IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING REUSED SHEET

摘要

A sheet erasing apparatus according to an embodiment includes an erasing unit, a scanning unit, and first, second and third sheet cassettes. A processing unit determines a number of times of reuse, and whether the sheet is reusable. When the sheet is determined to be reusable and the number of times reuse is less than a predetermined number, the sheet is conveyed to the first sheet cassette. When the sheet is determined to be reusable and the number of times of reuse is equal to a predetermined number, the sheet is conveyed to the second sheet cassette. When the sheet is determined to not be reusable, the sheet is conveyed to the third sheet cassette.

主权项

1. An image forming and sheet processing apparatus comprising:
a reuse sheet feeding cassette that accommodates at least a first reused sheet from which an image formed with a decolorable colorant has been erased a predetermined number of times and a second reused sheet from which an image formed with the decolorable colorant has been erased a number of times less than the predetermined number; a new sheet feeding cassette that accommodates a new sheet; a printer unit configured to form an image on sheets; a finishing unit configured to perform post-processing on sheets; a conveying unit configured to convey sheets to the printer unit and to the finish unit, as needed; an operating unit that receives instructions for a print job including a selection between a reused sheet mode and a new sheet mode for the print job, and whether to perform post-processing with the finisher; and a control unit configured to control the printer unit, the finishing unit, and the conveying unit so that:
when the instructions for the print job include a selection of the reused sheet mode and an instruction to perform post-processing, the conveying unit conveys the first reused sheet to the printer unit for forming an image and to the finishing unit for performing post-processing,when the instructions for the print job include a selection of the reused sheet mode and not an instruction to perform post-processing, the conveying unit conveys the second reused sheet to the printer unit for forming an image without performing post processing in the finishing unit, andwhen the instructions for the print job include a selection of the new sheet mode, the conveying unit conveys the new sheet to the printer unit for forming an image.