Patent ID: 7240817

Claim:
A staple remaining amount detecting apparatus in an electric stapler, used in an electric stapler comprising a staple cartridge provided attachably and detachably to and from a magazine portion of a stapler main body for containing sheet-like staples each constituted by connecting a number of staples in a straight form in a sheet-like shape in a stacked state, wherein the staples are guided out to outside of an opening portion of a lower end portion of a front wall of the cartridge main body successively from a lower end portion of the sheet-like staples, comprising: an engaging plate arranged at an upper portion of the cartridge main body and engaged with the sheet-like staple at a topmost portion; and a position detecting mechanism for detecting a position of the engaging plate, wherein a remaining amount of the sheet-like staples is detected based on the detection of the position of the engaging plate by the position detecting mechanism, wherein the position detecting mechanism comprises a plurality of conductors and an output terminal provided at each of the conductors, wherein the engaging plate is provided with an electrode made to be movable along the conductors while being brought into contact with each of the conductors, and wherein the position of the engaging plate is detected based on a value of a voltage measured across the output terminals, and the remaining amount of the sheet-like staples is detected based on the detection of the position of the engaging plate.