US 11,703,777 B2
Drive and seal assembly for an electrophotographic image forming device
Brian Lester Boettcher, Versailles, KY (US); Brian Lee Hawes, Lexington, KY (US); and David Lee Merrifield, Lexington, KY (US)
Assigned to Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US)
Filed by LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC., Lexington, KY (US)
Filed on Apr. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/717,543.
Application 17/717,543 is a continuation of application No. 16/905,092, filed on Jun. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,327,417.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/874,226, filed on Jul. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0236665 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0889 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0875 (2013.01); G03G 15/0881 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly for use in an electrophotographic image forming device, comprising:
a housing having a reservoir for holding toner, the housing includes a wall having an inner surface forming a boundary of the reservoir and an outer surface opposite the inner surface;
a rotatable shaft positioned in the reservoir, the rotatable shaft includes an end portion that passes through an opening in the wall;
a boss projecting from the outer surface of the wall about the opening;
a gear mounted on the end portion of the rotatable shaft outside of the reservoir and rotatably coupled to the rotatable shaft, the gear has an inner circumferential surface that contacts and bears against the boss facilitating rotation of the gear about the boss; and
a seal positioned between an inner axial face of the gear and the outer surface of the wall, the inner axial face of the gear contacts the seal and presses the seal against the outer surface of the wall.