Patent ID: 8864254

Claim:
A multi-function system for erasing media printed with thermo-reactive ink, the system comprising: an input module for receiving a media into a transport path of a multifunction system, said media having been printed with ink having thermo-reactive properties such that said ink is visible on said media when a temperature T of said ink is in a range of T L <T<T H , said ink becoming visually transparent on said media when heated to a temperature of at least T≧T H , said ink thereafter remaining visually transparent after said temperature T returns back to within said range, said ink becoming visually perceptible again on said media when cooled to a temperature of at least T≦T L , said ink remaining visually perceptible on said media after said temperature T returns back to within said range; at least one heating element which resides on said transport path traveled by said media and in proximity to said printed media as said media travels along said transport path, said heating element raising a temperature T of said media to at least T≧T H , such that said thermo-reactive ink printed on said media becomes visually transparent; and a controller for keeping said printed media at a distance to said heating element for an amount of time such that a change in temperature T of said ink is effectuated.