METHOD FOR COLOR ERASING PROCESS AND COLOR ERASING DEVICE

• US 20140045685A1
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: IGUCHI, KEN, Yahata, Isao, Kawaguchi, Takahiro, Sugizaki, Yoshiaki, Mizutani, Kikuo, Taki, Hiroyuki, Iizuka, Chiaki, Yokochi, Hidetoshi, Oshiro, Toshiaki, Hazu, Hiroyuki, Yamaguchi, Yoichi, Sugiyama, Hiroyuki, Saito, Yuichi, Tsuchihashi, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,922,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 503/201
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/32 using thermal heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/37 Writing and erasing thermal head
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/282 using thermochromic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0009 Obliterating the printed matter; Non-destructive removal of the ink pattern, e.g. for repetitive use of the support
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/009 using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a method for color erasing process includes the steps of: supplying a power to a heat source configured to heat a sheet having an image formed thereon using a color erasable material so as to cause heat generation as warming-up control; stopping the power supply to the heat source for a predetermined period of time in the warming-up control if the temperature of the heat source is increased starting from a temperature lower than a predetermined reference value that is lower than a color erasing temperature of the color erasable material and exceeds the predetermined reference value; performing maintenance control that is power supply control to maintain the temperature of the heat source at the target temperature; and performing, after the passage of the predetermined period of time, a color erasing process by the heat source.

Claims

1. A method for color erasing process, comprising:

supplying a power to a heat source configured to heat a sheet having an image formed thereon using a color erasable material to be color erased by heat;

causing the heat source to generate heat by supplying the power;

stopping the power supply to the heat source for a predetermined period of time if the temperature of the heat source exceeds a predetermined reference value that is lower than a color erasing temperature of the color erasable material; and

performing, after a passage of the predetermined period of time, maintenance control that is power supply control to maintain the temperature of the heat source at a target temperature set as a temperature used during the color erasing process.

2. The method for color erasing process according to claim 1, wherein whether or not the temperature of the heat source is lower than the predetermined reference value is determined before starting the power supply to the heat source, and

if the temperature of the heat source is lower than the predetermined reference value, the power supply to the heat source is started.

3. The method for color erasing process according to claim 2, wherein if the temperature of the heat source before starting the power supply to the heat source is greater than or equal to the predetermined reference value, the maintenance control to maintain the temperature of the heat source at the target temperature is performed without stopping the power supply to the heat source for the predetermined period of time.

4. The method for color erasing process according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance control to maintain the temperature of the heat source at the target temperature is control such that a power is supplied to the heat source if the temperature of the heat source is decreased below a first temperature that is higher than the predetermined reference value, and the power supply to the heat source is stopped if the temperature of the heat source exceeds a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature.

5. The method for color erasing process according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time corresponds to a period between a point in time when the power supply is stopped and a point in time when an increasing rate of the temperature of the heat source starts to decrease.

6. The method for color erasing process according to claim 1, wherein the heat source is a heater of a film shape having a heat capacity smaller than that of an element configured to detect the temperature of the heat source.

7. The method for color erasing process according to claim 4, wherein a setting screen configured to set at least any one temperature of the first temperature, the second temperature, and the predetermined reference value is displayed, and

the at least any one temperature can be set by an input to the setting screen.

8. The method for color erasing process according to claim 4, wherein if an implementation status of the color erasing process satisfies a predetermined condition, both the first temperature and the second temperature are then lowered.

9. The method for color erasing process according to claim 8, wherein if an amount of time during which the color erasing process is being continuously performed exceeds a predetermined amount of time, both the first temperature and the second temperature are then lowered.

10. The method for color erasing process according to claim 8, wherein if the number of sheets continuously subjected to the color erasing process exceeds a predetermined number, both the first temperature and the second temperature are then lowered.

11. A color erasing device comprising:

a heat source configured to heat a sheet having an image formed thereon using a color erasable material to be color erased by heat;

a temperature detecting section configured to detect a temperature of the heat source;

a heat source controller configured to supply a power to the heat, to stop the power supply to the heat source for a predetermined period of time if the temperature of the heat source detected by the temperature detecting section exceeds a predetermined reference value that is lower than a color erasing temperature of the color erasable, and to perform, after a passage of the predetermined period of time, maintenance control that is power supply control to maintain the temperature of the heat source at a target temperature set as a temperature used during a color erasing process; and

a sheet feeding section configured to feed a sheet to the heat source for a color erasing process after the passage of the predetermined period of time.

12. The color erasing device according to claim 11, wherein the heat source controller determines whether or not the temperature of the heat source is lower than the predetermined reference value before starting the power supply to the heat source, and if the temperature of the heat source is lower than the predetermined reference value, the power supply to the heat source is started.

13. The color erasing device according to claim 12, wherein the heat source controller performs the maintenance control to maintain the temperature of the heat source at the target temperature without stopping the power supply to the heat source for the predetermined period of time if the temperature of the heat source before starting the power supply to the heat source is greater than or equal to the predetermined reference value.

14. The color erasing device according to claim 11, wherein the maintenance control to maintain the temperature of the heat source at the target temperature is control such that a power is supplied to the heat source if the temperature of the heat source is decreased below a first temperature that is higher than the predetermined reference value, and the power supply to the heat source is stopped if the temperature of the heat source exceeds a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature.

15. The color erasing device according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined period of time corresponds to a period between a point in time when the power supply is stopped and a point in time when an increasing rate of the temperature of the heat source starts to decrease.

16. The color erasing device according to claim 11, wherein the heat source is a heater of a film shape having a heat capacity smaller than that of an element configured to detect the temperature of the heat source.

17. The color erasing device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a display controller configured to allow display of a setting screen to set at least any one temperature of the first temperature, the second temperature, and the predetermined reference value; and

a heat source control reference value setting section configured to set the at least any one temperature on the basis of an input to the setting screen.

18. The color erasing device according to claim 14, wherein if an implementation status of the color erasing process satisfies a predetermined condition, the heat source controller then lowers both the first temperature and the second temperature.

19. The color erasing device according to claim 18, wherein if an amount of time during which the color erasing process is being continuously performed exceeds a predetermined amount of time, the heat source controller then lowers both the first temperature and the second temperature.

20. The color erasing device according to claim 18, wherein if the number of sheets continuously subjected to the color erasing process exceeds a predetermined number, the heat source controller then lowers both the first temperature and the second temperature.