Cartridge with a movable electrical connector for use with an image forming device
View Patent ↗The present application is directed to toner cartridges for use with an image forming device. The toner cartridges may include a body with an interior reservoir that contains toner. The toner cartridges are removable from the image forming device and may be replaced, such as upon depletion of the toner from the interior reservoir. The cartridges include an electrical connector for connection to the main body. The electrical connector is movable relative to the body to facilitate engagement of the cartridge with the image forming device.
1. A toner cartridge for use within an image forming device, the toner cartridge comprising:
a body with an interior reservoir to contain toner, the body comprising a top side and a bottom side;
a retainer formed by the body;
an electrical connector captured by the retainer and operatively connected to the bottom side of the body, the electrical connector including a receptacle with an open space to engage with the image forming device, the electrical connector being movable relative to the body in a plane substantially perpendicular to a cartridge insertion direction; and
an outlet in communication with the interior reservoir to move the toner from the interior reservoir, the outlet positioned vertically above the electrical connector.
2. The toner cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a cavity sized to contain the electrical connector.
3. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector is completely contained within a cavity.
4. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector includes a circuit board and a housing.
5. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector includes a plurality of electrical contacts oriented substantially parallel to the cartridge insertion direction.
6. A toner cartridge for use within an image forming device, the toner cartridge comprising:
a body with an interior reservoir to contain toner, the body comprising a top side and a bottom side;
a cavity formed in the bottom side of the body;
a housing movably connected to the body and positioned within the cavity;
a circuit board fixedly attached to the housing; and
an outlet in communication with the interior reservoir to move the toner from the interior reservoir, the outlet positioned between the housing with the attached circuit board and the top side of the body;
the housing and circuit board being movable relative to the body during insertion of the toner cartridge into the image forming device.
7. A toner cartridge for use within an image forming device, the toner cartridge comprising:
a body with a top side, a bottom side, and an intermediate side that extend around an interior reservoir that contains toner, the body including a cavity extending into the bottom side, the body further including an outlet to move the toner from the interior reservoir; and
an electrical connector operatively connected to the body and positioned within the cavity, the electrical connector including a circuit board that engages with the image forming device during insertion of the toner cartridge, the electrical connector positioned at a different vertical level on the body than the outlet to be in non-overlapping arrangement;
the electrical connector being movably positioned within the cavity.
8. The toner cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the electrical connector extends outward beyond the cavity.
9. The cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the circuit board extends outward beyond the cavity.