Abstract:
An apparatus and a method of removing a photoreceptor belt from an electrophotographic printer are provided. The apparatus includes at least one pair of rollers for pressing and transferring the photoreceptor belt circulating in a predetermined traveling track, a cutting blade capable of cutting the photoreceptor belt while moving across the photoreceptor belt, a cylindrical member rotatably installed in a filter housing disposed near the photoreceptor belt, the filter housing having a filter cartridge for filtering foreign material of the inner air of the printer, and a driver for rotating the cylindrical member such that the photoreceptor belt is wound around the cylindrical member. The photoreceptor belt is cut and automatically drawn from the traveling track into the filter housing. The cut photoreceptor belt is removed together with the filter cartridge installed in the filter housing. The photoreceptor belt removing process can be easily and quickly performed, and it is also convenient to manage a replacement cycle of supplies for a printer.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from my application APPARATUS OF REMOVING PHOTORECEPTOR BELT FOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER AND METHOD OF REMOVING PHOTORECEPTOR BELT USING THE SAME filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Jul. 28, 1999 and there duly assigned Serial No. 30827/1999. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for removing a photoreceptor belt from a printer, more particularly, for cutting the photoreceptor belt by using a cutting blade and automatically removing the photoreceptor belt from the printer in order to replace the photoreceptor belt with a new one. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A photoreceptor belt has been used for printing an image on a recordable medium in an electrophotographic printer such as a color laser printer. The image is developed on one side of the photoreceptor belt by a development unit, and then the developed image formed on the photoreceptor belt is transferred to a transfer roller located between the photoreceptor belt and a recordable medium and then printed on the recordable medium such as a sheet of paper. 
     The photoreceptor belt, however, becomes deteriorated by repeated uses. The degree of accuracy of an image developed thereon is gradually lowered. The longer period of time the photoreceptor belt is used in the printer, the less accurate the developed image on the photoreceptor belt and the less clear the printed image on the recordable medium. Thus, in order to obtain an accurate developed image on the photoreceptor belt and a clear printed image on the printable medium, the photodetector belt should be removed from a belt unit and replaced with a new one after it has been used for a predetermined life time. 
     In a conventional method, a worn photoreceptorbelt is manually extracted from the belt unit. Manual drawing of the photoreceptor belt from the belt unit, however, is a complicated and time consuming process. Since a manual operation of drawing of the photoreceptor belt from the belt unit is performed in a narrow space where parts of the printer are assembled in a confined space, the hands of an operator may be injured by the parts. 
     In addition to the photoreceptor belt, a filter cartridge has been used for filtering the inner air within the printer by using a pump for sucking the inner air through the filtering cartridge so that harmful materials contained in the inner air are filtered by the filter cartridge before the inner air is exhausted to the outside of the printer. Since harmful materials contained in the inner air affect on the developed image formed on the photoreceptor belt and prevent the printed image from being clear, the inner air containing the harmful materials should be filtered by the filter cartridge and the filter cartridge should be replaced in order to obtain a clear printed image. Although the replacement cycle of the filter cartridge and the photoreceptor belt may be the same each other, the filter cartridge and the photoreceptor belt are separately removed from the printer and replaced by a new one respectively, thereby the replacement processes are complicated and bothersome. In order to keep an effective filtering performance and avoid the harmful affect on the developed and printed images, it is preferable that the filter cartridge and the photoreceptor belt are simultaneously replaced periodically. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method of removing a photoreceptor belt from a printer. 
     It is another object to provide an apparatus and a method able to automatically cutting a photoreceptor belt in order to remove the photoreceptor belt from the printer. 
     It is yet another object to provide an apparatus and a method able to automatically draw a photoreceptor belt from the belt unit into a filter housing installed in a printer. 
     It is still another object to provide an apparatus and a method able to remove a photoreceptor belt and a filter cartridge from a printer at the same time. 
     It is a further object to provide an apparatus and a method able to protect a user from being injured during manually removing a photoreceptor belt from the printer. 
     It is also an object to provide an apparatus and a method able to automatically, easily and quickly removing the photoreceptor belt from the printer. 
     It is also object to provide an apparatus and a method able to obtain an accurate developed image formed on the photoreceptor belt and a clear image printed on a recordable medium. 
     These and other objects may be achieved by providing an apparatus including a belt unit having a photoreceptor belt circulating and traveling in a predetermined track within a belt unit of a printer, a belt cutting unit disposed adjacent to the belt unit and having a cutting blade moving in a transverse direction of the given predetermined track and cutting photoreceptor belt while passing through the photoreceptor belt, a filter housing disposed adjacent to the given track of the belt unit, a filter cartridge fixed to the filter housing and disposed to filter foreign materials contained in the inner air within the printer, a cylindrical member rotatably disposed on the filter housing to withdraw the photoreceptor belt cut by the cutting blade from the belt unit into the filter housing, a gap provided between the filter housing and the cylindrical member and accommodating the photoreceptor belt after the photoreceptor belt has been cut by the cutting blade, a motor unit disposed adjacent to the cylindrical member to rotate the cylindrical member. 
     The rollers disposed in the belt unit rotate in a reverse direction of the circulation of the photoreceptor belt to feed the photoreceptor belt between the cylindrical member and a pressure roller rotatably contacting the cylindrical member after the photoreceptor belt has been cut by the cutting blade of the cutting unit. The photoreceptor belt fed between the cylindrical member and a pressure roller is introduced into the gap between the cylindrical member and the filter housing. 
     A photoreceptor belt of an electrophotographic printer is removed from the belt unit by a method including the steps of setting at least one pair of rollers for pressing and transferring the photoreceptor belt in a predetermined track within the belt unit, providing a cutting blade capable of cutting the photoreceptor belt while moving in traverse direction of the track and passing through the photoreceptor belt, a filter housing disposed adjacent to photoreceptor belt of the belt unit, a cylindrical member rotatably installed in the filter housing, a filter cartridge fixed to the filter housing and disposed inside of the cylindrical member to filter foreign material of the inner air of the printer, and a driving unit rotating the cylindrical member such that the photoreceptor belt is wound around the cylindrical member, driving the cutting blade to cut the photoreceptor belt, rotating the pair of rollers to draw the cut photoreceptor belt into the filter housing, rotating the cylindrical member by the driving unit such that the photoreceptor belt fed into the filtering housing is wound around the cylindrical member, and detaching the filtering housing from the printer. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more complete appreciation of the invention, and may of the attendant advantages, thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of major elements of a general electrophotographic printer; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a photoreceptor belt removing apparatus of an electrophotographic printer according to the principle of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing a belt cutting unit of the photoreceptor belt removing apparatus shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are a cross sectional view and a perspective view respectively illustrating a filter housing unit of the photoreceptor belt removing apparatus shown in FIG. 2; and 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic diagrams illustrating a photoreceptor belt removing process by the photoreceptor belt removing apparatus shown in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an electrophotographic printer such as a color laser printer includes a photoreceptor belt  10  which circulates along a given track formed by a plurality of rollers  11 ,  12  and  13  each disposed to feed the photoreceptor belt in the direction of an arrow F in the main body of the printer. An image is developed on one side of the photoreceptor belt  10  by a development unit  15 . The developed image formed on the photoreceptor belt  10  is dried when the photoreceptor belt  10  is passing through a drying unit  16 . Transfer unit  14  includes a transfer roller  14   a  and a fuser roller  14   b . The developed image on the photoreceptor belt  10  is transferred to the transfer roller  14   a , and then the transferred image of the transfer roller  14   a  is printed on the sheet of paper  1 . 
     A belt unit  5  including rollers  11 ,  12 ,  13  allows the photoreceptor belt  10  to circulate along the given track passing through development unit  15 , drying unit  16 , and transfer unit  14 . Development unit  15  includes a developing roller  15   a  for developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor belt  10  by using a developer supplied from a predetermined developer supplying portion  15   e , a developing backup roller  15   b , and a squeegee roller  15   c  and a squeegee backup roller  15   d  squeezing the photoreceptor belt  10  to remove an excess amount of developer from the image developed by the developer roller  15   a . A filter cartridge  17  is disposed to filter the inner air within the printer. A sucking pump  18  sucks the inner air through filtering cartridge  17  such that harmful materials contained in the inner air are filtered by filter cartridge  17  before the inner air is exhausted to the outside. 
     In FIG. 2, a photoreceptor belt  100  is installed on the belt unit  50  including a plurality of rollers  110 ,  120  and  130  such that the photoreceptor belt  100  circulates in the direction of an arrow F along a given traveling track. A development unit  150 , a drying unit  160  and a transfer unit  140  are disposed on the traveling track of the photoreceptor belt  100 . Development unit  150  includes a developing roller  151  developing an image on one surface of the photosensitive photoreceptor belt  100 , a developing backup roller  152 , and a squeegee roller  153  and a squeegee backup roller  154  squeezing the photoreceptor belt  100  to remove an excessive developer from the developed image. The squeegee roller  153  and the squeegee backup roller  154  also feed the photoreceptor belt  100  into a filter housing  200  after photoreceptor belt  100  has been cut by a belt cutting unit  300 , thereby removing the photoreceptor belt  100  from belt unit  50 . Belt cutting unit  300  is disposed over a portion of belt unit  50  to cut the photoreceptor belt  100 . A cylindrical member  210  is rotatably installed in filter housing  200  in order to wind photoreceptor belt  100  cut by belt cutting unit  300  around outer surface of cylindrical member  210  and transferred to an opening  235  formed on an open end portion  200   a  of filter housing  200  by squeegee roller  153  and squeegee backup roller  154  disposed in development unit  150 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, belt cutting unit  300  includes a driving motor  310 , a lead screw  350  rotatably mounted on belt cutting unit  300 , connected to driving motor  310 , and disposed to rotate by driving motor  310 , a moving block  320  connected to the lead screw  350  and disposed to move forwards and backwards along an axis of lead screw  350  while lead screw  350  rotates, and a cutting blade  330  mounted on moving block  320  and disposed to cut photoreceptor belt  100  while moving across photoreceptor belt  100  in the direction of an arrow C. Reference numeral  360  represents a sliding support portion  360  supporting and guiding moving block  320  to slidably move forwards and backwards. As lead screw  350  rotates with the operation of the driving motor  310 , moving block  320  moves across photoreceptor belt  100 . At this time, cutting blade  330  mounted on moving block  320  cuts the photoreceptor belt  100  as shown in FIG. 4 while moving in the direction of an arrow C and passing through the photoreceptor belt  100 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a cylindrical member  210  having a hollow body and two openings formed on its end is rotatably supported by a plurality of bearings  212  within a filtering housing  200 . A gear portion  211  is formed on an outer surface of the one end of cylindrical member  210  and engaged with a driving gear  250 . A motor  251  is coupled to driving gear  250 . Cylindrical member  210  rotates by motor  251  and driving gear  250 . Thus, cylindrical member  210  rotates as the driving gear  250  rotates by motor  250 . A filter cartridge  220  for filtering the inner air in the printer is disposed in inside of the hollow body of cylindrical member  210 . One end of filter cartridge  220  is fixed to filter housing  200 . Inside of filter cartridge is filled with a filtering material  229 . Cylindrical member  210  supported by bearings  212  rotates within filter housing  200  while filter cartridge  220  located in inside of cylindrical member  210  is fixed to filtering housing  200 . An inlet and an outlet formed on the other end of filter cartridge  220  pass through one end of cylindrical member  210 . The inner air is introduced into filter cartridge  220  through inlet tube  211 , filtered out through outlet tube  212 . An air sucking tube  221  a and an air exhausting tube  222   a  are fitted to inlet tube  221  and outlet tube  222 , respectively. The inner air flows into the filter cartridge  220  through the air sucking tube  221  a and the inlet tube  221 , and is filtered passing through the filtering material located in inside of filter cartridge  220 . The filtered air is expelled through the outlet tube  222  and the air exhausting tube  222   a.    
     A pressure roller  230  is disposed through opening  235  defined by open end portion  200   a  of s filter housing  200  to contact an outer cylindrical surface of cylindrical member  210 . Pressure roller  230  rotates with the rotation of cylindrical member  210  because pressure roller  230  is pushed against outer cylindrical surface of cylindrical member  210 . Pressure roller  230  rotatably supported by a moving arm  231  and a lever  232  contacts cylindrical member  210  through opening  235  when moving arm moves in the direction of an arrow D or is separated from cylindrical member  210  through opening  235  when moving arm  231  moves in the direction indicated by an arrow E. When filter housing  200  is extracted from or inserted into the printer, pressure roller  230  is separated from cylindrical member  210  by moving arm  231  and lever  232 . After filter housing  220  has been inserted into the printer, pressure roller  220  is pushed against cylindrical member  210 . 
     Guide members  240  are disposed to guide a leading end  101  of photoreceptor belt  100  cut by cutting blade  330  into filter housing  200  and between cylindrical member  210  and pressure roller  230 . A binding rail  201  attached to filter housing  200  is slidably coupled with a rail  201   a  of the printer. 
     In the operation of the photoreceptor belt removing apparatus having the above configuration, belt cutting unit  300  performs the cutting operation such that cutting blade  330  cuts a portion of photoreceptor belt  100  by moving in a transverse direction C of the circulating direction F of photoreceptor belt  100  circulating around rollers  110 ,  120 , and  130 . At this time, squeegee roller  153  and squeegee backup roller  154  squeeze the photoreceptor belt  100  so that photoreceptor belt  100  does not deviate from the given track after being cut and that leading cut end  101  of photoreceptor belt  100  cut by the blade  230  is placed on between guide members  240 . 
     As shown in FIG. 8, squeegee roller  153  rotates in an opposite direction G to a printing direction F of a development process so that leading cut end  101  of photoreceptor belt  100  is guided into opening  235  of open end portion  200   a  of filter housing  200  by guide members  240 . Simultaneously, driving gear  250  rotates so that cylindrical member  210  and pressure roller  230  rotate to draw the leading cut end of photoreceptor belt  100  into the space between the outer surface of the hollow body of cylindrical member  210  and an inner sidewall of filter housing  200 . At this time, transfer unit  140  and drying unit  160  are separated from the photoreceptor belt  100  so as to reduce a load applied to squeegee roller  153  and squeegee backup roller  154  which squeegees the photoreceptor belt  100 . 
     When the leading cut end  101  of photoreceptor belt  100  is guided into filter housing  200 , photoreceptor belt  100  may not be well wound around the outer surface of the hollow body of cylindrical member  210 . In other words, since filter housing  200  is entirely detached from the printer, it is enough that photoreceptor belt  100  extracted from belt unit  50  is stacked between the outer surface of the hollow body of cylindrical member  210  and the inner sidewall of filter housing  200 . A gap or a space between the outer surface of the hollow body of cylindrical member  210  and the inner sidewall of filter housing  200  is large enough to accommodate photoreceptor belt  100  cut by cutting blade  330 . After the insertion of the photoreceptor belt  100  into inside of filter housing  200  has been completed, filter housing  200  is detached from the printer along rail  201   a . The cut photoreceptor belt  100  captured in filter housing  200  is removed, and filter housing  200  accommodating a new filter cartridge  220  is reinstalled in the printer. Therefore, in a process of removing a used photoreceptor belt  100  from belt unit  50 , the used photoreceptor belt  100  is cut by cutting blade  330  and drawn into filter housing  200 , and filter housing  200  containing the used photoreceptor belt  100  is detached from the printer. The used photoreceptor belt  100  and filter cartridge  220  is removed from filter housing  200 , and then filter housing accommodating a new filter cartridge  220  is installed in the printer such that a new photoreceptor belt  100  and a new filter cartridge  200  can replace the used ones at the same time. 
     As described above, in the apparatus and method of removing a used photoreceptor belt for an electrophotographic printer according to the present invention, a cutting unit having a cutting blade is disposed on a portion of the photoreceptor belt circulating in a traveling track within a belt unit. A filter housing disposed adjacent to both the portion of the photoreceptor belt and the cutting unit includes a cylindrical member rotatably connected to the filter housing, a filter cartridge fixed to the filter housing and inserted into the inside of the cylindrical member, and a gap between the outer surface of the cylindrical member and the filter housing. The used photoreceptor belt cut by a cutting blade is automatically drawn into the filter housing so that the photoreceptor removing process can be conveniently and quickly carried out. Also, the filter cartridge accommodated in the filter housing can be removed together with the photoreceptor belt contained in the filter housing when the filter housing is detached from the printer, thereby the used photoreceptor belt and the used filter cartridge being removed at the same time. 
     While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.