# US 10,118,428 B2 · Decoloring apparatus and method

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- Number: US 10,118,428 B2
- Document ID: US10118428B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/253,422
- Filed: 2016-08-31
- Published: 2016-12-22
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-29
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Ken Iguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118428B2

## CPC

- B41M 7/0009: {Obliterating the printed matter; Non-destructive removal of the ink pattern, e.g. for repetitive use of the support}
- B41J 2/32: using thermal heads
- B41J 2/4753: {using thermosensitive substrates, e.g. paper}
- B41J 29/26: Devices, non-fluid media or methods for cancelling, correcting errors, underscoring or ruling
- B41J 29/36: for cancelling or correcting errors by overprinting
- B41M 7/009: {using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat}
- G03G 15/2064: {combined with pressure}
- G03G 15/602: {for transporting}
- G03G 15/6529: {Transporting (G03G15/6555 takes precedence)}
- G03G 15/6585: {by using non-standard toners, e.g. transparent toner, gloss adding devices}
- G03G 21/00: Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
- H04N 1/00: Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
- H04N 1/00822: {Selecting or setting a particular reading mode, e.g. from amongst a plurality of modes, simplex or duplex, or high or low resolution}
- B41J 2002/4756: {Erasing by radiation}
- B41J 2202/37: Writing and erasing thermal head
- G03G 15/6582: {Special processing for irreversibly adding or changing the sheet copy material characteristics or its appearance, e.g. stamping, annotation printing, punching}
- H04N 2201/212: Selecting different recording or reproducing modes, e.g. high or low resolution, field or frame
- H04N 2201/33328: Resolution
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A decoloring apparatus includes a sheet conveying unit, a scanner, a decoloring unit, and a controller. The decoloring unit decolors the image on the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveying unit. The decoloring unit is positioned downstream of the scanner in a sheet conveying direction. A distance along the sheet conveying direction between the scanner and the decoloring unit is shorter than a length of a first predetermined sheet size and longer than a length of a second predetermined sheet size. A controller determines whether the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying unit is the first predetermined sheet size or the second predetermined sheet size. The controller performs a mode limiting process if the sheet size is determined to be the first predetermined sheet size.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A decoloring apparatus, comprising:
a sheet conveying unit;
a scanner configured to scan an image on a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying unit;
a decoloring unit configured to decolor the image on the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveying unit, wherein the decoloring unit is positioned downstream of the scanner in a sheet conveying direction, and a distance along the sheet conveying direction between the scanner and the decoloring unit is shorter than a length of a first predetermined sheet size and longer than a length of a second predetermined sheet size;
a user interface that includes a sheet size setting section configured to receive an input for setting a size of the sheet to be conveyed by the conveying unit; and
a controller configured to:
determine whether the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying unit is the first predetermined sheet size or the second predetermined sheet size based on the input received in the sheet size setting section, and
perform a mode limiting process if the sheet size is determined to be the first predetermined sheet size, wherein the mode limiting process is a processing which prevents:
scanning the image at a resolution higher than a predetermined resolution, or
if a resolution higher than the predetermined resolution is already set for scanning the image, decoloring the image.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The decoloring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to not perform the mode limiting process if the sheet size is determined to be the second predetermined sheet size.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The decoloring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a user interface including:
a resolution setting section configured to receive an input for setting a resolution for scanning the image with the scanner, and
a processing mode setting section having a first section configured to receive a selection of scanning with the scanner, and a second section configured to receive a selection of decoloring of the image with the decoloring unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The decoloring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to perform the mode limiting process to control the processing mode setting section to disable selection in the second section if the resolution setting section has received an input to set the resolution of the image higher than a predetermined resolution.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The decoloring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control the resolution setting section to disable any input that sets the resolution for scanning the image higher than the predetermined resolution if the processing mode setting section has received the selection to instruct the execution of decoloring of the image.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The decoloring apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the controller is configured to perform the mode limiting process to control the processing mode setting section to disable the selection of the second section if the resolution setting section has received an input to set the resolution of the image higher than a predetermined resolution, and
control the resolution setting section to disable input for setting the resolution higher than the predetermined resolution if the processing mode setting section has received the selection to instruct the execution of decoloring of the image.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The decoloring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the resolution setting section and the mode processing setting section are simultaneously displayed on the display unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The decoloring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a sheet size of the sheet to be conveyed by the sheet conveying unit,
wherein the controller determines whether the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying unit is the first predetermined sheet size or the second predetermined sheet size based on the sheet size detected by the sensor.