Electrophotography – Having particular structure – Modular or displaceable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-05-15
Royer, William J. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Having particular structure
Modular or displaceable
C399S165000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233415
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a belt cartridge in a printing apparatus for mounting a photoreceptor belt on a belt unit in a printer and withdrawing worn-out photoreceptor belts.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a printing apparatus such as a printer or a photocopier includes a photoreceptor belt
10
and a developing unit
20
. The photoreceptor belt
10
is supported by a plurality of rollers
11
,
12
and
13
installed within the main body of the printing apparatus and circulates along an endless track. The developing unit
20
develops electrostatic latent images formed on the surface of the photoreceptor belt
10
.
The photoreceptor belt
10
ages over an extended period of use, so the aged photoreceptor belt should be replaced with a new photoreceptor belt to maintain the precision of an image.
In a conventional method of replacing the photoreceptor belt
10
, a movably-installed roller
13
, among the plurality of rollers
11
,
12
and
13
, is moved to a position shown by the dotted line to release the tension of the photoreceptor belt
10
, the photoreceptor belt
10
is extracted from the printing apparatus, a new photoreceptor belt is inserted directly by hand, and the roller
13
is then moved back to the original position and the tension is again applied to the new photoreceptor belt.
The photoreceptor belt
10
is flexible, so replacement thereof is very complicated and difficult. Besides, the photoreceptor belt
10
may be mismounted in the printing apparatus due to the unskillfulness of a worker.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a belt cartridge for a printer which is mounted on a belt unit by supporting a photoreceptor belt to be mounted on the belt unit, and can be detached from the belt unit after collecting the photoreceptor belt when it is required to be replaced.
Accordingly, to achieve the above object of the present invention, the present invention provides a belt cartridge in a printing apparatus in which a photoreceptor belt to be mounted on a belt unit is received, the belt cartridge including: a base board attachable to or detachable from the belt unit to be operative to face the belt unit at one surface; a support unit movably installed on the base board to be operative to selectively contact an inner surface of the photoreceptor belt; and a means for moving the support unit toward the base board and for isolating the support unit from the base board.
In this case, it is preferable that the support unit includes: a pair of first support units selectively contacting the inner surface of the photoreceptor belt while approaching each other or being separated from each other in an up and down direction with the base board located therebetween; and a pair of second support units selectively contacting the inner surface of the photoreceptor belt while approaching each other or being separated from each other from side to side and having the base board located therebetween.
Also, preferably, each of the first support units includes: a plurality of first support bars which selectively contact the inner surface of the photoreceptor belt and are spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other to avoid interference with the belt unit; and first brackets which support one end of each of the first support bars and are movably installed on the base board.
It is preferable that each of the second support units includes; a plurality of second support bars which selectively contact the inner surface of the photoreceptor belt and are spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other to avoid interference with the belt unit; and second brackets which support one end of each of the second support bars and are slidably installed on the base board.
Preferably, the moving means includes: a cam rotatably installed on the base board and operative to contact the pair of first support units; connection members each hinged at one end to a corresponding one of the second support units and hinged at the other end to the cam; and elastic members for elastically biasing the pair of first support units toward the cam.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4626095 (1986-12-01), Berger
patent: 5019864 (1991-05-01), Blanding
patent: 5122836 (1992-06-01), Fujiwara et al.
patent: 5400121 (1995-03-01), Foote
patent: 5708924 (1998-01-01), Shogren et al.
patent: 6014535 (2000-01-01), Zenk et al.
patent: 6049682 (2000-04-01), Goetzke et al.
patent: 4-147274 (1992-05-01), None
Royer William J.
Samsung Elctronics Co., Ltd.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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