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. 11, 2017
Filed:
Dec. 21, 2015
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Ligia Aura Bejat, Lexington, KY (US);
Michael Alan Gist, Lexington, KY (US);
Prabuddha Jyotindra Mehta, Lexington, KY (US);
Eric Carl Stelter, Lexington, KY (US);
David Anthony Schneider, Lexington, KY (US);
Kelly Marie Wright, Sadieville, KY (US);
Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US);
Abstract
A toner cartridge for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable drive shaft is positioned within the reservoir. A partition is mounted on the drive shaft and axially movable along the drive shaft when the drive shaft rotates. The partition divides the reservoir into a first compartment for storing fresh toner and a second compartment for storing waste toner. An expandable agitator is positioned within the second compartment and rotatable with the drive shaft. When the drive shaft rotates and the partition moves along the drive shaft expanding a volume of the second compartment, the agitator expands along a length of the drive shaft and rotates with the drive shaft for agitating waste toner in the second compartment.