Internal spring member agitating mechanism for agitating materials within sealed containers
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorDebora M. Litwiller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to the packaging and subsequent removal of material that tends to clump or congeal when shipped or stored in containers. A mechanism and process for agitating material held in a container is disclosed. The agitating mechanism includes a device such as a spring for storing potential energy in a locked down position. When desired, the potential energy is released, and an agitating member moves through the materials to break apart clumps or congealed materials in order to aid flow rates and uniformity. One embodiment of the present invention relates to cartridges for storing marking materials for reprographic systems.
Claims31
A mechanism for agitating material held in a container, comprising:
- a. a spring member that stores potential energy;
- b. a lock-down mechanism that prevents release of energy from the potential energy storage device;
- c. a releasing mechanism that, when engaged with the lock-down mechanism, prevents release of the potential energy from the spring member and, when disengaged from the lock-down mechanism, allows release of such potential energy from such spring member;
- and
- d. an agitating member powered upon release of potential energy from the spring member, at least a portion of such agitating member being powered to move through the material held in the container.
A process for agitating material held in a container, comprising:
- a. storing potential energy in a spring member;
- b. engaging a releasing mechanism with a lock-down mechanism to prevent release of the potential energy stored in the spring member;
- c. releasing the potential energy from the spring member upon disengagement of the releasing mechanism from the lock-down mechanism;
- and
- d. agitating the material held in the container by an agitating member powered by the released potential energy.
A process for agitating marking materials in a cartridge, comprising:
- a. storing potential energy in a spring member;
- b. engaging a releasing mechanism with a lock-down mechanism to prevent release of the potential energy stored in the spring member;
- c. releasing the potential energy from the spring member upon disengagement of the releasing mechanism from the lock-down mechanism;
- and
- d. agitating the marking materials held in the cartridge by an agitating member powered by the released potential energy.
A cartridge for holding marking material, comprising:
- a. device that stores potential energy;
- b. a lock-down mechanism that prevents release of energy from the potential energy storage device;
- c. a releasing mechanism that, when engaged with the lock-down mechanism, prevents release of the potential energy from the potential energy storage device and, when disengaged from the lock-down mechanism, allows release of such potential energy from such potential energy storage device;
- and
- d. an agitating member powered upon release of potential energy from the potential energy storage device, at least a portion of such agitating member being powered to move through the marking material held in the cartridge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.