Selective Image Erasing via Localized Sheet Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing apparatuses require increased time and power consumption for image erasing on sheets, as they often apply heat uniformly across both surfaces regardless of image presence, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus with a detector and controller that determines the number of heating cycles and heat amount based on image presence on both surfaces of a sheet, adjusting the conveyor path and heater temperature to optimize processing time and power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heating is applied uniformly across both surfaces of the sheet, then complete erasing of images is achieved, but processing time and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies heating selectively only to regions where images are detected on the sheet, rather than uniformly heating the entire sheet surface. The heating unit receives image information from the reading unit and concentrates thermal energy only on areas requiring erasure, thereby reducing overall processing time and power consumption while maintaining complete erasing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If heating is applied uniformly across both surfaces of the sheet, then complete erasing of images is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating unit is controlled to apply thermal energy only to specific localized regions where images are detected, rather than heating the entire sheet surface uniformly. This selective heating approach significantly reduces power consumption while ensuring complete erasure of all detected images on the sheet.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying excessive heating across the entire sheet surface, the system applies partial heating only to the extent necessary for erasing detected images. The reading unit identifies image locations, and the heating unit responds by applying thermal energy only to those specific areas, avoiding unnecessary energy expenditure on blank regions.
3Reliability
If the number of heating cycles is increased to ensure complete erasing, then erasing reliability improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reading unit performs preliminary scanning of the sheet to detect image locations before the heating process begins. This advance detection allows the heating unit to be precisely targeted from the start, eliminating the need for multiple trial heating cycles and ensuring complete erasure in a single optimized pass, thereby maintaining high reliability while improving processing efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus optimizes processing time and power consumption by selectively applying heat to sheets based on image presence, reducing unnecessary heating cycles and energy use.
Implementation Method 1
The heater applies a predetermined heat amount onto the sheet to carry out erasing processing on the sheet
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a detector, a heater, and a controller. The detector detects an image formed on a sheet. The heater applies a predetermined heat amount onto the sheet to carry out erasing processing on the sheet. The controller controls, based on a detection result of the detector, the number of times the erasing processing is to be carried out on the sheet and a heat amount to be applied onto the sheet in the erasing processing.