Decoloring Apparatus Sheet Collision Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
In decoloring apparatuses, the high cost and slow processing of determining whether to decolor an image on a sheet lead to conveyance jams due to the need for a management apparatus to determine the decoloring possibility, causing delays and potential collisions between sheets in the conveyance path.
Innovation Solution
A decoloring apparatus with a conveyance path, paper feeding, reading, communication, and decoloring parts, where the control part receives determination results from a management apparatus and conveys sheets to appropriate destinations based on image data, preventing collisions by managing the flow of subsequent sheets during determination delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the decoloring possible or impossible determination is made by a management apparatus (PC), then the cost of the decoloring apparatus is reduced, but the processing time increases and conveyance jams occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having the reading part read the image of the preceding sheet and transmit the image data to the management apparatus before the current sheet completes its conveyance. This allows the determination process to start in advance, reducing the effective waiting time for the determination result and preventing conveyance jams.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous operation by allowing the reading part to continuously read images of subsequent sheets and transmit them to the management apparatus without interruption, even while waiting for determination results. This ensures that the useful action of reading and transmitting data continues without idle time, improving overall processing efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If the sheet is stopped between the reading part and the decoloring part to wait for determination result, then the determination accuracy is ensured, but conveyance collision occurs between sheets
Solution Approach 1:
The system initiates the determination process in advance by transmitting image data to the management apparatus before the sheet reaches the decoloring part. This preliminary action ensures that the determination is completed or nearly completed by the time the sheet arrives, maintaining determination accuracy while eliminating the need for stopping and preventing conveyance collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism where the control part manages the timing and coordination between sheet conveyance and determination process. By controlling when sheets are conveyed based on the status of determination requests and results, the system ensures both accurate determination and reliable conveyance without collisions.
3Ease of manufacture
If the management apparatus processes determination slowly, then cost is reduced, but productivity of the decoloring apparatus decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs determination processing in advance by transmitting image data to the management apparatus before the sheet completes its conveyance cycle. This allows the management apparatus to process multiple sheets in advance, and the decoloring apparatus can continue operating without waiting for each determination result, thereby maintaining high productivity despite slow processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The reading part continuously reads and transmits image data without interruption, maintaining continuous useful action. This ensures that the pipeline of sheet processing remains full, and the decoloring apparatus can operate at maximum capacity while the management apparatus processes determinations at its own pace, preserving both productivity and cost-effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A decoloring apparatus includes a conveyance path, a paper feeding part, a reading part, a communication part, a decoloring part and a control part. The conveyance path conveys a sheet to respective parts in the apparatus. The paper feeding part feeds a sheet on which an image is formed by a decolorable colorant to the conveyance path from a sheet stack part. The reading part is provided downstream of the paper feeding part in the conveyance path and reads the image of the sheet. The communication part transmits read image data of a preceding sheet to a management apparatus communicably connected to the decoloring apparatus and receives a determination result of a conveyance destination of the preceding sheet obtained by the management apparatus based on the image data. The decoloring part is provided downstream of the reading part in the conveyance path and erases the image of the sheet. After the communication part receives the determination result of the conveyance destination of the preceding sheet obtained by the management apparatus, the control part conveys the preceding sheet subjected to reading to the determined conveyance destination, and reads an image of a subsequent sheet by the reading part so that a leading edge of the subsequent sheet does not collide with a trailing edge of the preceding sheet.