Lexmark International, Inc.

Mark Duane Foster

James Anthany Carter, Ii

Gregory Alan Cavill

John Andrew Buchanan

Philip Scot Carter

Tyler Frederick Williams

Julia L Fain

Matthew Lee Rogers

Michael Craig Leemhuis

Robert Watson McAlpine

Keith Seaman

Robert Francis Soto

Donald Wayne Stafford

Martin Victor DiGirolamo

Gregory Scott Tigges

Donald Thomas Kral

Thomas Wilbur Blanck

Kenneth Daniel Seevers

James Caro Lurton

Brian Lester Boettcher

Bradley Leonard Beach

Benjamin Keith Newman

Michael David Maul

Ronald Lloyd Roe

Christopher Gene Vowels

Kelly Ann Killeen

Michael John Dixon

Terence E Franey

David Starling MacMillan

Joshua Carl Poterjoy

Calvin Dale Murphy

Tom E Stickler

Jason Carl True

Jean Marie Massie

Bhaskar Gopalanarayanan

Nicholas Fenley Gibson

Patrick Andrew Buxton

Jonathan David Kelley

James Christopher Piotrowski

Mark William Johnson

Robert Edward Hackett

Martin Joseph Zutt, Jr

Kevin Scott Kennedy

Richard Kent Anderson

Scott Alan Searls

James Thomas Welch

Whitney April Greer

Wayne Gerard Fieseler

James Edward Nichols

Geoffrey Kyle Canter

Kristoffer Alan Hazen

Richard Nicholas Schrantz, Jr

Chao Li

Jane Elece Barcelo

Darrell Stephen Rulon

Liam Ruan De Paor

A deskewing plug and assembly mountable in a frame having a first and a second shaft forming a nip therebetween with the second shaft rotatably mounted in a pair of opposed channels and biased toward the first shaft for adjusting the axial alignment of the shafts. The deskewing plug has a generally cylindrical body having first portion, a second portion and a tab portion. The second portion has a circumferential camming surface cooperatively engageable with the second shaft. Rotation of the plug and camming surface adjusts the axial alignment of the second shaft. The tab portion radially extends from the first portion and has radially extending ridges frictionally engageable with a wall of the opening in the frame to prevent rotation of the deskewing plug after adjustment. A cap may be provided to cover and frictionally engage the tab with the cap being fastenable to the frame.

Roll deskewing device for an electrophotographic image forming device

An example toner cartridge includes a reservoir for containing toner and an exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir. A shutter is positioned at the exit port and movable between an open position and a closed position. A first linkage member is operatively connected to the shutter to open the shutter upon being actuated by a first engagement feature. A second linkage member is pivotally attached to a side wall of the housing and biased toward a home position. A third linkage member is movable with the second linkage member. When the second linkage member is in the home position, the third linkage member is in a blocking position preventing the first linkage member from opening the shutter. When the second linkage member pivots away from the home position, the third linkage member moves to a non-blocking position permitting the first linkage member to open the shutter.

Toner cartridge having a shutter lock mechanism

A rotating cover on the developer unit of an imaging apparatus to prevent toner leaks from the toner entry port of the developer unit. When installing a toner cartridge, the cartridge contacts a surface to cause the cover to rotate to an open position, thereby exposing the toner port for receiving toner. Conversely, when the toner cartridge is removed the cover is rotated into a closed position with the aid of a torsion spring so as to seal the toner entry port of the developer unit.

Movable toner port cover member for a replaceable unit of an imaging device

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. A cover is mounted on an exterior portion of the housing that is pivotable between a closed position blocking the exit port and an open position unblocking the exit port. The cover is biased toward the closed position. The cover has a projection extending therefrom such that a force on the projection causes the cover to move toward the open position.

Toner cartridge having a pivoting exit port cover

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. A cover is mounted on an exterior portion of the housing that is pivotable between a closed position blocking the exit port and an open position unblocking the exit port. The cover is biased toward the closed position. An actuation mechanism is operatively connected to the cover to open the cover upon being actuated by an engagement feature in the image forming device.

An endless electrophotographic member, such as a developer roller, which indicates an improved resistance to nip banding. The improvement to nip banding may be provided by the use of an organic salt within a roller surface region. The roller may provide, at a nip location, a resistive surface layer having an electrical resistance that avoids the development of nip banding and relatively dark regions on printed media.

Electrophotographic roller with resistance to nip banding

The present disclosure relates to a surface energy reduction material in the form of a topcoat or additive to a coating that may be applied to a toner regulating member such as a doctor blade which may reduce toner build-up about a nip region, pre-nip region, and/or post-nip region. The surface energy reduction material may be include any material having a surface energy of less than or equal to 35 dynes/cm, for example, between 15-30 dynes/cm, including all values and ranges therein. The surface energy reducing materials may include any material that provides a 25% or more reduction of the surface energy of the doctor blade compared to an untreated doctor blade, for example, greater than or equal to 50% reduction or greater than or equal to 75% reduction, including all values and ranges therein.

Doctor blade surface energy modification

A two part cartridge having a photoconductor part () and a toner part () having no force biasing element on either part. The two parts fit together so that a developer roller () in the toner part contacts a photoconductor drum () in the other part. When the two parts are installed in a printer the cover (), when closed, brings a spring () into contact with one side of the toner part while the frame (F) of the printer blocks movement away from the cover. An advantage of the two part cartridge is that the toner part can be replaced without replacing the photoconductor part. Members on the cartridge for force biasing are avoided and the need for training or skill to latch the parts together is avoided.

Two part cartridges with force biasing by printer

A developer roller () is rotated rapidly for high speed printing, which can cause excessive heating at end seal (). Heat damage to toner () is avoided by providing gaps () under the seals () which reduce the stiffness of developer roller () and thereby reduce frictional heating.

Method of mitigating toner damage in high speed contact developing with end seal

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.

Toner cartridge

A two part cartridge having a photoconductor part ( ) and a toner part ( ) having no force biasing element on either part. The two parts fit together so that a developer roller ( ) in the toner part contacts a photoconductor drum ( ) in the other part. When the two parts are installed in a printer the cover ( ), when closed, brings a spring ( ) into contact with one side of the toner part while the frame (F) of the printer blocks movement away from the cover. An advantage of the two part cartridge is that the toner part can be replaced without replacing the photoconductor part. Members on the cartridge for force biasing are avoided and the need for training or skill to latch the parts together is avoided.

A calibration rod ( ) with grooved track ( ) and a testing apparatus ( ) for magnetic rolls that produces an accurate homing location and probe-to-probe reference for repeated test verification at many testing locations. The grooved track calibration rod can be transported to different equipment to verify that equipment is performing similarly, has improved accuracy, has temperature compensation, uses a circumferential drive movement from one end of a roll magnet and verifies angular position from the other end, eliminates the possibility of angular inaccuracy from twisting of the part being measured during clamping and provides for improved accuracy of several degrees. A high order polynomial curve fit of the data is used to determine the true value of the Gauss level being measured during 360 degree revolution. The apparatus takes measurements to accurately measure magnetic differences which define differences in probe operation. The value of other probes will be matched (multiplied by a percentage) to a first master reference probe. The apparatus eliminates twist, which can affect pole location accuracy by several degrees.

Rod and apparatus for calibrating magnetic roll testing apparatus

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Mark Duane Foster