Decoloring apparatus and sheet conveyance control method

A sheet conveyance control method in a decoloring apparatus including:

• a first sheet conveying path for guiding a sheet, which is fed from a feeding port, to a discharge port;
• a second sheet conveying path that branches from the first sheet conveying path for guiding the sheet conveyed through the first sheet conveying path to another conveyance destination;
• and a decoloring processing section configured to decolor an image formed with a decolorable colorant on the sheet at a location between the feeding port and a branching point where the second sheet conveying path branches from the first sheet conveying path, the method comprising:
• reading the image on the sheet by an image reading section located between the decoloring processing section and the branching point and configured to read the image on the sheet decolored by the decoloring processing section;
• detecting a leading end and a trailing end of the sheet conveyed through the first sheet conveying path at a location between the feeding port and the decoloring processing section;
• and
• controlling a first flapper so that the destination of the sheet through the first sheet conveying path is the discharge port when the trailing end of the sheet is not detected at the location between the feeding port and the decoloring processing section within a time from when the leading end of the sheet is detected at the location between the feeding port and the decoloring processing section to when the leading end of the sheet arrives at the branching point.

A decoloring apparatus comprising:

• a first sheet conveying path for guiding a sheet, which is fed from a feeding port, to a discharge port;
• a second sheet conveying path that branches from the first sheet conveying path, for guiding the sheet conveyed through the first sheet conveying path to another conveyance destination;
• a decoloring processing section configured to decolor an image formed with a decolorable colorant on the sheet at a location between the feeding port and a branching point where the second sheet conveying path branches from the first sheet conveying path;
• a first flapper configured to switch a destination of the sheet conveyed through the first sheet conveying path to be the discharge port in the first sheet conveying path or the second sheet conveying path;
• an image reading section located between the decoloring processing section and the branching point and configured to read the image on the sheet decolored by the decoloring processing section;
• a sensor located between the feeding port and the decoloring processing section and configured to detect a leading end and a trailing end of the sheet conveyed through the first sheet conveying path;
• and
• a path control section configured to control the first flapper so that the sheet is conveyed to the discharge port if the leading end of the sheet reaches the branching point before the trailing end of the sheet reaches the sensor.