Shipping or storage separator for replaceable units of an electrophotographic image forming device

A component separator system for use with an electrophotographic image forming device, comprising:

• a toner cartridge having a reservoir for storing toner and a developer roll positioned to carry toner from the reservoir, a portion of an outer surface of the developer roll is exposed along a front of the toner cartridge, the toner cartridge includes a first engagement member positioned along a rear of the toner cartridge;
• and
• an imaging unit having a photoconductive drum and a frame that defines a toner cartridge receiving area for receiving the toner cartridge, a portion of an outer surface of the photoconductive drum is exposed along a front portion of the toner cartridge receiving area, the imaging unit includes a second engagement member positioned along a rear of the imaging unit,
• wherein the toner cartridge is installable on the frame of the imaging unit in the toner cartridge receiving area of the imaging unit in an operative position of the toner cartridge relative to the imaging unit with the portion of the outer surface of the developer roll that is exposed along the front of the toner cartridge in operative contact with the portion of the outer surface of the photoconductive drum that is exposed along the front portion of the toner cartridge receiving area,
• wherein the toner cartridge is installable on the frame of the imaging unit in the toner cartridge receiving area of the imaging unit in a storage position of the toner cartridge relative to the imaging unit with the outer surface of the developer roll spaced away from the outer surface of the photoconductive drum, wherein engagement of the first engagement member of the toner cartridge with the second engagement member of the imaging unit retains the toner cartridge in the storage position relative to the imaging unit with the outer surface of the developer roll spaced away from the outer surface of the photoconductive drum.

A method for storing replaceable units of an electrophotographic image forming device, comprising:

• moving a toner cartridge from an operative position of the toner cartridge relative to an imaging unit with a developer roll of the toner cartridge in operative contact with a photoconductive drum of the imaging unit to a storage position of the toner cartridge relative to the imaging unit with the developer roll of the toner cartridge spaced away from the photoconductive drum of the imaging unit;
• moving a first engagement member on the imaging unit into engagement with a second engagement member on the toner cartridge;
• and
• the engagement between the first engagement member on the imaging unit and the second engagement member on the toner cartridge retaining the toner cartridge in the storage position relative to the imaging unit with the developer roll of the toner cartridge spaced away from the photoconductive drum of the imaging unit.