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US 6,671,481 B1Granted
Endless belt dry toner agitator
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsJames P. Terry, Paxton J. Tupper, Daniel E. Costello
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A toner cartridge includes a housing which defines a toner reservoir. A rotatable endless belt is located within the toner reservoir. The belt can be used to agitate or stir toner which can be placed in the toner reservoir. In one example the belt has periodic openings in the belt which allow toner to pass through the belt so that agitated toner can be provided to toner distribution components within and outside of the toner cartridge.
Claims18
A toner cartridge, comprising:
- a housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- and
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir;
- and wherein:
- the toner reservoir is defined by a reservoir primary surface within the housing, and further wherein the rotatable endless belt is positioned proximate the reservoir primary surface;
- and
- the rotatable endless belt is in contact with the reservoir primary surface.
4 more elements
A toner cartridge, comprising:
- a housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- and
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir;
- and wherein the rotatable endless belt has openings disposed therein to allow toner to pass therethrough.
1 more element
A toner cartridge, comprising:
- a housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- and
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir, and wherein;
- the toner reservoir is defined by a reservoir primary surface within the housing, and further wherein the rotatable endless belt is positioned proximate the reservoir primary surface;
- and
- the rotatable endless belt is defined by an outer belt surface which is proximate the reservoir primary surface, and an inner belt surface which is opposite the outer belt surface, the rotatable endless belt further comprising a plurality of stirring members which protrude from the inner belt surface.
3 more elements
A toner cartridge, comprising:
- a housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- and
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir;
- and wherein:
- the toner reservoir is defined by a reservoir primary surface within the housing, and further wherein the rotatable endless belt is positioned proximate the reservoir primary surface;
- and
- the rotatable endless belt is defined by an outer belt surface which is proximate the reservoir primary surface, and an inner belt surface which is opposite the outer belt surface, and wherein at least one of the outer belt surface or the inner belt surface is roughened.
4 more elements
A toner cartridge, comprising:
- a housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir;
- a plurality of rollers which support the rotatable endless belt in proximity to the reservoir primary surface and, wherein:
- the toner reservoir is defined by a reservoir primary surface within the housing, and further wherein the rotatable endless belt is positioned proximate the reservoir primary surface;
- and
- the housing is defined by an exterior surface, the toner cartridge further comprising a drive connection connected to one of the plurality of rollers and disposed proximate the exterior surface of the housing.
3 more elements
A toner cartridge, comprising:
- a housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir;
- a plurality of rollers which support the rotatable endless belt in proximity to the reservoir primary surface and, wherein:
- the toner reservoir is defined by a reservoir primary surface within the housing, and further wherein the rotatable endless belt is positioned proximate the reservoir primary surface;
- and
- the housing is defined by an exterior surface, the toner cartridge further comprising:
- a drive connection disposed proximate the exterior surface of the housing;
- and
- a drive system which is driven by the drive connection and engages the plurality of rollers to thereby allow the drive connection to be used to drive all of the plurality of rollers.
6 more elements
An imaging apparatus, comprising:
- a toner reservoir housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir;
- and
- wherein the rotatable endless belt has openings disposed therein to allow toner to pass therethrough.
1 more element
An imaging apparatus, comprising:
- a toner reservoir housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir;
- and
- an antechamber in fluid communication with the toner reservoir, the antechamber having an inlet opening to receive dry toner therethrough.
1 more element
A toner cartridge, comprising:
- a housing which defines a toner reservoir, the toner reservoir being defined by a toner reservoir primary surface and a toner reservoir egress area;
- a toner distribution roller located proximate the toner reservoir egress area;
- a toner agitator belt disposed within the toner reservoir and located in proximity to the toner reservoir primary surface, the toner agitator belt having perforations therein to allow toner to pass through the toner agitator belt to the toner reservoir egress area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.