A sheet conveyer, having a sheet tray, a tray-driving mechanism, a conveyance guide, a feed roller, a conveyer-driving mechanism, a first sensor, and a controller, is provided. The controller controls the tray-driving mechanism and the conveyer-driving mechanism, during a sequential conveying action, when the first sensor detects an upper-surface level being at a lower limit of a correct range, delay a lift-start timing, at which the tray-driving mechanism starts moving the sheet tray upward, to be later at least than a timing, at which the feed roller after feeding one of the sheets completely and pausing resumes rotating for feeding a next one of the sheets, and cause the sheet tray to complete moving to a higher position prior to completion of feeding of the next sheet.

A sheet conveyer, having a sheet tray, a tray-driving mechanism, a conveyance guide, a feed roller, a conveyer-driving mechanism, a first sensor, and a controller, is provided. The controller controls the tray-driving mechanism and the conveyer-driving mechanism, during a sequential conveying action, when the first sensor detects an upper-surface level being at a lower limit of a correct range, delay a lift-start timing, at which the tray-driving mechanism starts moving the sheet tray upward, to be later at least than a timing, at which the feed roller after feeding one of the sheets completely and pausing resumes rotating for feeding a next one of the sheets, and cause the sheet tray to complete moving to a higher position prior to completion of feeding of the next sheet.

To prevent a failure or the like caused by winding of a tape in a reverse direction to a proper direction, a paper sheet circulation device includes a travelling-direction mark having a pattern that is formed along a travelling-direction of a detection tape and indicates the difference of the travelling-direction of the tape, and a sensor module that detects the travelling-direction mark and outputs a detection signal. The paper sheet circulation device determines a travelling-direction of the tape from a pattern signal in accordance with the travelling-direction of the tape acquired on the basis of a temporal change of the detection signal, and determines a winding direction of the tape on a drum from the travelling-direction of the tape and a rotation direction of the drum.

To prevent a failure or the like caused by winding of a tape in a reverse direction to a proper direction, a paper sheet circulation device includes a travelling-direction mark having a pattern that is formed along a travelling-direction of a detection tape and indicates the difference of the travelling-direction of the tape, and a sensor module that detects the travelling-direction mark and outputs a detection signal. The paper sheet circulation device determines a travelling-direction of the tape from a pattern signal in accordance with the travelling-direction of the tape acquired on the basis of a temporal change of the detection signal, and determines a winding direction of the tape on a drum from the travelling-direction of the tape and a rotation direction of the drum.

A sheet feeder apparatus includes a width detector for a sheet placed on a sheet placement portion, a conveyor for conveying sheets while separating the sheets one by one, a first detector for detecting a sheet having a first width at a plurality of first positions, a second detector for detecting a sheet having a second width that is not detected by the first sheet detector at a plurality of second positions, and a controller for determining skewing of a sheet based on a result of the detection of the sheet performed by the first detector if the width of the sheet is the first width, and determining skewing of a sheet based on a result of the detection performed by the second detector if the width of the sheet is the second width.

A sheet feeder apparatus includes a width detector for a sheet placed on a sheet placement portion, a conveyor for conveying sheets while separating the sheets one by one, a first detector for detecting a sheet having a first width at a plurality of first positions, a second detector for detecting a sheet having a second width that is not detected by the first sheet detector at a plurality of second positions, and a controller for determining skewing of a sheet based on a result of the detection of the sheet performed by the first detector if the width of the sheet is the first width, and determining skewing of a sheet based on a result of the detection performed by the second detector if the width of the sheet is the second width.

According to examples, an apparatus may include a processor and a memory on which are stored computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, may cause the processor to receive a first sheet count before execution of a print job, receive a second sheet count after execution of the print job, and determine a number of sheets printed for the print job based on the first sheet count and the second sheet count. The processor may update a pick mechanism activation counter value based on the determined number of printed sheets. Based on a determination that the updated pick mechanism activation counter value is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the processor may cause a pick mechanism to be actuated to sense a media stack height of print media.

According to examples, an apparatus may include a processor and a memory on which are stored computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, may cause the processor to receive a first sheet count before execution of a print job, receive a second sheet count after execution of the print job, and determine a number of sheets printed for the print job based on the first sheet count and the second sheet count. The processor may update a pick mechanism activation counter value based on the determined number of printed sheets. Based on a determination that the updated pick mechanism activation counter value is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the processor may cause a pick mechanism to be actuated to sense a media stack height of print media.

A system and control method are provided for determining an amount of a product dispensed from or added to a product formation. At defined intervals, a mark is projected with a light source imager onto an aspect of the product formation that changes as the amount of product is depleted or added to the product formation. A digital image is taken of the aspect of the product formation that captures the projected mark and is transmitted to a digital imager processor, wherein a feature of the projected mark is analyzed that changes as the product formation decreases or increases in size as the product is dispensed or added. The analyzed feature is compared with a predetermined value of the feature at a predefined size of the product formation to determine an actual amount of the product on the product formation, or amount of product depleted from or added to the product formation.

A system and control method are provided for determining an amount of a product dispensed from or added to a product formation. At defined intervals, a mark is projected with a light source imager onto an aspect of the product formation that changes as the amount of product is depleted or added to the product formation. A digital image is taken of the aspect of the product formation that captures the projected mark and is transmitted to a digital imager processor, wherein a feature of the projected mark is analyzed that changes as the product formation decreases or increases in size as the product is dispensed or added. The analyzed feature is compared with a predetermined value of the feature at a predefined size of the product formation to determine an actual amount of the product on the product formation, or amount of product depleted from or added to the product formation.