Geneva drive and locking mechanism therefor in a toner metering mechanism for an image forming apparatus
US8150297B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 16, 2009 |
| Grant date | Apr 3, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/0877
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides a toner container system, such as a toner cartridge, having a first reservoir for containing toner and a second reservoir for receiving toner from the first reservoir and transferring the toner to an image forming apparatus, and a toner transfer mechanism disposed between the first and second reservoirs, the transfer mechanism including a generally cylindrically shaped rotatable roller member having a plurality of equally spaced recesses disposed around the circumference thereof and being rotatable in angular increments wherein the recesses are alternately open to the first reservoir in a first position for each recess and open to the second reservoir in a second position for each recess, whereby toner is transferred from the first reservoir to the second reservoir upon rotation of the roller member, a Geneva drive mechanism including a drive gear operatively connected to the roller member for advancing the roller member in one angular increment for each complete rotation of the drive gear; and a locking mechanism operatively interconnecting the drive gear and rotatable member, whereby the drive gear is intermittently locked after each incremental ang…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.