摘要 |
The present invention provides a toner container system, such as a toner cartridge, having a first reservoir for containing toner and a second reservoir for receiving toner from the first reservoir and transferring the toner to an image forming apparatus, and a toner transfer mechanism disposed between the first and second reservoirs, the transfer mechanism including a generally cylindrically shaped rotatable roller member having a plurality of equally spaced recesses disposed around the circumference thereof and being rotatable in angular increments wherein the recesses are alternately open to the first reservoir in a first position for each recess and open to the second reservoir in a second position for each recess, whereby toner is transferred from the first reservoir to the second reservoir upon rotation of the roller member, a Geneva drive mechanism including a drive gear operatively connected to the roller member for advancing the roller member in one angular increment for each complete rotation of the drive gear; and a locking mechanism operatively interconnecting the drive gear and rotatable member, whereby the drive gear is intermittently locked after each incremental angular advancement of the roller member to prevent actuation of the toner transfer mechanism while the rotatable member rotates through a recess at the second position thereof.
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