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:
Aug. 03, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 31, 2002
Applicant:
Inventors:
Thomas Wilbur Blanck, Nicholasville, KY (US);
Mark Duane Foster, Lexington, KY (US);
Robert Watson McAlpine, Lexington, KY (US);
Gregory Scott Tigges, Frankfort, KY (US);
Assignee:
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G 1/508 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G03G 1/508 ;
Abstract
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.