Abstract: A replaceable unit is removably installable in an image forming device. The replaceable unit includes a rotatable input gear that is positioned to mate with an output gear of the image forming device. The replaceable unit includes an encoded member that is encoded with identifying information of the replaceable unit and that is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear causes movement of the encoded member. The replaceable unit includes an alignment guide on the exterior of the replaceable unit. The image forming device includes a sensor supported by a sensor housing. The alignment guide is positioned to contact and move the sensor housing during insertion of the replaceable unit into the image forming device to align the sensor with an exposed portion of the encoded member for reading the identifying information from the encoded member by the sensor.

Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. An electrical connector is positioned on a first side of the housing. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device and a magnetic sensor electrically connected to the electrical contact. The electrical connector is movable between a first position and a second position. When the electrical connector moves from the first position to the second position, the electrical contact of the replaceable unit moves from a retracted position to an operative position. When the electrical connector moves from the first position to the second position, the magnetic sensor moves from a misaligned position to an aligned position with a point in a path of movement of a magnet for sensing a magnetic field of the magnet.

Abstract: A toner container includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An input gear is positioned on the housing for mating with a corresponding output gear in an image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. A toner agitator is movably positioned in the reservoir. The toner agitator is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a first rotational direction causes movement of the toner agitator for agitating toner in the reservoir. An encoded member is encoded with authentication information of the toner container and is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a second rotational direction causes movement of the encoded member for communicating the authentication information of the toner container to a controller of the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device.

Abstract: A method of operating an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes, by rotating a motor in a first rotational direction of the motor, rotating an input gear of a toner container in a first rotational direction of the input gear causing a toner agitator in a toner reservoir of the toner container to move for agitating toner in the toner reservoir. By rotating the motor in a second rotational direction of the motor, the input gear of the toner container rotates in a second rotational direction of the input gear causing an encoded member on the toner container to move. A sensor in the electrophotographic image forming device senses identifying information of the toner container encoded on the encoded member during movement of the encoded member and rotation of the input gear of the toner container in the second rotational direction of the input gear.

Abstract: A toner container includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An input gear is positioned on the housing for mating with a corresponding output gear in an image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device. A toner agitator is movably positioned in the reservoir. The toner agitator is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a first rotational direction causes movement of the toner agitator for agitating toner in the reservoir. An encoded member is encoded with authentication information of the toner container and is operatively connected to the input gear such that rotation of the input gear in a second rotational direction causes movement of the encoded member for communicating the authentication information of the toner container to a controller of the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device.

Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An electrical connector mounted on the housing is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry on the housing. In the retracted position, the electrical connector is tucked into a portion of the housing. In the operative position, the electrical connector is exposed to permit the electrical contact to contact the corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. A linkage is operatively connected to the electrical connector and includes an engagement surface accessible on an exterior of the housing to receive an actuation force. Movement of the linkage moves the electrical connector between the retracted position and the operative position.

Abstract: A system for use in authentication processes is described comprising a physical unclonable function (“PUF”), a substrate, a plurality of magnetized particles randomly dispersed in the substrate, a PUF reader constructed using multiple discrete magnetometer chips that have magnetic field sensors, placed on a circuit card in an array with a sufficient center to center spacing between sensing elements of adjacent magnetometer chips, wherein the PUF reader measures the magnetic field data at multiple locations in close proximity to the magnetized particles. The measured magnetic field data may be compared to previously enrolled data to assess authenticity.

Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An electrical connector mounted on the housing is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry on the housing. In the retracted position, the electrical connector is tucked into a portion of the housing. In the operative position, the electrical connector is exposed to permit the electrical contact to contact the corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. A linkage is operatively connected to the electrical connector and includes an engagement surface accessible on an exterior of the housing to receive an actuation force. Movement of the linkage moves the electrical connector between the retracted position and the operative position.

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 includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An electrical connector mounted on the housing is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry on the housing. In the retracted position, the electrical connector is tucked into a portion of the housing. In the operative position, the electrical connector is exposed to permit the electrical contact to contact the corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. A linkage is operatively connected to the electrical connector and includes an engagement surface accessible on an exterior of the housing to receive an actuation force. Movement of the linkage moves the electrical connector between the retracted position and the operative position.

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 includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An electrical connector mounted on the housing is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry on the housing. In the retracted position, the electrical connector is tucked into a portion of the housing. In the operative position, the electrical connector is exposed to permit the electrical contact to contact the corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. A linkage is operatively connected to the electrical connector and includes an engagement surface accessible on an exterior of the housing to receive an actuation force. Movement of the linkage moves the electrical connector between the retracted position and the operative position.

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 agitator assembly according to one example embodiment includes a shaft rotatable about a rotational axis. A wiper extends outward from the shaft and is rotatable with the shaft. The wiper is composed of a flexible film material. The wiper includes at least two fingers formed in a distal end of the wiper relative to the shaft. The fingers are individually deflectable counter to an operative rotational direction of the shaft.

Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An electrical connector mounted on the housing is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry on the housing. In the retracted position, the electrical connector is tucked into a portion of the housing. In the operative position, the electrical connector is exposed to permit the electrical contact to contact the corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. A linkage is operatively connected to the electrical connector and includes an engagement surface accessible on an exterior of the housing to receive an actuation force. Movement of the linkage moves the electrical connector between the retracted position and the operative position.

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 replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir. An electrical connector mounted on the housing is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry on the housing. In the retracted position, the electrical connector is tucked into a portion of the housing. In the operative position, the electrical connector is exposed to permit the electrical contact to contact the corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. A linkage is operatively connected to the electrical connector and includes an engagement surface accessible on an exterior of the housing to receive an actuation force. Movement of the linkage moves the electrical connector between the retracted position and the operative position.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a toner cartridge having an outlet port positioned on the front of a housing for transferring toner from a reservoir to a developer unit. The toner cartridge includes an engagement member having a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface. The first engagement surface is positioned proximate the rear of the housing to receive an actuation force from an actuation feature of an image forming device. The second engagement surface is positioned proximate the front of the housing below the outlet port to engage a shutter on an inlet port of the developer unit. The engagement member is movable from a first position to a second position upon receiving the actuation force. As the engagement member moves from the first position to the second position, the second engagement surface protrudes from the front of the housing to engage the shutter of the developer unit.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming device according to one example includes a toner cartridge having a housing that includes a toner reservoir. An electrical connector on the housing is movable between a retracted position and an operative position. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry on the housing. The electrical connector and the electrical contact of the toner cartridge move upward toward the top of the housing when the electrical connector moves from the retracted position to the operative position. The electrical contact of the toner cartridge is positioned within a pocket of the electrical connector. The pocket includes an opening that faces upward when the electrical connector is in the operative position permitting the corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device to enter the pocket from above.

Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a front, rear, first side, second side, top and bottom forming a toner reservoir. An outlet port is positioned on the front of the housing proximate the first side for transferring toner out of the reservoir. A drive gear is positioned on the front of the housing and has a center proximate the second side for receiving rotational power. A cavity is formed in the bottom of the housing. A latch catch is positioned in the cavity on an inner side of the front of the housing for receiving a latch for securing the toner cartridge in an image forming device. The latch catch is positioned closer to the bottom of the housing than the outlet port and the drive gear and between the center of the drive gear and the outlet port in the side-to-side direction.