Abstract: A system for sensing material within a container includes a container having a reservoir for storing material and an impact member configured to selectively impart an impulse force on the container to cause vibration of the container. A sensor is configured to sense the vibration of the container upon the impact member imparting the impulse force on the container. Processing circuitry in communication with the sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of the material in the container based on the sensed vibration of the container.

Abstract: A system for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a toner container having a reservoir for storing toner and an impact member configured to selectively impart an impulse force on the toner container to cause vibration of the toner container. A sensor is configured to sense the vibration of the toner container upon the impact member imparting the impulse force on the toner container. Processing circuitry in communication with the sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of toner in the reservoir based on the sensed vibration of the toner container.

Abstract: A sorter processes trading cards in an affordable, accurate, and easy-to-use manner. The sorter includes an input and output bin. A transport path moves cards between the bins and has two scan bars, one above and one below the path. The scan bars capture an image of a top and bottom surface of ones of the cards. A controller coordinates movement of the cards along the path and receives the image for processing. Users interact with the controller by way of an interface to influence the processing. The sorter also includes a coil to detect metal foil on the cards. Other embodiments are envisioned.

Abstract: A sorter processes trading cards in an affordable, accurate, and easy-to-use manner. The sorter includes an input and output bin. A transport path moves cards between the bins and has two scan bars, one above and one below the path. The scan bars capture an image of a top and bottom surface of ones of the cards. A controller coordinates movement of the cards along the path and receives the image for processing. Users interact with the controller by way of an interface to influence the processing. The sorter also includes a coil to detect metal foil on the cards. Other embodiments are envisioned.

Abstract: A partial reverse clutch assembly comprises a frame, a coupling member, a corrugated swing body, and a cam body. The frame mounts an input gear and an output gear, and, a coupling member that is disposed between input and output gears couple the input gear to the output gear to transmit a motorized rotational drive in a first direction. The swing body is coupled between the input gear and the coupling member and comprises a projecting swing arm. The cam body abuts and defines a sliding contact between the swing body and the coupling member, where a reversal of the motorized rotational drive oppositely rotates the output gear in engagement with the swing arm in a second direction. The cam body is displaced upon contact with the swing body during the rotation in the second direction to decouple the coupling member between the input gear and the output gear.

Abstract: A sorter processes trading cards in an affordable, accurate, and easy-to-use manner. The sorter includes an input and output bin. A transport path moves cards between the bins and has two scan bars, one above and one below the path. The scan bars capture an image of a top and bottom surface of ones of the cards. A controller coordinates movement of the cards along the path and receives the image for processing. Users interact with the controller by way of an interface to influence the processing. The sorter also includes a coil to detect metal foil on the cards. Other embodiments are envisioned.

Abstract: A partial reverse clutch assembly comprises a frame, a coupling member, a corrugated swing body, and a cam body. The frame mounts an input gear and an output gear, and, a coupling member that is disposed between input and output gears couple the input gear to the output gear to transmit a motorized rotational drive in a first direction. The swing body is coupled between the input gear and the coupling member and comprises a projecting swing arm. The cam body abuts and defines a sliding contact between the swing body and the coupling member, where a reversal of the motorized rotational drive oppositely rotates the output gear in engagement with the swing arm in a second direction. The cam body is displaced upon contact to with the swing body during the rotation in the second direction to decouple the coupling member between the input gear and the output gear.

Abstract: A partial reverse clutch assembly comprises a frame that mounts an input and output gears, a coupling member that couples the input and output gears, a swing body, and a lock gear. The coupling member engages with the swing body along a track of the coupling member. The swing body comprises radially inward tabs that slide along the track. The input gear drives the swing body, the coupling member, and the output gear in a first direction using a motorized rotational drive. The lock gear in engagement with the swing body prevents the swing body from rotating in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. The swing body partially rotates in the second direction until the tabs of the swing body are raised along a ramp to section of the track that forces the coupling member to decouple from the output gear.

Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner and an outlet in fluid communication with the reservoir for exiting toner from the toner cartridge. A resiliently deflectable cam is positioned on an exterior portion of the housing to contact a media feed roll assembly when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device for biasing the media feed roll assembly into contact with a corresponding media feed roll in the image forming device to form a media feed nip in the image forming device.

Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner and an outlet in fluid communication with the reservoir for exiting toner from the toner cartridge. A resiliently deflectable cam is positioned on an exterior portion of the housing to contact a media feed roll assembly when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device for biasing the media feed roll assembly into contact with a corresponding media feed roll in the image forming device to form a media feed nip in the image forming device.

Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. A rotatable media feed roll is mounted on the housing and is positioned to engage a corresponding media feed roll in the image forming device when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device for forming a media feed nip with the corresponding media feed roll in the image forming device when the replaceable unit is installed in the image forming device.

Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner and an outlet in fluid communication with the reservoir for exiting toner from the toner cartridge. A rotatable media feed roll is positioned on an exterior portion of the housing to engage a corresponding media feed roll in the image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device for forming a media feed nip with the corresponding media feed roll in the image forming device when the toner cartridge is installed in the image forming device.

Abstract: A removable media handling module includes a body that is horizontally slidable into and removable from an imaging apparatus. The media handling module includes a lower media guide extending between a front and a rear of the body in a direction of insertion of the body into the imaging apparatus. With the media handling module inserted into the imaging apparatus, the lower media guide is positioned parallel to and spaced from a corresponding upper media guide mounted in the imaging apparatus to form at least a portion of a duplex media path therebetween. The media handling module includes a media feed through channel extending from a bottom of the body to an entrance of a simplex media path to allow media to be fed from a media tray below the media handling module and into the simplex media path when the media handling module is installed in the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A photoconductor unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing and a photoconductive drum rotatably mounted on the housing. A cam is mounted on the housing and has a cam surface that is positioned to contact a corresponding locating surface. The cam surface has a variable height in an axial direction of the photoconductive drum such that as a position of the cam changes relative to the housing, the photoconductive drum shifts in the axial direction relative to the locating surface.

Abstract: A photoconductor unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing and a photoconductive drum rotatably mounted on the housing. An engagement member is positioned to receive an actuation force from an actuator of the image forming device. Upon receiving the actuation force, the engagement member shifts the photoconductive drum in an axial direction relative to an axis of rotation of the photoconductive drum.

Abstract: A photoconductor unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing and a photoconductive drum rotatably mounted on the housing. A cam is mounted on the housing and has a cam surface that is positioned to contact a corresponding locating surface. The cam surface has a variable height in an axial direction of the photoconductive drum such that as a position of the cam changes relative to the housing, the photoconductive drum shifts in the axial direction relative to the locating surface.

Abstract: A photoconductor unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing and a photoconductive drum rotatably mounted on the housing. An engagement member is positioned to receive an actuation force from an actuator of the image forming device. Upon receiving the actuation force, the engagement member shifts the photoconductive drum in an axial direction relative to an axis of rotation of the photoconductive drum.

Abstract: A removable media handling module includes a body that is horizontally slidable into and removable from an imaging apparatus. The media handling module includes a lower media guide extending between a front and a rear of the body. With the media handling module inserted into the imaging apparatus, the lower media guide is positioned parallel to and spaced from a corresponding upper media guide mounted in the imaging apparatus to form at least a portion of a duplex media path therebetween. A drive mechanism including a clutched gear is operably connected to a feed roll assembly of the media handling module. The clutched gear is freely rotatable in a first direction that causes the feed roll assembly to rotate in a media process direction for feeding a printed media sheet along the duplex media path and is restrained from rotating in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Abstract: A removable media handling module includes a body that is horizontally slidable into and removable from an imaging apparatus. The media handling module includes a lower media guide extending between a front and a rear of the body in a direction of insertion of the body into the imaging apparatus. With the media handling module inserted into the imaging apparatus, the lower media guide is positioned parallel to and spaced from a corresponding upper media guide mounted in the imaging apparatus to form at least a portion of a duplex media path therebetween. The media handling module includes a media feed through channel extending from a bottom of the body to an entrance of a simplex media path to allow media to be fed from a media tray below the media handling module and into the simplex media path when the media handling module is installed in the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A photoconductor unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing and a photoconductive drum rotatably mounted on the housing. The photoconductive drum includes a drive coupler that is positioned to mate with a corresponding drive coupler of the image forming device to receive rotational and axial force therefrom for rotating and axially biasing the photoconductive drum when the photoconductor unit is installed in the image forming device. A wear member is positioned to receive frictional contact from a portion of the photoconductive drum in a direction of the axial bias on the photoconductive drum such that as the photoconductive drum rotates, the frictional contact on the wear member gradually wears away the wear member in the direction of the axial bias on the photoconductive drum thereby gradually shifting the photoconductive drum axially in the direction of the axial bias.