Photosensitive belt cartridge of electrophotographic printer, photosensitive belt replacing apparatus employing the same and method thereof

摘要

A photosensitive belt replacing apparatus of an electrophotographic printer is disclosed. The disclosed photosensitive belt replacing apparatus comprises: a main cartridge (100) receiving the photosensitive belt (10) to be replaced and installed as a continuous loop belt, and allowing the received photosensitive belt to be installed in the belt unit (300) by being moved into an installation position of the photosensitive belt (10) within the printer while hanging on and sliding along insertion rails (310) provided at the belt unit (300); a belt separating means installed at the belt unit (300), and binding the photosensitive belt (10) to the belt unit (300) by applying a tight tension to the photosensitive belt (10) of the main cartridge (100) moved into the installation position and therefore allowing the photosensitive belt (10) to remain installed in the belt unit (300) when the main cartridge (100) is removed from the installation position; a belt cutting means installed in the printer for cutting the photosensitive belt (10) which has been installed in the belt unit (300) as a continuous loop belt and has been used so that the photosensitive belt (10) can be removed; and a belt recovering means for winding the photosensitive belt (10) cut by the belt cutting means and removing the photosensitive belt (10) from the belt unit (300). With the photosensitive belt replacing apparatus, since the operation of replacing a photosensitive belt is nearly automatically performed, the operation can be very conveniently performed in a relatively short time, and therefore the photosensitive belt can be installed always at an exact position.