Lexmark International, Inc.

Glen Alan Reidhaar

Edward Lynn Triplett

Brian Lester Boettcher

Thomas Eugene Pangburn

Emily Stefano Adams

Brian Lee Hawes

Brittany Nicole Sexton

Joseph Edwin Domhoff

Billy Joe Jones

Anthony Wayne Malone

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.

Toner container having a toner port shutter interface

A toner container includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. An inlet port is formed on the housing and in fluid communication with the reservoir for receiving toner. A first shutter member and a second shutter member is positioned about the inlet port and are each pivotable between a closed position and an open position. When the first and second shutter members are in the closed positions, respective free ends thereof seal against each other and respective first face portions of the first and second shutter members seal against a perimeter of the inlet port such that the first and second shutter members block the inlet port. When the first and second shutter members are in the open positions, the first and second shutter members are pivoted away from the inlet port unblocking the inlet port. The first and second shutter members are biased toward the closed positions.

Toner port shutter for a toner container of an electrophotographic image forming device

An auger assembly according to one example embodiment includes an auger having a helical flight extending along a longitudinal axis. The auger has a central opening running along the longitudinal axis. The auger has an end that includes at least a portion of a turn having substantially zero pitch. A retaining member has a body including a groove on an outer surface of the body. The groove has a shape complementary to the helical flight at the end of the auger. At least a portion of the end of the auger is retained within the groove. A rotatable coupling member extends along the longitudinal axis. At least a portion of the rotatable coupling member is positioned within the central opening of the auger and presses the outer surface of the retaining member against an inner diameter of the end of the auger.

Device for connecting a centerless auger to a rotatable member

Printer

Waste toner bottle for a printer

A waste toner bottle for an imaging device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A tube defines an auger path about the housing. The tube is in fluid communication with a plurality of inlets of the housing and has a transfer auger disposed along the auger path to move toner into the reservoir. The tube extends upward into the upper region of the housing above the plurality of inlets. The tube extends from a first end of the reservoir to a second end of the reservoir in the upper region of the housing. The tube includes perforations in a bottom of the tube between the first end of the reservoir and the second end of the reservoir in the upper region of the housing to drop toner from the auger path into the reservoir.

Waste toner bottle for uniform distribution of residual toner from an image forming device

A media actuated, media diverter mounted on a media guide positioned between the output of a simplex path and the entrance of a duplex path in an imaging device. The media diverter comprises a plate having a media guiding surface and a media contact surface along portions of the edge of the plate. The plate is received within a slot through the guide member such that in a first position the media contact surface extends into the duplex path and when in a second position the media guiding surface extends into the simplex path. The plate's center of gravity moves the contact surface of the plate into the first position. A media sheet fed into the duplex path strikes the media contact surface moving the plate to the second position where the media guiding surface directs a following sheet in the simplex path to an exit of the imaging device.

Media actuated media diverter for an imaging device

A roll assembly according to one example embodiment includes a rotatable input shaft having a rotational axis. At least one gear is mounted on the input shaft that rotates with the input shaft. A carrier frame is mounted on the input shaft and rotatable independent of the input shaft about the rotational axis of the input shaft. A plurality of rolls is rotatably mounted about a periphery of the carrier frame. An axial direction of rotation of each roll is transverse to the rotational axis of the input shaft. Each roll has a contact surface and a gear face that is operatively coupled to the at least one gear.

Multi-translative roll assembly

A roll assembly according to one example embodiment includes a rotatable input shaft. The input shaft is supported by a housing. At least one gear is mounted on the input shaft. A carrier frame is mounted on the input shaft and rotatable independent of the input shaft. A plurality of rolls is rotatably mounted about a periphery of the carrier frame. An axial direction of rotation of each roll is transverse to the rotational axis of the input shaft. Each roll has a contact surface and a gear face that is operatively coupled to the at least one gear. A first one-way clutching surface is positioned between one of (1) at least a portion of the rolls and the carrier frame, (2) the carrier frame and the input shaft, (3) the carrier frame and a portion of the housing, and (4) a combination thereof.

Multi-translative roll assembly having a one-way clutching surface

A media actuated, media diverter mounted on a media guide positioned between the output of a simplex path and the entrance of a duplex path in an imaging device. The media diverter comprises a plate having a media guiding surface and a media contact surface along portions of the edge of the plate. The plate is received within a slot through the guide member such that in a first position the media contact surface extends into the duplex path and when in a second position the media guiding surface extends into the simplex path with the plate biasable in the first position. A media sheet fed into the duplex path contacts the media contact surface actuating the media diverter to move the plate to the second position directing a following media sheet in the simplex path to an exit of the imaging device.

A media actuated, media diverter mounted on a guide member positioned between the output of a simplex path and the entrance of a duplex path in an imaging device. The media diverter comprises a first plate having a media contact surface, a biasing member for biasing the first plate, and a second plate having a media guiding surface. First plate and second plate are movable in a slot through the guide member and are biased in first positions where media contact surface extends into the duplex path and media guiding surface extends into the simplex path while second plate remains movable from its first position to a second position. A media sheet fed into the duplex path moves first plate to its second position blocking movement of second plate from its first position allowing a following media sheet in the simplex path to the exit of the imaging device.

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Glen Alan Reidhaar