a cut sheet for forming a cut sheet stack on the tray, determining an adjusted total weight of the stacker tray, and determining whether the total stacker tray weight matches a predetermined fault weight stored in memory.