Lexmark International, Inc.

Gregory Scott Tigges

Robert Watson McAlpine

Donald Wayne Stafford

Franklin Joseph Palumbo

Mark Duane Foster

Alfred Louis Fahmy

William Dale Smith

Kevin Dean Schoedinger

Douglas Anthony Able

Louann Behymer Samuels

Robert Francis Soto

Patrick Oscar Bischel

William Keith Richardson

Thomas Wilbur Blanck

Rickey Carter Brown

Thomas Neal Barnes

A printing device () such as a laser printer includes a fuser assembly () with a fuser wiper () that can be removed and replaced by a user during normal maintenance to extend the useful life of the fuser assembly (). Indicators (b, b) stored in a memory device () can be read by a print engine () of a printer () either when a print cartridge () is first inserted into the printer () or at specified times thereafter. Depending on the contents of the memory device (), the print engine () may send a notification message to the printer's raster image processor () to cause a message to be displayed on the printer's operational/display panel () that informs a user the fuser wiper () should be replaced.

System, method and print cartridge for signaling user replacement of fuser wiper

An apparatus and method for the transport and/or storage of developing agent in an image forming apparatus. A cartridge may be employed having a reservoir for developing agent and a component, such as a drum, which may include an interior region capable of storing developing agent. A transport device may be included that is capable of transporting developing agent between the reservoir and a location in the image forming apparatus such as the drum interior.

Developing agent transport and storage

A conveyor mechanism for moving waste toner within an interior of a waste toner reservoir. The conveyor mechanism has a first end positioned in proximity to an inlet into the waste toner reservoir, and a second end positioned vertically above the first end. The conveyor mechanism operates to move the toner from a lower position within the waste toner reservoir to the vertically elevated position. The conveyor device may allow for the capacity of the waste toner reservoir to be more fully utilized. In use, the conveyor device is activated and waste toner is moved into the upper reaches of the waste toner reservoir.

Method and device for conveying waste toner in an image forming device

A doctor blade assembly () for an image forming device such as a laser printer () includes a bracket () to which foam () is attached providing improved tolerances in the nip formed between the assembly () and the doctoring media. The assembly () includes a lip () which extends under the foam () to help secure the foam () and reduce the amount of adhesive required to keep the foam () attached. The bracket () is stamped from a single piece of metal providing a doctor blade assembly () with high stiffness that is cost effective to manufacture.

Image forming device, print cartridge and doctor blade assembly that reduce vibrations at doctoring media nip

A vent integral with the top surface of toner hopper () having three labyrinth channels () oriented in one direction and three labyrinth channels () oriented in an orthogonal direction. Each labyrinth communicates with the inside of the hopper by a hole () and the end of each labyrinth communicates with filter pad () held in a basin () formed in the top surface of hopper (). Cover () closes the vent except for hole () over the center of pad ().

Toner cartridge hopper with labyrinth channels for releasing air while trapping toner in cartridge

A toner cartridge for use in a laser printer has a toner reservoir or hopper in which an agitator is pivoted by a rotating paddle away from its home position proximate an exit opening and then returned to its home position by a spring exerting a predetermined desired force on the agitator after the agitator ceases to be moved by the paddle. The spring may be a cantilever spring, a torsion spring, or a stamped and formed leaf spring.

Growing community of inventors

Frankfort, KY, United States of America

Gregory Scott Tigges