Image reading apparatus

• US 8,314,976 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Maeshima, Toshiyuki, Nishioka, Daiki, Morita, Mitsutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Worku, Negussie
• Application Number:
  US12/617,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20100128327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 358/474, 358/497, 358/498, 358/496, 358/488
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 2205/18 Erasure; Erasable marking; Non-permanent marking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00572 with refeeding for double-sided scanning, e.g. using one scanning head for both sides of a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00578 using at least part of a loop, e.g. using a return loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0058 using at least one dead-end path, e.g. using a sheet ejection path
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00588 to the scanning position H04N1/00572, H04N1/00594 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00591 from the scanning position H04N1/00572 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00602 Feed rollers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00612 Path switches H04N1/00575, H04N1/00623, H04N1/00633 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00615 Guiding elements, e.g. plates
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00864 Modifying the reproduction, e.g. outputting a modified copy of a scanned original details of composing or otherwise geometrically modifying originals H04N1/387
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4446 Hiding of documents or document information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/448 Rendering the image unintelligible, e.g. scrambling

Abstract

An image reading apparatus comprising: an automatic document feeding apparatus which conveying a document that has a part written by pigment that becomes colorless when heated and is loaded in a document tray to a sheet discharge location via a conveying path that passes through a prescribed reading out position; a reading section for obtaining an image information by reading out optically from the document which is conveyed by the automatic document feeding apparatus at the reading out position; a storage section for storing the image information obtained by reading the document in the reading section; and a heating unit for heating the document in a temperature of the pigment becomes colorless on a downstream side of the reading out position while the document passing through the conveying path.

Claims

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:

an automatic document feeding apparatus which conveys a document that has a part written by pigment that becomes colorless when heated and is loaded in a document tray to a sheet discharge location via a conveying path that passes through a prescribed reading out position;

a reading section for obtaining an image information by reading out optically from the document which is conveyed by the automatic document feeding apparatus at the reading out position;

a storage section for storing the image information obtained by reading the document in the reading section;

a heating unit for heating the document to a temperature at which the pigment becomes colorless on a downstream side of the reading out position while the document passes through the conveying path;

a control section which performs a heating and erasing operation which heats the document by the heating unit so that the pigment becomes colorless in sequence with a operation of reading out by the reading section; and

a selection section for receiving a selection of a normal reading out mode for the operation of reading out of the document without the heating and erasing operation, and a reading and erasing mode for the heating and erasing operation in sequence with the operation of reading out the document,

wherein the control section executes, when the selection of the reading and erasing mode has been received via the selection section, the heating and erasing operation in sequence with the operation of reading out the document which is conveyed by the automatic document feeding apparatus by the reading section, and stops, when the selection of the normal reading out mode has been received via the selection section, the heating and erasing operation at the time of the operation of reading out of the document by the reading section conveyed by the automatic document feeding apparatus.

2. The image reading apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a switch back path for turning upside down the document that passed the reading out position and feeding the document again to an upstream side of the reading out position;

the control section which reads out a back surface of the document by passing through the switch back path after reading out a front surface of the document, and for executing the heating and erasing operation of the document after the back surface read out, when both sides reading out of the document was selected.

3. The image reading apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

a shifting part for shifting the heating unit between a sheet surface contacting position at which the heating unit contacts to the document that passes through the conveying path and a sheet surface non-contacting position at which the heating unit is separated from the document.

4. The image reading apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a shifting part for shifting the heating unit between a sheet surface contacting position at which the heating unit contacts to the document that passes through the conveying path and a sheet surface non-contacting position at which the heating unit is separated from the document.

5. An image reading apparatus comprising:

an automatic document feeding apparatus which conveys a document that has a part written by pigment that becomes colorless when heated and is loaded in a document tray to a sheet discharge location via a conveying path that passes through a prescribed reading out position;

a reading section for obtaining an image information by reading out optically from the document which is conveyed by the automatic document feeding apparatus at the reading out position;

a storage section for storing the image information obtained by reading the document in the reading section;

a heating unit for heating the document to a temperature at which the pigment becomes colorless on a downstream side of the reading out position while the document passes through the conveying path;

a control section which performs a heating and erasing operation which heats the document by the heating unit so that the pigment becomes colorless in sequence with a operation of reading out by the reading section; and

a switch back path for turning upside down the document that passed the reading out position and feeding the document again to an upstream side of the reading out position;

the control section which reads out a back surface of the document by passing through the switch back path after reading out a front surface of the document, and for executing the heating and erasing operation of the document after the back surface read out, when both sides reading out of the document was selected.

6. The image reading apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

a shifting part for shifting the heating unit between a sheet surface contacting position at which the heating unit contacts to the document that passes through the conveying path and a sheet surface non-contacting position at which the heating unit is separated from the document.

7. An image reading apparatus comprising:

an automatic document feeding apparatus which conveys a document that has a part written by pigment that becomes colorless when heated and is loaded in a document tray to a sheet discharge location via a conveying path that passes through a prescribed reading out position;

a reading section for obtaining an image information by reading out optically from the document which is conveyed by the automatic document feeding apparatus at the reading out position;

a storage section for storing the image information obtained by reading the document in the reading section;

a heating unit for heating the document to a temperature at which the pigment becomes colorless on a downstream side of the reading out position while the document passes through the conveying path;

a control section which performs a heating and erasing operation which heats the document by the heating unit so that the pigment becomes colorless in sequence with a operation of reading out by the reading section; and

a shifting part for shifting the heating unit between a sheet surface contacting position at which the heating unit contacts to the document that passes through the conveying path and a sheet surface non-contacting position at which the heating unit is separated from the document.