HARD CARTRIDGE PACKAGE FOR AN ORGANIC PHOTORECEPTOR BELT

摘要

Disclosed is a cartridge device (10) for packaging an endless, organic photoreceptor belt of an electrophotographic printer. The cartridge device includes a substantially rigid, closed loop support structure (16) and a resilient mechanism. The resilient mechanism engages the endless belt and releasably holds the belt against an inner surface of the support structure. The resilient mechanism holds the endless belt so that the belt substantially conforms to the shape of the support structure. The shape of the support structure essentially duplicates the configuration of the endless belt when the belt is mounted onto support rollers of the electrophotographic printer. By replicating the configuration of the support rollers, loading of a replacement photoreceptor belt onto the rollers is facilitated using the cartridge device. The cartridge device substantially protects the photoreceptor belt from inadvertent damage that would adversely affect the image reproduction quality of the replacement belt.