Integrated toner cartridge with toner agitator and sensing device
OwnerSteven Millerinventor
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Abstract
A toner cartridge with a uni-body construction reduces the cost of production as well as reducing the chance of failure during use. The toner cartridge includes a waste bin having a leading end that can be sculpted to mate with the cartridge-receiving cavities of a large number of printers. Additional improvements include an improved toner beater and sensing apparatus, the elimination of a pivotal motion between the elements of the cartridge, an enhanced method of determining the amount of toner remaining in the toner chamber, and an improved means of agitating the toner within the toner chamber.
Claims9
A toner beater and sensing device for use in a toner cartridge having a toner chamber, comprising:
- a primary shaft rotatable in the toner chamber;
- an encoder disk disposed at one end of the primary shaft;
- a sensing device pivotally connected to the primary shaft such that the sensing device rotates within the toner chamber coincident with the rotation of the encoder disk;
- and
- a gear disposed at one end of the primary shaft such that rotation of the gear causes the primary shaft to rotate within the toner chamber.
A method of sensing the amount of toner in a toner cartridge having a toner chamber comprising the steps of:
- providing a primary shaft rotatable in the toner chamber;
- providing an encoder disk disposed at one end of the primary shaft;
- providing a sensing device pivotally connected to the primary shaft such that the sensing device rotates within the toner chamber coincident with the rotation of the encoder disk;
- and
- establishing a number of indicia on the encoder disk capable of being detected by a light source within the printer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.