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US 6,823,162 B2Granted
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.
Claims20
A toner cartridge, comprising:
- a housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- and
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir.
An imaging apparatus, comprising:
- a toner reservoir housing which defines a toner reservoir;
- and
- a rotatable endless belt disposed within the toner reservoir, wherein the endless belt is configured to be permeable to a toner.
A toner cartridge comprising:
- means for housing a supply of toner, said means for housing the supply of toner defining a non-cylindrical mixing region defined by a periphery;
- and
- means for engaging at least a portion of the toner at the periphery of the non-cylindrical mixing region for agitating the toner, the means for engaging at least a portion of the toner configured to be permeable to the toner.
A method of agitating toner, comprising:
- placing toner, in a reservoir;
- rotatably supporting an endless belt within the reservoir by way of at least three rollers;
- and
- engaging at least a portion of the toner in the reservoir with the endless belt to thereby agitate the toner within the reservoir.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.