Lexmark International, Inc.

Gary Neal Hackney

James Richard Leemhuis

James Anthany Carter, Ii

Benjamin Keith Newman

Keith Seaman

Matthew Lee Rogers

Christopher Gene Vowels

Katrina Rosit Lactuan

Bryan Christopher Scharf

Rodney Evan Sproul

Gregory Alan Cavill

Jason Paul Hale

Benjer Albaran Acosta

Mark William Amann

Harald Portig

Brian Lester Boettcher

Jonathan David Kelley

Bryan Joseph Wiemers

Leighton De Leon Venezuela

Christohper Gene Vowels

James Anthany Carter

Jason Hale

Richard Winston Thomas

Rebecca J Perkins

James J Molloy

Donald Thomas Kral

Gregory Allan Cavill

Ii Carter James Anthany

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 shutter for use in a toner cartridge of an imaging device according to one example embodiment includes a toner path. The toner path includes an entrance opening positioned to receive toner and an exit opening positioned to exit toner from the toner path. An air duct through the shutter is separated from the toner path. The air duct has a first opening positioned next to the exit opening of the toner path. The air duct has a second opening.

Shutter having an air duct therethrough for use in a toner cartridge

A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing that has an elongated shape extending from a first side to a second side. The housing defines a reservoir for containing toner therein. An exit port is in fluid communication with the reservoir and faces downward on the front of the housing near the first side. A first leg portion and a second leg portion each projects from the bottom of the housing and extends along a front-to-rear dimension of the housing. The first leg portion has a first outer side spaced inward from the first side of the housing and the second leg portion has a second outer side spaced inward from the second side of the housing. The first outer side and the second outer side are unobstructed to limit the side-to-side travel of the toner cartridge during insertion into the image forming device.

A toner delivery system for a shake-free toner cartridge comprises a toner paddle assembly having a plurality of scrapers. A main scraper scrapes toner adhering to interior surfaces and directs toner from a first region of the toner reservoir into the opening in a first portion of the front of the housing. A secondary scraper positioned adjacent with the main scraper scrapes and directs toner from a second region of the toner reservoir into the first region. A side scraper scrapes toner adhering to interior surfaces of respective side walls of the housing.

Toner delivery system for a shake-free toner cartridge

A toner cartridge for use in an imaging device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir enclosed therein for holding a quantity of toner. The housing has an exit port in communication with the reservoir for exiting toner from the toner cartridge. A shutter is mounted on the housing and has a toner path through the shutter. The toner path includes an exit opening. The shutter is moveable between a closed position where the toner path is closed to the exit port preventing toner from exiting the toner cartridge and an open position where the exit opening is open to the exit port allowing toner to exit the toner cartridge. The shutter has an air duct therethrough separated from the toner path. The air duct has a first end in fluid communication with the exit port when the shutter is in the open position.

Toner cartridge having a shutter that includes an air duct therethrough

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

A toner cartridge having a pressure equalization system for equalizing a pressure differential between a toner reservoir in the toner cartridge and a toner sump developer unit containing ingested air utilizing a ducted shutter that opens and closes an exit port on the housing of the toner cartridge in combination with a passageway in fluid communication with the ducted shutter and the toner reservoir wherein, when the toner cartridge is mated with a developer unit of the imaging apparatus and the shutter is in the open position, exiting toner leaves the cartridge through the exit port and enters the developer unit while air entrained within the developer unit enters the toner reservoir via the exit port, the duct and the passageway equalizing pressure between the toner cartridge and the to developer unit.

Toner cartridge with pressure equalization system

An assembly in an imaging apparatus including a developer unit and a toner cartridge having a pressure equalization system for equalizing a pressure differential between a toner reservoir in the toner cartridge and a toner sump of a developer unit containing ingested air. A ducted shutter that opens and closes an exit port on the housing of the toner cartridge in combination with a passageway in fluid communication with a duct in the shutter and the toner reservoir forms an airway, and when the toner cartridge is mated with a developer unit of the imaging apparatus and the shutter is in the open position, exiting toner leaves the cartridge through the exit port and enters the developer unit while air entrained within the developer unit enters the toner reservoir via the exit port and airway equalizing pressure between the toner cartridge and the developer unit.

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Georgetown, KY, United States of America

Gary Neal Hackney