A developer container includes a container body, a lid, a developer discharge port, a shaft, and a movable wall. The container body includes an inner surface defining a cylindrical internal space and a wall disposed at one end of the container body. The container body is formed with the developer discharge port. The lid is attached to the other end of the container body. The shaft includes a first engaging portion. The movable wall includes a conveying surface and a carrier bearing. The conveying surface defines a storage space configured to contain the developer. The carrier bearing includes a second engaging portion. The movable wall is movable along the shaft in the first direction while conveying the developer by engagement of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion. The first engaging portion includes a small pitch part having a relatively small thread pitch.

Developer container and image forming apparatus including the same

A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes an elongated body extending along a lengthwise dimension between a front and a rear of the body The body has a reservoir for holding toner The body includes an extension downward from the bottom of the body near the rear of the body The extension has a downward chute formed therein in fluid communication with the reservoir A rear face of the extension is unobstructed to receive a bias force in a forward direction toward the front of the body along the lengthwise dimension An outlet port on the bottom of the extension is in fluid communication with the chute for transferring toner out of the reservoir The replaceable unit may include a positioning bump on the bottom of the body at a rearmost position on the bottom of the body

Positional control features of a replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device

A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir. A drive element is exposed on an exterior of the housing unobstructed to receive rotational force. The drive element is operatively connected to the shaft to rotate the shaft upon receiving the rotational force. A sensor is positioned to sense a rotational motion of the shaft. A processor is mounted on the housing and in electrical communication with the sensor. An electrical contact in electrical communication with the processor is exposed on the exterior of the housing unobstructed to mate with a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The processor is programmed to send information related to the rotational motion sensed by the sensor to a controller in the image forming device.

Rotational sensing for a replaceable unit of an image forming device

A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir and has an axis of rotation. A first magnet and a second magnet are connected to the shaft and rotatable around the axis of rotation in response to rotation of the shaft. The first magnet and the second magnet pass near at least a portion of an inner wall of the housing forming the reservoir during rotation of the first and second magnets. An amount of angular offset between the first magnet and the second magnet varies depending on an amount of toner in the reservoir.

Replaceable unit for an image forming device having magnets of varying angular offset for toner level sensing

A method for estimating an amount of toner remaining in a reservoir of a replaceable unit for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes receiving by processing circuitry pulses from a magnetic sensor. Each pulse is indicative that the magnetic sensor detected a magnet on a moving paddle positioned in the reservoir. The processing circuitry counts the number of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor. Upon receiving a request from a controller of the image forming device, the processing circuitry sends to the controller of the image forming device the count of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor and resets the count of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor.

Toner level sensing for a replaceable unit of an image forming device

A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus having a housing including two opposed end walls and an elongated body therebetween and an exit port. An inner surface of the body defines a toner reservoir that is communication with the exit port. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. A toner platform is provided in slidable contact with the inner surface of the body and is nonrotatable relative to the housing. A drive shaft coupling couples the toner platform to the drive shaft. An exit paddle is positioned adjacent the exit port and is rotatable by the drive shaft. Rotation of the drive shaft translates the toner platform toward the exit port and rotates the exit paddle. As the toner platform moves, toner within the reservoir moves toward the exit paddle and exit port and rotation of the exit paddle moves toner through the exit port.

Volumetric toner cartridge having driven toner platform

A toner cartridge for an electrophotographic device including a housing having a reservoir that is in fluid communication with an exit port. A first end wall has a recess on an inner surface thereof in fluid communication with the reservoir and the exit port. A partially threaded drive shaft has an end received in the second end wall. An exit paddle having a drive hub is detachably mounted on the drive shaft near an unthreaded portion. Arms on the drive hub are received in the recess. A drive hub axial extension is received in the first end wall. The housing rotatably supports the drive shaft and exit paddle. A translatable toner platform rotatably connects to the drive shaft. When the drive shaft rotates the toner platform translates for moving toner toward the exit port and rotates the exit paddle for delivering toner from the exit port.

Volumetric Toner Cartridge Having Removable Exit Paddle

A toner cartridge for an imaging device having a housing having a toner reservoir and an exit port in fluid communication with the toner reservoir A drive shaft rotatably mounts within the toner reservoir A toner platform is movably coupled to the drive shaft and is nonrotatable but slidable relative to the housing A resilient arm is positioned within the reservoir and biased toward an initial position in the path of the toner platform When the drive shaft rotates, the toner platform translates toward the exit port When the toner platform contacts the resilient arm, the resilient arm moves to permit the toner platform to pass and when the toner platform moves further toward the exit port the resilient arm returns to the initial position The resilient arm may mount on the inner surface, the toner to platform or the drive shaft

Volumetric Toner Cartridge Having Toner Agitators

A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus having a housing including two opposed end walls and an elongated body therebetween and an exit port. An inner surface of the body defines a toner reservoir that is in communication with the exit port. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. A translatable toner platform is provided in slidable contact with the inner surface of the body and is nonrotatable relative to the housing. A toner platform stop is also provided. A detachable drive shaft coupling couples the toner platform to the drive shaft and upon the toner platform hitting the stop, the coupling detaches from the platform. The detachable coupling may be provided in a frangible portion of the toner platform or be frictionally engaged with a recess therein. Rotation of the drive shaft translates the toner platform toward the exit port and rotates an exit paddle.

Jeffrey Alan Abler

Papers

Volumetric toner cartridge having driven toner platform

Volumetric Toner Cartridge Having Removable Exit Paddle

Volumetric Toner Cartridge Having Toner Agitators

Volumetric toner cartridge having driven detachable toner platform