Toner container having a magnet for toner level sensing

A toner container for use in an image forming device, comprising:

• a housing having a reservoir for storing toner;
• a rotatable drive coupler positioned to receive rotational force from a corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device;
• a paddle positioned within the reservoir and operatively connected to the drive coupler such that the paddle is rotatable in response to rotation of the drive coupler, the paddle is rotatable independent of the drive coupler;
• a magnet having a magnetic field, the magnet is fixed to rotate with one of the paddle and the drive coupler;
• and
• a shield fixed to rotate with the other of the paddle and the drive coupler such that the shield is movable between a blocking position for attenuating the magnetic field of the magnet to block detection of the magnetic field by a magnetic sensor and an unblocking position for unblocking the magnetic field of the magnet to permit detection of the magnetic field by the magnetic sensor depending on a rotational position of the paddle relative to the drive coupler.

A toner container for use in an image forming device, comprising:

• a housing having a reservoir for storing toner;
• a rotatable shaft positioned within the reservoir;
• a paddle mounted on the shaft within the reservoir and fixed to rotate with the shaft;
• a drive member mounted on the housing outside of the reservoir and rotatable about the shaft independent of the shaft;
• a magnet fixed to rotate with the drive member, the magnet has a magnetic field that is detectable by a magnetic sensor;
• and
• a shield fixed to rotate with the shaft and the paddle, the drive member is positioned to rotate the shield when the drive member rotates, the shield is free to rotate ahead of the drive member, wherein the shield selectively blocks and unblocks the magnet from the magnetic sensor in response to rotation of the drive member for indicating a toner level in the reservoir.