Patent ID: 8768223

Claim:
An assembly for an imaging device, the assembly comprising: a developer unit and a toner cartridge, the developer unit and the toner cartridge being positionable so as to be in fluid communication with one another; the developer unit comprising: a developer housing having a toner sump therein for holding a first quantity of toner, the developer housing having an entry port for receiving toner exiting the toner cartridge; and a developer shutter mounted on the developer housing and moveable between a first position where the entry port is closed and a second position where the entry port is in fluid communication with the toner sump; and the toner cartridge comprising: a cartridge housing having a reservoir enclosed therein for holding a second quantity of toner, the cartridge housing having an exit port in communication with the reservoir for receiving toner exiting the toner cartridge; a cartridge shutter mounted on the cartridge housing and having a toner path through the cartridge shutter, the cartridge shutter moveable between a first position where the toner path is closed to the exit port preventing toner from exiting and a second position where the toner path is open to the exit port allowing toner to exit, the cartridge shutter having an air duct therethrough separated from the toner path, the air duct having a first end in fluid communication with the exit port when the cartridge shutter is in the second position; and a passageway in the cartridge housing having a first end in fluid communication with a second end of the air duct when the cartridge shutter is in the second position and a second end in fluid communication with the reservoir; wherein, when the exit port of the toner cartridge is aligned with the entry port of the developer unit and the developer and cartridge shutters are in their respective second positions, toner leaves the toner cartridge through the toner path through the cartridge shutter and the exit port and enters the developer unit through the entry port while air entrained within the toner sump of the developer unit exits via the entry port and enters the reservoir of the toner cartridge via the exit port, the air duct and the passageway thereby equalizing pressure between the toner cartridge and the developer unit.