Fellowes, Inc.

Qingcheng Cai

Michael D Jensen

Aiyu Huang

Jin Hu

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.

Shredder with jam proof system

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.

Paper alignment sensor arrangement

A shredder is disclosed having a jam proof system. In one embodiment, the jam proof system provides a thickness detector having a contact member which displaces as an article is inserted into a throat of the shredder and a resistance generating mechanism configured to provide a resistance force to the contact member, in response to displacement of the contact member. The greater the thickness of the material the greater the resistance force that will be realized. When the material reaches a predetermined thickness, there will be a significant change in the resistance force. The resistance generating mechanism may include at least two spring mechanisms serially arranged, such as, a first spring mechanism and a second spring mechanism. This feature provides immediate and direct feedback to the user that the article inserted into the shredder may be too thick. In addition, the thickness detector may include a sensor, and in particular, a Hall effect sensor assembly configured to measure the thickness of the article inserted into the throat. The sensor may communicate with a controller that is configured to alert the user, and/or alter the operation of the shredder, in response to the thickness of the material. For example, the controller may visually and/or audibly alert the user, or control the shredder motor response.

Growing community of inventors

Suzhou, China

Qingcheng Cai