1. An image-forming apparatus comprising:
a first sheet output tray;
an image-reading unit; and
an image-forming unit provided below the image-reading unit,
wherein:
the image-reading unit and the image-forming unit form a sheet output space in which the first sheet output tray is provided; and
the first sheet output tray includes a top board and a retractable plate provided on a top surface of the image-forming unit.
2. The image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top board includes a concave slope for housing the retractable plate in a retracted state.
3. The image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second sheet output tray provided in the sheet output space.
4. The image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a difference in height between a top surface of the retractable plate and a bottom surface of the image-reading unit is greater than the difference in height between a position from which a sheet on which an image has been formed by the image-forming unit is output and the top surface of the retractable plate.
5. The image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sheet-transporting unit provided on the top board to transport a sheet to another peripheral device.
6. The image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein:
a top surface of the sheet-transporting unit forms the first sheet output tray, and
a difference in height between a top surface of the first sheet output tray and a bottom surface of the image-reading unit is almost identical to the difference in height between a position from which a sheet on which an image has been formed by the image-forming unit is output and the top surface of first sheet output tray.
7. The image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein:
a top surface of the sheet-transporting unit forms the first sheet output tray, in a case where the sheet-transporting unit is provided, and
a tilt angle of the first sheet output tray is smaller than the tilt angle of the first sheet output tray of a case where the retractable plate is in a standing position.
8. An image-forming system comprising:
a sorting unit;
an image-forming unit including a first sheet output tray, an image-reading unit, and an image-forming unit; and
a sheet-transporting unit provided on a top board to transport a sheet to the sorting unit;
wherein:
the image-reading unit and the image-forming unit form a sheet output space in which the first sheet output tray is provided; and
the first sheet output tray includes a top board and a retractable plate provided on a top surface of the image-forming unit.
9. An image-forming unit comprising:
a top board forming an image-forming portion, the top board also forming a part of a first sheet output tray,
wherein the first sheet output tray includes a retractable plate provided on a top surface of the image-forming portion.
10. The image-forming unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the top board includes a concave slope for housing the retractable plate in a retracted state.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for producing a guar gum powder, the method comprising the steps of:
a. flaking splits that consist essentially of undehusked guar splits; and
b. grinding the flaked, undehusked guar splits to obtain guar gum powder.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: splitting guar seed to obtain the undehusked guar splits and germ.
3. The method according to claim 2, where the step of splitting the guar seed further comprises the step of separating the undehusked guar splits and the germ prior to the step of flaking.
4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of: agriculturally producing the guar seed.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: prior to flaking the undehusked guar splits, hydrating the undehusked guar splits.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of hydrating the undehusked guar splits further comprises: hydrating to a moisture content (wet basis) of about 35% to about 55% by weight.
7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of hydrating the undehusked guar splits is carried out at about 20\xb0 C. to about 80\xb0 C. over a period of time ranging from about 0.5 hour to about 2 hours.
8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of hydrating the undehusked guar splits further comprises: agitating the undehusked guar splits during the step of hydrating.
9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of: prior to the step of grinding, drying the flaked, undehusked guar splits.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of drying comprises drying the flaked, undehusked guar splits to a moisture content of less than 20% by weight.
11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the drying step is carried out in a dryer for about 10 to 15 minutes at about 80\xb0 C.-125\xb0 C.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of flaking further comprises: high shear flaking.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of grinding comprises hot air grinding.
14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: particle size classifying the guar gum powder to obtain classified guar gum powders.
15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of: separating at least some of the husk material from at least one of the classified guar gum powders.
16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flaked, undehusked guar splits comprise at least 30% by weight husk.
17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of: after the step of flaking and before the step of hot air grinding, separating at least some of the husk material from the flaked, undehusked guar splits.
18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of: particle size classifying the guar gum powder to obtain classified guar gum powders.
19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of: separating at least some of the husk material from at least one of the classified guar gum powders.
20. The product of the method according to claim 1.