Toner cartridge for use in an image forming device

US9323178B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lexmark International, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Benjer Albaran Acosta · Kiamba, PH
• James Anthany Carter, II · Lexington, US
• Gary Neal Hackney · Georgetown, US
• Katrina Rosit Lactuan · Balamban, PH
• James Richard Leemhuis · Lexington, US
• Keith Seaman · Lexington, US
• Bryan Christopher Scharf · Richmond, US
• Matthew Lee Rogers · Los Gatos, US
• Christopher Gene Vowels · Bardstown, US
• Jason Paul Hale · Pembroke Pines, US
• Mark William Amann · Lexington, US
• Benjamin Keith Newman · Lexington, US
• Harald Portig · Versailles, US
• Rodney Evan Sproul · Lexington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 19, 2015
• Grant date: Apr 26, 2016
• Expiry date: Oct 19, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03G2221/166
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for containing toner therein. An exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir faces downward on a front of the housing near a first side of the housing. A portion of a main interface gear for providing rotational power to a toner delivery system is exposed on the front of the housing near a top of a second side of the housing and engagable with a corresponding drive gear in the image forming device. A projection extends forward from the housing further forward than a frontmost portion of the exit port and is spaced from the exit port toward the first side of the housing. A front of the projection is unobstructed for engaging a developer unit when the toner cartridge is inserted into the image forming device.