Decoloring apparatus and method for operating the same
View Patent ↗A decoloring apparatus includes an erasing unit configured to generate heat so as to erase an image formed on a sheet with an erasable material, a sheet storing unit to store one or more sheets, each having the image formed thereon with the erasable material, a sheet conveying unit configured to convey the sheets from the sheet storing unit to the erasing unit, a quantity sensor configured to detect a quantity of the sheets stored in the sheet storing unit, and a control unit configured to determine whether or not the detected quantity is greater than a predetermined value, and control the sheet conveying unit to convey the sheets and the erasing unit to generate heat, when the detected quantity is determined to be greater than the predetermined value.
1. A decoloring apparatus comprising:
an erasing unit configured to generate heat so as to erase an image formed on a sheet with an erasable material;
a sheet storing unit to store one or more sheets, each having the image formed thereon with the erasable material;
a sheet conveying unit configured to convey the sheets from the sheet storing unit to the erasing unit;
a sensor configured to detect an amount of the sheets stored in the sheet storing unit;
a motion detector; and
a control unit configured to determine whether or not the detected amount is greater than a predetermined value, and to control the sheet conveying unit to convey the sheets and the erasing unit to generate heat, responsive to determining that the motion detector has not detected a moving object for a predetermined length of time and the detected amount is greater than the predetermined value.
2. The decoloring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the amount is a weight of the sheets stored in the sheet storing unit.
3. The decoloring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to carry out the controlling of the sheet conveying unit and the erasing unit only at a predetermined time of day.
4. The decoloring apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the predetermined time of day is during the night.
5. The decoloring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a brightness sensor configured to detect brightness around the decoloring apparatus, wherein
the control unit is further configured to determine whether or not the detected brightness is smaller than a predetermined value, and to carry out the controlling of the sheet conveying unit and the erasing unit when the control unit determines that the detected brightness is smaller than the predetermined value.
6. The decoloring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is further configured to determine an operational mode of the decoloring apparatus, the operational mode including a normal mode and a stand-by mode during which energy consumption of the decoloring apparatus is smaller than during the normal mode, and to carry out the controlling of the sheet conveying unit and the erasing unit in the stand-by mode and not in the normal mode.
7. The decoloring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage unit, wherein
the control unit is further configured to receive a user input for setting the predetermined value, and control the storage unit to store the predetermined value according to the user input.
8. A method for operating a decoloring apparatus including an erasing unit, a sheet storing unit storing one or more sheets, each having an image formed with an erasable material, and a sheet conveying unit, the method comprising:
carrying out a detection process to detect a moving object around the decoloring apparatus;
detecting an amount of sheets in the sheet storing unit; and
controlling the sheet conveying unit to convey the sheets in the sheet storing unit to the erasing unit, and the erasing unit to generate heat so as to erase the image on each of the sheets, when the detection process has not detected the moving object for a predetermining length of time and the detected amount is greater than a predetermined value.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein
the amount is a weight of the sheets stored in the sheet storing unit.
10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein
the controlling of the sheet conveying unit and the erasing unit is carried out only at a predetermined time of day.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein
the predetermined time of the day is during the night.
12. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting brightness around the decoloring apparatus; and
determining that the detected brightness is smaller than a predetermined value, wherein
the controlling of the sheet conveying unit and the erasing unit is carried out when the detected brightness is smaller than the predetermined value.
13. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
determining an operational mode of the decoloring apparatus, the operational mode including a normal mode and a stand-by mode during which energy consumption of the decoloring apparatus is smaller than during the normal mode, wherein
the controlling of the sheet conveying unit and the erasing unit is carried out only when the decoloring apparatus is in the stand-by mode and not in the normal mode.
14. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving a user input for setting the predetermined value; and
storing the predetermined value according to the user input.
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a program that is executable in a computing device to cause the computing device to perform a method for operating a decoloring apparatus, the method comprising:
carrying out a detection process to detect a moving object around the decoloring apparatus;
detecting an amount of sheets in a sheet storing unit for storing one or more sheets having an image formed with an erasable material; and
controlling a sheet conveying unit to convey the sheets in the sheet storing unit to an erasing unit, and the erasing unit to generate heat so as to erase the image on each of the sheets, when the detection process has not detected the moving object for a predetermined length of time and the detected amount is greater than a predetermined value.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein
the amount is a weight of the sheets stored in the sheet storing unit.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein
the controlling of the sheet conveying unit and the erasing unit is carried out only at a predetermined time of day.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17 , wherein
the predetermined time of the day is during the night.
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
detecting brightness around the decoloring apparatus; and
determining that the detected brightness is smaller than a predetermined value, wherein
the controlling of the sheet conveying unit and the erasing unit is carried out when the detected brightness is smaller than the predetermined value.
20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining an operational mode of the decoloring apparatus, the operational mode including a normal mode and a stand-by mode during which energy consumption of the decoloring apparatus is smaller than during the normal mode, wherein
the controlling of the sheet conveying unit and the erasing unit is carried out when the decoloring apparatus is in the stand-by mode and not in the normal mode.