The present application is directed to a cartridge for use with an image forming device and, more particularly, to a cartridge with a connector that is movable relative to the body of the cartridge for connecting with the image forming device.
Laser image forming devices include one or more photoconductive members that are generally cylindrical with a smooth surface. The photoconductive members receive a uniform electrostatic charge over the surface and rotate past a scanning laser that locally discharges the photoconductive member to form an electrostatic latent image representative of the outputted image.
Toner is originally stored within removable cartridges. The cartridges are connected to the device such that the toner can be moved to develop the latent image formed on the photoconductive member. Electrostatic forces attract the toner to the areas of the photoconductive members that have been discharged by the scanning laser. The toner images formed on the photoconductive members are then transferred either directly or indirectly to a media sheet. A mono-color image may be formed by a single toner layer that is transferred to the media sheet. A multi-color image may be formed by two or more toner layers of different colors that are transferred in an overlapping arrangement to the media sheet. Ultimately, the toner is fused to the media sheet to form the final printed sheet.
The cartridges are removable from the image forming device and may be replaced as necessary, such as upon depletion of the toner. The cartridges should include an electrical connection to engage and/or communicate with the image forming device upon insertion of the cartridge into the device. The electrical connection should be constructed to facilitate the connection between the cartridge and the device.
The present application is directed to cartridges for use in image forming devices. The cartridges may include a body with a reservoir to contain toner. An electrical connector may be connected to the body to engage with the image forming device. The electrical connector forms a communication path between the cartridge and the image forming device. The electrical connector may be movable relative to the body to facilitate engagement when the cartridge is connected with the image forming device.
The present application is directed to toner cartridges for use with an image forming device. The toner cartridges may include a body with an interior reservoir to contain toner. The toner cartridges are removable from the image forming device and may be replaced, such as upon depletion of the toner from the interior reservoir. The cartridges include an electrical connector for connecting to the image forming device. The electrical connector is movable relative to the body to facilitate engagement of the cartridge with the image forming device.
The body 20 generally includes a top side 21 and a bottom side 22. The top side 21 may include a handle 23 that is extendable from the body 20. The handle 23 is sized and positioned to be grasped by the user during insertion and removal of the cartridge 20 from the image forming device 100. The bottom side 22 may include a cavity 24 that is sized to contain the electrical connector 30. The cavity 24 may be sized to entirely contain the electrical connector 30 as illustrated in
The reservoir 25 is positioned between the top and bottom sides 21, 22. An outlet 26 leads from the reservoir 25 for leading the toner into the image forming device. One or more paddles or other toner moving mechanisms (not illustrated) may be positioned within the reservoir 25 for agitating and/or moving the toner to the outlet 26.
The cartridge 10 is removably connected to the image forming device 100. Removal of the cartridge 10 may be necessary for various reasons, including depletion of the toner from the reservoir 25, and initial shipping of the image forming device 100. During installation, the cartridge 10 is moved in a cartridge insertion direction illustrated by arrow A in
The electrical connector 30 is movably connected to the body 20.
Housing 32 is constructed to position the circuit board 31 for engaging with a connector 101 within the image forming device 100. Housing 32 includes a base 34 with one or more outwardly-extending arms 35. Base 34 includes an opening 37 sized to receive the circuit board 31. A member 49 may be positioned adjacent to the opening 37 to support the circuit board 31 when attached to the housing 32. In one embodiment, opening 37 includes a notch 38.
One or more arms 35 extend outward from the base 34 in a cantilever manner. The arms 35 may be rigid or may be flexible relative to the base 34. In one embodiment, four arms extend from the base 34 and each is flexible. In another embodiment, multiple arms 35 extend from the base 34 with some one or more of the arms 35 being flexible and the others being rigid. The arms 35 form a receptacle 50 sized to extend around the entirety or a portion of the connector 101. One or more of the arms 35 may further include a flared end 36 to facilitate engagement with the connector 101 of the image forming device 100.
Arms 35 may include a variety of shapes and configurations.
The electrical connector 30 may be positioned to be visually obscured by the body 20. By way of example and using
In one embodiment as illustrated in
The electrical connector 30 is movably connected to the body 20. In one embodiment, a retainer 40 is positioned on the body 20 to receive the electrical connector 30. The retainer 40 may be formed by the body 20, or may be a separate element that is attached to the body 20.
In one embodiment, the amount of lateral movement of the electrical connector 30 is dictated by the size of the arms flared ends 36. During insertion, the flared ends 36 may contact the connector 101. If the electrical connector 30 is not aligned, the flared ends cause the connector 30 to move laterally and align with the connector 101.
The housing 32 may further include wings 48 that laterally extend outward to fit within the slot 42. A width of the wings 48 is less than a width s of the slot 42 thus providing for longitudinal motion of the electrical connector 30 relative to the body 20. This longitudinal motion is substantially perpendicular to the lateral motion previously explained.
The electrical connector 30 may be used with a variety of different cartridge bodies 20.
In embodiments described above, the circuit board 31 includes exposed contacts 33 that engage contacts in the opening 102 of connector 101 to form the communication path between the cartridge 10 and the device 100. As described, the connector 101 in the image forming device 100 is a female connector that engages a male circuit board 31. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that other types of connector configurations may be implemented. For example,
In an embodiment illustrated in
The cartridge 10 of the present application may be used in a variety of image forming devices. The embodiments described above include laser image forming devices including but not limited to printers, facsimile machines, copiers, and combinations. One embodiment of an image forming device is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/407,307 filed on Apr. 19, 2006 and entitled “Architecture for an Image Forming Device” which is herein incorporated by reference. In another embodiment, the cartridge 10 is constructed to contain ink that is usable in an ink jet printing device.
The embodiments disclosed above include a toner cartridge 10 with a movable electrical connector 30. The electrical connector 30 may also be movably positioned to other elements that are inserted and/or replaced within the image forming device 100. Other elements include but are not limited to a fuser assembly, a developer assembly, and an intermediate transfer belt assembly. The electrical connector 30 on each of these elements is movable to align with an engage a corresponding connector within the image forming device 100.
Spatially relative terms such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper”, and the like, are used for ease of description to explain the positioning of one element relative to a second element. These terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to different orientations than those depicted in the figures. Further, terms such as “first”, “second”, and the like, are also used to describe various elements, regions, sections, etc and are also not intended to be limiting. Like terms refer to like elements throughout the description.
As used herein, the terms “having”, “containing”, “including”, “comprising” and the like are open ended terms that indicate the presence of stated elements or features, but do not preclude additional elements or features. The articles “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural as well as the singular, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
The present invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope and essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/554,157 filed on Oct. 30, 2006.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11554157 | Oct 2006 | US |
Child | 11625525 | US |