US 9,250,597 B2 · Foreign matter removing apparatus, color erasing apparatus, and foreign matter removing method

Abstract

A foreign matter removing apparatus includes: a removing plate disposed above a recording medium carriage path, a first sensor and a second sensor which interpose the removing plate therebetween at equal distances in a carriage direction of the recording medium and are disposed on both sides of the recording medium carriage direction, a first plate and a second plate which come in contact with each other at a position below the removing plate, and are disposed at positions opposed to the first sensor and the second sensor while interposing the recording medium carriage path therebetween so as to be opened and closed in a direction perpendicular to the recording medium carriage direction, a first driving roller disposed between the first sensor and the removing plate, and a second driving roller disposed between the second sensor and the removing plate.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A foreign matter removing apparatus comprising:

a removing member disposed above a medium path and having an edge;
a nipping plate positioned below the removing member across the medium path, wherein the removing member is moveable relative to the nipping plate so that a gap between the edge of the removing member and the nipping plate can be selectively narrowed to nip a medium when the medium is located at a position between the edge and the nipping plate, the position being determined based on a first medium sensor and a second medium sensor disposed on opposite sides of the removing member along the medium path;
and
a medium conveying mechanism configured to convey the medium along the medium path while the medium is nipped between the edge of the removing member and the nipping plate so that foreign matter is removed from the medium by the edge as the medium is conveyed.

1 more element

A color erasing apparatus comprising:

a medium conveying mechanism configured to convey a medium;
a removing member disposed above a medium path and having an edge;
a nipping plate positioned below the removing member across the medium path, wherein the removing member is moveable relative to the nipping plate so that a gap between the edge of the removing member and the nipping plate can be selectively narrowed to nip a medium when the medium is located at a position between the edge and the nipping plate, the position being determined based on a first medium sensor and a second medium sensor disposed on opposite sides of the removing member along the medium path, the first medium sensor being disposed upstream with respect to the second medium sensor in a medium conveyance direction;
and
a heating device disposed downstream with respect to the second medium sensor in the medium conveyance direction and configured to heat an image on the medium at a color-erasing temperature or higher, wherein
the medium conveying mechanism is further configured to convey the medium along the medium path while the medium is nipped between the edge of the removing member and the nipping plate so that foreign matter is removed from the medium by the edge as the medium is conveyed.

3 more elements

A foreign matter removing method comprising:

nipping a medium between a removing member disposed above a medium path and having an edge and a nipping plate disposed below the medium path, when the medium is located at a position between the edge and the nipping plate, the position being determined based on a first medium sensor and a second medium sensor that are disposed on opposite sides of the removing member along the medium path;
and
conveying the medium while the medium is nipped between the edge of the removing member and the nipping plate so that foreign matter is removed from the medium by the edge as the medium is conveyed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Foreign matter removing apparatus, color erasing apparatus, and foreign matter removing method

Life of this patent

Foreign matter removing apparatus, color erasing apparatus, and foreign matter removing method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20