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:
Jul. 01, 2014
Filed:
Dec. 30, 2011
James Richard Leemhuis, Lexington, KY (US);
Gary Neal Hackney, Georgetown, KY (US);
James Richard Leemhuis, Lexington, KY (US);
Gary Neal Hackney, Georgetown, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
An assembly in an imaging apparatus including a developer unit and a toner cartridge having a pressure equalization system for equalizing a pressure differential between a toner reservoir in the toner cartridge and a toner sump of a developer unit containing ingested air. A ducted shutter that opens and closes an exit port on the housing of the toner cartridge in combination with a passageway in fluid communication with a duct in the shutter and the toner reservoir forms an airway, and when the toner cartridge is mated with a developer unit of the imaging apparatus and the shutter is in the open position, exiting toner leaves the cartridge through the exit port and enters the developer unit while air entrained within the developer unit enters the toner reservoir via the exit port and airway equalizing pressure between the toner cartridge and the developer unit.