Air duct and toner cartridge using same
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsStephen Andrew Brown, Jarrett Clark Gayne, Nicholas Fenley Gibson, Asmund Vego
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cartridge for containing toner material used in an image-forming device according to one example embodiment includes a developer roll, two J-seals that provide interfaces with the developer roll at the ends thereof, and an air duct that conducts airflow across the interfaces to cool the developer roll and seals. The air duct includes an elongated hollow body and a pair of nozzles in fluid communication with the hollow body. One of the nozzles is disposed at a distal end of the developer roll near one J-seal, and the other of the nozzles is disposed at a proximal end of the developer roll near the second J-seal.
Claims16
A cartridge for containing toner material used in an image forming device comprising:
- a developer roll;
- a seal providing an interface with said developer roll and said toner;
- and
- an air duct in said cartridge for conducting airflow across said interface to cool said developer roll and seal, said air duct comprising:
- an elongated body;
- and
- a pair of nozzles in fluid communication with said elongated body, said pair of nozzles each being tapered in an axial direction and having an irregular quadrilateral cross-section.
In an image forming device having a cartridge for containing toner material, a developer roll with proximal and distal ends, and a J-seal providing an interface between said developer roll and said cartridge at each of said proximal and distal ends, the improvement comprising:
- an air duct disposed within said cartridge adjacent said developer roll for conducting air flow across said J-seal interfaces to cool said developer roll, said air duct comprising:
- a body;
- and
- a pair of nozzles in fluid communication with said body, the pair of nozzles each being tapered in an axial direction and having an irregular quadrilateral cross-section.
An air duct in a cartridge for containing toner material, a developer roll, and a pair of seals providing an interface with said developer roll, said developer roll having a distal end and a proximal end, with one seal in each said pair of seals located at each of said distal and proximal ends, the air duct comprising:
- a unitary structure insertably positionable within a housing of the cartridge and formed from an elongated hollow body and a pair of nozzles affixed to said elongated hollow body, the interior of the elongated hollow body in fluid communication with an air blower via an inlet and with the pair of nozzles, one of said nozzles being disposed at said distal end of said developer roll and the other of said nozzles being disposed at said proximal end of said developer roll.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.