Indian Patents
Title of Invention

IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS
Abstract A disclosed image formation apparatus includes: a manual paper feed unit supplying a recording material; an image formation unit receiving the recording material from the manual paper feed unit; an image removal device removing an image recorded on the recording material; an installation unit detachably installing the image removal device on the image formation apparatus; and a switching unit switching whether the recording material fed from the manual paper feed unit is supplied to the image removal device installed using the installation unit or to the image formation unit.
Full Text 1
DESCRIPTION
IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an image formation
apparatus such as a copier, printer, facsimile machine,
multi-function device, and more particularly to an image formation
apparatus provided with a function of removing an image from a
recording material where the image is formed after image
information on the recording material is used.
BACKGROUND ART
With the spread of printers, analog copying machines,
digital copying machines, printers, and the like employing
electrophotography, ink-jet recording methods, and thermal
transfer recording methods, a large amount of paper has been
consumed. Paper generally used as recording materials is made
from pulp gained from wood as recyclable resources. In a process
for manufacturing paper, a lot of energy is consumed so as to
extract cellulose fiber from wood in a pulping process and to dry
paper in a papermaking step.
Although destructive lumbering for manufacturing
paper has been reduced because of growing awareness of
environmental issues, all paper is not made from wood logged from

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managed forests, so that it is an important social issue to prevent
further deterioration of the global environment by protecting
forests through control on paper consumption.
Further, because paper contains inorganic components
which are noncombustible and imputrescible, when paper is disposed
of, waste requiring landfilling is generated at a certain rate.
However, it has become difficult to find waste landfill sites,
so that the control on paper consumption is an important social
issue also in this point of view.
In order to deal with these problems, in conventional
methods, when paper on which information is recorded is no longer
necessary, such paper is collected and dissolved into pulp at paper
factories for recycling. Although these methods require no wood
resources any further, substantially the same energy is consumed
for transportation for collection, re-pulping, and
re-papermaking as in a case where paper is manufactured from fresh
pulp. Moreover, paper made from recycled pulp has quality
problems such as reduced rigidity and whiteness, bleeding upon
printing, and the like, so that a mix rate of recycled pulp in
high-quality paper conventionally used as paper for recording
information must be limited to about 30%. Further, upon
collecting and recycling paper as recording materials on which
information is recorded, paper on which information is recorded
is circulated outside companies and outside homes which are
uncontrolled areas, so that this poses problems in terms of

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confidentiality maintenance and privacy protection.
In recent years, management of information such as
personal information has been strictly required, and it is desired
that recording materials having information be not distributed
outside each of information control areas including rooms, floors,
divisions, buildings, offices, and the like.
As a method for resolving the above-mentioned
problems, there have been proposed a method and a device for
removing an image on a recording material that has been used so
as to reuse the recording material. For example, as a method for
removing a formed image on a recording material by transferring
the image to an image peeling member, Patent Document 1 discloses
a method and a device in which paper on which an image is formed
by electrophotography is impregnated with liquid containing water,
the paper and the image peeling member are brought into pressure
contact in a heated status while adhesion between the paper to
be used as a recording material and an image forming substance
is reduced, and the image forming substance having
thermoplasticity is separated and removed from the paper.
Patent Document 2 discloses a recording material
having a mold release agent on a surface having a sheet-like shape,
in which a mark is attached so as to discriminate from regular
paper. Patent Document 3 discloses a device in which an endless
belt having heat-melting resin on a surface thereof is used and
an image formed on a recording material processed using release

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agent is separated and removed by thermal transfer. Patent
Documents 4 and 5 disclose a method and a device in which an image
on a recording material is removed by abrading and polishing the
image using a grinding stone, a rubber roller, and the like so
as to reuse the recording material on which the image is formed
by electrophotography.
Other than the above-mentioned methods, there have
been proposed various types of methods for removing or eliminating
color of images. However, in any of these methods, applicable
image forming substances, recording materials, image formation
processes are limited when images are desired to be completely
removed. Thus, when a recording material on which an image is
formed by various types of image formation apparatuses is mixed
in an image removal device, or various types of recording materials
are mixed in the image removal device, depending on combinations
other than specific combinations, levels of removal and color
elimination of images are reduced, so that image information
remaining after an image removal process may be readable or a
number of times allowed for repeatedly using the recording
materials may be reduced.
Patent Documents 5, 6, and 7 disclose examples of
using the image formation apparatus and the image removal device
integrally or in combination. In these Patent Documents, images
are recorded on recording materials immediately after the image
forming substances are removed by the image removal device from

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the recording materials.
As disclosed in these Patent Documents, by using the
image formation apparatus and the image removal device integrally
or in a connected manner, the necessity of setting again the
recording materials in the image formation apparatus is eliminated.
However, it is not possible to prevent mixing of recording
materials other than those having an image formed by a specific
image formation apparatus.
In Patent Document 8, the applicant proposed an image
formation and removal system in which only a specific recording
material on which an image is formed in a specific image formation
process by a specific image formation apparatus is subjected to
an image removal process, so that image forming substances on the
recording material are securely removed and it is possible to
prevent generation of jam and the like resulting from failure of
separation of the recording material and an image peeling member
which may be occurred in a process for removing the image forming
substances.
However, even when the image formation apparatus and
the image removal device are integrated, few proposal to
sufficiently utilize characteristics of the integrated image
formation apparatus and the image removal device has been made.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application No. 7-56472
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent

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Application No. 4-67043.
Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application No. 4-64472
Patent Document 4: Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application No. 4-234056.
Patent Document 5: Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application No. 6-89068.
Patent Document 6: Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application No. 10-171318.
Patent Document 7: Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application No. 7-175384
Patent Document 8: Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application No. 2005-128046,
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to
provide an improved and useful image formation apparatus in which
the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is
to provide an image formation apparatus that has a reduced number
of components, reduced environmental load, and is capable of
removing images at low cost. Paper conventionally used for image
formation is commercially available at a relatively low price,
so that when an image removal function is provided to the image
formation apparatus, by reusing a recording material, preferably,

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a cost becomes lower than purchasing new paper. Thus, the image
formation apparatus to which the image removal function is
provided is required to have a practical functionality and a simple
structure.
Another specific object of the present invention is
to provide an image formation apparatus capable of quickly-
removing image information before such information is read by
someone who is not supposed to know. In other words, another
specific object of the present invention is to provide a function
of removing important confidential information from the recording
material preferentially over other information and making it
possible to confirm the removal of the confidential information
recorded on the recording material.
Another specific object of the present invention is
to reduce defects generated when an image formation apparatus and
an image removal device are integrated or when both devices are
combined as a unit. In other words, another specific object of
the present invention is to prevent consumption of excessive
electric power resulting from operation of both devices at the
same time. In order to obtain merits generated when the image
formation apparatus and the image removal device are integrated
or when both devices are combined as a unit, functions common to
both devices are preferably obtained by operating parts common
to both devices as much as possible so as to simplify structures
of both devices. In view of this, another specific object of the

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present invention is to prevent generation of trouble upon
performing functions using the common parts and obtain functions
preferable for users.
Another specific object of the present invention is
to prevent generation of trouble such as residual images remaining
after an image removal process, generation of jam, and the like.
Another specific object of the present invention is
to provide an image formation apparatus detachably including an
image removal device in accordance with user preference.
According to one aspect of the present invention,
there is provided an image formation apparatus comprising: a
manual paper feed unit supplying a recording material; an image
formation unit receiving the recording material from the manual
paper feed unit; an image removal device removing an image recorded
on the recording material; an installation unit detachably
installing the image removal device on the image formation
apparatus; and a switching unit switching whether the recording
material fed from the manual paper feed unit is supplied to the
image removal device installed using the installation unit or to
the image formation unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
there is provided an image formation apparatus comprising: a
manual paper feed unit supplying a recording material; an image
formation unit receiving the recording material from the manual
paper feed unit; an image removal device disposed on the image

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formation apparatus, the image removal device removing an image
recorded on the recording material; and a switching unit switching
whether the recording material fed from the manual paper feed unit
is supplied to the image removal device or to the image formation
unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in the image formation apparatus, the recording material includes
a reusable medium from which a formed image is removed by the image
removal device and a general recording material which is not
supplied to the image removal device and has a formed image that
is not removed.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in the image formation apparatus, the reusable medium includes
a recording material to which at least one agent having repellency
to image forming substance is provided so as to reduce fixation
on an image forming substance.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
the image formation apparatus includes: a first paper feed
cassette storing the reusable medium; and a second paper feed
cassette storing the general recording material.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
the image formation apparatus includes: a selection unit allowing
a user to select a first image formation mode for forming an image
on the reusable medium and a second image formation mode for
forming an image on the general recording material; and a control

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unit performing control so as to form an image on the reusable
medium when the first image formation mode is selected and to form
an image on the general recording material when the second image
formation mode is selected using the selection unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in the image formation apparatus, the reusable medium has
discrimination information for recognizing reusability of the
reusable medium, a first conveying path for supplying the
recording material to the image formation unit and a second
conveying path for supplying the recording material to the image
removal device partially share a common path for conveying the
recording material, and a recognition unit judging the
discrimination information of the reusable medium is disposed on
the common path for conveying the recording material.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in the image formation apparatus, an image is formed in the image
formation unit when a recording material appropriate for an image
formation mode is detected before recording materials
inappropriate for the image formation mode selected using the
selection unit are successively detected for a predetermined
number of times, an image formation operation by the image
formation unit is stopped when inappropriate recording materials
are successively detected for the predetermined number of times,
and ejection is performed without performing the image formation
operation when inappropriate recording materials are

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successively detected for less than the predetermined number of
times.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
the image formation apparatus includes: a warning unit outputting
warning information for notifying that an inappropriate recording
material is set when inappropriate recording materials are
successively detected by the recognition unit for a predetermined
number of times.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in the image formation apparatus, the discrimination information
in the reusable medium includes discrimination information
recorded in an IC chip disposed on the reusable medium in an
integrated manner.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in the image formation apparatus, after the image removal device
is installed on the image formation apparatus, even when an image
removal process operation is being performed successively by the
image removal device, if an image formation instruction is input,
the image removal process operation is suspended and an image
formation operation is preferentially performed, and then after
the image formation operation is ended, the image removal process
operation is resumed.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in the image formation apparatus, after the image removal device
is installed on the image formation apparatus, even when an image

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removal process operation is being performed on a recording
material by the image removal device, the recording material being
conveyed from a paper feed cassette disposed on the image formation
apparatus or the image removal device, if an image removal process
instruction is input for a recording material supplied from the
manual paper feed unit, the image removal process operation on
the recording material conveyed from the paper feed cassette is
suspended and an image removal process operation on the recording
material conveyed from the manual paper feed unit is
preferentially performed, and then after the image removal process
operation is ended, the image removal process operation on the
recording material conveyed from the paper feed cassette is
successively resumed.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
the image formation apparatus includes: a control unit performing
an interrupt control, wherein after the image removal device is
installed on the image formation apparatus, even when an image
formation operation is being performed successively or an image
removal process operation is being performed successively on a
recording material by the image removal device, the recording
material being conveyed from a paper feed cassette disposed on
the image formation apparatus or the image removal device, if an
image removal process instruction is input for a recording
material supplied from the manual paper feed unit, the image
formation operation or the image removal process operation on the

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recording material conveyed from the paper feed cassette is
temporarily suspended and an image removal process operation on
the recording material conveyed from the manual paper feed unit
is preferentially performed, and then after the image removal
process operation is ended, the suspended image formation
operation or the image removal process operation on the recording
material conveyed from the paper feed cassette is resumed.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in the image formation apparatus, even when an image removal
process operation is being performed successively by the image
removal device, if an image formation instruction is input, the
image removal process .operation is suspended and an image
formation operation is preferentially performed, and then after
the image formation operation is ended, the image removal process
operation is resumed.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in the image formation apparatus, even when an image removal
process operation is being performed on a recording material by
the image removal device, the recording material being conveyed
from a paper feed cassette disposed on the image formation
apparatus or the image removal device, if an image removal process
instruction is input for a recording material supplied from the
manual paper feed unit, the image removal process operation on
the recording material conveyed from the paper feed cassette is
suspended and an image removal process operation on the recording

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material conveyed from the manual paper feed unit is
preferentially performed, and then after the image removal process
operation is ended, the image removal process operation on the
recording material conveyed from the paper feed cassette is
successively resumed.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
the image formation apparatus includes: a control unit performing
an interrupt control, wherein even when an image formation
operation is being performed successively or an image removal
process operation is being performed successively on a recording
material by the image removal device, the recording material being
conveyed from a paper feed cassette disposed on the image formation
apparatus or the image removal device, if an image removal process
instruction is input for a recording material supplied from the
manual paper feed unit, the image formation operation or the image
removal process operation on the recording material conveyed from
the paper feed cassette is temporarily suspended and an image
removal process operation on the recording material conveyed from
the manual paper feed unit is preferentially performed, and then
after the image removal process operation is ended, the suspended
image formation operation or the image removal process operation
on the recording material conveyed from the paper feed cassette
is resumed.
According to the present invention, the image removal
device is configured to be detachably installed. When the image

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removal device is installed using the installation unit, the
recording material on which an image is formed is supplied via
the switching unit to the image removal device from the manual
paper feed unit included in the image formation apparatus. Thus,
it is possible to provide the image removal device added as an
optional device at low cost and having a simple structure.
Further, it is possible to perform the image removal process on
the recording material where highly-confidential image
information is formed through an interrupt control using the
manual paper feed unit employed for image formation.
According to the present invention, the image
formation apparatus comprises: the manual paper feed unit
supplying the recording material; the image formation unit
receiving the recording material from the manual paper feed unit;
the image removal device removing an image recorded on the
recording material; the installation unit detachably installing
the image removal device on the image formation apparatus; and
the switching unit switching whether the recording material fed
from the manual paper feed unit is supplied to the image removal
device installed using the installation unit or to the image
formation unit. Thus, it is possible to perform the image removal
process on the recording material where highly-confidential image
information is formed through an interrupt control using the
manual paper feed unit employed for image formation.
According to the present invention, a reusable medium

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includes a recording material to which at least one agent having
repellency to image forming substance is provided so as to reduce
fixation on an image forming substance. Thus, it is possible to
form an image on the reusable medium when image information formed
on the recording material is used only for a short period of time
and to form an image on general recording material in other cases.
And, it is possible to provide a system including an image
formation function and an image removal function with a simple
structure at low cost and reduced environmental load along with
effects mentioned above.
According to the present invention, the image
formation apparatus includes: the first paper feed cassette
storing the reusable medium; and the second paper feed cassette
storing the general recording material. Thus, it is possible to
form an image on the reusable medium when image information formed
on the recording material is used only for a short period of time
and to form an image on general recording material in other cases.
And, it is possible to provide a system including an image
formation function and an image removal function with a simple
structure at low cost and reduced environmental load along with
effects mentioned above.
According to the present invention, the image
formation apparatus includes: the selection unit allowing a user
to select a first image formation mode for forming an image on
the reusable medium and a second image formation mode for forming

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an image on the general recording material; and the control unit
performing control so as to form an image on the reusable medium
when the first image formation mode is selected and to form an
image on the general recording material when the second image
formation mode is selected using the selection unit. Thus, when
the user is assumed in advance to use image information formed
on the recording material only for a short period of time, it is
possible to form an image on the reusable medium securely capable
of being subjected to the image removal process so as to reduce
environmental load and to provide a system including the image
formation function and the image removal function with a simple
structure at low cost and reduced environmental load along with
the effects mentioned above.
According to the present invention, the reusable
medium has discrimination information for recognizing
reusability of the reusable medium, the first conveying path for
supplying the recording material to the image formation unit and
the second conveying path for supplying the recording material
to the image removal device partially share a common path for
conveying the recording material, and the recognition unit judging
the discrimination information of the reusable medium is disposed
on the common path for conveying the recording material. Thus,
it is not necessary to dispose a recognition unit dedicated only
to the image removal device. Further, the path for conveying the
recording material is shared with the image formation apparatus

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and the image removal device, so that it is possible to provide
an image formation and removal system with a simple structure at
low cost and reduced environmental load.
According to the present invention, in the image
formation apparatus, an image is formed in the image formation
unit when a recording material appropriate for an image formation
mode is detected before recording materials inappropriate for the
image formation mode selected using the selection unit are
successively detected for a predetermined number of times, and
an image formation operation by the image formation unit is stopped
when inappropriate recording materials are successively detected
for the predetermined number of times, and ejection is performed
without performing the image formation operation when
inappropriate recording materials are successively detected for
less than the predetermined number of times. Thus, even when the
user erroneously mixes general paper in the first paper feed
cassette where only those reusable media must be stored or when
the user erroneously mixes a reusable medium in the second paper
feed cassette where only general paper must be stored by contrast,
it is possible to form an image on an intended recording material
and complete an image formation operation. When inappropriate
recording materials are detected successively for a set number
of times, an image formation operation is stopped, so that it is
possible to avoid unnecessary conveying of a recording material
when the user erroneously sets a large amount of recording

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materials in the paper feed cassette. Further, an image to be
removed is securely formed on the reusable medium, so that it is
possible to reduce an amount of paper consumption and
environmental load and to securely form image information on
general paper so as to distribute such information required to
be formed on general paper to customers, outside companies, or
outside divisions.
According to the present invention, the image
formation apparatus includes a warning unit outputting warning
information for notifying that an inappropriate recording
material is set when inappropriate recording materials are
successively detected by the recognition unit for a predetermined
number of times. Thus, it is possible to notify the user that
the inappropriate recording material is set and prompt the user
to set an appropriate recording material.
According to the present invention, the
discrimination information in the reusable medium includes
discrimination information recorded in an IC chip disposed on the
reusable medium in an integrated manner. Thus, it is possible
to store various types of information concerning the reusable
medium and provide various types of detection forms, thereby
readily managing reusable media.
According to the present invention, even when an image
removal process operation is being performed successively by the
image removal device, if an image formation instruction is input,

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the image removal process operation is suspended and an image
formation operation is preferentially performed, and then after
the image formation operation is ended, the image removal process
operation is resumed. Thus, the image formation operation and
the image removal operation are not performed at the same time.
Further, excessive power consumption is avoided and complexity
and difficulty of control are eliminated. Moreover, the image
formation operation requiring high speed is promptly performed,
so that reduction of operational efficiency by the user is
minimized even when the image removal operation is performed.
According to the present invention, even when an image
removal process operation is being performed on a recording
material by the image removal device, the recording material being
conveyed from a paper feed cassette disposed on the image formation
apparatus or the image removal device, if an image removal process
instruction is input for a recording material supplied from the
manual paper feed unit, the image removal process operation on
the recording material conveyed from the paper feed cassette is
suspended and an image removal process operation on the recording
material conveyed from the manual paper feed unit is
preferentially performed, and then after the image removal process
operation is ended, the image removal process operation on the
recording material conveyed from the paper feed cassette is
successively resumed. In accordance with this, the user sets the
recording material on which highly-confidential information is

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recorded in the manual paper feed unit and the image removal
process is immediately started. As a result, the image is removed
in the presence of the user and it is possible to confirm whether
reading of such information becomes impossible. Thus, it is
possible to use the image removal device connected to the image
formation apparatus as having the same function as a shredder and
reuse the reusable medium from which the image is removed.
According to the present invention, an interrupt
control is performed such that even when an image formation
operation is being performed successively or an image removal
process operation is being performed successively on a recording
material by the image removal device, the recording material being
conveyed from a paper feed cassette disposed on the image formation
apparatus or the image removal device, if an image removal process
instruction is input for a recording material supplied from the
manual paper feed unit, the image formation operation or the image
removal process operation on the recording material conveyed from
the paper feed cassette is temporarily suspended and an image
removal process operation on the recording material conveyed from
the manual paper feed unit is preferentially performed, and then
after the image removal process operation is ended, the suspended
image formation operation or the image removal process operation
on the recording material conveyed from the paper feed cassette
is resumed. In accordance with this, the user sets the recording
material in which highly-confidential information is recorded in

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the manual paper feed unit and the image removal process is
immediately started. As a result, the image is removed in the
presence of the user and it is possible to confirm whether reading
of such information becomes impossible. Thus, it is possible to
use the image removal device connected to the image formation
apparatus as having the same function as a shredder and reuse the
reusable medium from which the image is removed.
Other objects, features and advantage of the present
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an image removal
device when it is detached and an image formation apparatus
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an image
formation apparatus including an image removal device installed
thereon;
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment
of a guide unit and operation thereof;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment
of a switch unit and operation thereof;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an embodiment
of an installation unit;

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FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of
a guide unit disposed on an image removal unit and operation
thereof;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a control unit and
constituent elements connected thereto;
FIG. 8A is an enlarged perspective view showing a
structure of a cleaning unit of an image removal unit;
FIG. 8B is an enlarged front view showing the cleaning
unit;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of control
by a control unit;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of
control by a control unit;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of
control by a control unit;
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of
control by a control unit;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of
control by a control unit;
FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of
control by a control unit;
FIG. 15 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a
mechanism as a media separation unit; and
FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing another
embodiment of an image formation apparatus integrally including

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an image removal device.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The present invention is described in detail based
on the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. An image
formation apparatus referenced at 1 in FIG. 1 shows an example
of a color image formation apparatus for forming an image by
electrophotography and a method for forming an image and elements
of the apparatus are well-known as a tandem type color
electrophotographic device. This image formation apparatus is
assumed to have functions of a digital multi-function device. In
order to add a copying function, a scanner unit used as an image
reading device not shown in the drawings is added other than a
structure shown in FIG. 1. When the image formation apparatus
is used as a facsimile machine, a communication interface and a
memory unit storing information (not shown in the drawings) are
added. When the image formation apparatus is used as a printer,
a data input unit and a memory unit storing information are added
in the same manner.
In FIG. 1, a portion surrounded by a housing A used
as an apparatus body shows an image formation apparatus 1 including
an image formation unit IB and a portion surrounded by a housing
B shows an image removal device 2 installed on and detached from
the housing A of the image formation apparatus 1.
The image formation unit IB is configured to form an

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image by electrophotography in which toner images of yellow (Y) ,
magenta (M) , cyan (C) , and black (K) are formed on photoconductors
as separate image carriers, respectively, the toner images formed
on each photoconductor are transferred to an intermediate transfer
body and the images transferred to the intermediate transfer body
are transferred to a recording material conveyed from a paper feed
unit, and the toner images formed on the recorded medium are heated
and pressurized for fixation by a fixation unit 140.
A drum unit used as stations for forming images of
each of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) is
constructed using elements of a conventionally used
electrophotographic device. In other words, the drum unit
includes: drum-like or belt-like photoconductors 101Y, 101M, 101C,
and 101K in which metal and the like having a photoconductor layer
is used as a substrate; charging units 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102K
including a charging roller, a wire charger, and the like, the
charging units 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102K uniformly charging the
photoconductors 101Y, 101M, 101C, and 101K; a light irradiation
unit (not shown in the drawings) exposing each of uniformly charged
photoconductors in accordance with an image to be formed such as
laser, LED, light emitter-liquid crystal light valve; developers
103Y, 103M, 103C, and 103K internally having a magnetic roller
and a toner conveying roller, the developers 103Y, 103M, 103C,
and 103K creating visual images of electrostatic latent images
using powder toner formed on each photoconductor through the light

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irradiation; corona wire chargers 105Y, 105M, 105C, and 105K
controlling charge of toner powder images formed on each
photoconductor; electric field applying units 106Y, 106M, 106C,
and 106K including a roller or a corona wire for transferring toner
powder images formed on each photoconductor to an intermediate
transfer belt 117 as an intermediate transfer body; cleaning units
107Y, 107M, 107C, and 107K removing powder toner remaining on each
photoconductor after transfer, and the like.
In addition to these constituent elements, it is
possible to add a suitable and conventionally used element as
appropriate. For example, in order to remove electric charge on
each photoconductor after images are transferred, it is possible
to dispose an electricity removal unit such as an
alternating-current charger, a light irradiator, and the like.
Also, it is possible to construct a control system in which a
voltage detection unit detecting voltage charged on each
photoconductor and a voltage control unit controlling voltage
applied to the charger are disposed such that surface potential
charged on each photoconductor is maintained at a constant level
even in a case of deterioration resulting from an environmental
change or repetition of use. When removal of toner on each
photoconductor is unnecessary after images are transferred, it
is possible to eliminate the cleaning units 107Y, 107M, 107C, and
107K. Further, when charging the toner powder images formed on
each photoconductor is unnecessary, it is possible to eliminate

27
the corona wire chargers 105Y, 105M, 105C, and 105K.
The intermediate transfer belt 117 is an endless belt
mainly made of resin having a volume resistivity of about 10B to
1012 Qcm. The intermediate transfer belt 117 is disposed so as
to have inscribed circles of rollers 111, 112, 113, and 114 and
is provided with suitable tension from a tension application
mechanism not shown in the drawings. In order to remove toner
remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 117, a belt cleaning
unit such as a brush, roller, or the like removing powder toner
on a belt surface may be disposed on the periphery of the
intermediate transfer belt 117 . Further, depending on necessity,
an electricity removal unit or a charge unit may be disposed so
as to remove or uniform electric charge remaining on the
intermediate transfer belt 117 after powder toner is transferred
to a recording material.
A recording material 171 (a to d) or a recording
material 172 where a final image is formed is stored in plural
paper feed cassettes 161a, 161b, 161c, and 161d disposed on a paper
feed unit 161 positioned below the image formation unit IB or
stored in a manual paper feed tray 162 constituting a manual paper
feed unit disposed on a lateral face of the housing A as shown
in FIG. 2. In accordance with conditions and the like selected
by the user, one of the paper feed cassettes or the manual paper
feed tray 162 is selected and the recording material 171 (a to
d) or the recording material 172 is sent to a first conveying path

28
50 via paper feed runners 160a, 160b, 160c, and 160d disposed in
the vicinity of each paper feed cassette or a paper feed runner
160e disposed in the vicinity of the manual paper feed tray 162,
the first conveying path 50 supplying the recording material to
the image formation unit IB. The recording material 171 (a to
d) or the recording material 172 that has been fed is conveyed
to the image formation unit IB via pairs of paper feed rollers
166a, 166b, 166c, 166d, 170a, 170b, 170c, 170d, 170e, and 170f
disposed on the first conveying path 50.
The toner powder images formed on the intermediate
transfer belt 117 are transferred to the recording material 171
(a to d) or the recording material 172 in an image transfer unit
where an electric field application unit 180 such as a voltage
application roller, a corona wire charger, and the like is
disposed.
The toner powder images transferred on the recording
material 171 (a to d) or the recording material 172 are softened
and fixed by the fixation unit 140 including a heating member 141
such as a thermal belt or a heating roller internally having a
heating unit 143 such as a halogen lamp and a pressure roller 142
having a silicone rubber layer on a surface thereof. A recording
material 173 on which the toner images are fixed are ejected to
a paper ejection tray 163 disposed on a top portion of the housing
A via a pair of rollers 170g for conveying a recording material
and a pair of paper ejection rollers 167.

29
As shown in FIG. 1, above the paper feed cassette 161a,
there are disposed a collection tray 164 for collecting non-image
recording material 171 (a to d), a collection conveying path 54
for connecting the first conveying path 50 to the collection tray
164, a pair of collection rollers 168 disposed on the collection
conveying path 54, and a guide unit 220 guiding the recording
material in the first conveying path 50 to the collection conveying
path 54. The guide unit 220 is disposed on a branching portion
502 between the first conveying path 50 and the collection
conveying path 54 as shown in FIG. 3.
The guide unit 220 includes a guide flap 222 disposed
on a rotation shaft 221 and a driving unit 223 switching a position
of the guide flap 222 by rotating the rotation shaft 221. The
guide flap 222 is configured to be positioned at a conveying
position for conveying the recording material from the first
conveying path 50 to the image formation unit IB, the conveying
position being indicated by a solid line, and at a collection
position for guiding the recording material to the collection
conveying path 54, the collection position being indicated by a
two-dot chain line shown in FIG. 3. These positions are switched
as appropriate by driving the driving unit 223. As shown in FIG.
7, the driving unit 223 is connected to a control unit 80 included
in the image formation apparatus 1 and is driven based on a driving
signal from the control unit 80. The control unit 80 is
constructed using a conventionally used computer including a ROM,

30
RAM, CPU, timer, and the like. The control unit 80 controls
driving of the driving unit 223 such that the guide flap 222 is
positioned at the collection position when the recording material
is not a reusable media and positioned at the conveying position
when the recording material is a reusable medium.
Image formation is possible using special toner whose
color is eliminated from light and heat and toner containing wax
components, fluorine resin, silicone resin, surface-active agent,
and the like. However, preferably, toner generally employed for
electrophotography is used so as to form an image in the same image
formation apparatus when an image having preferable fixation is
required for distribution outside the information control areas
such as other divisions or companies, drawing up a contract, and
the like. In other words, in the image formation apparatus 1 and
the image removal device 2, conventionally used toner for
electrophotography may be used as an example of image forming
substances. More specifically, image forming substances
containing the following components may be used.
Examples of conventionally used coloring material
used for image forming substances include:
black pigment such as carbon black, iron oxide, and
the like;
yellow pigment such as C.I. Pigment Yellow 12, C.I.
Pigment Yellow 13, C.I. Pigment Yellow 14, C.I. Pigment Yellow
15, C.I. Pigment Yellow 17, C.I. Pigment Yellow 93, C.I. Pigment

31
Yellow 94, C.I. Pigment Yellow 138, C.I. Pigment Yellow 155, C.I.
Pigment Yellow 156, C.I. Pigment Yellow 180, C.I. Pigment Yellow
185, and the like;
magenta pigment such as C.I. Pigment Red 2, C.I.
Pigment Red 3, C.I. Pigment Red 5, C.I. Pigment Red 16, C.I. Pigment
Red 48:1, C.I. Pigment Red 53:1, C.I. Pigment Red 57:1, C.I.
Pigment Red 122, C.I. Pigment Red 123, C.I. Pigment Red 139, C.I.
Pigment Red 144, C.I. Pigment Red 166, C.I. Pigment Red 177, C.I.
Pigment Red 178, C.I. Pigment Red 222, and the like; and
cyan pigment such as C.I. Pigment Blue 15, C.I.
Pigment Blue 15:2, C.I. Pigment Blue 15:3, C.I. Pigment Blue 16,
C.I. Pigment Blue 60, and the like. When powder toner is used
as image forming substances, these coloring materials are used
from 0.5% to 20% by weight, preferably, from 1% to 10% by weight.
When a thermal transfer method is used for the image
removal device 2, preferably, image forming substances having
thermoplasticity is used. Examples of resin components providing
image forming substances with thermoplasticity include
conventionally used toner materials for electrophotography.
In other words, examples of resin components include
polyester resin, styrenes such as polystyrene,
poly-chlorostyrene, polyvinyl toluene, and polymers of
substitution products thereof; styrene copolymers such as
styrene-chlorostyrene copolymer, styrene-propylene copolymer,
styrene-vinyltoluene copolymer, styrene-vinylnaphthalene

32
copolymer, styrene-methyl acrylate copolymer, styrene-ethyl
acrylate copolymer, styrene-butyl acrylate copolymer,
styrene-octyl acrylate copolymer, styrene-methyl methacrylate
copolymer, styrene-ethyl methacrylate copolymer, styrene-butyl
methacrylate copolymer, styrene-a-methyl chloroacrylate
copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, styrene-vinyl
methyl ketone copolymer, styrene-butadiene copolymer,
styrene-isoprene copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile-indene
copolymer, styrene-maleic acid copolymer, styrene-maleic acid
ester copolymer; polymethylmethacrylate, polybutylmethacrylate,
polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene,
polypropylene, polyester, epoxy resin, epoxy polyol resin,
polyurethane, polyamide, polyvinyl butyral, polyacrylic resin,
rosin, modified rosin, terpene resin, aliphatic or alicyclic
hydrocarbon resin, aromatic petroleum resin, and the like. When
powder toner is used as image forming substances, these coloring
materials are used from 60 to 99.5 % by weight of an entire toner,
preferably, from 80 to 97 % by weight.
When the toner powder images are fixed on the
recording material by a heat fixing unit and the images are removed
through a thermal transfer method in which the toner on the
recording material is transferred to an image peeling member, it
is important that a glass transition point (Tg), fusing
temperature, and viscoelastic property of components of
thermoplastic resin are within a suitable range. When the glass

33
transition point ranges from 40 to 100 °C, or preferably from 50
to 70 °C, it is possible to fix at a relatively low temperature,
remove the image forming substances from the recording material,
and obtain preferable preservation stability for the toner.
When measurement frequency is 20 Hz, storage elastic
modulus of the components of thermoplastic resin is 10000 dyne/cm2
preferably at not less than 80 °C, more preferably from 90 to 160
°C.
Conventional materials are used for toner as
appropriate including charge control agent, release agent,
external additive, and the like. Examples of the charge control
agent include nigrosine dye, triphenylmethane dye, molybdic acid
chelate pigment, rhodamine dye, alkoxylamine, quarternary
ammonium salt, fluorine-containing activating agent, metal salt
of salicylic acid, and metal salt of salicylic acid derivative,
and the like.
Components of the release agent are added to as to
prevent adhesion of toner to a fixing roller or a fixing belt
(prevention of hot offset) upon fixing when the heat fixing unit
is used. Examples of waxes to be used as release agent having
a melting point of 60 to 110 °C include carnauba wax, montan wax,
bees wax, paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, and the like.
The external additive is added so as to assist
flowability, development, charge of powder toner and is usually
added so as to cover a surface of particles made of coloring

34
material and resin. Examples of inorganic particles to be used
as external additive include silica, alumina, titanium oxide,
barium titanate, magnesium titanate, calcium titanate, strontium
titanate, zinc oxide, tin oxide, silica sand, clay, mica,
wollastonite, diatom earth, chromium oxide, eerie oxide, ferric
oxide, antimony trioxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide,
barium sulfate, barium carbonate, calcium carbonate, silicon
carbide, silicon nitride, and the like. Preferably, a primary
particle size of these inorganic particles ranges from 2 nm to
5 nm, more preferably from 5 nm to 500 nm. Preferably, an amount
of inorganic particles used in toner ranges from 0.01 to 5 % by
weight of an entire amount of image forming substances, more
preferably from 0.01 to 2.0 % by weight.
Conventional manufacturing methods including mixing
and milling, dispersion polymerization, suspension
polymerization, and the like may be uses as a method for
manufacturing powder of image forming substance from the
above-mentioned materials.
The image formation apparatus 1 according to the
present embodiment is constructed such that the image removal
device 2 is detachably installed as an optional unit on the housing
A. However, the image formation apparatus 1 and the image removal
device 2 may be integrally combined and connected in advance so
as to be constructed as an image formation apparatus.
The image removal device 2 added and connected to the

35
housing A as an optional unit employs a thermal transfer method
as an image removal method in which toner on a recording material
is transferred to an image peeling member. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the
recording material from which an image is to be removed after use
of image information formed as an image is stored in the fourth
paper feed cassette 161d in the paper feed unit 161 or set in the
manual paper feed tray 162, for example, and is supplied to the
image formation unit IB.
In the housing A, there are disposed a installation
unit 200 detachably enabling installation of the image removal
device 2 on the housing A and a switch unit 210 switching supply
of the recording material 171 or the recording material 172 to
the image removal device 2 or the image formation apparatus 1.
As shown in FIG. 5, the installation unit 200 includes
plural pins 201 and 202 formed on a side plate 1A of the housing
A positioned on a first conveying path 50 side, perforations 203
and 204 formed on a side plate 2A positioned on a side of the
following second and third conveying paths 51 and 52 of the image
removal device 2, the perforations 203 and 204 capable of being
detachably engaged with each pin, and screws not shown in the
drawings. In the present embodiment, the image removal device
2 is positioned when the pins 201 and 202 are inserted into the
perforations 203 and 204, respectively, and is mechanically
installed on the image formation apparatus 1 as shown in FIGS.
1 to 2 using the screws not shown in the drawings. In this case,

36
using a connector not shown in the drawings, the control unit 80
disposed on the image formation apparatus 1 and a power supply
not shown in the drawings are connected to the image removal device
2.
In the installation unit 200, instead of the pins 201
and 202 disposed on the side plate 1A of the image formation
apparatus 1, plural opening portions extending in the vertical
or lateral direction may be formed and a hook portion capable of
being detachably engaged with each opening portion may be formed
on the image removal device 2 side. The image removal device 2
may be installed on the housing A by inserting each hook portion
into the opening portion and sliding the hook portion downward
or sliding the hook portion in the lateral direction.
As shown in FIG. 4, the switch unit 210 is disposed
on the branching portion 502 between the first conveying path 50
and the second conveying path 51. The guide unit 210 includes
a flap 212 disposed on a rotation shaft 211 and a driving unit
213 switching a position of the flap 212 by rotating the rotation
shaft 211. The guide flap 212 is configured to be positioned at
a first position for conveying the recording material from the
first conveying path 50 to the image formation unit IB, the first
position being indicated by a solid line, and at a second position
for guiding the recording material to the second conveying path
51, the collection position being indicated by a two-dot chain
line shown in FIG. 4. These positions are switched as appropriate

37
by driving the driving unit 213. As shown in FIG. 7, the driving
unit 213 is connected to the control unit 80 and is driven based
on a driving signal from the control unit 80. The control unit
80 controls driving of the driving unit 213 such that the flap
212 is positioned at the second position when an image on the
recording material is removed and positioned at the first position
upon image formation.
In other words, in the first conveying path 50, a
recording material conveying path 501 common to the second
conveying path 51 is constructed from the paper feed unit 161 and
the manual paper feed tray 162 to the branching portion 502 between
the first conveying path 50 and the second conveying path 51. The
recording material fed from the paper feed unit 161 and the manual
paper feed tray 162 is conveyed through the recording material
conveying path 501 to the branching portion 502 and destination
is switched by the switch unit 210.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the image removal device
2 includes a block 192 constructed using aluminum internally
having a halogen lamp 193 as a heat source, a pressure roller 191
having an elastic member such as silicon rubber,
fluorine-containing rubber, polyurethane rubber, and the like on
a surface thereof, the pressure roller 191 being made of stainless
steel, aluminum, iron, and the like and forming a nip portion N
when in contact with the block 192, an image peeling member 194
having an endless belt-like shape for transferring toner formed

38
on a recording material, a rotating cleaning blade 196 having a
spiral shape, a container 198 for storing separated toner, the
second conveying path 51 for supplying the recording material to
the nip portion N, the third conveying path 52 for returning the
recording material passed through the nip portion N to the first
conveying path 50, pairs of conveying rollers 185a, 185b, 185c,
and 185d disposed on the second and third conveying paths 51 and
52 as conveying units, a pair of paper ejection rollers 169 and
a paper ejection path 55 for ejecting the recording material
(reusable medium) from the third conveying path 52 to a medium
ejection tray 165, and a guide unit 60 guiding the recording
material (reusable medium) to the first conveying path 50 or the
paper ejection path 55.
The image peeling member 194 is made of metal such
as nickel, stainless steel, and the like or polymer compound such
as polyethylene terephthalate, polyimide, aramid, polyethylene
naphthalate, polyetheretherketone, and the like. The image
peeling member 194 is installed so as to have inscribed elements
of the block 192, a cleaning backup roller 197, and a tension roller
195. The nip portion N is formed between the pressure roller 191
and the block 192 where pressure is added from a pressure unit
such as a spring not shown in the drawings, water pressure, air
pressure, and the like.
In the vicinity of the block 192, there is disposed
a temperature detection unit not shown in the drawings, the

39
temperature detection unit being selected from a thermistor,
thermocouple, platinum resistance, infrared sensor, and the like.
A signal from the temperature detection unit is input to the
control unit 80. Lighting of the halogen lamp 193 in the block
192 is controlled by the control unit 80 using the input signal,
so that surface temperature of the block 192 is controlled to be
constant within a range from 80 to 150 °C, for example.
The medium ejection tray 165 is disposed on a top
portion of the housing B and is detachably installed on the image
formation apparatus 1 in an integral manner with the image removal
device 2. A reusable medium from which an image is basically
removed is ejected to the medium ejection tray 165.
As shown in FIG. 6, the guide unit 60 is disposed on
a branching portion between the third conveying path 52 and the
paper ejection path 55. The guide unit 60 includes a flap 62
disposed on a rotation shaft 61 and a driving unit 63 switching
a position of the flap 62 by rotating the rotation shaft 61. The
flap 62 is configured to be positioned at a reuse position for
guiding a recording material 174 (reusable medium) from which an
image is removed to the paper ejection path 55, the reuse position
being indicated by a solid line, and at a paper ejection position
for guiding the reusable medium in an inappropriate status to the
first conveying path 50, the paper ejection position being
indicated by a two-dot chain line shown in FIG. 6. These positions
are switched as appropriate by driving the driving unit 63. As

40
shown in FIG. 7, the driving unit 63 is connected to the control
unit 80 and is driven through the driving signal from the control
unit 80. The control unit 80 controls driving of the driving unit
63 such that the flap 62 is positioned at the reuse position in
a case of the reusable medium from which an image is removed and
positioned at the paper ejection position in a case of the reusable
medium in the inappropriate status. The reusable medium in the
inappropriate status refers to a reusable medium from which an
image is not completely removed.
The recording material 171d or the recording material
172 to be used as a reusable medium from which an image is removed
is conveyed in the recording material conveying path 501 by the
pairs of paper feed rollers 166d, 166c, 166b, 166a, and 170a,
guided to the second conveying path 51 by the switch unit 210,
and guided to the nip portion N formed using the pressure roller
191 and the block 192 by the pair of conveying rollers 185a and
185b. The recording material 171d or the recording material 172
is heated and pressurized while passing through the nip portion
N and toner on the recording material is pressurized in a softened
status, so that the toner is adhered to the image peeling member
194.
An edge portion disposed downstream relative to the
block 192 has a curvature of about 1 to 5 mm radius. Since the
image peeling member 194 is conveyed in accordance with the
curvature, the recording material and the image peeling member

41
194 are separated due to rigidity of the recording material. In
this case, by using a reusable medium as a recording material in
which adhesion to toner is adjusted to be reduced in comparison
with adhesion to the image peeling member 194, the toner on the
recording material is transferred to the image peeling member and
an image formed on the recording material is removed.
The toner transferred to the image peeling member 194
from the recording material is scraped off by the rotating
spiral-shaped cleaning blade 196 and is collected in the container
198 disposed below the cleaning blade 196. The recording material
17 4 from which an image is removed is guided to the paper ejection
path 55 by the guide unit 60 shown in FIG. 6 after passing through
the pairs of conveying rollers 185c and 185d, and then stocked
in the medium ejection tray 165 by the pair of paper ejection
rollers 169.
FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B are a perspective view and a front
view showing a schematic structure of a cleaning unit removing
toner from the image peeling member 194. The cleaning unit is
constructed using the roller-shaped cleaning blade 196 having a
spiral-shaped edge on a circumferential portion and being driven
for rotation and the cleaning backup roller 197. Predetermined
pressure loading is applied between the cleaning blade 196 and
the cleaning backup roller 197 by a biasing unit selected from
a spring, water pressure unit, air pressure unit, and the like
not shown in the drawings. An elastic body is formed on a surface

42
portion 199 of the cleaning backup roller 197 using rubber of
relatively low hardness having a JIS-A hardness of about 20, sponge,
and the like. The cleaning backup roller 197 and the cleaning
blade 196 form a nip (width W) . The cleaning blade 196 is rotated
in an opposite direction relative to a conveying direction of the
image peeling member 194.
The reusable medium used in the present invention is
a recording material including compounds for reducing fixing power
to the image forming substances at least in the vicinity of a
surface thereof or compositions for removing a portion of a surface
layer along with the image forming substances when physical energy
such as light, heat, and the like is applied or water washing is
performed by a washing unit, for example. A substrate thereof
may be any of paper having cellulose fiber as a main body, synthetic
paper made of plastic film having a foam structure and the like,
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP) , and film
made of thermoplastic resin such as acetate film. However, paper
is most preferably used as a substrate in view of the facts that
a manufacturing cost is moderate, electric charge does not remain
for a long time when the recording material is charged in the image
formation apparatus, electric shock is not provided to the user,
and the paper is capable of being dissolved into cellulose fiber
and recycled when a repetition of reuse becomes difficult.
When paper is used as a substrate, the substrate may
be made from any of wood such as chemical pulp and mechanical pulp,

43
nonwood cellulose fiber such as bagasse and kenaf, recycled pulp
of waste paper gained from used paper after deinking, pulp gained
from dissolved waste sheet, and the like.
Examples of the compounds for reducing fixing power
to the image forming substances include fluorine compound, silicon
compound, surface-active agent containing a straight-chain or
branched higher alkyl group or alkenyl group, wax, and polymer
compound. More specifically, examples of the compounds for
reducing fixing power to the image forming substances include
saponified alkenyl succinic anhydride, fatty acid alkali salt such
as sodium stearate, potassium lauryl, sodium behenate, and
potassium oleate, alkyl phosphate alkali salt such as monostearyl
sodium phosphate and distearyl sodium phosphate, dialkyl
sulfosuccinate such as dodecylbenzene sulfonate, dodecyl
sulfonate, dihexyl sulfosuccinate, and dioctyl sulfosuccinate,
anionic surface-active agent such as alkyl ether acetate,
alkylnaphthalenesulfonate, alkyl ether sulfate, alkyl sulfate of
alkylamide sulfate, and alkyl ether phosphate, ether esters such
as polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether, polyoxyethylene
dodecylphenyl ether, polyoxyethylene oleyl phenyl ether,
polyoxyethylene dodecyl ether, polyoxyethylene stearyl ether,
polyoxyethylene oleyl ether, polyoxyethylene glycerine fatty
acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, and
polyoxyethylene sorbitol fatty acid ester, esters such as
polyethylene glycol fatty acid ester, fatty monoglyceride,

44
polyglyceryl fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester,
propylene glycol fatty acid ester, and sucrose fatty acid ester,
nonionic surface-active agent such as aliphatic alkanolamide,
polyoxyethylene fatty acid amide, polyoxyethylene alkylamine,
and alkylamine oxide, cationic surface-active agent such as
alkylamine salt and alkyl quaternary ammonium salt, fatty acids
such as stearic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, and behenic acid,
fatty amides such as lauric acid amide, stearic acid amide, and
oleic amide, N-substituted fatty acid amides such as N-oleyl
stearic acid amide, N-oleyl oleic amide, N-stearyl oleic amide,
N-stearyl stearic acid amide, N,N'-ethylene-bis oleic amide,
N,N'-ethylene-bis lauric acid amide, N,N'-methylene-bis stearic
acid amide, and N,N'-ethylene-bis behenic acid amide, alcohols
such as lauryl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alchohol, ceryl
alcohol, myristyl alcohol, melissyl alcohol, myricyl alcohol,
cello-melissyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, gadoleyl alcohol, and
zoomaric alcohol, amines such as oleylamine, dodecyl amine,
dioctadecylamine, and tetradecylamine, ketones such as laurone
and stearone, phosphate compounds such as lauryl phosphate and
stearyl phosphate, phosphate esters such as stearyl phosphate
ester, lauryl phosphate ester, and behenyl phosphate ester,
natural waxes such as candelilla wax, carnauba wax, rice bran wax,
bees wax, lanolin, spermaceti wax, sumac wax, and montan wax,
silicon resin, fluorine resin, and polymer containing a
straight-chain or branched alkyl group with a carbon number of

45
6 or more or an alkenyl group with a carbon number of 6 or more
as a side chain. Specific examples of such compounds include
acrylic ester polymer and methacrylate ester polymer containing
a straight-chain or branched alkyl group with a carbon number of
6 or more or an alkenyl group with a carbon number of 6 or more.
More specific examples include polymers and
copolymers containing monomers of acrylic ester and methacrylate
ester such as stearyl (straight-chain C18) acrylic ester, stearyl
(straight-chain C18) methacrylate ester, cetyl (straight-chain
C16) acrylic ester, cetyl (straight-chain C16) methacrylate ester,
mistyryl (straight-chain C14) acrylic ester, mistylic
(straight-chain C14) methacrylate ester, lauryl (straight-chain
C12) acrylic ester, and lauryl (straight-chain C12) methacrylate
ester.
A required level of reduction of fixing power to the
image forming substances changes depending on materials
constituting the image forming substances, especially, in
accordance with factors such as resin component, surface
smoothness of the substrate, adhesion of the image peeling member
relative to the image forming substances in the image removal
device, and the like. So as to adjust fixing power to toner, to
fix the above-mentioned compounds in the vicinity of a surface
of the recording material, and the like, it is possible to mix
polymer which does not reduce the fixing power to the image forming
substances, more specifically, compounds such as polyvinyl

46
alcohol, starch, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid,
polyacrylic ester, polymethacrylic acid ester, polyvinyl acetate,
styrene-butadiene copolymer, and the like with the
above-mentioned compounds reducing the fixing power to the image
forming substances and to provide the mixture to the reusable
medium. Further, it is possible to mix white pigment such as
calcium carbonate, kaoline, clay, talc, titanium oxide, zinc oxide,
and the like with the compounds reducing the fixing power to the
image forming substances and to provide the mixture to the reusable
medium.
The reusable medium used in the present invention is
provided with information for indicating a reusable medium in
order to discriminate the reusable medium from a general recording
material incapable of removing an image. Preferably, the
information for indicating as a reusable medium is not erased upon
forming image information thereon or removing an image therefrom.
Moreover, the information preferably allows the image formation
apparatus 1 and the image removal device 2 to readily recognize
the information as a reusable medium and the user to readily
recognize the information by visual observation. It is possible
to record such discrimination information on the reusable medium
as a barcode, for example, using UV curable ink, dye ink, and the
like through a printing method, ink-jet recording method, and the
like. Further, it is also preferable to dispose a cutout or a
hole on the reusable medium as a method for providing

47
discrimination information. In order to enable the image
formation apparatus 1 or the image removal device 2 to recognize
the reusable medium, discrimination information may be printed
using ink absorbing light having a wavelength unrecognizable for
human eyes such as ultraviolet rays or infrared rays, ink emitting
fluorescence, and magnetic ink, and an IC chip responding to
electromagnetic waves may be disposed in which the discrimination
information is stored.
As shown in FIG. 7, the image formation apparatus 1
includes a selection unit 90 for allowing the user to arbitrarily
select modes using a key 91 for selecting a first image formation
mode in which an image is formed on the reusable medium on the
assumption that the image information formed for recording is used
for a short period of time and the reusable medium is subjected
to a process for removing the image forming substances after the
use and a key 92 for selecting a second image formation mode in
which an image is formed on paper as a general recording material.
The selection unit 90 is connected to the control unit 80. As
shown in FIG. 9, the control unit 80 is configured to control
operation of the image formation apparatus 1 such that when the
key 91 is operated (step Dl) so as to select the first image
formation mode, an image is formed on the reusable medium (step
D2) and when the key 92 is operated (step D3) so as to select the
second image formation mode, an image is formed on a general
recording material (step D4).

48
In the present embodiment, although the keys 91 and
92 are employed as the selection unit 90, for example, selection
may be performed using a selection unit such as a dial, stick,
or the like. Moreover, when the image formation apparatus 1 is
connected to an external information processing terminal via a
network, namely, when the image formation apparatus 1 is connected
to a computer capable of accessing the network, for example, the
selection unit 90 may be a user interface on- a display connected
to the computer. The image formation apparatus 1 includes a
warning unit 230 outputting warning information so as to notify
that an appropriate recording material is not set. As shown in
FIG. 7, the warning unit 230 is disposed on an operation panel
231 and is connected to the control unit 80.
In the present embodiment, at least one of the paper
feed cassettes 161a to 161d constituting a portion of the paper
feed unit 161 is configured to be set as a paper feed cassette
for storing a reusable medium. Preferably, a paper type
indication unit such as a dial, lever, or the like capable of
changing a position thereof in accordance with paper type is
disposed on the paper feed cassette so as to allow the user to
recognize that the reusable medium is stored.
For example, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the paper feed cassette
161d is used as a first paper feed cassette for reusable media
and the paper feed cassettes 161a, 161b, and 161c are used as second
paper feed cassettes for general recording materials.

49
A sensor 181 used as a recognition unit is disposed
on the recording material conveying path 501, the sensor 181
detecting the discrimination information provided to the reusable
medium. A specific recognition unit depends on the
discrimination information provided to the reusable medium. For
example, when a cutout or a hole is disposed, a simple recognition
unit detecting the cutout or the hole may be used merely combining
a light-emitting element such as an LED and a light-receiving
element such as a photoelectric cell. However, when reading an
image pattern such as a bar code, two-dimensional bar code, and
the like and a special pattern indicating a reusable medium, it
is necessary to use a recognition unit capable of reading an image
pattern such as a line sensor prepared by disposing a CCD element
on a line.
In the first image formation mode for forming an image
on the reusable medium, preferably, the image formation apparatus
1 provides discrimination information to a portion of the reusable
medium so as to clearly indicate that the image is formed by an
image formation apparatus capable of removing the image. The
discrimination information is formed using the same image forming
substances as the image forming substances for recording other
information on the reusable medium so as to be removed by the image
removal device 2. When the first image formation mode is selected,
by providing the reusable medium with discrimination information
indicating that the image is formed by a specific image formation

50
apparatus, it is possible to discriminate a reusable medium on
which an image is formed by an image formation apparatus incapable
of removing the image between a reusable medium from which an image
can be removed.
In other words, when simply detecting the presence
or absence of the discrimination information provided to the
reusable medium in advance, it is impossible to recognize a mixed
reusable medium on which an image is formed by an image formation
apparatus other than a specific image formation apparatus and the
image forming substances are not removed therefrom because of
mismatching of physical properties of the image forming substances
and conditions of image formation. Accordingly, it is not
possible to prevent trouble when the image is not completely
removed in the image removal device 2, the image peeling member
194 and the reusable medium are not separated and jam is generated,
or the image peeling member becomes unusable. However, by
discriminating images and determining which image formation
apparatuses have formed such images, it is possible to exclude
those reusable media having images that have not been formed by
the specific image formation apparatus 1 and prevent failure of
elimination of images.
Preferably, the sensor 181 detects not only the
discrimination information provided to the reusable medium in
advance but also the presence or absence of the above-mentioned
discrimination information provided when an image is formed in

51
the first image formation mode of the image formation apparatus
1. The discrimination information provided when the image is
formed in the first image formation mode of the image formation
apparatus 1 may be a pattern unreadable for the user such as a
bar code or a character pattern such as "reusable paper".
Moreover, the discrimination information may be selected from
several types of patterns prepared by the user in advance or the
discrimination information may be a pattern arbitrarily created
by the user and stored through reading.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, the sensor 181 functions as a unit
detecting the discrimination information indicating the reusable
medium formed on the reusable medium upon image formation. When
the image removal device 2 is installed, upon image removal, the
sensor 181 also functions as a unit detecting the presence or
absence of the discrimination information provided when an image
is formed on the reusable medium in the first image formation mode.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, by disposing the sensor 181 on the
recording material conveying path 501, only a single set of sensors
effectively functions upon image formation and image removal and
provides great effects in that the apparatus is simplified, the
number of components is reduced, and a cost and environmental load
are reduced.
In the present embodiment, the reusable medium is
stored only in the specific paper feed cassette 161d shown in FIGS.
1 and 2. When the user selects the first image formation mode,

52
a recording material on which an image is to be formed is controlled
to be supplied from the paper feed cassette 161d. Thus, there
is little possibility that the image is formed on a recording
material which is not a reusable medium in the first image
formation mode. However, the user may erroneously mix a general
recording material with reusable media in the paper feed cassette
161d. In view of this, the sensor 181 detects the presence or
absence of the discrimination information on the recording
material conveyed upon each image formation instruction.
In other words, in the control unit 80, as shown FIG.
10, when the key 91 is operated in step El so as to select the
first image formation mode, a recording material is fed from the
paper feed cassette 161d, and the sensor 181 detects the
discrimination information indicating a reusable medium in step
E2, the driving unit 223 shown in FIG. 3 is driven and the guide
flap 222 is positioned at the conveying position in step E3, the
recording material is conveyed to the image formation unit IB,
the toner powder images formed in the image formation operation
are transferred in step E4, and the images are fixed using the
fixation unit 140, thereby completing an image formation job.
On the other hand, if the discrimination information
indicating a reusable medium is not detected on the recording
material on which an image is to be formed by the sensor 181 in
step E2, a signal of the sensor 181 is input to the control unit
80. Thereafter, an instruction for changing the conveying

53
direction of the recording material is output from the control
unit 80, the driving unit 223 shown in FIG. 3 is driven, and the
guide flap 222 is positioned at the collection position in step
E5. Thus, the image is not formed on the recording material and
the recording material is ejected to the collection tray 164
through the pair of collection rollers 168 in step E6.
Another embodiment of control by the control unit 80
is described in the following.
As shown in a flowchart of FIG. 11, when the key 91
is operated in step Fl so as to select the first image formation
mode and an image formation instruction for forming an image is
issued thereafter, whether a recording material to be supplied
is a reusable medium is judged in step F2. If the recording
material is a reusable medium, in step F3, the driving unit 223
is driven, the guide flap 222 is positioned at the conveying
position, and the recording material is conveyed to the image
formation unit IB. In step F4, the toner powder images formed
in the image formation operation are transferred and the images
are fixed using the fixation unit 140, thereby completing the image
formation job.
On the other hand, in step F2, if the discrimination
information indicating a reusable medium is not detected, the
process proceeds to step F5 so as to add +1 to a counter not shown
in the drawings and the process proceeds to step F6 so as to judge
whether a count value reaches a predetermined times, namely,

54
whether a predetermined number of sheets set in advance are
successively counted. When the count value reaches the
predetermined times since non-reusable media are successively-
counted, namely, when the discrimination information indicating
a reusable medium is not detected for ten sheets successively,
the process proceeds to step F7 so as to stop the image formation
process and the process proceeds to step F8.
In step F8, the fact that image formation cannot be
performed in the first image formation mode since reusable media
are not supplied is notified to the user by operating the warning
unit 230. In other words, the fact that inappropriate recording
media are set is notified to the user.
The warning unit 230 may be a display disposed on the
operation panel 231 or a user interface on a display connected
to a computer issuing a printing instruction when the image
formation apparatus is connected to the computer. Further, a form
of warning may be voice, sound, lighting/flickering of a lamp and
the like.
By controlling the image formation apparatus in this
manner, even when the user erroneously mixes a general recording
material in the paper feed cassette 161d where only those reusable
media must be stored, if image information is used only for a short
period of time, it is possible to securely record such information
on the reusable medium and end the image formation operation
without stopping the operation. Thus, it is possible to eliminate

55
waste of recording materials and reduce environmental load.
Moreover, it is possible to reduce a possibility that a general
recording material on which an image is formed is mixed in the
image removal device, prevent trouble such as generation of jam
in the image removal device 2, and eliminate a loss of time
resulting from stopping of the image formation operation.
The same operation is performed in a case where an
image is formed in the second image formation mode. If the
discrimination information indicating a reusable medium is
detected by the sensor 181 on a recording material on which an
image is to be formed, the driving unit 223 is driven and the guide
flap 222 is positioned at the collection position, so that the
image is not formed on the reusable medium and the reusable medium
is ejected to the collection tray 164 via the pair of collection
rollers 168. Then, the next recording material is supplied from
the paper feed cassette in which a selected type of paper is set.
If the discrimination information indicating a reusable medium
is not detected by the sensor 181, the driving unit 223 is driven
and the guide flap 222 is positioned at the conveying position,
so that a general recording material is conveyed to the image
formation unit, the toner powder images formed in the image
formation operation is transferred, and the transferred images
are fixed in the fixation unit 140, thereby completing the image
formation job.
The same process as in the first image formation mode

56
is performed if the discrimination information on the reusable
medium is successively detected even when the second image
formation mode is selected and an image formation instruction is
issued. By controlling the image formation apparatus in this
manner, even when the user erroneously mixes a reusable medium
in the paper feed cassette where only those general recording
materials must be stored, an image is not formed on the reusable
medium and it is possible to securely record such information on
the general recording material and end the image formation
operation.
Thus, it is possible to prevent a stop of the image
formation operation and eliminate a loss of time generated from
printing only a specific page again. Further, it is possible to
prevent mixing of the reusable medium and formal documents such
as documents, contracts, and the like submitted to customers,
government and public offices, outside companies, and outside
divisions.
Another embodiment of control by the control unit 8 0
is described in the following.
When the image removal device 2 is installed on the
image formation apparatus 1, the reusable medium used as a
recording material from which a formed image is to be removed is
usually stored in the paper feed cassette 161d as mentioned above,
for example, and conveyed to the image removal device 2. When
an image removal process is performed, the sensor 181 detects not

57
only whether the recording material being conveyed has information
for indicating a reusable medium but also the presence or absence
of the discrimination information provided when the image is
formed in the first image formation mode of the image formation
apparatus 1.
If one of both set of information is not detected,
the control unit 80 of the image formation apparatus judges that
the image forming substances cannot be removed from the conveyed
recording material and the control unit 80 is capable of
positioning the guide flap 222 using the driving unit 223 such
that the recording material is ejected to the collection tray 164.
In other words, on the collection tray 164, a recording material
inappropriate upon image formation is ejected and a recording
material inappropriate upon image removal is ejected. The
ejection of such inappropriate paper is caused by erroneous
operation of the user and the like. Usually, a large number of
recording materials are not ejected to the collection tray 164.
Upon image formation and image removal, preferably,
the collection tray 164 to which the inappropriate recording
materials are ejected is shared as mentioned above, so that it
is possible to reduce the number of components, environmental load,
and a cost.
Another embodiment of control by the control unit 80
is described in the following.
When the image removal device 2 is installed on the

58
image formation apparatus 1, it is possible to perform the image
formation operation and the image removal operation at the same
time. However, as shown in FIG. 1, when the recording material
conveying path 501 in which portions of the second conveying path
51 and the first conveying path 50 are shared is disposed, problems
are generated in that control becomes difficult upon operation
at the same time and electric consumption becomes excessively
large, for example. Thus, the control unit 80 preferably controls
such that the image formation operation and the image removal
operation are not performed at the same time.
In general, the image formation operation requires
high speed and a ratio of actual period of time for the image
formation operation to working hours at the offices is small. By
contrast, normal image removal operation in which the reusable
medium is conveyed from the paper feed cassette 161d does not
require urgency in many cases. Accordingly, while a normal
successive image removal process is being performed in which the
reusable medium is conveyed from the paper feed cassette 161d as
in step Gl shown in FIG. 12, if the user presses a print button
232 disposed on the operation panel 231 shown in FIG. 7 or an
instruction for the image formation operation is input (step G2)
by issuing a printing instruction from a driver of the user
interface of the computer connected to the image formation
apparatus via the network, for example, after the image removal
process on the reusable medium ejected from the paper feed unit

59
161 is ended in step G3, the image formation process is
preferentially performed immediately in step G4. Then, when an
entire image formation operation is ended in step G5, it is
possible to perform an interrupt control in step 6 such that the
image removal process in operation is resumed. By contrast, even
when the successive image removal process is being performed, if
the instruction for the image formation operation is not input
in step G2, the process proceeds to step G7 and the image removal
process operation is continued.
By performing control in this manner, the user is
capable of performing the image formation process and the process
for removing an image from the reusable medium without reducing
operational efficiency. Moreover, it is possible to prevent the
electric consumption from becoming excessively large resulting
from performing the image formation process and the image removal
process at the same time. Further, it is possible to simplify
control operation and the control unit 80.
Another embodiment of control by the control unit 80
is described in the following.
The process for removing an image from the reusable
medium is controlled to be automatically continued while the
reusable medium is present in the dedicated paper feed cassette
161d. The process for removing an image from the reusable medium
is performed not only on the reusable medium fed from the paper
feed cassette 161d but also on the reusable medium fed from the

60
manual paper feed tray 162. The process for removing an image
from the reusable medium fed from the manual paper feed tray 162
is performed only through an image removal process start button
233 disposed on the operation panel 231 shown in FIG. 7. The image
removal process on the reusable medium fed from the manual paper
feed tray 162 is given priority over any image formation process
operation and the image removal process on the reusable medium
fed from the paper feed cassette 161d.
In step HI shown in FIG. 13, while a normal successive
image removal process is being performed in which the reusable
medium is conveyed from the paper feed cassette 161d, if the image
removal process start button 233 is turned on in step H2, for
example, after the process on a single sheet of the reusable medium
ejected from the paper feed unit 161 is ended in step H3, the
process operation for removing an image is immediately performed
on the reusable medium fed from the manual paper feed tray 162
in step H4. This operation is given priority until the reusable
medium from the manual paper feed tray 162 runs out. When the
image removal process is ended in H5, an interrupt control is
performed in step H6 such that the image removal process or the
image formation process in operation is resumed.
In this manner, by performing control such that the
process for removing an image from the reusable medium fed from
the manual paper feed tray 162 is given priority over any operation,
the user is capable of removing image information on the reusable

61
medium in which especially highly-confidential information is
recorded without allowing many persons to see the image
information and is capable of confirming whether the information
is securely removed. In other words, it is possible to use the
image removal device 2 connected to the image formation apparatus
so as to protect confidentiality in the same manner as a shredder
and reuse the reusable medium.
Another embodiment of control by the control unit 8 0
is described in the following.
In the image removal device 2 shown in FIG. 1, a sensor
182 is disposed on the third conveying path 52. The sensor 182
is a detection unit detecting whether there is a remaining image
on the reusable medium used as a recording material from which
an image is removed. The sensor 182 is disposed based on the fact
that an image may remain on the reusable medium after the image
removal process when writing is performed using writing materials
incapable of removal by the image removal process or when a number
of reuse of the reusable medium becomes large and an image is
incompletely removed.
It is possible to construct the sensor 182 using a
line image sensor including a CCD. As shown in FIG. 14, for example,
in step Jl, the presence or absence of a remaining image on the
reusable medium after the image removal process is judged based
on an output from the sensor 182. If the remaining image is judged
to be present, the driving unit 63 is driven and the flap 62 is

62
moved to the paper ejection position in step J2, so that the
reusable medium having the remaining image is returned to the first
conveying path 50 and the reusable medium is ejected to the paper
ejection tray 163 as a non-reusable medium via a pair of conveying
rollers 185e, the fixing roller 141, the pair of conveying rollers
170g, and the pair of paper ejection rollers 167 in step J3, without
ejecting the reusable medium to the medium ejection tray 165. On
the other hand, if the remaining image is judged to be absent in
step Jl, the driving unit 63 is driven and the flap 62 is moved
to the reuse position in step J4 and the reusable medium is ejected
to the medium ejection tray 165 as a reusable media in step J5.
As mentioned above, the image formation process and
the image removal process are not performed at the same time, so
that the reusable medium having the remaining image after the image
removal process is not inserted between recording materials on
which an image is formed at a single image formation instruction.
When a multi-stage paper ejection device such as a
conventional sorter is installed on the image formation apparatus
1, the reusable medium having the remaining image after the image
removal process may be controlled to be ejected to other bin
separate from the recording material on which an image is formed
based on the image formation instruction. Or, as shown in FIG.
15, a rack 240 may be disposed in a movement direction of the medium
ejection tray 165 and a driving motor 242 may be disposed on the
housing B of the image removal device 2, the driving motor 242

63
rotating a pinion gear 241 meshing with the rack 240 by a certain
angle. Then, the reusable medium having the remaining image after
the image removal process is ejected to the medium ejection tray
165 in the same manner as the reusable medium having no remaining
image. When ejecting the reusable medium having the remaining
image, by driving the driving motor 242 and shifting the medium
ejection tray 165 in a direction orthogonal relative to a paper
conveying direction, the reusable medium may be controlled to be
stocked such that the reusable medium 174 from which an image is
completely removed and a reusable medium 174A having the remaining
image are readily separated.
The above-mentioned description is based on the
assumption that the image removal device 2 is installed on the
image formation apparatus 1. However, the user may not require
the reuse of the recording material using the reusable medium.
Further, although plural image formation apparatuses 1 are
required, the image removal device 2 may not necessarily be
connected to each of the image formation apparatuses 1. Moreover,
the installed image removal device 2 may become no longer necessary
and the user may wish to detach the image removal device 2. In
a case where the image removal device 2 is not installed, by having
a common structure for the image formation apparatus 1 and allowing
the image removal device 2 to be detachably installed, it is
possible to install and detach the image removal device 2 as
appropriate and add the image removal function so as to meet user

64
demands and to simplify the structure of the image removal device
2 and reduce environmental load and a cost.
In particular, as in the present invention, it is
possible to simplify the structure of the image removal device
2 installed on the image formation apparatus 1 by sharing the paper
feed unit of the recording material such as the paper feed cassette,
the manual paper feed unit, the conveying path, and the sensor
181 used as a recognition unit for the discrimination information
between the image formation apparatus 1 and the image removal
device 2, and disposing the control unit 80 controlling an entire
portion on the image formation apparatus 1 when the image removal
device 2 is installed on the image formation apparatus 1.
Further, the image formation apparatus 1 and the image
removal device 2 are not operated at the same time, so that it
is possible to share a driving system, a direct-current power
supply, and the like of the image formation apparatus 1 and the
image removal device 2 between the image formation apparatus and
the image removal device and to use such elements through switching
with a clutch or a switch. However, those users wishing to have
the image formation apparatus 1 and the image removal device 2
from the beginning may be provided with an image formation
apparatus in which the image formation function and the image
removal function are stored in a single housing A.
In other words, as shown in FIG. 16, the image
formation apparatus may include the image formation unit to which

65
the recording material is supplied at least from the manual paper
feed tray 162, the image removal device 2 disposed on the housing
A and removing an image recorded on the recording material, and
the switch unit 210 switching whether the recording material fed
from the manual paper feed tray 162 is supplied to the image removal
device or the image formation unit.
In the above-mentioned image formation unit, a
technique for forming an image by the most common
electrophotography is employed as an image formation method in
which an electrostatic latent image is formed on each of
photoconductors, development is performed using dry toner, and
toner powder images are transferred to the recording material.
However, the present invention is not limited to this and
electrophotography such as an electrostatic recording method,
toner jet recording method, ion flow printing, and the like may
be used where photoconductors are not used.
Further, the image formation method is not
necessarily limited to electrophotography but includes a magnetic
recording process in which thermoplastic image forming substances
are used for image formation and a thermal transfer method. When
an image is formed by an ink-jet method using thermofusible solid
ink, it is possible to remove the image forming substances by
thermally transferring the substances to the image peeling member
and apply the present invention to an image formation apparatus
using these image formation methods.

66
Moreover, as clearly understood from the principle
of the present invention, it is possible to apply the present
invention to methods for removing an image from the recording
material even when the image is not thermally transferred to the
image peeling member. For example, such image removal methods
may include a method for washing out an image using water, organic
solvent, and the like, a method for removing the image by scraping,
and a method for eliminating colors of coloring materials using
heat, light irradiation, and the like.
In the embodiments, the reusable medium is described
as a recording material to which an agent having repellency to
image forming substance is provided so as to reduce adhesion to
the image forming substances. However, recording materials in
which a substance swelling with water and the like is provided
and adhesion to the image forming substances is reduced when a
separation solution such as water is provided may be used as the
reusable medium. Also, it is possible to use recording materials
in which resin having resistance of abrasion such as UV-curable
resin is coated and image forming substances can be scraped off
from a surface as the reusable medium and to use recording
materials in which compounds for eliminating color of image
forming substances through a chemical reaction with the image
forming substances are provided as the reusable medium. When
these recording materials are used, an image removal device
capable of performing image removal for each reusable medium may

67
be used.
Although the manual paper feed tray 162 installed on
the image formation apparatus 1 is configured to be shared, a paper
feed cassette dedicated to reusable medium may be disposed on the
manual paper feed tray 162 on the image removal device 2.
The present invention is not limited to the
specifically disclosed embodiment, and variations and
modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the
present invention.
The present application is based on Japanese priority
application No. 2006-206659 filed July 28, 2006, the entire
contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

68
CLAIMS
1. An image formation apparatus comprising:
a manual paper feed unit supplying a recording
material;
an image formation unit receiving the recording
material from said manual paper feed unit;
an image removal device removing an image recorded
on the recording material;
an installation unit detachably installing said
image removal device on said image formation apparatus; and
a switching unit switching whether the recording
material fed from said manual paper feed unit is supplied to said
image removal device installed using said installation unit or
to said image formation unit.
2. An image formation apparatus comprising:
a manual paper feed unit supplying a recording
material;
an image formation unit receiving the recording
material from said manual paper feed unit;
an image removal device disposed on said image
formation apparatus, said image removal device removing an image
recorded on the recording material; and
a switching unit switching whether the recording

69
material fed from said manual paper feed unit is supplied to said
image removal device or to said image formation unit.
3. The image formation apparatus according to claim
1, wherein
the recording material includes a reusable medium
from which a formed image is removed by said image removal device
and a general recording material which is not supplied to said
image removal device and has a formed image that is not removed.
4. The image formation apparatus according to claim
3, wherein
the reusable medium includes a recording material to
which at least one agent having repellency to image forming
substance is provided so as to reduce fixation on an image forming
substance.
5. The image formation apparatus according to claim
3, including:
a first paper feed cassette storing the reusable
medium; and
a second paper feed cassette storing the general
recording material.
6. The image formation apparatus according to claim

70
3, including:
a selection unit allowing a user to select a first
image formation mode for forming an image on the reusable medium
and a second image formation mode for forming an image on the
general recording material; and
a control unit performing control so as to form an
image on the reusable medium when the first image formation mode
is selected and to form an image on the general recording material
when the second image formation mode is selected using said
selection unit.
7. The image formation apparatus according to claim
6, wherein
the reusable medium has discrimination information
for recognizing reusability of the reusable medium,
a first conveying path for supplying the recording
material to said image formation unit and a second conveying path
for supplying the recording material to said image removal device
partially share a common path for conveying the recording material,
and
a recognition unit judging the discrimination
information of the reusable medium is disposed on said common path
for conveying the recording material.
8. The image formation apparatus according to claim

71
7, wherein
an image is formed in said image formation unit when
a recording material appropriate for an image formation mode is
detected before recording materials inappropriate for the image
formation mode selected using said selection unit are successively-
detected for a predetermined number of times,
an image formation operation by said image formation
unit is stopped when inappropriate recording materials are
successively detected for the predetermined number of times, and
ejection is performed without performing the image
formation operation when inappropriate recording materials are
successively detected for less than the predetermined number of
times.
9. The image formation apparatus according to claim
7, including:
a warning unit outputting warning information for
notifying that an inappropriate recording material is set when
inappropriate recording materials are successively detected by
said recognition unit for a predetermined number of times.
10 . The image formation apparatus according to claim
7, wherein
the discrimination information in the reusable
medium includes discrimination information recorded in an IC chip

72
disposed on the reusable medium in an integrated manner.
11. The image formation apparatus according to claim
1, wherein
after said image removal device is installed on said
image formation apparatus, even when an image removal process
operation is being performed successively by said image removal
device, if an image formation instruction is input, the image
removal process operation is suspended and an image formation
operation is preferentially performed, and then after the image
formation operation is ended, the image removal process operation
is resumed.
12 . The image formation apparatus according to claim
1, wherein
after said image removal device is installed on said
image formation apparatus, even when an image removal process
operation is being performed on a recording material by said image
removal device, the recording material being conveyed from a paper
feed cassette disposed on said image formation apparatus or said
image removal device, if an image removal process instruction is
input for a recording material supplied from said manual paper
feed unit, the image removal process operation on the recording
material conveyed from said paper feed cassette is suspended and
an image removal process operation on the recording material

73
conveyed from said manual paper feed unit is preferentially
performed, and then after the image removal process operation is
ended, the image removal process operation on the recording
material conveyed from said paper feed cassette is successively
resumed.
13. The image formation apparatus according to claim
1, including:
a control unit performing an interrupt control,
wherein
after said image removal device is installed on said
image formation apparatus, even when an image formation operation
is being performed successively or an image removal process
operation is being performed successively on a recording material
by said image removal device, the recording material being
conveyed from a paper feed cassette disposed on said image
formation apparatus or said image removal device, if an image
removal process instruction is input for a recording material
supplied from said manual paper feed unit, the image formation
operation or the image removal process operation on the recording
material conveyed from said paper feed cassette is temporarily
suspended and an image removal process operation on the recording
material conveyed from said manual paper feed unit is
preferentially performed, and then after the image removal process
operation is ended, the suspended image formation operation or

74
the image removal process operation on the recording material
conveyed from said paper feed cassette is resumed.
14 . The image formation apparatus according to claim
2, wherein
even when an image removal process operation is being
performed successively by said image removal device, if an image
formation instruction is input, the image removal process
operation is suspended and an image formation operation is
preferentially performed, and then after the image formation
operation is ended, the image removal process operation is
resumed.
15. The image formation apparatus according to claim
2, wherein
even when an image removal process operation is being
performed on a recording material by said image removal device,
the recording material being conveyed from a paper feed cassette
disposed on said image formation apparatus or said image removal
device, if an image removal process instruction is input for a
recording material supplied from said manual paper feed unit, the
image removal process operation on the recording material conveyed
from said paper feed cassette is suspended and an image removal
process operation on the recording material conveyed from said
manual paper feed unit is preferentially performed, and then after

75
the image removal process operation is ended, the image removal
process operation on the recording material conveyed from said
paper feed cassette is successively resumed.
16. The image formation apparatus according to claim
2, including:
a control unit performing an interrupt control,
wherein
even when an image formation operation is being
performed successively or an image removal process operation is
being performed successively on a recording material by said image
removal device, the recording material being conveyed from a paper
feed cassette disposed on said image formation apparatus or said
image removal device, if an image removal process instruction is
input for a recording material supplied from said manual paper
feed unit, the image formation operation or the image removal
process operation on the recording material conveyed from said
paper feed cassette is temporarily suspended and an image removal
process operation on the recording material conveyed from said
manual paper feed unit is preferentially performed, and then after
the image removal process operation is ended, the suspended image
formation operation or the image removal process operation on the
recording material conveyed from said paper feed cassette is
resumed.

A disclosed image formation apparatus includes: a
manual paper feed unit supplying a recording material; an image
formation unit receiving the recording material from the manual
paper feed unit; an image removal device removing an image recorded
on the recording material; an installation unit detachably
installing the image removal device on the image formation
apparatus; and a switching unit switching whether the recording
material fed from the manual paper feed unit is supplied to the
image removal device installed using the installation unit or to
the image formation unit.

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Patent Number 264439
Indian Patent Application Number 977/KOLNP/2008
PG Journal Number 01/2015
Publication Date 02-Jan-2015
Grant Date 29-Dec-2014
Date of Filing 05-Mar-2008
Name of Patentee RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Applicant Address 3-6, NAKAMAGOME 1-CHOME, OHTA-KU, TOKYO
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 MURAKAMI, KAKUJI 10-24-301, TSUMADAMINAMI 2-CHOME, ATSUGI-SHI, KANAGAWA 243-0814
PCT International Classification Number G03G 21/00
PCT International Application Number PCT/JP2007/064836
PCT International Filing date 2007-07-24
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 2006-206659 2006-07-28 Japan