Lexmark International, Inc.

Harald Portig

Benjamin Keith Newman

Larry Steven Foster

Matthew Lee Rogers

James Richard Leemhuis

James Anthany Carter, Ii

Mark William Amann

Katrina Rosit Lactuan

Jason Paul Hale

Keith Seaman

Gary Neal Hackney

Bryan Christopher Scharf

Rodney Evan Sproul

Benjer Albaran Acosta

Richard Andrew Seman, Jr

Daniel Lee Carter

Kerry Leland Embry

David Erwin Rennick

Christopher Gene Vowels

Daniel George Mlejnek

Benjamin Alan Askren

Alexander Johannes Geyling

Robert Leonard Burdick

Brian Reed Spencer

Christohper Gene Vowels

Edward Lynn Triplett

Michael Craig Leemhuis

Paul Douglas Horrall

Robert Watson McAlpine

Jeffrey Lawrence Tonges

Bartley Charles Gould, Ii

Stacy Marie Pargett

Robert Galon Newman

Henry Marshall Brooks

Kevin Dean Schoedinger

Gregory Lawrence Ream

David Lee Merrifield

Michael David Maul

Brian Allen Blair

Earl Dawson Ward, Ii

Phillip Byron Wright

Douglas Campbell Hamilton

Steven Alan Curry

John Parker Richey

Christopher Gregory Chee

James J Molloy

Hrishikesh Pramod Gogate

Mark Andrew Omelchenko

Thomas Campbell Wade

Peter Alden Bayerle

Edward Lawrence Kiely

Richard Gordon Boyatt, Iii

Joseph Edwin Domhoff

Matthew Christopher Coriale

Robert Michael Meadows

Darren Wayne Tosh

David Kurt Klaffenbach

Liqun Larry Wang

Hassan Bahrami

Lowell Thomas Siders

David Wayne Hunter

Jonathan Carey Frey

Ann Marie Garland

Wen-hsiung Adam Tseng

A replaceable unit for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. The replaceable unit includes a rotatable drive coupler and a rotatable shaft that has a cross pin on an axial end of the shaft, generally orthogonal to the shaft. At least a portion of the drive coupler is exposed on an exterior of the housing and unobstructed to receive rotational force when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device. A pocket is formed in a first axial side of the drive coupler. The axial end of the shaft and the cross pin are removably positioned in the pocket such that upon rotating the drive coupler in an operative direction rotational force is transferred from surfaces of the drive coupler forming the pocket to the cross pin causing the shaft to rotate with the drive coupler.

Drive coupler

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.

An intermediate transfer member (ITM) module including a frame; a backup roll and a drive roll rotatably disposed along a first end portion of the frame. A tension roll is rotatably disposed along a second end portion of the frame. An ITM belt forms an endless loop around the backup roll, the drive roll and the tension roll such that rotation of the drive roll causes the ITM belt to translate and the tension roll and the backup roll to rotate. The drive roll and the backup roll form a transfer nip with a transfer roll. A drive mechanism is coupled between the drive roll and the backup roll and includes a plurality of gears. The drive mechanism overdrives the backup roll relative to the drive roll while limiting an amount of tension of the ITM belt in the second transfer nip.

Drive mechanism for an intermediate transfer member module of an electrophotographic imaging device

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.

An intermediate transfer member (ITM) module including a frame; a backup roll and a drive roll rotatably disposed along a first end portion of the frame. A tension roll is rotatably disposed along a second end portion of the frame. An ITM belt forms as an endless loop around the backup roll, the drive roll and the tension roll such that rotation of the drive roll causes the ITM belt to translate and the tension roll and the backup roll to rotate. The drive roll and the backup roll form a transfer nip with a transfer roll. A drive mechanism is coupled between the drive roll and the backup roll and includes a plurality of gears. The drive mechanism overdrives the backup roll relative to the drive roll while limiting an amount of tension of the ITM belt in the second transfer nip.

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.

An Oldham coupler assembly capable of transferring rotary power between two shafts in a developer unit of an image forming apparatus that includes an input plate and an output plate made of metal and a star plate made in plastic mechanically coupled and positioned in between the input plate and the output plate. A spline component made of metal is rigidly and integrally attached to the input plate, the spline component including a tubular spline portion that includes a plurality of wear strips made of plastic, the output plate having a plastic material coated along a portion of an outside diameter of the output plate. The input and output plates further include a plurality of openings to receive a plurality of wheels and pins. This structure allows a sufficiently stiff drive system to substantially eliminate fine line jitter by raising the natural frequency of the drive system.

Metal and plastic Oldham coupler with added retraction spline and plastic over molded features

A toner image transfer apparatus in a printer is provided. The toner image transfer apparatus comprises a transfer belt structure, a rotatable transfer rod and a transfer roll retraction mechanism. The transfer belt structure comprises a driven toner image transfer belt and a rotatable backup roll engaging an inner surface of the transfer belt. The rotatable transfer roll is adapted to define a nip with the belt and backup roll. The transfer roll retraction mechanism comprises motion transfer structure coupled to the transfer roll and drive apparatus associated with the motion transfer structure.

Retraction mechanism for a toner image transfer apparatus

A composite torque transfer body and spline assembly includes a torque transfer component made of a first material and having a central body portion and a peripheral torque transfer portion integrally attached to and extending about the central body portion, a spline component made of a second material different from and having stiffness greater than that of the first material of the torque transfer component and also having an elongated tubular spline portion and a collar portion integrally attached to and extending about and radially outward from an end of the spline portion, and a plurality of elements on the central body portion of the torque transfer component and the collar portion of the spline component providing separate press-fitting and securing of the components to one another such that the components are mated and rotatable together about a central axis.

Composite torque transfer body and spline assembly to reduce jitter in an image forming device

The application includes various embodiments of devices and methods for mounting a motor within an image forming apparatus. The motor is mounted on a frame and positioned to engage and drive a component within the image forming apparatus. In one embodiment, the component is an imaging unit. The frame includes an opening to receive the motor. A locating member is attached to the frame and extends into the opening to contact the motor and provide accurate positioning for engagement with the component. The locating ring provides for a press fit with lower forces. Additional fasteners may fixedly connect the motor to the frame and maintain the accurate positioning provided by the locating member.

Mounting device and method for positioning a motor within an image forming apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Versailles, KY, United States of America

Harald Portig