Patents by Inventor Benjamin Erich Kant
Benjamin Erich Kant has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9835978Abstract: An end seal for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes an elastomeric body having a blade seal portion for sealing against a rear surface of a doctor blade and a curved rotary seal portion that extends from a bottom end of the blade seal portion for sealing against an outer surface of a rotatable developer roll. The end seal includes a cutout in an inner axial side of the body positioned at a point where the rotary seal portion and the blade seal portion meet.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2016Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Scott Richard Castle, Richard Louis Goin, Brad Edward Mattingly, Benjamin Erich Kant, Joseph Andrew Schaefer
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Publication number: 20170082949Abstract: An end seal for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes an elastomeric body having a blade seal portion for sealing against a rear surface of a doctor blade and a curved rotary seal portion that extends from a bottom end of the blade seal portion for sealing against an outer surface of a rotatable developer roll. The end seal includes a cutout in an inner axial side of the body positioned at a point where the rotary seal portion and the blade seal portion meet.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2016Publication date: March 23, 2017Inventors: SCOTT RICHARD CASTLE, RICHARD LOUIS GOIN, BRAD EDWARD MATTINGLY, BENJAMIN ERICH KANT, JOSEPH ANDREW SCHAEFER
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Patent number: 9519262Abstract: A photoconductor unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a first end wall positioned at a first end of the housing. A photoconductive drum is mounted on the housing and has a rotational axis that runs from the first end to a second end of the housing. An electrically conductive first biasing member extends axially inward with respect to the photoconductive drum from an inner axial side of the first end wall. The first biasing member is exposed on the inner axial side of the first end wall to contact and force a developer unit toward the second end of the housing when the developer unit is operably mated with the photoconductor unit and to contact and form an electrical path with a corresponding electrical contact on the developer unit when the developer unit is operably mated with the photoconductor unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Lawrence Tonges, Benjamin Erich Kant
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Patent number: 9063460Abstract: A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus having a housing including two opposed end walls and an elongated body therebetween and an exit port. An inner surface of the body defines a toner reservoir that is communication with the exit port. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. A toner platform is provided in slidable contact with the inner surface of the body and is nonrotatable relative to the housing. A drive shaft coupling couples the toner platform to the drive shaft. An exit paddle is positioned adjacent the exit port and is rotatable by the drive shaft. Rotation of the drive shaft translates the toner platform toward the exit port and rotates the exit paddle. As the toner platform moves, toner within the reservoir moves toward the exit paddle and exit port and rotation of the exit paddle moves toner through the exit port.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant, Matthew Thomas Martinkovic, Robert Watson McAlpine
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Patent number: 8923734Abstract: A toner cartridge for an electrophotographic device including a housing having a reservoir that is in fluid communication with an exit port. A first end wall has a recess on an inner surface thereof in fluid communication with the reservoir and the exit port. A partially threaded drive shaft has an end received in a second end wall. An exit paddle having a drive hub is detachably mounted on the drive shaft near an unthreaded portion. Arms on the drive hub are received in the recess. A drive hub axial extension is received in the first end wall. The housing rotatably supports the drive shaft and exit paddle. A translatable toner platform rotatably connects to the drive shaft. When the drive shaft rotates the toner platform translates, moving toner toward the exit port, and the exit paddle rotates, delivering toner from the exit port.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Benjamin Erich Kant, Jonathan Murray Hill, Taig Singh Rajpal
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Patent number: 8918031Abstract: A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus having a housing including two opposed end walls and an elongated body therebetween and an exit port. An inner surface of the body defines a toner reservoir that is in communication with the exit port. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. A translatable toner platform is provided in slidable contact with the inner surface of the body and is nonrotatable relative to the housing. A toner platform stop is also provided. A detachable drive shaft coupling couples the toner platform to the drive shaft and upon the toner platform hitting the stop, the coupling detaches from the platform. The detachable coupling may be provided in a frangible portion of the toner platform or be frictionally engaged with a recess therein. Rotation of the drive shaft translates the toner platform toward the exit port and rotates an exit paddle.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant
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Patent number: 8918032Abstract: A toner cartridge for an imaging device having a housing having a toner reservoir and an exit port in fluid communication with the toner reservoir. A drive shaft rotatably mounts within the toner reservoir. A toner platform is movably coupled to the drive shaft and is nonrotatable but slidable relative to the housing. A resilient arm is positioned within the reservoir and biased toward an initial position in the path of the toner platform. When the drive shaft rotates, the toner platform translates toward the exit port. When the toner platform contacts the resilient arm, the resilient arm moves to permit the toner platform to pass and when the toner platform moves further toward the exit port the resilient arm returns to the initial position. The resilient arm may mount on the inner surface, the toner to platform or the drive shaft.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant, Robert Watson McAlpine
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Publication number: 20140079440Abstract: A toner cartridge for an electrophotographic device including a housing having a reservoir that is in fluid communication with an exit port. A first end wall has a recess on an inner surface thereof in fluid communication with the reservoir and the exit port. A partially threaded drive shaft has an end received in the second end wall. An exit paddle having a drive hub is detachably mounted on the drive shaft near an unthreaded portion. Arms on the drive hub are received in the recess. A drive hub axial extension is received in the first end wall. The housing rotatably supports the drive shaft and exit paddle. A translatable toner platform rotatably connects to the drive shaft. When the drive shaft rotates the toner platform translates for moving toner toward the exit port and rotates the exit paddle for delivering toner from the exit port.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: March 20, 2014Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Benjamin Erich Kant, Jonathan Murray Hill, Taig Singh Rajpal
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Publication number: 20140079439Abstract: A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus having a housing including two opposed end walls and an elongated body therebetween and an exit port. An inner surface of the body defines a toner reservoir that is in communication with the exit port. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. A translatable toner platform is provided in slidable contact with the inner surface of the body and is nonrotatable relative to the housing. A toner platform stop is also provided. A detachable drive shaft coupling couples the toner platform to the drive shaft and upon the toner platform hitting the stop, the coupling detaches from the platform. The detachable coupling may be provided in a frangible portion of the toner platform or be frictionally engaged with a recess therein. Rotation of the drive shaft translates the toner platform toward the exit port and rotates an exit paddle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: March 20, 2014Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant
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Publication number: 20140079441Abstract: A toner cartridge for an imaging device having a housing having a toner reservoir and an exit port in fluid communication with the toner reservoir. A drive shaft rotatably mounts within the toner reservoir. A toner platform is movably coupled to the drive shaft and is nonrotatable but slidable relative to the housing. A resilient arm is positioned within the reservoir and biased toward an initial position in the path of the toner platform. When the drive shaft rotates, the toner platform translates toward the exit port. When the toner platform contacts the resilient arm, the resilient arm moves to permit the toner platform to pass and when the toner platform moves further toward the exit port the resilient arm returns to the initial position. The resilient arm may mount on the inner surface, the toner to platform or the drive shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: March 20, 2014Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant, Robert Watson McAlpine
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Publication number: 20140079438Abstract: A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus having a housing including two opposed end walls and an elongated body therebetween and an exit port. An inner surface of the body defines a toner reservoir that is communication with the exit port. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. A toner platform is provided in slidable contact with the inner surface of the body and is nonrotatable relative to the housing. A drive shaft coupling couples the toner platform to the drive shaft. An exit paddle is positioned adjacent the exit port and is rotatable by the drive shaft. Rotation of the drive shaft translates the toner platform toward the exit port and rotates the exit paddle. As the toner platform moves, toner within the reservoir moves toward the exit paddle and exit port and rotation of the exit paddle moves toner through the exit port.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: March 20, 2014Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant, Matthew Thomas Martinkovic, Robert Watson McAlpine
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Patent number: 8116657Abstract: A seal assembly for inhibiting toner leakage comprises a j-seal received by a developer housing in a toner cartridge. The j-seal has an upper seat portion engagably sealing with a doctor blade seal and a leg for slidably sealing of a developer roll. The upper seat portion has an upper seat inner seal wall and an upper seat outer seal wall spaced apart a preselected distance from said upper seat inner seal wall and defining a gap therebetween. A doctor blade seal engages the upper seat inner and outer seal walls and a doctor blade bracket assembly disposed adjacent the j-seal and the doctor blade seal. The doctor blade seal further has a tongue disposed within the gap for interlocking said j-seal and sealably engaging the doctor blade bracket assembly.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2007Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Erich Kant, Lenci Robert Kappes
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Patent number: 8099012Abstract: A toner seal comprises a j-shaped seal having an upper seat portion and a leg portion, the leg having a front face extending between first and second edges of said leg portion, a lip seal extending along at least one of the first and second edges of the leg, and, the lip seal having a length extending from the upper seat portion along the leg.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2007Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Alan Askren, Donn Duane Bryant, Benjamin Erich Kant, Lenci Robert Kappes, Michael Craig Leemhuis
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Publication number: 20090154951Abstract: A toner seal comprises a j-shaped seal having an upper seat portion and a leg portion, the leg having a front face extending between first and second edges of said leg portion, a lip seal extending along at least one of the first and second edges of the leg, and, the lip seal having a length extending from the upper seat portion along the leg.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2007Publication date: June 18, 2009Inventors: Benjamin Alan Askren, Donn Duane Bryant, Benjamin Erich Kant, Lenci Robert Kappes, Michael Craig Leemhuis
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Publication number: 20090154950Abstract: A seal assembly for inhibiting toner leakage comprises a j-seal received by a developer housing in a toner cartridge. The j-seal has an upper seat portion engagably sealing with a doctor blade seal and a leg for slidably sealing of a developer roll. The upper seat portion has an upper seat inner seal wall and an upper seat outer seal wall spaced apart a preselected distance from said upper seat inner seal wall and defining a gap therebetween. A doctor blade seal engages the upper seat inner and outer seal walls and a doctor blade bracket assembly disposed adjacent the j-seal and the doctor blade seal. The doctor blade seal further has a tongue disposed within the gap for interlocking said j-seal and sealably engaging the doctor blade bracket assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2007Publication date: June 18, 2009Inventors: Benjamin Erich Kant, Lenci Robert Kappes