| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |