| 主权项 |
1. An apparatus useful in printing comprising:
a rotatable vessel configured to contain a toner, the rotatable vessel comprising a body section having a substantially round cross-section, a first end at one axial end of the body section, a second end axially distal the first end, and helical features on an internal surface of the body section configured to transport at least a portion of the toner in an axial direction between the first end and the second end as the rotatable vessel is rotated in a first direction; and a drive train configured to cause the rotatable vessel to rotate, the drive train further being configured to impart a periodic pulse to the rotatable vessel, the periodic pulse causing a portion of the toner contained by the rotatable vessel to be agitated, wherein the drive train is configured to impart the periodic pulse while the rotatable vessel rotates in the first direction; a control module to cause the drive train to impart the periodic pulse onto the rotatable vessel in response to a predetermined condition, wherein the predetermined condition is one of a run time of the image forming device, a time between rotation of the rotatable vessel, or an estimated amount of toner remaining in the rotatable vessel; wherein to impart the periodic pulse, the drive train comprises at least a first gear and a second gear in misalignment; wherein the misalignment is caused by a difference in shape of one or more gear teeth at the second gear. |
