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Recycling method and image forming apparatus manufactured using recycling methodRelated Patent Categories: Metal Working, Method Of Mechanical Manufacture, Scrap Recovering Or Utilizing, Metalworking To Consolidate ScrapRecycling method and image forming apparatus manufactured using recycling method description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060236516, Recycling method and image forming apparatus manufactured using recycling method. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present application is a Divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/225,242, filed Aug. 22, 2002, now allowed. FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART [0002] The present invention relates to a recycling method (remanufacturing method: REM or RMF), in which products used in the marketplace are recovered, disassembled, sorted, and reassembled to manufacture products virtually identical to the original, or products different from the original. In particular, it relates to an image forming apparatus recycling method. [0003] It has been a common practice for manufacturers to recover their used products from the marketplace, due to environmental concerns. The recovered used products were disassembled, and sorted. The components which could be reused as they were, were reused. Some of those which could not be reused as they were, were used as the material for new products, or used as fuel, and the others were dumped after being reduced in volume by pulverization, burning, or the like. [0004] In the past, however, the usage of the recycled products has been limited to the remanufacture of the products identical to the recovered products, or the products which share common components with the recovered products. In other words, the number of the recyclable products has been limited. [0005] Further, recycling incurs the expense for recovery and disassembly, as well as the expense for determining whether or not the recovered used products are reusable. Thus, not all products have been recycled; some of them have been dumped. [0006] Further, the amount of recyclable products has been limited. Therefore, the amount of recyclable products necessary to be recovered for recycling has fluctuated. In other words, as the amount of a shipment decreased, there was an excessive number of the recovered recyclable products, whereas as the number of shipments increased, there was a shortage of the recovered recyclable products (in other words, a shortage of recovered reusable components), forcing the manufacturers to use brand-new components for the remanufacture of the recyclable products. In other words, a fresh supply of recyclable components has been manufactured for the purpose of remanufacture. Further, as the products of the next generation come onto the market after the ending of the manufacture of the preceding generation resulting from the drop in the prices of the preceding generation, the recovered recyclable products of the preceding generation and/or the components therefrom could not be used, ending up in the dump. In addition, the processes used for recycling the recyclable products of the preceding generation had to be modified for the recyclable products of the new generation. This generational switch resulted in additional waste products. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a recycling method which makes it possible for a recovered component to be reused not only for the remanufacture of an apparatus identical in specification to the product from which the component was extracted, but also for the manufacture of products different in specification from the product from which the component was extracted, and also, to provide an image forming apparatus which can be remanufactured or manufactured using such a recycling method. [0008] According to one of the preferable embodiments of the present invention for accomplishing the above described object, a method for recycling an apparatus comprising a plurality of components comprises: a recovery process for extracting components from a single or plurality of recovered apparatuses; a processing process for processing the extracted components in order to make the extracted components meet the changes in the apparatus specifications; and an attaching process for attaching the extracted components having been processed in the processing process, to the single, or plurality of the apparatuses from which they were removed. [0009] According to another of the preferable embodiments of the present invention, an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of components is recyclable through the following processes: a recovery process for extracting components from a single or plurality of recovered apparatuses; a processing process for processing the extracted components in order to make the extracted components meet the changes in the apparatus specifications; and an attaching process for attaching the components having been processed in the processing process, to the single, or plurality of the apparatuses from which they were removed. [0010] These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] FIG. 1 is a flowchart for showing an image forming apparatus recycling process. [0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a specification modifying/manufacturing process. [0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another example of a specification modifying/manufacturing process. [0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing for showing another example of a specification modifying/manufacturing process. [0015] FIG. 5 is a flowchart for showing another image forming apparatus recycling process. [0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the frame of the main assembly in the first embodiment of the present invention, and a frame dolly. [0017] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the frame of the main assembly in the second embodiment of the present invention, and a frame dolly. [0018] FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an example of an image forming apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0019] FIG. 1 is a chart for an image forming apparatus recycling method in accordance with the present invention. Designated by reference numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are: a recovering process; a receiving process; a disassembling/cleansing process; a sorting/examining process; a specification modifying/manufacturing process; and a selling process, respectively. [0020] The products recovered from users are processed in the receiving process 2; they are subjected to a simple examination to determine their specifications. For example, some of them are classified as an M type: black-and-white analog copying machine. Continue reading about Recycling method and image forming apparatus manufactured using recycling method... 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