JP5611175B2 - Erase device - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to an erasing apparatus for erasing the color of an image formed on a sheet and a method for controlling the erasing apparatus.

  As a method for reusing printed paper, an erasing device has been proposed in which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus using toner or ink containing leuco dye, and the image on the sheet is erased using heat or the like. Yes.

For example, an ink that develops a color by a chemical reaction between a color former and a developer at a room temperature of 40 ° C. or lower, disintegrates its chemical bond at 100 ° C. or higher, and becomes colorless by a chemical bond between the developer and the decolorizer. An ink jet printer using the ink, and an ink jet printer provided with a heating mechanism for decoloring are known.

Further, it is known that a copying machine that prints an image with a decoloring toner using a leuco dye, and an image on a sheet using the toner are decolored by a heating device.

JP 2001-302954 A JP 2010-191430 A

  The erasing unit of the erasing apparatus erases the color of the image on the sheet by heating the conveyed sheet at a constant temperature. Although the color of the image on the sheet is erased, there is a transparent toner on the sheet, so if you repeat printing and erasing on the same sheet, the physical or chemical properties of the sheet will change. End up. In such a state, when the sheet is always heated at a constant temperature, the erasing may be insufficient when the number of times the sheet is reused or decolored increases.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a decoloring apparatus and a decoloring apparatus control method that suppress the remaining decoloring of an image in sheet reuse.

To achieve the above object, a transport member for transporting a sheet, a reading section reads the number of the formed image was decolored prior SL sheets, to transmit heat to the sheet by contact, formed on the sheet In accordance with an increase in the number of times of erasing the image formed on the sheet read by the reading unit, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the erasing unit , The heating temperature of the decoloring part is set high , and if the temperature sensor detects that the decoloring part has reached a predetermined temperature, control is performed so that the sheet is conveyed to the decoloring part by the conveying member. A control unit.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a decoloring apparatus according to an embodiment. Schematic explanatory drawing of the sheet | seat which has the mark which shows the decoloring frequency of embodiment. The block diagram explaining the hardware constitutions of the erasing apparatus shown in FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the decoloring apparatus according to the first embodiment. 9 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the decoloring apparatus according to the second embodiment. The schematic block diagram of the conveyance member of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a decoloring apparatus according to the present embodiment. The color erasing apparatus 10 uses a color erasing colorant for a sheet P (paper, OHP film, etc.) on which an image is formed with a “color erasing colorant” such as a color erasing toner or a color erasing ink. A “decoloring process” is performed to erase the color of the image (hereinafter simply referred to as a recording material). For example, a decolorizable toner or decolorable ink as a recording material has a leuco dye. The decoloring apparatus 10 includes a paper feed tray 20, a conveyance member 30, a reading unit 40, a decoloring unit 60, a recording unit 70, a paper conveyance path 81, a paper discharge tray 82, an operation unit 90, and a display unit 91.

  The sheet feed tray 20 is loaded with sheets P printed by a recording material and reused. The sheet feed tray 20 stacks sheets of various sizes such as A4, A3, and B5. The sheet P stacked on the sheet feed tray 20 is a sheet on which an image is formed with a recording material that is erased by heating to a predetermined temperature or higher such as 100 ° C., for example.

  The conveyance member 30 includes a paper feed roller 31, a conveyance roller 32, a separation roller 33, a registration roller 50, a paper discharge roller 80, and the like. The sheets P on the paper feed tray 20 are conveyed one by one along the conveyance path 81, The image is conveyed to the reading unit 40, the erasing unit 60, the recording unit 70, and the paper discharge tray 82. The sheet feeding roller 31, the registration roller 50, and the like convey the sheet P to the reading unit 40 and the erasing unit 60 based on an instruction from the control unit 100. A sheet sensor 51 that detects the sheet is disposed in front of the registration roller.

  The reading unit 40 includes a reading unit such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) scanner or a CMOS sensor, for example. In the present embodiment, the reading unit 40 reads the marks or images on the first surface and the second surface of the conveyed sheet P. That is, the reading unit 40 enables double-sided reading of the mark or image of the conveyed sheet P. The mark or image read by the reading unit 40 is stored in the storage unit 105 described later. For example, when the image on the sheet read by the reading unit 40 before the color erasing process is digitized and stored in the storage unit, the data of the image that has been erased later is needed. Can be acquired. Further, the control unit 100 to be described later determines how many times or how many times the sheet printed with the erasable recording material has been decolored based on the mark read by the reading unit 40 or has been printed. Judging.

  The erasing unit 60 includes an IH coil 61, a metal roller 62, a temperature sensor 63, and a roller 64. Instead of the metal roller 62, a metal belt may be used. For example, the decoloring part 60 induction-heats the metal roller 62 with an IH coil. The conveyed sheet P is brought into contact with the metal roller 62 heated to a predetermined temperature, and the recording material on the sheet is heated to a predetermined decoloring temperature, thereby decoloring the color of the image formed on the sheet. The decoloring unit 60 has a temperature sensor 63 that detects the surface temperature of the metal roller 62, and the control unit 100 controls the current or voltage applied to the IH coil based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 63, and the metal roller 62 is maintained and controlled at a predetermined temperature. The temperature sensor 63 may be a contact type or a non-contact type.

In the erasing unit 60 according to the present embodiment, the IH coil 61 is arranged on one side of the sheet, but the IH coil is arranged on both sides of the sheet with the conveyance path sandwiched so that both sides of the sheet can be heated simultaneously. You may do it.

  The recording unit 70 includes an inkjet head and is arranged in a direction (sheet width direction) orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction. The ink jet head records (prints) the mark M at a predetermined position on the sheet P as shown in FIG. This mark M indicates the number of times the sheet printed with the erasable recording material has been erased or how many times the sheet has been erased. Note that an inkjet head is used in this embodiment mode, but an electrophotographic printing apparatus or a thermal printing apparatus may be used.

  The conveyance path 81 guides the sheet P from the paper feed tray 20 to the paper discharge tray 82 via the reading unit 40, the erasing unit 60, and the recording unit 70. Further, a sensor (not shown) is arranged in the conveyance path 81 and is used for the conveyance timing of the sheet in the conveyance path. The sensor may be, for example, a microsensor or a microactuator.

The paper discharge roller 80 discharges the sheet P on which the image formed of the recording material is erased and the mark M is recorded by the recording unit 70 to the paper discharge tray 82.
The paper discharge tray 82 is formed by the main body cover of the erasing apparatus 10 and stacks the sheets P discharged by the paper discharge roller 80.

  The operation unit 90 has a key for starting an image erasing process of the image of the sheet P, and may be a hard key or a soft key.

  The display unit 91 displays setting information, operation status, log information, or a message to the user described later.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view of the sheet P having the mark M recorded by the recording unit 70, and shows a state where the sheet P is discharged from the erasing apparatus 10. When an image is printed by another image forming apparatus using the sheet and the erasable recording material, an image is formed on the sheet of FIG.

  The mark M in FIG. 2 indicates how many times the sheet P printed with the erasable recording material has been erased or how many times it has been printed. For example, the mark M to be recorded represents the number of decoloring times as the number of blocks, but a bar code, a number, or the like may be used.

  Further, as a recording material used in the recording unit 70, a decolorable toner or ink may be used to erase a mark recorded in the past once and newly record the mark again.

  In addition, when using non-decolorable toner or ink, the number of times of decoloration is expressed as the number of blocks, and an additional block is recorded each time the color is erased, or the recorded mark is filled and a new mark is added at a different position. It may be recorded. In that case, it is more effective to analyze or recognize the mark read by the reading unit 40 using recognition software or the like.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the erasing apparatus. The decoloring apparatus 10 includes a control unit 100, a storage unit 105, a detection unit 106, a reading unit 40, a decoloring unit 60, a recording unit 70, a conveying member 30, an operation unit 90, and a display unit 91. Have.

  The control unit 100 includes a processor 101 composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), and a memory 102. The control unit 100 controls the conveying member 30, the reading unit 40, the decoloring unit 60, the recording unit 70, the display unit 91, and the like. The memory 102 is, for example, a semiconductor memory, and includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 103 that stores various control programs, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 104 that provides a temporary work area to the processor 101. For example, the ROM 103 stores a sheet reuse count or a decoloring count threshold for switching the heating temperature of the decoloring section 60, a program for controlling the heating temperature of the decoloring section, a program for controlling the speed of the conveying member, and the like. . The RAM 104 may temporarily store the mark M data read by the reading unit 40. Each component of the erasing apparatus 10 is connected via a bus 108.

  The conveyance member includes a paper feed roller 31, a conveyance roller 32, a separation roller 33, a registration roller 50, a paper discharge roller 80, and the like, and is driven and controlled based on a command from the control unit 100.

  The control unit 100 controls the conveying member 30, the reading unit 40, the erasing unit 60, the recording unit 70, and other configurations based on pressing of the start key of the operation unit 90. For example, the control unit 100 drives the transport member 30 based on pressing of the start key. Based on the mark read by the reading unit 40, the control unit 100 determines the number of reuses or the number of decoloring as the decolored state, and sets the heating temperature of the decoloring unit 60. The control unit 100 determines the number of times of decoloring of the sheet P based on the mark read by the reading unit 40 and causes the recording unit 70 to record the mark.

  The control unit 100 controls each component inside the apparatus based on the signal from the detection unit 106. The detection unit 106 includes the sheet sensor 51, the temperature sensor 63, and the like illustrated in FIG.

  Based on the signal from the sheet sensor 51, the control unit 100 determines that the sheet P exists near the registration roller 50. In addition, the control unit 100 detects the temperature of the metal roller of the decoloring unit 60 using the temperature sensor 63 and controls the temperature of the decoloring unit by controlling the current or voltage applied to the IH coil 61. Further, the control unit 100 uses the sheet sensor 51 to grasp the position of the sheet in the conveyance path 81. For example, the control unit 100 uses the sheet sensor 51 to detect whether the sheet P has passed the registration roller 50.

  The storage unit 105 stores application programs and an OS. The application program includes a program that executes a function of the erasing apparatus such as a reading function by the reading unit 40 and a erasing function of the erasing unit. The application program further includes an application for a Web client (Web browser) and other applications. The storage unit 105 stores the mark or image read by the reading unit 40. The storage unit 105 may be, for example, a hard disk drive or other magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, a semiconductor storage device such as a flash memory, or any combination thereof.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the erasing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

  The paper feed tray 20 stores sheets P that have already been printed with a recording material. When the start key of the operation unit 90 is pressed, in ACT 200, the paper feed roller 31 takes out the sheet P from the paper feed tray 20 and conveys the sheet P in the direction of the registration roller 50.

  In ACT 201, the reading unit 40 reads the mark M on the sheet P conveyed from the paper feed roller 31 toward the registration roller 50.

  For example, each time the color is erased, a mark M in a block format as shown in FIG. 2 is recorded on the sheet P. Based on the number of blocks read by the reading unit 40, the number of times of decoloration n of the sheet P is determined in ACT202. Is judged. For example, if the number of blocks of the mark M is two, the number of times of decoloring the sheet P is determined to be two.

  From the reading result, when the number of decoloring n is 3 or less (No in ACT202), the control unit 100 controls the heating temperature of the decoloring unit 60 to T1 in ACT203. When the detected temperature of the decoloring section 60 reaches T1 in ACT 204, the registration roller 50 is driven in ACT 205 and the sheet P is conveyed to the decoloring section 60. In ACT 206, the recording unit 70 records a mark obtained by adding 1 to the decoloring number n read by the reading unit 40 on the sheet P with respect to the sheet P that has passed through the decoloring unit 60. For example, if the number of decolorizations read by the reading unit 40 is two, the recording unit 70 records marks on the sheet P so that the number of decolorizations is three. For example, in FIG. 2, one additional block is recorded.

  From the reading result of the reading unit, when the number of decoloring n is larger than 3 (Yes in ACT202), the process proceeds to ACT207, and the control unit 100 determines whether the number of decoloring is less than 8. When the number of decoloring times is less than 8 (Yes in ACT 207), in ACT 208, the control unit 100 controls the heating temperature of the decoloring unit 60 to T2 (> T1). When the detected temperature of the color erasing unit 60 reaches T2 in ACT 209, the registration roller 50 is driven in ACT 210 to convey the sheet P to the color erasing unit 60. In ACT 206, the recording unit records a mark obtained by adding 1 to the number of decoloring times n read by the reading unit 40 on the sheet P with respect to the sheet P that has passed through the decoloring unit 60. Note that the sheet conveyance speeds in ACT 205 and ACT 210 are the same. That is, the conveyance speed of the sheet passing through the erasing unit 60 is the same.

  In ACT 203 and ACT 208 of the present embodiment, the heating temperature of the decoloring section 60 is changed. In the color erasing process, even if the image on the sheet P is erased, the color erasable toner or ink as a recording material becomes transparent and remains on the sheet P. Toner or ink is laminated or deposited on the sheet P. Accordingly, since the thermal conductivity and heat storage property of the entire sheet change in proportion to the number of color erasures, the color erasing unit 60 according to the number of color erasures so as to give sufficient heat to an uncolored image (toner or ink). It is necessary to increase the heating temperature. In the present embodiment, by changing the temperature of the decoloring part in accordance with the number of decoloring times, the contents of the decolored image are suppressed from remaining visually.

  From the reading result of the reading unit, when the number of decolorizations n is 8 or more (No in ACT 207), the control unit 100 turns off the heating control of the decoloring unit 60 in ACT 211 and drives the registration roller 50 in ACT 212. To do. In ACT 213, the recording unit 70 records on the sheet P that “not reusable”. Further, in ACT 214, the control unit 100 displays “not reusable” on the display unit 91. When the number of decolorization increases, the image of the sheet becomes difficult to be decolored due to the accumulation of the recording material. If the heating temperature of the decolored portion is increased more than necessary, the sheet may be discolored. Therefore, it is preferable to set the upper limit value of the number of times of decoloring in consideration of the characteristics of the sheet. In the present embodiment, the upper limit value is set to 8 times, but the present invention is not limited to this.

(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the heating temperature of the decoloring part is switched according to the number of times of decoloring. However, in the second embodiment, the heating temperature of the decoloring part is not switched and the sheet conveyance speed is erased. Switch according to the number of colors. Since the amount of heat stored in the sheet is changed by switching the sheet conveyance speed, it has the same effect as the switching of the heating temperature of the color erasing unit for the color erasing of the sheet image. In the following, the same reference numerals are given to the same portions as the respective portions of the decoloring apparatus of the above-described embodiment, and the characteristic portions of the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the decoloring apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

  The process up to ACT 202 in FIG. 5 is the same as that in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment. When the number of decolorization n is 3 or less (No in ACT 202) in ACT 202, the control unit 100 in ACT 203 The heating temperature of 60 is controlled to T1. When the detected temperature of the erasing unit 60 reaches T1 in ACT 204, the registration roller 50 is driven at a speed S1 in ACT 301, and the sheet P is conveyed to the erasing unit 60. With respect to the sheet P that has passed the erasing unit 60 at the speed S1, the recording unit 70 in ACT 206 records a mark obtained by adding 1 to the erasing number n read by the reading unit 40 on the sheet P.

  In ACT202 of FIG. 5, when the number of decoloring n is larger than 3 (Yes in ACT202), the process proceeds to ACT207, and the control unit 100 determines whether the number of decoloring is less than 8. When the number of decoloring times is less than 8 (Yes in ACT 207), the control unit 100 controls the heating temperature of the decoloring unit 60 to T1 in ACT 208. When the detected temperature of the color erasing unit 60 reaches T1 in ACT 209, the registration roller 50 is driven at a speed S2 (<S1) in ACT 302, and the sheet P is conveyed to the color erasing unit 60. With respect to the sheet P that has passed the erasing unit 60 at the speed S2, the recording unit 70 in ACT 206 records a mark obtained by adding 1 to the erasing number n read by the reading unit 40 on the sheet P. The speed S2 is lower than the speed S1. The decolorable toner remains on the sheet with the number of decoloring times, and the thermal conductivity and heat storage amount of the entire sheet changes, making it difficult to decolorize, but the amount of heat storage on the sheet can be reduced by reducing the sheet conveyance speed. Therefore, the color can be sufficiently erased.

  The ACT 211 and subsequent steps in FIG. 5 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  Since the amount of the recording material remaining on the sheet P increases according to the number of times of decoloring, the frictional resistance on the sheet surface decreases, and the sheet P and the roller easily slip during sheet conveyance. Therefore, it is preferable to increase the pressure of the roller against the sheet P according to the number of times of decoloring.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 6, one end of a spring 402 is engaged with a support member 401 that rotatably supports the paper feed roller 31 to press the paper feed roller 31 toward the sheet P side (downward). A solenoid 403 is engaged with the other end of the spring 402, and when the solenoid 403 is driven, the movable member 404 of the solenoid 403 moves in the direction of the arrow (downward), so that the paper feed roller 31 is further pressed toward the sheet P side. . As a result, the pressing force of the sheet feeding roller 31 against the sheet P can be increased. For example, when the number of times of decoloring is 4 or more, the control unit 100 drives the solenoid 403 that is a part of the conveying member 30. As a result, the pressing force of the sheet feeding roller 31 against the sheet increases compared to when the number of decoloring times is 3 or less, and it is possible to eliminate the slippage between the roller and the sheet P during sheet feeding. In this case, if the reading unit 40 is arranged at a position where the mark M on the sheet P can be read in a state where the sheet P is stacked on the sheet feeding tray 20, the number of decoloring times can be determined before feeding, and the sheet feeding roller It is possible to smoothly switch 31 pressing force.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

10 Decoloring device P Sheet M Mark 30 Conveying member 31 Feed roller 40 Reading unit 50 Registration roller 60 Decoloring unit 70 Recording unit 91 Display unit 100 Control unit 106 Detection unit 403 Solenoid

Claims (7)

A conveying member for conveying the sheet;
The image formed on the front Symbol sheet and reading section reads the number of times the decoloration,
A color erasing unit for transferring heat to the sheet by contact and erasing the image formed on the sheet;
A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the decoloring part;
In response to an increase in the number of times the image formed on the sheet read by the reading unit is decolored, the heating temperature of the decoloring unit is set high, and the decoloring unit has reached a predetermined temperature. If the temperature sensor detects, a control unit that controls to convey the sheet to the decoloring unit by the conveying member;
A decoloring device comprising: A conveying member for conveying the sheet;
A reading section reads the number of times to print the image formed on the front Stories sheet,
A color erasing unit for transferring heat to the sheet by contact and erasing the image formed on the sheet;
A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the decoloring part;
The heating temperature of the decoloring part is set high in accordance with an increase in the number of times the image formed on the sheet read by the reading unit is printed, and the temperature indicating that the decoloring part has reached a predetermined temperature. If the sensor detects, a control unit that controls to convey the sheet to the decoloring unit by the conveying member;
A decoloring device comprising: The conveying member has a roller upstream from the erasing unit,
The said control part performs the control which drives the said roller and conveys the said sheet | seat to the said decoloring part, if the heating temperature of the said decoloring part is set to predetermined temperature. Item 3. The decoloring apparatus according to any one of Items 2 above. The transport member includes a paper feed member that feeds the stacked sheets,
The erasing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit switches a pressing force of the sheet feeding member on the sheet according to a reading result of the reading unit. .   The erasing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a recording unit that records, on the sheet, the number of times that the image formed on the sheet has been erased according to a reading result of the reading unit.   The erasing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a recording unit that records the number of times an image formed on the sheet is printed on the sheet according to a reading result of the reading unit.   The erasing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the recording unit records that the sheet is at a decoloring limit.

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