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).

  • Patent number: 9835978
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Richard Castle, Richard Louis Goin, Brad Edward Mattingly, Benjamin Erich Kant, Joseph Andrew Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20170082949
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: SCOTT RICHARD CASTLE, RICHARD LOUIS GOIN, BRAD EDWARD MATTINGLY, BENJAMIN ERICH KANT, JOSEPH ANDREW SCHAEFER
  • Patent number: 9519262
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lawrence Tonges, Benjamin Erich Kant
  • Patent number: 9063460
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant, Matthew Thomas Martinkovic, Robert Watson McAlpine
  • Patent number: 8923734
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Benjamin Erich Kant, Jonathan Murray Hill, Taig Singh Rajpal
  • Patent number: 8918031
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant
  • Patent number: 8918032
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant, Robert Watson McAlpine
  • Publication number: 20140079440
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Benjamin Erich Kant, Jonathan Murray Hill, Taig Singh Rajpal
  • Publication number: 20140079439
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant
  • Publication number: 20140079441
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant, Robert Watson McAlpine
  • Publication number: 20140079438
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Abler, Jonathan Murray Hill, Benjamin Erich Kant, Matthew Thomas Martinkovic, Robert Watson McAlpine
  • Patent number: 8116657
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Erich Kant, Lenci Robert Kappes
  • Patent number: 8099012
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Alan Askren, Donn Duane Bryant, Benjamin Erich Kant, Lenci Robert Kappes, Michael Craig Leemhuis
  • Publication number: 20090154951
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Benjamin Alan Askren, Donn Duane Bryant, Benjamin Erich Kant, Lenci Robert Kappes, Michael Craig Leemhuis
  • Publication number: 20090154950
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Benjamin Erich Kant, Lenci Robert Kappes