Sheet storage device, image processing apparatus, and control method
AssigneeToshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorReo Kawaguchi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sheet storage device includes a body, a tray, a rotating member, an angle sensor, and a controller. The tray is vertically repositionable relative to the body and supports a sheet placed on the tray. The rotating member rotates in conjunction with a vertical movement of the tray. The angle sensor detects a rotation angle of the rotating member. The controller is operatively coupled to the angle sensor and determines a remaining number of sheets placed on the tray based on a detection result of the angle sensor.
Claims15
A sheet storage device comprising:
- a body;
- a tray vertically repositionable relative to the body and configured to support a sheet placed on the tray;
- a drum configured to rotate in conjunction with a vertical movement of the tray;
- a wire at least partially wrapped around the drum such that a working length of the wire between the drum and the tray varies as the drum rotates, the wire coupling the drum to the tray, and the wire being configured to cause the vertical movement of the tray in response to a rotation of the rotating member;
- an angle sensor configured to detect a rotation angle of the drum;
- and
- a controller operatively coupled to the angle sensor and configured to determine a remaining number of sheets placed on the tray based on a detection result of the angle sensor.
A sheet storage device comprising:
- a body;
- a tray vertically repositionable relative to the body and configured to support a sheet placed on the tray;
- a rotating member configured to rotate in conjunction with a vertical movement of the tray;
- an angle sensor configured to detect a rotation angle of the rotating member, the angle sensor including a magnet configured to rotate with the rotating member, and a plurality of magneto-resistance effect elements configured to output detection signals corresponding to a change in a magnetic field caused by a rotation of the magnet;
- and
- a controller operatively coupled to the angle sensor and configured to determine a remaining number of sheets placed on the tray based on a detection result of the angle sensor, wherein
- the plurality of magneto-resistance effect elements are configured to output detection signals having phase differences from each other.
A control method for a sheet storage device including a tray on which at least one sheet is placed, the control method comprising:
- detecting, by a rotation sensor, a rotation angle of a rotating member that rotates in conjunction with a vertical movement of the tray;
- detecting, by a tray sensor, that the tray is positioned at a lowermost position of the tray;
- detecting, by a sheet sensor, that an upper surface of the at least one sheet has reached a predetermined vertical position;
- and
- determining, based on the detected rotation angle of the rotating member, a remaining number of sheets placed on the tray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.