Image forming device having a replaceable toner cartridge that includes an engagement member for actuating a shutter

An electrophotographic image forming device, comprising:

• a replaceable toner cartridge having:
• a housing having a front, a rear, a top and a bottom, the housing having a reservoir for holding toner;
• an outlet port on the front of the housing facing toward the bottom of the housing for exiting toner from the toner cartridge;
• a shutter slidably movable between a closed position blocking the outlet port and an open position unblocking the outlet port, the shutter being biased toward the closed position;
• and
• an engagement member having a rear end and a front end, the rear end being proximate to the rear of the housing and unobstructed to receive an actuation force at the rear of the housing from an actuation feature of the image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device, the front end being proximate to the front of the housing and movable between a position aligned with the shutter and a position unaligned with the shutter, the engagement member movable from a first position to a second position upon receiving the actuation force,
• wherein when the front end is in the unaligned position and the engagement member moves from the first position to the second position the front end of the engagement member moves in a rear-to-front direction of the housing and protrudes from the front of the housing and bypasses the shutter, and when the front end is in the aligned position and the engagement member moves from the first position to the second position the front end of the engagement member moves in the rear-to-front direction of the housing and protrudes from the front of the housing and moves the shutter from the closed position to the open position.

An electrophotographic image forming device, comprising:

• a replaceable toner cartridge having:
• a housing having a front, a rear, a top and a bottom, the housing having a reservoir for holding toner;
• an outlet port on the front of the housing facing toward the bottom of the housing for exiting toner from the toner cartridge;
• a shutter slidably movable between a closed position blocking the outlet port and an open position unblocking the outlet port, the shutter being biased toward the closed position;
• and
• a plunger having a rear end and a front end, the rear end being proximate to the rear of the housing and unobstructed to receive an actuation force at the rear of the housing from an actuation feature of the image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device, the front end being proximate to the front of the housing and movable between a position aligned with the shutter and a position unaligned with the shutter and positioned to engage a shutter on an inlet port of a developer unit when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device and mated with the developer unit, the plunger being movable in a rear-to-front direction of the housing from a first position to a second position upon receiving the actuation force, the plunger being biased toward the first position and the front end being biased toward the unaligned position,
• wherein when the front end is in the unaligned position and the plunger moves in the rear-to-front direction of the housing from the first position to the second position the front end of the plunger moves in the rear-to-front direction of the housing and protrudes from the front of the housing and bypasses the shutter of the toner cartridge, and when the front end is in the aligned position and the plunger moves in the rear-to-front direction of the housing from the first position to the second position the front end of the plunger moves in the rear-to-front direction of the housing and protrudes from the front of the housing and moves the shutter of the toner cartridge from the closed position to the open position and moves the shutter of the developer unit from a closed position to an open position when the toner cartridge is mated with the developer unit.