US 12,169,381 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 Jun. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/210,363.
Application 18/210,363 is a continuation of application No. 17/140,204, filed on Jan. 4, 2021, granted, now 11,714,373.
Application 17/140,204 is a continuation of application No. 16/902,879, filed on Jun. 16, 2020, granted, now 10,908,551, issued on Feb. 2, 2021.
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 2023/0324842 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
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)] 18 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 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 spaced from each other along a lateral dimension of the housing that runs from the first side to the second side, the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge are spaced from each other along the lateral dimension of the housing, 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
a first pocket positioned directly below the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and a second pocket positioned directly below the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge permitting additional electrical contacts in the image forming device to pass directly below the first set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge and directly below the second set of electrical contacts of the toner cartridge along the lateral dimension of the housing during installation of the toner cartridge into the image forming device.