Provided is a sheet storage apparatus including: an apparatus body; a sheet storage section; a top cover; a sheet feeding section; a restricting cursor; a blowing device; a sheet holding-down member; and a moving mechanism. The sheet storage section includes a sheet supply port, and a sheet stacking portion. The top cover is pivotable to an opening position and to a closing position. The blowing device includes a fan and a vent. The sheet holding-down member includes a restricting piece. The moving mechanism is coupled to the sheet holding-down member, moves the sheet holding-down member to a restricting position by coming into contact with the top cover under a state in which the top cover has come to the closing position, and moves the sheet holding-down member to a retracted position by separating from the top cover when the top cover is moved to the opening position.

According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying device includes a placement tray, a presence detection sensor, and a control unit. The placement tray places a sheet thereon. The presence detection sensor detects the presence or absence of the sheet on the placement tray. The control unit delays a determination timing of the presence or absence of the sheet placed on the placement tray to a predetermined timing when a condition indicating that the remaining sheets placed on the placement tray are only a few is satisfied.

According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying device includes a placement tray, a presence detection sensor, and a control unit. The placement tray places a sheet thereon. The presence detection sensor detects the presence or absence of the sheet on the placement tray. The control unit delays a determination timing of the presence or absence of the sheet placed on the placement tray to a predetermined timing when a condition indicating that the remaining sheets placed on the placement tray are only a few is satisfied.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion, a lift plate, an actuating segment, driving unit, a sheet feeding portion, a first detecting portion, a remaining amount detection portion. The remaining amount detection portion includes a detection piece, a link mechanism, a second detecting portion, a controller. The link mechanism couples together the driving shaft and the detection piece at a coupling position attained by pivoting the lift plate through a predetermined angle from a lower limit position in rotation direction, so as to let the driving shaft and the detection piece rotate together. The second detecting portion senses whether or not the detection piece is present. The controller determines the remaining quantity level of the stacked sheets according to whether or not the second detecting portion is detecting the detection piece being present.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion, a lift plate, an actuating segment, driving unit, a sheet feeding portion, a first detecting portion, a remaining amount detection portion. The remaining amount detection portion includes a detection piece, a link mechanism, a second detecting portion, a controller. The link mechanism couples together the driving shaft and the detection piece at a coupling position attained by pivoting the lift plate through a predetermined angle from a lower limit position in rotation direction, so as to let the driving shaft and the detection piece rotate together. The second detecting portion senses whether or not the detection piece is present. The controller determines the remaining quantity level of the stacked sheets according to whether or not the second detecting portion is detecting the detection piece being present.

An automatic lifting and feeding device includes a main controller, a material thickness detecting device, a material loading mechanism for placing materials and driving the materials to rise and fall, a material taking mechanism for transferring materials and a height detecting mechanism for detecting the height of the materials, wherein, the material thickness detecting device, the material loading mechanism, the material taking mechanism and the height detecting mechanism are respectively connected to the main controller. The height detecting mechanism includes a bracket and the height testing part connected to the bracket, and the detector for detecting the material distance is arranged on the height testing part. The invention also provides an automatic lifting feeding method. The advantage of the invention is that the height does not need to be adjusted manually. The device can automatically detect the height of the material, and achieves high efficiency.

An automatic lifting and feeding device includes a main controller, a material thickness detecting device, a material loading mechanism for placing materials and driving the materials to rise and fall, a material taking mechanism for transferring materials and a height detecting mechanism for detecting the height of the materials, wherein, the material thickness detecting device, the material loading mechanism, the material taking mechanism and the height detecting mechanism are respectively connected to the main controller. The height detecting mechanism includes a bracket and the height testing part connected to the bracket, and the detector for detecting the material distance is arranged on the height testing part. The invention also provides an automatic lifting feeding method. The advantage of the invention is that the height does not need to be adjusted manually. The device can automatically detect the height of the material, and achieves high efficiency.

A breaking circuit applied to a motor comprises an actuator, an anti-reverse component and a limiting resistor. The actuator comprises a first electricity transmission terminal, a second electricity transmission terminal and a controlled terminal, with the controlled terminal configured to be connected with a power supply port, and the first electricity transmission terminal configured to be electrically connected with a power input terminal of the motor. The anti-reverse component is electrically connected between the controlled terminal and the first electricity transmission terminal of the actuator. The limiting resistor is electrically and serially connected with the first electricity transmission terminal or the second electricity transmission terminal of the actuator. When power supplied from the power supply port to the power input terminal is stopped, the actuator is conducted to form a discharge path from the power input terminal through the limiting resistor to a low electric potential end.

A breaking circuit applied to a motor comprises an actuator, an anti-reverse component and a limiting resistor. The actuator comprises a first electricity transmission terminal, a second electricity transmission terminal and a controlled terminal, with the controlled terminal configured to be connected with a power supply port, and the first electricity transmission terminal configured to be electrically connected with a power input terminal of the motor. The anti-reverse component is electrically connected between the controlled terminal and the first electricity transmission terminal of the actuator. The limiting resistor is electrically and serially connected with the first electricity transmission terminal or the second electricity transmission terminal of the actuator. When power supplied from the power supply port to the power input terminal is stopped, the actuator is conducted to form a discharge path from the power input terminal through the limiting resistor to a low electric potential end.

An image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding cassette, a first conveying unit, a lift mechanism, a motor, a second conveying unit, and a control unit. The controller drives the motor and, if a value indicating a movement amount of the tray moving from when the lift mechanism starts the lifting of the tray until when a position of the top part reaches a first position is a first value, matches a position of the first conveying unit, which comes into contact with the top part to thereby rise together with the tray, with a second position and, if the value indicating the movement amount is a second value larger than the first value, matches the position of the first conveying unit, which comes into contact with the top part to thereby rise together with the tray, with a third position lower than the second position.