Patent ID: 8989632
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A removable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device, comprising: a housing having an inner volume forming a toner reservoir and a channel for accumulating toner; an auger for advancing toner within the channel, the auger having a rotational axis and a flight; and an agitator having a base mounted on an inner surface of the housing, the agitator extending in a cantilevered manner toward the auger, the agitator having a first segment and a second distal segment connected to the first segment, the second distal segment forming a free end of the agitator, the first segment having a proximal end connected to the base and a distal end connected to the second distal segment, the cantilevered extension of the agitator being along an axial length of the auger such that an axial position of the proximal end of the first segment is spaced from an axial position of the distal end of the first segment, wherein when the auger rotates, the flight of the auger engages the agitator causing movement of the second distal segment to push toner accumulated in the channel into the auger, wherein the first segment of the agitator is resiliently deflectable, the first segment of the agitator extends from the proximal end toward the rotational axis of the auger into contact with the auger and from the contact with the auger away from the rotational axis of the auger toward the distal end, and the flight of the auger engages the first segment of the agitator to cause movement of the second distal segment to move toner toward the auger.