US 12,276,934 B2
Toner container latching
Emily Stefano Adams, Lexington, KY (US); Brian Lester Boettcher, Versailles, KY (US); Brian Lee Hawes, 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 May 29, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/677,169.
Application 18/677,169 is a continuation of application No. 18/138,322, filed on Apr. 24, 2023, granted, now 12,025,947.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/449,162, filed on Mar. 1, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0310778 A1, Sep. 19, 2024
Int. Cl. G03G 21/16 (2006.01); G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 21/1647 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0872 (2013.01); G03G 15/0875 (2013.01); G03G 21/1676 (2013.01); G03G 2215/068 (2013.01)] 6 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, the first longitudinal end of the body leads during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device and the second longitudinal end trails during insertion of the toner container into the image forming device, a longitudinal 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; and
a latch catch projecting upward on the top of the body, the latch catch is spaced from the second longitudinal end of the body and positioned closer to the second longitudinal end of the body than to the first longitudinal end of the body, the latch catch includes a catch surface that faces toward the second longitudinal end of the body, the catch surface of the latch catch is oriented closer to orthogonal to the longitudinal dimension of the toner container than to parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the toner container, the latch catch includes a camming surface that faces toward the first longitudinal end of the body and the first side of the body, the camming surface of the latch catch is angled relative to the catch surface of the latch catch and the longitudinal dimension of the toner container, the camming surface of the latch catch is positioned closer to the first longitudinal end of the body than the catch surface of the latch catch is to the first longitudinal end of the body, the camming surface of the latch catch adjoins the catch surface of the latch catch and extends toward the first longitudinal end of the body from the catch surface of the latch catch.