The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 24, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2002
Patrick S. Dougherty, Boise, ID (US);
Quintin T. Phillips, Boise, ID (US);
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention includes a sealing mechanism for use in a cartridge having a roller having an undulant annular channel and a flexible seal having a follower where the follower is configured to engage the undulant annular channel. Rotation of the roller induces a laterally reciprocating motion of the flexible seal with respect to the roller. Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method of reducing toner leakage in a cartridge comprising the steps of engaging a follower of a flexible seal within an undulant annular channel formed in a roller and rotating the roller to induce a laterally reciprocating motion in the flexible seal. When toner is applied to the roller in the vicinity of the flexible seal, the laterally reciprocating motion of the flexible seal sweeps toner in a direction away from the undulant annular channel.