Toner cartridge including detection gear, agitator gear, auger gear, and toner outlet
US11231665B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 2020 |
| Grant date | Jan 25, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/0889
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A toner cartridge includes a casing, an auger rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction, an auger gear rotatable with the auger, an agitator aligned with the auger in a second direction, an agitator gear rotatable with the agitator, and a detection gear positioned opposite to the auger gear with respect to the agitator gear in the second direction. The detection gear is rotatable from a first position to a second position. At the first position, a through-hole or a cutout of the detection gear is positioned farther away from the auger than an outer surface of another end portion of the casing in the second direction is. At the second position, a portion of the detection gear different from the through-hole or the cutout is positioned farther away from the auger than the outer surface of the another end portion of the casing is.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.