Lexmark International, Inc.

Philip Scot Carter

Benjamin Keith Newman

Mark Duane Foster

Julia L Fain

William Keith Richardson

Matthew Lee Rogers

John Andrew Buchanan

Jason Carl True

Kevin Dean Schoedinger

John William Kietzman

Matthew Thomas Kerley

David Clay Blaine

Chris Anthony Burdette

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

In a two piece toner cartridge assembly, as typically used in a computer and/or facsimile printing device, comprising separable photoconductor and developer units a unique coupling device is provided whereby the cartridge assembly may be removed from the printing device without the photoconductor unit separating from the developer unit for paper jam clearance or unit replacement. However, if desired the developer unit may be separately removed from the printing device for servicing or replacement without removal of the photoconductor unit.

Coupling mechanism for a two piece printer cartridge

Toner transfer in an imaging device having a developer roller ( ) that applies toner to a photoconductive roller is determined by counting pels ( ) and by counting operating cycles ( ). Additionally in the embodiment, various device factors including darkness setting and type of toner are also applied to the totals. An adjustment factor, stored in a toner cartridge memory, is originally substantially one and may be adjusted based on subsequent knowledge or observations of the results. A page count of pages imaged is also used dependently as a second basis for amount of toner transferred.

Determining toner usage

Toner usage is measured with good accuracy. Printing tends to darken with the depletion of toner from a source. A toner cartridge employed in a printer ( ) has the capability at the cartridge of determining the amount toner used. In an embodiment this is by a torsion spring ( ) drive to a toner paddle ( ). At turn-on and cover open, the amount of toner is measured at the cartridge ( ). That is stored in NVRAM ( ) when it is very different from the current amount stored in NVRAM. At certain amount levels observed at the cartridge the amount in NVRAM is revised to the new amount. Between those levels the amount of toner used is tracked by counting pels ( ). Use amounts are converted to operating factors in a table ( ), and the operating factors are applied to the printer to keep the darkness of printing more constant. Writing to NVRAM is minimized.

Toner measurement and darkness control using printer systems

Toner hopper ( ) of a printer ( ) has a stirring paddle ( ) with an encoder wheel ( ) mounted on paddle shaft ( ). The drive connection to paddle ( ) is through a torsion spring ( ). Data processing apparatus determines paddle acceleration or deceleration ( ) and executes a table look-up to determine scaled amounts of subsequent movement ( ). Steady state movement is a unitary (unscaled) amount ( ). These amounts are totaled ( ) and used to define yield at the torsion spring, which corresponds to amount of toner in the hopper. This eliminates hardware in previous embodiments at the drive motor to signal actual rotation of the drive motor.

Movement tracking by time and scaling for start and stop

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 toner cartridge for use in a laser printer has a toner reservoir or hopper in which a first paddle rotates about a fixed first axis to sweep most of the toner volume of the cartridge to agitate and push the toner out of the toner reservoir or hopper through an exit port. A second paddle is pivotally mounted on the first paddle to sweep a volume of the toner reservoir or hopper in which a portion of the longitudinal wall of the toner reservoir or hopper of the toner cartridge is non-circular so as to produce a reduced cross section in the toner reservoir or hopper. The second paddle also initially engages the curved portion of the inner surface of the longitudinal wall of the toner reservoir or hopper and preferably has a tear drop cross section.

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Philip Scot Carter