Lexmark International, Inc.

Brittany Nicole Sexton

Edward Lynn Triplett

Brian Lester Boettcher

Emily Stefano Adams

Brian Lee Hawes

Glen Alan Reidhaar

Richard Louis Goin

Michael Charles Day

Charles Russell Schaefer

Toner container

A toner container for use in an image forming device includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner, a paddle positioned within the reservoir, and a rotatable drive member positioned to push the paddle in a first rotational direction. The paddle is free to rotate ahead of the drive member in the first rotational direction. A magnet is rotatably coupled to one of the paddle and the drive member. A shield is rotatably coupled to the other of the paddle and the drive member such that the shield is movable between a blocking position for attenuating a magnetic field of the magnet to block detection of the magnetic field by a magnetic sensor and an unblocking position for unblocking the magnetic field of the magnet to permit detection of the magnetic field by the magnetic sensor based on a rotational position of the paddle relative to the drive member.

Toner container having a magnet for toner level sensing

A toner container for use in an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a body having a reservoir for holding toner, a toner port on the body in fluid communication with the reservoir, and a shutter translatable along a first dimension between a closed position blocking the toner port and an open position unblocking the toner port. A lock is translatable along a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension between a locked position blocking the shutter from moving from the closed position to the open position and an unlocked position unblocking the shutter permitting the shutter to move from the closed position to the open position.

Toner container having a shutter lock mechanism

A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a drive coupler and an electrical contact positioned on a first longitudinal end thereof. A first guide post and a second guide post project outward along a longitudinal dimension of the toner container from the first longitudinal end of the body. The first guide post is spaced toward a first side of the body from the drive coupler, and the second guide post is spaced toward a second side of the body from the drive coupler. The first guide post and the second guide post overlap with the drive coupler along a vertical dimension of the toner container such that an imaginary horizontal plane intersects the first and second guide posts and the drive coupler. Bottom surfaces of the first and second guide posts may be positioned lower in the vertical dimension than a rotational axis of the drive coupler.

Toner cartridge having positioning features

A toner container for use with a developer unit of an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a body having a front that leads during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device and a rear that trails during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device. An outlet port is positioned on a bottom of the body and adjacent to the front of the body for exiting toner from the toner container. An engagement surface is positioned at the bottom of the body and adjacent to the front of the body for contacting and pushing open a developer shutter of an inlet port of the developer unit in a direction of insertion of the toner container into the image forming device during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device.

Growing community of inventors

LEXINGTON, KY, United States of America

Brittany Nicole Sexton