Lexmark International, Inc.

Richard Alden Ramsdell

Paul Douglas Horrall

Johnnie A Coffey

Larry Steven Foster

David Erwin Rennick

Steven Alan Curry

John Randolph McIntyre

Benjamin Keith Newman

John Wayne Gassett

Earl Dawson Ward, Ii

Robert Leonard Burdick

Robert Flynt Strean

William Dudley Freeman

Toner cartridge for laser printer

Toner cartridge (1) has a unitary assembly forming the handle (3a, 3b), the cover (25), side walls (33, 245) and the cleaner chamber (27) and hold the photoconductor drum (43). Each of the side walls has a U-shaped housing (35, 247) which loosely receives a pin (37a, 37b) from the side of the hopper (61). The hopper is part of a unitary assembly holding the toner adder roller (45) and the developer roller (43). Second pins (131a, 131b) from the sides of the hopper carry springs which pull the two assemblies together to press the developer roller against the photoconductor. The hopper also has flat ledges (161a, 133a) on each side for movement on roller in the printer. This further permits the cartridge to have central locating elements (29a, 29b), wing-like guides (9a, 9b) for insertion, links (13a, 13b) to open a lower shutter (7), and unobstructed ends of photoconductor shaft (47) for positively locating on that shaft.

Toner cartridge with housing and pin construction

A toner cartridge (1) has a single molded element, molded of polystyrene, which is heat sensitive. The molded element forms front handles (3a, 3b) and a cleaner chamber (27) mounts a photoconductor drum (49). A toner hopper (61) is located generally under the handles. A developer roller (43) receives toner from the hopper and applies it to the photoconductor drum. A lower shutter (7) of polycarbonate, which is heat resistant, is mounted on actuating links (13a, 13b). When the cartridge is installed in the printer the actuating links are moved to rotate the shutter to a position covering the lower surface of the cleaner chamber, where it serves as an effective heat shield protecting the cleaner from fixing heat of the printer.

Toner cartridge with heat shield shutter

A toner cartridge (1) has wing-like guides (9a, 9b) on opposite sides, the guides being curved to follow a curved guide track in a printer in which the cartridge is installed. The cartridge may be readily grasped by handles (3a, 3b) and inserted in the guide tracks of the printer near the top and front and then readily directed down and into the rear area of the printer. The guides are thin at their initial location of entry into the printer for easy insertion and increase to larger thickness regions (9aa, 9bb) to better guide the cartridge. The guides are a part of a unitarily molded cover assembly which includes the side walls (33, 241, 245).

Toner cartridge with external planar installation guides

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Richard Alden Ramsdell