Lexmark International, Inc.

Bryan Christopher Scharf

Matthew Lee Rogers

James Richard Leemhuis

James Anthany Carter, Ii

Katrina Rosit Lactuan

Keith Seaman

Gary Neal Hackney

Benjamin Keith Newman

Christopher Gene Vowels

Jason Paul Hale

Benjer Albaran Acosta

Mark William Amann

Harald Portig

Rodney Evan Sproul

Brian Lester Boettcher

Jonathan David Kelley

Leighton De Leon Venezuela

Bryan Joseph Wiemers

Gregory Alan Cavill

Michael William Lawrence

Brian Andrew Naro

Kevin Matthew Johnson

Christohper Gene Vowels

James Anthany Carter

Marc Alan Herwald

John N Funk

Jason Hale

Randal Scott Williamson

Robert Michael Meadows

Terry Lee King

Gregory Allan Cavill

A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for containing toner therein. An exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir faces downward on a front of the housing near a first side of the housing. A portion of a main interface gear for providing rotational power to a toner delivery system is exposed on the front of the housing near a top of a second side of the housing and engagable with a corresponding drive gear in the image forming device. A projection projects from the front of the housing and is spaced from the exit port toward the first side of the housing. The projection extends further forward than a frontmost portion of the exit port. A front of the projection is unobstructed for engaging a shutter on a developer unit when the toner cartridge is inserted into the image forming device.

Toner cartridge for use in an image forming device

An electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a toner cartridge having a housing that defines a reservoir for containing toner. An exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir faces downward on the front of the housing near a first side. A toner delivery system for transferring toner from the reservoir includes a main interface gear exposed on the front of the housing near the top of the second side. A rearward facing opening is exposed at the rear of the housing near the first side of the housing for receiving a first engagement feature in an image forming device. A forward facing opening is exposed at the front of the housing near the first side of the housing for receiving a second engagement feature in the image forming device. The forward facing opening overlaps with the rearward facing in a side-to-side dimension of the housing.

A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing defining a reservoir for containing toner. An exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir faces downward on a front of the housing near a first side of the housing. A first alignment guide is positioned on the first side of the housing and a second alignment guide positioned on the second side of the housing. A toner delivery system for transferring toner from the reservoir out of the exit port includes a main interface gear. A portion of the main interface gear is exposed on the front of the housing at a second side of the housing above the second alignment guide. A connector on the first side of the housing has a forward facing opening positioned above the first alignment guide. Electrical contacts are positioned within the connector and are accessible through the forward facing opening.

A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing that defines a reservoir for containing toner. An exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir faces downward on the front of the housing near a first side. A toner delivery system for transferring toner from the reservoir includes a main interface gear exposed on the front of the housing near the top of the second side. A rearward facing opening is exposed at the rear of the housing near the first side of the housing for receiving a first engagement feature in an image forming device. A forward facing opening is exposed at the front of the housing near the first side of the housing for receiving a second engagement feature in the image forming device. The forward facing opening overlaps with the rearward facing in a side-to-side dimension of the housing.

A toner cartridge for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for containing toner therein. The housing has an exit port on a front of the housing in fluid communication with the reservoir. A first leg and a second leg each project from a bottom of the housing and extend primarily along a front-to-rear dimension of the housing. A first alignment guide is positioned on a first side of the housing and a second alignment guide is positioned on a second side of the housing. Each alignment guide extends primarily along the front-to-rear dimension of the housing. The first alignment guide includes a pair of rounded contact points and the second alignment guide includes a rounded contact point. The rounded contact points of the first and second alignment control the vertical position of the toner cartridge in the image forming device.

Toner cartridge having positional control features

A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for containing toner therein. An exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir faces downward on a front of the housing near a first side of the housing. A portion of a main interface gear for providing rotational power to a toner delivery system is exposed on the front of the housing near a top of a second side of the housing and engagable with a corresponding drive gear in the image forming device. A projection extends forward from the housing further forward than a frontmost portion of the exit port and is spaced from the exit port toward the first side of the housing. A front of the projection is unobstructed for engaging a developer unit when the toner cartridge is inserted into the image forming device.

A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing that defines a reservoir for containing toner. An exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir faces downward on the front of the housing near a first side. A shutter positioned at the exit port is movable between an open position and a closed position. A toner delivery system for transferring toner from the reservoir includes a main interface gear exposed on the front of the housing near the top of the second side. A rearward facing opening is positioned near the first side of the housing for receiving a first engagement feature in an image forming device for opening and closing the shutter. A forward facing slot is positioned near the first side of the housing for receiving a second engagement feature in the image forming device for locking and unlocking the shutter.

A toner cartridge for use in an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for containing toner therein. The housing has an exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir to permit toner from the reservoir to pass out of the housing. A first leg and a second leg each project from a bottom portion of the housing to limit the side-to-side travel of the toner cartridge during insertion into the image forming device. Wing guides are positioned on opposite side surfaces of the housing. A stop extends from each wing guide to limit the forward travel of the toner cartridge in the image forming device. Rounded projections extending from the bottom surfaces of the wing guides define contact points to control the vertical position of the toner cartridge in the image forming device.

Toner cartridges having positional control features

Laser printer toner cartridge

An imaging apparatus configured for mounting an ink supply cartridge includes a guide frame defining a main scan direction. A printhead carrier for mounting the ink supply cartridge is coupled to the guide frame. The printhead carrier includes a housing cradle. A first latch device is pivotably coupled at a first axis to a front portion of the housing cradle, the first latch device being rotatable between a first latched position and a first unlatched position. A second latch device is pivotably coupled at a second axis to a rear portion of the housing cradle, the second latch device being rotatable between a second latched position and a second unlatched position. The first latch device and the second latch device are configured to define a top opening for vertically receiving the ink supply cartridge between the first latch device and the second latch device.

Printhead carrier with latching devices

A small or special media guide-in tray including a media tray, an aperture disposed in the media tray, first and second opposed guide arms extending through the aperture and biased to a first position. The first and second opposed guide arms are pivotally mounted and are synchronously movable when small media is inserted. The opposed guide arms and biasing are used to automatically center the small media as it is inserted between the guide arms. The guide-in tray may be utilized with media handling devices having an L-path media feed wherein the guide-in media tray is incorporated in an input tray or in a C-path media feed wherein the guide-in media tray is incorporated in an exit tray.

Growing community of inventors

Richmond, KY, United States of America

Bryan Christopher Scharf