Lexmark International has been granted a patent for an assembly in an image forming device that includes an access door and an electrical connector. The access door can be moved between open and closed positions, allowing for the replacement of a replaceable unit. The electrical connector is movable between retracted and extended positions, and is engaged with the corresponding electrical connector of the replaceable unit when installed. The movement of the access door controls the movement of the electrical connector. GlobalData’s report on Lexmark International gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
According to GlobalData’s company profile on Lexmark International, Automated personalized lookbooks was a key innovation area identified from patents. Lexmark International's grant share as of September 2023 was 62%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Patent granted for an assembly for an image forming device
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11762327B2) describes an assembly for an electrophotographic image forming device. The assembly includes an access door that can be opened to allow users to replace a replaceable unit of the image forming device and closed to secure the device. Additionally, the assembly features an electrical connector that is mounted in the image forming device and can move between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position, the electrical connector is disengaged from a corresponding electrical connector of the replaceable unit when it is installed in the device. In the extended position, the electrical connector is engaged with the corresponding electrical connector of the replaceable unit.
The electrical connector is connected to the access door in a way that when the access door moves from the closed position to the open position, the electrical connector moves axially relative to the pivot axis of the access door from the extended position to the retracted position. Conversely, when the access door moves from the open position to the closed position, the electrical connector moves axially relative to the pivot axis of the access door from the retracted position to the extended position.
The assembly also includes a camming member that can rotate between a first rotational position and a second rotational position. The camming member is connected to both the electrical connector and the access door. When the access door moves from the closed position to the open position, the camming member rotates from the first rotational position to the second rotational position, moving the electrical connector from the extended position to the retracted position. Similarly, when the access door moves from the open position to the closed position, the camming member rotates from the second rotational position to the first rotational position, moving the electrical connector from the retracted position to the extended position.
The assembly further includes a linkage that connects the access door to the camming member, allowing the camming member to move between the first and second rotational positions as the access door moves between the closed and open positions. When the camming member is in the first rotational position and the access door is closed, it is disengaged from the electrical connector, applying no force against it when it is engaged with the corresponding electrical connector of the replaceable unit and in the extended position.
Overall, this assembly provides a convenient and efficient mechanism for connecting and disconnecting electrical connectors when replacing units in an electrophotographic image forming device.
To know more about GlobalData’s detailed insights on Lexmark International, buy the report here.
Premium Insights
From
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
