Recycling method and image forming apparatus manufactured using recycling method

Abstract

A recycling method of an apparatus having a part includes a collecting step of collecting a part from the apparatus; a processing step of processing the collected part to adapt it to an apparatus having different specifications; and a mounting step of mounting the part processed in the processing step on the apparatus.

1 - 16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . An image forming apparatus recycled by: 
 a collecting step of collecting a first part from an image forming apparatus;    a processing step of processing a mounting portion so that the mounting portion is capable of mounting a second part into the collected first part;    a mounting step of mounting the second part to the first part after the mounting portion is processed in said processing step;    a processing step of processing the collected first part to adapt it to an apparatus having different specifications; and    a mounting step of mounting the processed first part on the apparatus having the different specifications.    
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein a positional reference usable in said processing step is provided on the first part.  
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein in said processing step, the part is placed on a processing table, and a positional reference usable in said processing step is provided on the processing table.  
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the first part has information relating to itself.  
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the information relates to a use history of the first part or a nature of the apparatus having the first part to which the second part is mounted in said mounting step.  
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising an information reading step of reading the information, and wherein in said processing step, a processing configuration or position is determined on the basis of the information.  
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the first part is provided with a display member which displays the information.  
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the display member is a label.  
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the display member is a label having the information in the form of a bar code.  
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the information is engraved on the first part.  
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the information is directly printed on the first part.  
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising a step of combining a plurality of parts to change the specifications thereof.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein said processing step including processing a plurality of the same parts and then combining them.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the part is a container, and the processed container has a larger capacity than before the processing.  
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the first part is a frame of the image forming apparatus.