Patent ID: 11947282
Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 6:
7. A toner container for an electrophotographic image forming device, comprising:
a housing having a reservoir for storing toner, the housing has an engagement surface for receiving an impulse force from an impact member of the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device;
a sensor positioned on the housing and configured to sense vibration of the housing upon the housing receiving the impulse force from the impact member of the image forming device, the sensed vibration of the housing being indicative of an amount of toner in the reservoir; and
an electrical contact electrically connected to the sensor and positioned on the housing, the electrical contact is positioned to engage a corresponding electrical contact of the image forming device when the toner container is installed in the image forming device to allow the sensor to transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the sensed vibration to processing circuitry of the image forming device upon the housing receiving the impulse force from the impact member of the image forming device,
wherein the sensor is positioned at a first side of the housing and the engagement surface is positioned at a second side of the housing, the first side of the housing and the second side of the housing are positioned at opposite ends of the reservoir.