Patent ID: 6064413
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
In a rewritable card read/write apparatus including a magnetically recordable data write/read magnetic head for writing magnetically data and reading magnetically written data, a printing thermal head for print ing data thermally, and a transporting mechanism for feeding a rewritable card inserted into said rewritable card read/write apparatus through a card in let port forwardly and backwardly so that said rewritable card can pass by said magnetic head and said thermal head serially,a printed data erasing method for said rewritable card, comprising the steps of:a) designating a printed data erasing range in a printed data area of said rewritable card inserted into said rewritable card read/write apparatus;b) energizing electrically said thermal head successively at least in two serial cycles by changing over electric energy level for said electric energization at least from a first electric energy level in a first cycle to a second electric energy level in a second cycle, wherein said first electric energy level is so set that a columnwise range of said thermal head which corresponds to said printed data erasing range of said rewritable card is heated in said first cycle to a relatively high temperature within a temperature range in which no coloration can occur in the printed data area of said rewritable card when said rewritable card reaches a position immediately beneath said thermal head, and wherein said second electric energy level which is set lower than said relatively high temperature is validated when said rewritable card again reaches said position immediately beneath said thermal head in said second cycle succeeding to said first cycle; andc) controlling driving operation of said transporting mechanism in said step of electrically energizing said thermal head with said first or second level of electric energy in such a manner that said rewritable card is fed in a forward direction or in a reverse direction so that said rewritable card moves immediately beneath said thermal head from a first rowwise position corresponding to one end of said printed data erasing range of said rewritable card to a second rowwise position corresponding to the other end of said printed data erasing range or alternatively from said second rowwise position to said first rowwise position.