TONER CARTRIDGE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS

• US 20200133188A1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: AMANN, MARK WILLIAM, BOETTCHER, BRIAN LESTER, CARTER, II, JAMES ANTHANY, DEVORE, BENJAMIN CHARLES, GETTELFINGER, DARIN MICHAEL
• Granted Patent: US 10,725,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0867 cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/80 Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1647 Mechanical connection means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1652 Electrical connection means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1853 the process cartridge being mounted perpendicular to the axis of the photosensitive member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1857 for transmitting mechanical drive power to the process cartridge, drive mechanisms, gears, couplings, braking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1867 for electrically connecting the process cartridge to the apparatus, electrical connectors, power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1885 position of the memory; memory housings; electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1684 using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1869 Cartridge holders, e.g. intermediate frames for placing cartridge parts therein

Abstract

A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. A first electrical contact and a second electrical contact are positioned on a first longitudinal end of the housing. The first electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry positioned on the housing. The second electrical contact is electrically connected to an imaging component positioned on the housing. The first electrical contact is positioned higher than the second electrical contact. A first drive coupler and a second drive coupler are positioned on a second longitudinal end of the housing. The first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are positioned higher than a first rotational axis of the first drive coupler. The first electrical contact is positioned higher than a second rotational axis of the second drive coupler and the second electrical contact is positioned lower than the second rotational axis.

Claims

1. A toner cartridge, comprising:

a housing having a top, a bottom, a first side and a second side positioned between a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end of the housing, the housing has a reservoir for holding toner;

a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact on the first longitudinal end of the housing for contacting a first corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device and a second corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device, the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge is electrically connected to processing circuitry positioned on the housing, the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge is electrically connected to an imaging component positioned on the housing, the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned higher than the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge; and

a first drive coupler and a second drive coupler on the second longitudinal end of the housing for mating with a first corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device and a second corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device for receiving rotational motion from the first corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device and the second corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device, the first drive coupler of the toner cartridge has a first rotational axis and the second drive coupler of the toner cartridge has a second rotational axis,

wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge are positioned higher than the first rotational axis, the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned higher than the second rotational axis and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned lower than the second rotational axis.

2. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge are unobstructed from below permitting the first corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device to contact the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge from below and the second corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device to contact the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge from below when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device.

3. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge face primarily downward facilitating the first corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device to contact the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge from below and the second corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device to contact the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge from below when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device.

4. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge extend outward away from the first longitudinal end of the housing along a longitudinal dimension of the housing.

5. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge includes a first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge includes a second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge, the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are spaced from each other along a lateral dimension of the housing that runs from the first side to the second side, the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are spaced from each other along the lateral dimension of the housing, the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are each electrically connected to the processing circuitry positioned on the housing, the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are each electrically connected to a respective imaging component positioned on the housing.

6. The toner cartridge of claim 5, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge is positioned directly above the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge.

7. The toner cartridge of claim 5, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge overlaps with the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge along the lateral dimension of the housing.

8. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned adjacent to the top of the housing.

9. The toner cartridge of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge are positioned closer to the first side of the housing than the second rotational axis is to the first side of the housing and the second rotational axis is positioned closer to the second side of the housing than to the first side of the housing.

10. The toner cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a first pocket positioned directly below the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and a second pocket positioned directly below the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge permitting additional electrical contacts in the image forming device to pass directly below the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and directly below the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge along a lateral dimension of the housing that runs from the first side to the second side during installation of the toner cartridge into the image forming device.

11. A toner cartridge, comprising:

a housing having a top, a bottom, a first side and a second side positioned between a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end of the housing, the housing has a reservoir for holding toner;

a photoconductive drum rotatably positioned on the housing, a portion of an outer surface of the photoconductive drum is exposed along the bottom of the housing, the photoconductive drum includes a first rotational axis;

a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact unobstructed from below on the first longitudinal end of the housing permitting a first corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device to contact the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge from below and a second corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device to contact the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge from below when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device, the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge is electrically connected to processing circuitry positioned on the housing, the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge is electrically connected to the photoconductive drum, the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned higher than the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge; and

a boss protruding outward from the first longitudinal end of the housing at the first rotational axis,

wherein the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned higher than a top surface of the boss.

12. The toner cartridge of claim 11, further comprising a first drive coupler and a second drive coupler on the second longitudinal end of the housing for mating with a first corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device and a second corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device for receiving rotational motion from the first corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device and the second corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device, the first drive coupler of the toner cartridge has a second rotational axis and the second drive coupler of the toner cartridge has a third rotational axis, the first drive coupler of the toner cartridge is operatively connected to the photoconductive drum to transfer rotational motion to the photoconductive drum.

13. The toner cartridge of claim 12, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge are positioned higher than the second rotational axis, the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned higher than the third rotational axis and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned lower than the third rotational axis.

14. The toner cartridge of claim 12, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge are positioned closer to the first side of the housing than the third rotational axis is to the first side of the housing and the third rotational axis is positioned closer to the second side of the housing than to the first side of the housing.

15. The toner cartridge of claim 11, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge extend outward away from the first longitudinal end of the housing along a longitudinal dimension of the housing.

16. The toner cartridge of claim 11, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge includes a first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge includes a second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge, the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are spaced from each other along a lateral dimension of the housing that runs from the first side to the second side, the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are spaced from each other along the lateral dimension of the housing, the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are each electrically connected to the processing circuitry positioned on the housing, the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are each electrically connected to a respective imaging component positioned on the housing.

17. The toner cartridge of claim 16, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge is positioned directly above the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge.

18. The toner cartridge of claim 16, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge overlaps with the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge along the lateral dimension of the housing.

19. The toner cartridge of claim 11, wherein the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned adjacent to the top of the housing.

20. The toner cartridge of claim 11, further comprising a first pocket positioned directly below the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and a second pocket positioned directly below the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge permitting additional electrical contacts in the image forming device to pass directly below the first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and directly below the second electrical contact of the toner cartridge along a lateral dimension of the housing that runs from the first side to the second side during installation of the toner cartridge into the image forming device.

21. A toner cartridge, comprising:

a housing having a top, a bottom, a first side and a second side positioned between a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end of the housing, the housing has a reservoir for holding toner;

a photoconductive drum rotatably positioned on the housing, a portion of an outer surface of the photoconductive drum is exposed along the bottom of the housing, the photoconductive drum includes a first rotational axis;

a developer roll rotatably positioned on the housing and positioned to supply toner from the reservoir to the photoconductive drum;

a first set of electrical contacts and a second set of electrical contacts on the first longitudinal end of the housing for contacting a first set of corresponding electrical contacts in the image forming device and a second set of corresponding electrical contacts in the image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device, the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are spaced from each other along a lateral dimension of the housing that runs from the first side to the second side, the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are spaced from each other along the lateral dimension of the housing, the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are each electrically connected to processing circuitry positioned on the housing, the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are each electrically connected to a respective imaging component positioned on the housing, the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge is positioned higher than the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge; and

a first drive coupler and a second drive coupler on the second longitudinal end of the housing for mating with a first corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device and a second corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device for receiving rotational motion from the first corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device and the second corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device, the first drive coupler of the toner cartridge has a second rotational axis and is operatively connected to the photoconductive drum to transfer rotational motion to the photoconductive drum, the second drive coupler of the toner cartridge has a third rotational axis and is operatively connected to the developer roll to transfer rotational motion to the developer roll,

wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are positioned higher than the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis, the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge is positioned higher than the third rotational axis and the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge is positioned lower than the third rotational axis.

22. The toner cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are unobstructed from below permitting the first set of corresponding electrical contacts in the image forming device to contact the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge from below and the second set of corresponding electrical contacts in the image forming device to contact the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge from below when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device.

23. The toner cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge face primarily downward facilitating the first set of corresponding electrical contacts in the image forming device to contact the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge from below and the second set of corresponding electrical contacts in the image forming device to contact the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge from below when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device.

24. The toner cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge extend outward away from the first longitudinal end of the housing along a longitudinal dimension of the housing.

25. The toner cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge is positioned directly above the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge.

26. The toner cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge overlaps with the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge along the lateral dimension of the housing.

27. The toner cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge is positioned adjacent to the top of the housing.

28. The toner cartridge of claim 21, wherein the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are positioned closer to the first side of the housing than the third rotational axis is to the first side of the housing and the third rotational axis is positioned closer to the second side of the housing than to the first side of the housing.

29. The toner cartridge of claim 21, further comprising a first pocket positioned directly below the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and a second pocket positioned directly below the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge permitting additional electrical contacts in the image forming device to pass directly below the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and directly below the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge along the lateral dimension of the housing during installation of the toner cartridge into the image forming device.