Described embodiments include a system and method. A print sheet media management system includes a feeder apparatus configured to transfer a sheet from a stack of printable sheet media to a print engine. The system includes a weight sensor configured to sense a weight of the stack of printable sheet media. The system includes an evaluation circuit configured to estimate the number of sheets in the stack of printable sheet media in response to (i) a sensed weight of the stack of printable sheet media before a sheet of the stack of printable sheet media is transferred and (ii) a sensed weight of the stack of printable sheet media after the sheet of printable sheet media is transferred. The system includes a communications circuit configured to transmit data indicative of the estimated number of printable sheets in the stack of printable sheet media.

A sheet conveyance device includes a sheet conveyance passage, a first sheet stacking portion, a first feeding portion, a second feeding portion, a sheet detection mechanism, a driving portion, and a control portion. The first sheet stacking portion has a bottom face part and a lifting plate. The driving portion drives the first feeding portion when rotating forward and drives the second feeding portion when rotating reversely. The sheet detection mechanism has an actuator and a detection sensor. The control portion controls such that, for a sheet fed from the first sheet stacking portion, when the sheet is detected by the sheet detection mechanism, the driving portion rotates forward and, for a sheet conveyed from the second feeding portion, the driving portion rotates reversely and, when the detection sensor detects the actuator swinging at the detection position, the driving portion is switched to rotate forward.

A sheet conveyance device includes a sheet conveyance passage, a first sheet stacking portion, a first feeding portion, a second feeding portion, a sheet detection mechanism, a driving portion, and a control portion. The first sheet stacking portion has a bottom face part and a lifting plate. The driving portion drives the first feeding portion when rotating forward and drives the second feeding portion when rotating reversely. The sheet detection mechanism has an actuator and a detection sensor. The control portion controls such that, for a sheet fed from the first sheet stacking portion, when the sheet is detected by the sheet detection mechanism, the driving portion rotates forward and, for a sheet conveyed from the second feeding portion, the driving portion rotates reversely and, when the detection sensor detects the actuator swinging at the detection position, the driving portion is switched to rotate forward.

A sheet feeding device has a sheet stacking tray, a sheet stop portion, a sheet feed roller, a separation member, a first urging member, an eccentric cam, a cam follower, a sheet detection mechanism, and a holding mechanism. The holding mechanism holds the separation member at a position away from the sheet feed roller after a half-moon-shaped feed surface has passed across the separation member as the sheet feed roller rotates. Immediately before a sheet starts to be fed, the sheet stacking tray is kept on standby at a standby position radially inward of the outer diameter of the feed surface so that the feedable distance between the feed start position and the sheet stop portion is larger than the detectable distance as the maximum distance between the detectable position at which the sheet can be detected by the sheet detection mechanism and the sheet stop portion.

A controller is capable of executing a first operation when a predetermined condition is not satisfied, and a second operation when the predetermined condition is satisfied. The predetermined condition includes at least one of that an environmental temperature is a predetermined temperature or more, that a remaining lifetime of a developing device is less than a predetermined value, that a user designates the second operation, that an image density in the immediately-before printing is a predetermined value or more, that an image in the immediately-before printing includes an image other than a text image, and that a maximum density of a part of a region in immediately-before printing is a predetermined value or more. When detection that there is no sheet corresponding to the objective sheet is made by a detecting portion, a toner image formed by the second operation is transferred onto a re-conveying sheet.

A paper feeding device includes a regulation member that includes an abutting portion abutting a leading end of a supplied paper sheet to regulate a transportation start position of the paper sheet and of which the abutting portion moves in a transportation direction of the paper sheet and a detection unit that detects presence or absence of the paper sheet at a position to which the paper sheet is returned in a case where the paper sheet is returned by the regulation member.

A paper feeding device includes a regulation member that includes an abutting portion abutting a leading end of a supplied paper sheet to regulate a transportation start position of the paper sheet and of which the abutting portion moves in a transportation direction of the paper sheet and a detection unit that detects presence or absence of the paper sheet based on movement of the regulation member caused by movement of the abutting portion.

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet storage portion, a lifting plate, a swing driving portion, a feeding portion, a sheet detection portion, and a control portion. The control portion arranges the lifting plate in a feeding position when a feeding job for the sheet starts, and arranges the lifting plate in a retracted position when the feeding job ends. At the end of the feeding job, while the lifting plate is moving from the feeding position to the retracted position, if the detection state of the sheet detection portion changes from a sheet-present state to a no-sheet state, the control portion rearranges the lifting plate in the feeding position.