US 12,271,121 B2
Toner cartridge having positioning features
Emily Stefano Adams, Lexington, KY (US); Brian Lester Boettcher, Versailles, KY (US); Brian Lee Hawes, Versailles, KY (US); Brittany Nicole Sexton, Lexington, KY (US); Glen Alan Reidhaar, Lexington, KY (US); and Edward Lynn Triplett, Lexington, KY (US)
Assigned to Lexmark International, Inc., Lexington, KY (US)
Filed by LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC., Lexington, KY (US)
Filed on Jan. 17, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/415,146.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/472,849, filed on Jun. 14, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/454,891, filed on Mar. 27, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/449,643, filed on Mar. 3, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/448,061, filed on Feb. 24, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0288796 A1, Aug. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0875 (2013.01) [G03G 15/80 (2013.01); G03G 2215/068 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A toner container for use in an image forming device, comprising:
a body 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 body, a longitudinal dimension of the toner container that is orthogonal to a vertical dimension of the toner container extends between the first longitudinal end of the body and the second longitudinal end of the body, the body has a reservoir for holding toner;
an outlet port on the bottom of the body for exiting toner from the toner container, the outlet port is positioned closer to the first longitudinal end of the body than to the second longitudinal end of the body;
a drive coupler on the first longitudinal end of the body for mating with a corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device for receiving rotational motion from the corresponding drive coupler in the image forming device;
an electrical contact on the first longitudinal end of the body for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device, the electrical contact of the toner container is positioned higher in the vertical dimension of the toner container than the drive coupler of the toner container; and
a first guide post and a second guide post projecting outward along the longitudinal dimension of the toner container from the first longitudinal end of the body, the first guide post is spaced toward the first side of the body from the drive coupler of the toner container, the second guide post is spaced toward the second side of the body from the drive coupler of the toner container, the first guide post and the second guide post overlap with the drive coupler of the toner container along the vertical dimension of the toner container such that an imaginary horizontal plane intersects the first and second guide posts and the drive coupler of the toner container.