Toner delivery system for a shake-free toner cartridge

A toner cartridge for an imaging device, the toner cartridge comprising:

• a housing having a base and a top, the base including an enclosed generally cylindrical reservoir for holding a quantity of toner, the enclosed reservoir formed between a circumferential wall, a pair of opposed planar end walls and the top and having a first region and a second region, a front of the housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a horizontal opening into the first region of the reservoir and extending along a width of the first portion;
• a paddle assembly rotatably mounted within the enclosed reservoir below the opening in the front of the housing, the paddle assembly comprising:
• a drive shaft having ends rotatably mounted in corresponding bearings mounted through corresponding openings in respective end walls of the reservoir;
• a frame mounted on the drive shaft comprising:
• a first pair of radially aligned arms, one of the first pair of radially aligned arms positioned near each of the end walls;
• a second pair of radially aligned arms extending radially opposite the first pair of arms, one of the second pair of radially aligned arms positioned near each of the end walls;
• a first cross member connected to distal ends of the first pair of arms;
• a second cross member connected to distal ends of the second pair of arms;
• a first main scraper mounted in a downwardly cantilevered manner from a first segment of the first cross member, the first main scraper having an interference contact with the circumferential wall within the first region of the enclosed reservoir;
• a first secondary scraper mounted in a downwardly cantilevered manner from a second segment of the first cross member, the first secondary scraper having an interference contact with the circumferential wall within the second region of the enclosed reservoir and positioned next to the first main scraper with a portion of the first secondary scraper positioned in an overlapping manner behind a portion of the first main scraper;
• a second main scraper mounted in an upwardly cantilevered manner from a first segment of the second cross member and opposite the first main scraper, the second main scraper having an interference contact with the circumferential wall within the first region of the enclosed reservoir;
• and
• a second secondary scraper mounted in an upwardly cantilevered manner from a second segment of the second cross member, the second secondary scraper having an interference contact with the circumferential wall within the second region of the enclosed reservoir and positioned next to the second main scraper with a portion of the second secondary scraper positioned in an overlapping manner behind a portion of the second main scraper, the second secondary scraper mounted opposite the first secondary scraper;
• and
• a toner exit assembly having an exit port in communication with the opening in the front of the housing, the toner exit assembly delivering toner received in the opening to the exit port;
• wherein during rotation of the paddle assembly, the first and second main scrapers and the first and second secondary scrapers scrape toner adhering to interior surface of the circumferential wall within the first and second regions of the enclosed reservoir, respectively, with a distal portion of each of the first and second main scrapers directing toner from the first region of the enclosed reservoir into the opening, and a distal portion of the first and second secondary scrapers directing toner from the second region of the enclosed reservoir into the first region of the enclosed reservoir.

A toner cartridge for an imaging device, the toner cartridge comprising:

• a housing comprising a front, a rear, a top, a bottom, a first side, and a second side with interior surfaces thereof forming an enclosed reservoir for holding a quantity of toner, the reservoir having a first region in communication with an opening in the front of the housing and second region not in communication with the opening;
• a paddle assembly rotatably mounted within the enclosed reservoir below the opening in the front of the housing, the paddle assembly comprising:
• a drive shaft having ends rotatably mounted through corresponding openings in the first and second sides;
• a frame mounted on the drive shaft having a pair of aligned arms radially extending from the drive shaft, one of the pair of aligned arms positioned near each of the first and second sides, and the frame having a cross member connected to distal ends of the pair of aligned arms;
• a main scraper mounted in a cantilevered manner from the cross member, the main scraper having an interference contact with the interior surfaces of front, rear, top and bottom of the housing within the first region of the reservoir;
• a secondary scraper mounted in cantilevered manner from the cross member, the secondary scraper having an interference contact with the interior surfaces of front, rear, top and bottom of the housing within the second region of the reservoir;
• and
• a first and a second side scraper mounted in a cantilevered manner on respective arms of the pair of aligned arms and each having an interference contact with a respective side of the first and second sides of the housing;
• and
• a toner exit assembly having an exit port in communication with the opening in the first region of the reservoir, the toner exit assembly delivering toner received from the reservoir via the opening to the exit port;
• wherein during rotation of the paddle assembly, the main scraper, the secondary scraper and first and second side scrapers scrape toner adhering to interior surfaces of the front, rear, bottom, and first and second sides during rotation of the paddle assembly of the housing, with the main scraper lifting toner from the first region for delivery into the opening while the secondary scraper directs toner from the second region into the first region.