| Fellowes Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120119006 | SHREDDER WITH JAM PROOF SYSTEM - A shredder has a jam proof system with a thickness detector having a contact member which displaces as an article is inserted into the shredder and a resistance generating mechanism which provides a resistance force to the contact member, in response to its displacement. The greater the thickness of the article, the greater the resistance force realized. When a predetermined thickness is reached, there is a significant change in the resistance force. The resistance generating mechanism may include at least two spring mechanisms and provide feedback to the user that the inserted article may be too thick. In addition, the thickness detector may include a thickness sensor. The sensor may communicate with a controller to alert the user, and/or alter the operation of the shredder, in response to the thickness of the inserted article. For example, the controller may visually and/or audibly alert the user, or control shredder motor response. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120119005 | SHREDDER THICKNESS WITH ANTI-JITTER FEATURE - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism having a motor and cutter elements. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is configured to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article and to set a flutter threshold higher than the predetermined maximum thickness threshold, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The controller is also configured to thereafter continuously detect the thickness of the at least one article being inserted into a throat of the shredder; and to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the thickness detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is greater than the flutter threshold. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120111981 | SHREDDER WITH SHOCK ABSORBING ELEMENT - Disclosed herein is a shredder with a shredder housing and a shredder mechanism received in the housing, the shredder mechanism enabling the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into cutter elements and a motor being operable to drive the cutter elements in a shredding direction. The shredder also includes at least one shock absorbing element configured to connect the shredder mechanism and shredder housing. The shock absorbing element has a first leg connected to the shredder mechanism, a second leg connected to the shredder housing, and a resilient section interconnecting the first and second legs in a spaced apart relation, so that the shock absorbing element may at least reduce vibrations transmitted from the shredder mechanism to the shredder housing during operation of the shredder. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120111979 | SHREDDER WITH VIBRATION PERFORMING SENSOR AND CONTROL SYSTEM - A shredder includes a shredding mechanism and a vibration sensor configured to detect vibrations generated by the shredding mechanism. The shredder includes a controller configured to regulate operation of the shredder's motor in response to the detected vibrations. The controller may regulate operation of the shredder so as to keep the detected vibrations below a predetermined vibration level during operation of the shredder. The controller may modify operation of the shredder (e.g., turn the shredder off, conduct an autocorrect sequence, increase or decrease the shredder's speed, display an error message) in response to the detected vibrations having a predetermined characteristic (e.g., frequency and/or amplitude within a predetermined range, a characteristic that indicates a material/paper jam or misfeed). The controller may change the predetermined characteristics over the life of the shredder to account for gradual changes to the shredder's baseline vibration characteristics as components wear in and out. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120056026 | BIN LEVEL DETECTION WITH LIGHT INTENSITY SENSING - An assembly has a bin level detection system having at least one sensor positioned to receive radiation reflected off any material deposited in a bin and to determine an intensity of the reflected radiation. The intensity corresponds to an amount or level of shredded material deposited in the bin. The system may detect radiation from one or more emitters, or, alternatively, detect ambient light entering the bin via a window. A level indicator system may also be provided to indicate the amount of material deposited in the bin, including if the bin is full. The assembly may comprise a shredder and a shredder housing. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120037741 | VIBRATION REDUCTION ISOLATION METHOD FOR SHREDDERS - A shredder comprises a shredder housing and a shredder mechanism received in the housing. The shredder mechanism includes a motor and cutter elements and enables at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements in a shredding direction. The shredder also includes a plurality of supporting structures between the shredder mechanism and the shredder housing. The shredder housing has a plurality of support surfaces. Each of the plurality of supporting structures is engaged but not fixedly connected on a corresponding support surface, thus allowing movement of the shredder mechanism in X, Y, and Z directions. At least one motion limiter is provided to limit the relative movement between the mechanism and the housing. The shredder mechanism may be urged to a centered position. The supporting structures may reduce vibrations and noise during operation of the shredder. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20110297770 | SHREDDER WITH THICKNESS DETECTOR - A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110297769 | SHREDDER WITH THICKNESS DETECTOR - A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110290923 | SHREDDER WITH ROTATABLE DEVICE FOR MOVING SHREDDED MATERIALS ADJACENT THE OUTLET - Disclosed herein is a shredder having a device located at least partially between a shredder mechanism and an output side of the shredder housing to disperse any accumulation of shredded materials at least adjacent the output opening, as well as remove shredded materials caught in or near the cutting assembly. One device is a movable device positioned between a shredder mechanism and the output side of the shredder housing that is configured to pivot about an axis in an oscillating manner. Another device includes a fan mechanism for blowing and moving shredded materials through a passageway in the shredder housing and towards an outlet. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110272505 | SHREDDER THICKNESS WITH ANTI-JITTER FEATURE - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is configured to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article and to set a flutter threshold higher than the predetermined maximum thickness threshold, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The controller is also configured to thereafter continuously detect the thickness of the at least one article being inserted into a throat of the shredder; and to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the thickness detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is greater than the flutter threshold. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110272504 | SHREDDER THICKNESS WITH ANTI-JITTER FEATURE - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is configured to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article and to set a flutter threshold higher than the predetermined maximum thickness threshold, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The controller is also configured to thereafter continuously detect the thickness of the at least one article being inserted into a throat of the shredder; and to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the thickness detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is greater than the flutter threshold. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110266379 | IN-RUSH CURRENT JAM PROOF SENSOR CONTROL - A shredder and a method for monitoring a motor of a shredder comprises a housing having a throat for receiving an article and a shredder mechanism received in the housing for shredding the article, the mechanism including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements, and the motor being operable to drive the cutter elements in a shredding direction to shred articles. A current sensor for detecting current flowing through the motor and a controller coupled to the motor for controlling operation of the motor are also provided. The controller is also coupled to the current sensor and configured to detect at least an initial amount of current (or inrush current) supplied to the motor for each shredding event. Based on the inrush current, the controller sets a parameter (e.g., overload or thickness) to prevent overloading or stalling of the motor, such as caused by a jam or overheating. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110192922 | SHREDDER WITH ROTATABLE DEVICE FOR MOVING SHREDDED MATERIALS ADJACENT THE OUTLET - Disclosed herein is a shredder having a rotatable device located adjacent an output opening of the shredder housing. The rotatable device includes a shaft configured to rotate about an axis parallel to an axis of the cutting assembly so as to allow for rotation of the device. The rotatable device has a plurality of fingers extending at least partially radially with respect to an axis of the shaft. The rotatable device is able to rotate about the shaft axis in either direction, so as to disperse any accumulation of shredded materials in the waste bin, as well as remove shredded materials caught in or near the cutting assembly within and adjacent the output opening. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110186663 | SHREDDER WITH THICKNESS DETECTOR - A shredder having a feed passage configured to receive material to be shredded by the shredder. The shredder also has a thickness detector configured to measure the thickness of the material being fed through the feed passage. The thickness detector includes a contact member movable from a limiting position engaging one wall of the feed passage, away from the wall, against a biasing force acting on the contact member. A sensor is configured to measure varying displacement of the contact member from the limiting position. A controller is configured to zero the thickness detector at times during operation of the shredder when no material is being fed through the feed passage so that the thickness of the material being fed through the feed passage is measured with respect to a zero position of the thickness detector. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110155774 | DUAL FUNCTION CLIP DEVICE FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING A SCREEN - A dual function clip device for an electronic device having a screen has a body for receiving the electronic device, a clip mechanism with an arm movable relative to the body, and a viewing position support mechanism. The arm is pivotally movable about an axis in a first longitudinal position. The arm and its pivot axis is also movable longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the device to at least one second longitudinal position where it may pivot open about the pivot axis. When the arm is open in the second longitudinal and open pivoted position, the clip device may be positioned to engage an upwardly facing flat surface so that the electronic device may be oriented to a viewing position to display its screen. A release lock and securement device are used for retaining the arm and for viewing position support. A method for displaying the screen is also described. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110049277 | SHREDDER AUTO FEED SYSTEM - The present invention is generally related to an apparatus having cutter elements for destroying articles such as paper sheets and a mechanism for advancing at least a top sheet from a stack of paper in a tray into the cutter elements for shredding. In one embodiment, the apparatus uses a rotatable feed roller to feed paper atop the stack to the cutter elements. The feed roller moves in an alternating manner between a lowered and raised position to engage and disengage the stack when advancing the paper therethrough. Alternatively, a rotatable cam may be used. In an embodiment, the apparatus uses a rotatable drum or rotatable belt with an internal vacuum to lift paper from the stack and feed into the shredder mechanism. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20100327092 | ACTIVE STRIPPER ELEMENTS FOR SHREDDER ASSEMBLY - A shredder assembly for use in a shredder includes a plurality of cutter elements provided in a spaced apart manner configured to shred an article; and a plurality of stripper elements, each positioned between neighboring cutter elements, that are configured to remove debris particles stuck on the sidewalls of the cutter elements and/or between neighboring cutter elements. In a first configuration, when the cutter elements are rotated in a forward direction, upper portions of the stripper elements are urged toward the article to be shredded. In a second configuration, when the cutter elements are rotated in a reverse direction, the upper portions of the stripper elements are urged away from the article to be shredded. A method for shredding is also disclosed. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100320299 | RESTRICTIVE THROAT MECHANISM FOR PAPER SHREDDERS - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving articles be shredded and a shredder mechanism. The shredder mechanism includes a motor and cutter elements, and enables the articles to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor drives the cutter elements to shred the articles. A cam mechanism is provided in the throat and is movable from a disengaged position to an engaged position responsive to insertion into the throat of articles above a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. In the engaged position, the cam mechanism engages the articles to prevent further insertion thereof into the throat, and in the disengaged position the cam mechanism is disengaged from the articles to permit further insertion thereof into the throat. The cam mechanism may be movable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the cam mechanism is configured to block the throat. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100320297 | RESTRICTIVE THROAT MECHANISM FOR PAPER SHREDDERS - A shredder including a housing having a throat for receiving articles to be shredded, a shredder mechanism, a blocking member, and an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. A thickness detector comprises a contact member extending into the throat. The shredder includes an actuator for moving the blocking member between a retracted position and an extended position. The actuator and the thickness detector are coupled to enable the actuator to move the blocking member from the retracted position to the extended position responsive to the movement of the contact member by insertion into the throat of the at least one article above a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The blocking member is configured such that in the extended position the blocking member prevents further insertion of the at least one article into the throat, and in the retracted position the blocking member permits further insertion thereof into the throat. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100288861 | PAPER ALIGNMENT SENSOR ARRANGEMENT - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded and a shredder mechanism received in the housing. The shredder mechanism includes a motor and cutter elements, and enables the articles to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles into shredded particles. The shredder also includes a plurality of sensors provided along the throat for sensing articles. A controller is coupled to the motor and the sensors, the controller being configured to perform a predetermined motor control operation of the motor responsive to the sensors sensing the articles inserted into the throat at an angle above a predetermined angle threshold or the sensors sensing with a predetermined sensing pattern the at least one rectangular sheet of paper inserted into the throat. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100252664 | SHREDDER THICKNESS WITH ANTI-JITTER FEATURE - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is configured to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article and to set a flutter threshold higher than the predetermined maximum thickness threshold, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The controller is also configured to thereafter continuously detect the thickness of the at least one article being inserted into a throat of the shredder; and to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the thickness detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is greater than the flutter threshold. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100252661 | SHREDDER THICKNESS WITH ANTI-JITTER FEATURE - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is configured to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article and to set a flutter threshold higher than the predetermined maximum thickness threshold, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The controller is also configured to thereafter continuously detect the thickness of the at least one article being inserted into a throat of the shredder; and to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the thickness detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is greater than the flutter threshold. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100213300 | SHREDDER THROAT SAFETY SYSTEM - A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100170970 | SHREDDER HAVING A DUAL STAGE CUTTING MECHANISM - A shredder is disclosed having a dual stage cutting mechanism. The dual stage cutting mechanism generally includes two pairs of cutters for performing two distinct cutting operations. The pair of first cutters is configured to pierce rows of staggered cross-cuts into material to create a waffle-like pattern. Disposed below the pair of first cutters, the pair of second cutters is configured to strip cut the pierced material. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100170969 | THICKNESS ADJUSTED MOTOR CONTROLLER - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including a powered motor and cutter elements used to shred the at least one article, a detector configured to detect a presence of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller coupled to the motor and the detector. The controller is configured to allow a running operation of the motor responsive to the detector detecting an article being received by the throat. Also, after a predetermined amount of time, the controller may stop operation of the motor if an article is not inserted into the throat. A thickness detector may also be used in the shredder. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100170968 | SHREDDER WITH GAS DETECTION SYSTEM - A shredder is disclosed having a gas detection system. According to one embodiment, one or more sensors may be placed inside the housing of the shredder to detect the presence of gases, and in particular, flammable or combustible gases. If a gas is sprayed into the shredder, the sensor(s) will detect the gas and the shredder may be deactivated. In addition, an exhaust fan may also be activated to purge the gas from the housing. Further, one or more indicators may be provided to alert the user that the sensor has detected gas. For example, a visible signal and/or audible sound may be generated to alert the user that the sensor has detected a flammable or combustible gas. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100170967 | THICKNESS SENSOR BASED MOTOR CONTROLLER - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements, a detector configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat; and a controller coupled to the motor and the detector. The shredder mechanism enabling the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements and the motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The controller is configured to vary running operation of the motor responsive to the detector detecting the thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100140383 | Shredder with rotatable device for moving shredded materials adjacent the outlet - Disclosed herein is a shredder having a rotatable device located adjacent an output opening of the shredder housing. The rotatable device includes a shaft configured to rotate about an axis parallel to an axis of the cutting assembly so as to allow for rotation of the device. The rotatable device has a plurality of fingers extending at least partially radially from the shaft. The rotatable device is able to rotate about the shaft axis in either direction, so as to disperse any accumulation of shredded materials in the waste bin, as well as remove shredded materials caught in or near the cutting assembly adjacent the output opening. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100102153 | SHREDDER THROAT SAFETY SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a shredder that includes a housing having a movable part that forms at least a part of an opening for the insertion of articles to be fed into the shredder. A detector detects motion of the movable part, and in response, a controller performs a predetermined operation, including, for example, stopping cutting elements of the shredder mechanism. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100090039 | SHREDDER WITH LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) SENSORS - Disclosed herein is a shredder having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded therethrough and a shredder mechanism received in a shredder housing which is driven to shred the at least one article fed therein. At least one light-emitting diode (LED) acts as a sensor by emitting and detecting radiation when operated in a forward-biased and reverse-biased direction. The LED(s) may be used to detect the presence of the at least one article in the throat or an amount of shredded particles in a bin. The LED(s) communicate with a controller to operate the shredder mechanism. The controller may also calibrate an intensity of the radiation to or within a predetermined amount above a minimum level in order to reduce wear and run-on conditions. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100090038 | SHREDDER WITH SELF ADJUSTING SENSOR - Disclosed herein is a shredder having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded therethrough and a shredder mechanism received in a shredder housing which is driven to shred the at least one article fed therein. At least one sensor emits and detects radiation to detect the presence of the at least one article or shredded particles. The sensor communicates with a controller to operate the shredder mechanism. The controller also calibrates an intensity of the radiation of the sensor(s) to or within a predetermined amount above a minimum level in order to reduce wear and run-on conditions. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100084496 | SHREDDER WITH THICKNESS DETECTOR - A shredder includes a thickness detector device having a contact portion in a throat of a housing. The contact portion is movable by a thickness between opposing major surfaces of at least one article being received by the throat. The thickness detector device includes a detectable portion movable by the contact portion, and a detector for detecting at least one position of the detectable portion that includes a position when the detectable portion has been moved by the contact portion by an amount that correlates to a predetermined maximum thickness. A controller is coupled to the thickness detector, is operable to prevent a motor from driving cutter elements in a shredding direction responsive to the detector detecting that the detectable portion has been moved by the amount that correlates to the predetermined maximum thickness, and is configured to vary the predetermined maximum thickness based on receiving an input parameter. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100051731 | SHREDDER WITH THICKNESS DETECTOR - A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100032505 | SHREDDER AND AUTO FEED SYSTEM - An auto feed shredding apparatus has cutter elements for destroying articles and a mechanism for advancing articles from a tray and into the cutter elements for shredding. A method for advancing articles to be shredded is also described. A feed mechanism is used to lift articles from atop a stack and feed them into the shredder mechanism. The articles in the tray may be lifted via exhaust of a blower or a fan, and drawn to towards the feed mechanism via a vacuum. The shredder apparatus may also include a stripping device for removing articles that are stapled together. A number of sensors for determining an amount of articles queued in the tray and an accumulation of shredded articles in a container may also be provided. The sensors may be used to perform a predetermined operation of the shredder, such as alerting a user of an overload or shredding articles. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100025509 | BIN FULL DETECTION WITH LIGHT INTENSITY SENSING - An assembly has a bin level detection system having at least one sensor positioned to receive radiation reflected off any material deposited in a bin and to determine an intensity of the reflected radiation. The intensity corresponds to an amount or level of shredded material deposited in the bin. The system may detect radiation from one or more emitters, or, alternatively, detect ambient light entering the bin via a window. A level indicator system may also be provided to indicate the amount of material deposited in the bin, including if the bin is full. The assembly may comprise a shredder and a shredder housing. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100012759 | SHREDDER WITH SECONDARY WASTE CONTAINER - A shredder is disclosed. The shredder has an external frame, and includes an internal waste container space that has an upper primary waste container, and a lower secondary waste container, all positioned beneath a shredder mechanism that includes a motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism is positioned so that shredded waste falls into the primary waste container. In the event that waste falls outside the primary waste container, due to the primary waste container being full or for other reasons, the waste can be caught in the lower secondary waste container. A sweep mounted to the bottom of the primary waste container in some variations can push or pull shredded waste into the secondary waste container as the primary waste container is removed from the external frame in a generally horizontal direction. The secondary waste container may also include a handle to facilitate removal in some variations. Other variations and improvements to shredders are also disclosed. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100001111 | UNDERSIDE PARTICLE FLAP FOR SHREDDER - Disclosed herein is a shredder having a closure located adjacent an output opening of a shredder housing that is selectively positioned to prevent shredded materials from being discharged from the output opening. The closure may be connected to the shredder housing, and the container may comprise a removable waste bin. The closure may be actuated via an actuator to a closed position in response to the container and the shredder housing being moved out of an operative position relative to each other, such as when the waste bin is being emptied. The closure may assist in reducing or eliminating waste from being distributed in or around the shredder. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20090090797 | SHREDDER THICKNESS WITH ANTI-JITTER FEATURE - A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is configured to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article and to set a flutter threshold higher than the predetermined maximum thickness threshold, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The controller is also configured to thereafter continuously detect the thickness of the at least one article being inserted into a throat of the shredder; and to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the thickness detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is greater than the flutter threshold. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090014565 | SHREDDER AUTO FEED SYSTEM - The present invention is generally related to an apparatus having cutter elements for destroying articles such as paper sheets and a mechanism for advancing at least a top sheet from a stack of paper in a tray into the cutter elements for shredding. In one embodiment, the apparatus uses a rotatable feed roller to feed paper atop the stack to the cutter elements. The feed roller moves in an alternating manner between a lowered and raised position to engage and disengage the stack when advancing the paper therethrough. Alternatively, a rotatable cam may be used. In an embodiment, the apparatus uses a rotatable drum or rotatable belt with an internal vacuum to lift paper from the stack and feed into the shredder mechanism. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20080245908 | SUBSTRATE DESTRUCTION APPARATUS WITH SHARED ROTATING SHAFT - A substrate destruction apparatus for destruction of paper and optical discs, wherein first and second shafts are used for shredding paper fed through a paper receiving opening and second shaft is shared such that the second shaft and a stationary structure are used to damage optical discs. First and second shafts are provided with a plurality of cutter elements that interleave with when rotated relative to each other during use in a paper mode. When the apparatus is operated in a disc destruction mode, the shared second shaft is rotated in an opposite direction than the paper shredding direction and interleaves with the stationary structure to at least damage an optical disc fed through the disc receiving opening. Cutting elements on the second shaft have radial projections and protrusions for damaging at least the surface of the disc with a plurality of scratches, depressions, or cuts, rendering the disc unreadable. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080227368 | DOCUMENT ABRADING DEVICE - The present invention provides a shredding device that has an elongated body that houses a motor. A brush may be rotatably secured to the body, at least partly outside of the body, and driven by the motor and configured to remove by abrasion at least a layer of a substrate having markings thereon. The shredding device may include a vacuum system for collecting particulate matter formed by abrading the substrate. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080197221 | PLASTIC CENTER SHREDDER DISC - A shredder for shredding data bearing substrates has a housing and shredder mechanism with cutter elements for shredding paper. The cutter elements are positioned along two shafts and interleave with the other when rotated relative to each other. At least one of the cutter elements comprises a pair of outer blades, preferably made of metal, and an inner support, preferably made of a plastic. The outer blades and inner support are aligned circumferentially to form a cross-cut tooth. The outer blades and inner support may be designed such that they are snap-fit together. The outer blades may be formed from a stamping or punching process, and the inner support may be molded. | 08-21-2008 |
