The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 14, 1998
Filed:
Apr. 17, 1997
Haruo Nishiyama, Nara, JP;
Masanori Matsumoto, Kashihara, JP;
Shigeru Watase, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Takao Horiuchi, Nara, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
To maintain an image eraser used for erasing a toner image printed on a sheet operable wastes power, and additionally, a manual operation is required for loading a sheet feed portion with sheets from which the printed image is removed for reuse. The main body of an image forming apparatus is provided with a tray for image erasure and a feed roller for feeding sheets from the tray. Disposed in a passage for transporting the sheets from the tray is an image eraser comprising a nozzle for applying a treatment for removal of toner, a toner removal roller and a pressure roller and the likes. By means of a transport roller, sheets are transferred from the image eraser to an intermediate tray or a registration roller for feeding sheets to an image forming position. The image eraser is actuated for image erasure while the image forming apparatus is not performing an image forming operation. The sheets from which the image is removed are received by the intermediate tray which, in turn, feeds the sheets for image forming operation if it is determined before execution of the operation that the sheets in the intermediate tray match with a sheet size specified for the operation.