Image forming apparatus

摘要

According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus which has a function of performing an erasing process of erasing an image formed on a recording medium and an image forming process of forming an image on the recording medium is provided. The image forming apparatus automatically performs the erasing process when a state where an operation panel does not receive a process request from a user continues during a predetermined time or more.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus which forms an image on a recording medium, comprising:
an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; an erasing unit configured to erase the image formed on the recording medium; an operation panel configured to receive a process request including an image forming process performed by the image forming unit and an erasing process performed by the erasing unit; a control unit configured to control the units to perform a process corresponding to the process request received by the operation panel, and control the erasing unit to perform the erasing process when a state where the operation panel does not receive the process request continues during a predetermined time or more; a fixing unit comprising a heating element configured to heat a sheet at a fixed temperature to fix a toner image to the sheet when an image forming process is performed and to heat the sheet at an erasing temperature higher than a fixing temperature to erase the toner image of the sheet when an erasing process is performed, and wherein the fixing unit operates as the erasing unit; and a plurality of cassettes that accommodate a recording medium of an image forming process target and an erasing process target, wherein the operation panel receives designation of a cassette that accommodates the recording medium of the erasing process target in the plurality of cassettes.