US 11,714,373 B2
Toner cartridge electrical contacts
Mark William Amann, Lexington, KY (US); Brian Lester Boettcher, Versailles, KY (US); James Anthany Carter, II, Lexington, KY (US); Benjamin Charles Devore, Lexington, KY (US); and Darin Michael Gettelfinger, Nicholasville, KY (US)
Assigned to Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US)
Filed by LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC., Lexington, KY (US)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/140,204.
Application 17/140,204 is a continuation of application No. 16/902,879, filed on Jun. 16, 2020, granted, now 10,908,551.
Application 16/902,879 is a continuation of application No. 16/170,564, filed on Oct. 25, 2018, granted, now 10,725,422, issued on Jul. 28, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0124301 A1, Apr. 29, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03G 15/00 (2006.01); G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 21/16 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/80 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0867 (2013.01); G03G 21/1652 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A toner cartridge for use in an electrophotographic image forming device, 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 toner cartridge, 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 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;
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 each electrically connected to processing circuitry positioned on the toner cartridge, the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are each electrically connected to a respective imaging component positioned on the toner cartridge, 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
wherein the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge is 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.