Shredding machine

Abstract

A shredding machine for domestic or office use having a feed passage 3 leading to a cutting mechanism 10, 11 powered by an electric motor, has a thickness measuring device 15 for measuring the thickness of bundles of paper fed through the feed passage and the machine is controlled by a microprocessor which receives signals from the thickness measuring device and prevents the cutting mechanism from being energised if the thickness measured is above a threshold determined by the microprocessor. The microprocessor varies the threshold in accordance with electrical supply voltage, the electric motor temperature and the electric current drawn by the motor during a previous shredding operation, so that the maximum thickness the shredder will accept can be reduced automatically when motor temperature increases or as the effectiveness of the machine deteriorates throughout its working life.

1 . A shredding machine for shredding sheet material, the machine comprising a feed aperture and a cutting mechanism powered by an electric motor, the feed aperture being arranged to receive sheets for shredding and to direct such sheets to the cutting mechanism for shredding, the machine having a thickness measuring device for measuring the thickness of sheet material passed into said feed aperture for shredding which sheet material may comprise a plurality of superimposed sheets which together provide such thickness, said thickness measuring device controlling said cutting mechanism so as to permit energisation of the cutting mechanism when the thickness of sheet material measured thereby is below a controlling threshold and to prevent such energisation when the thickness of sheet material measured is above said controlling threshold, characterised in that the machine includes at least one sensor sensing a variable parameter relevant to such shredding, and a processor operable to adjust said controlling threshold automatically in dependence upon the value of the parameter sensed. 
     
     
         2 . A machine according to  claim 1  wherein said parameter comprises one or more of supply voltage, temperature of said motor and electrical current supplied to said motor. 
     
     
         3 . A machine according to  claim 2  wherein said processor is operable to adjust said controlling threshold according to a predetermined scheme or algorithm in dependence upon the values of the parameter sensed. 
     
     
         4 . A machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the sensor is one of a plurality of sensors, each sensing a respective said parameter and wherein said processor is operable to adjust said controlling threshold according to a predetermined scheme or algorithm in dependence upon the values of the respective parameters sensed by all of said sensors. 
     
     
         5 . A machine according to  claim 1  wherein said thickness measuring device includes an actuating element which is movable from a first limiting position engaging or relatively close to one major wall of said aperture, away from said major wall, against a biasing force acting on said element, and a measurement device configured to measure the displacement of said actuating element from said limiting position. 
     
     
         6 . A machine according to  claim 5  wherein said measurement device comprises a marker member provided with a series of markers of alternately high and low light transmissivity or of alternatively high and low light reflectivity, and an optical sensing device sensitive to the passage of said markers past said optical sensing device, said marker member being part of, or mechanically coupled with, said actuating element so that the displacement of said actuating element will cause said marker member to move so as to cause said markers to traverse said measuring zone, the machine further including a counter operable to count displacement of said markers through said measuring zone. 
     
     
         7 . A machine according to  claim 6  wherein said marker member comprises a disk mounted for rotation about an axis thereof and carrying a co-axial gear pinion which forms with said actuating element, part of a gear train adapted to convert movement of said actuating member into a rotational movement of substantially greater magnitude of said disk, said series of markers being arranged in an annular track around said disk. 
     
     
         8 . A machine according to  claim 6  wherein said optical sensing device comprises two optical sensors disposed at different positions along said series of markers, said positions being such that light signals received by the two optical sensors as said marker member is moved are displaced in phase from one another to an extent to allow said processor to determine the direction of displacement of the marker member as well as the extent of such movement. 
     
     
         9 . A machine according to  claim 8  wherein said actuating element engages said one major wall of said passage when no such sheet material is present therein, the processor being configured, at times during operation of the machine when said actuating element is in engagement with said major wall, to adopt the corresponding position of said actuating element as corresponding to zero material thickness. 
     
     
         10 . A machine according to  claim 7  wherein said optical sensing device comprises two optical sensors disposed at different positions along said series of markers, said positions being such that light signals received by the two sensors as said marker member is moved are displaced in phase from one another to an extent to allow said processor to determine the direction of displacement of the marker member as well as the extent of such movement. 
     
     
         11 . A machine according to  claim 10  wherein said actuating element engages said one major wall of said passage when no such sheet material is present therein, the processor being configured, at times during operation of the machine when said actuating element is in engagement with said major wall, to adopt the corresponding position of said actuating element as corresponding to zero material thickness. 
     
     
         12 . A machine according to  claim 5  wherein said parameter comprises one or more of supply voltage, temperature of said motor and electrical current supplied to said motor. 
     
     
         13 . A machine according to  claim 12  including a sensor sensing said parameter and wherein said processor is operable to adjust said controlling threshold according to a predetermined scheme or algorithm in dependence upon the values of the parameter sensed by the sensor 
     
     
         14 . A machine according to  claim 13  wherein the sensor is one of a plurality of sensors, each sensing a respective said parameter and wherein said processor is operable to adjust said controlling threshold according to a predetermined scheme or algorithm in dependence upon the values of the respective parameters sensed by all of said sensors. 
     
     
         15 . A machine for processing sheet material, fed through a feed passage, the machine being characterised by a thickness measuring device for measuring the thickness of sheet material fed through said passage, said thickness measuring device including an actuating element which is movable from a first limiting position engaging or relatively close to one major wall of said passage, away from said major wall, against a biasing force acting on said element, and a measurement device configured to measure displacement of said actuating element from said limiting position,
 wherein said measurement device comprises a marker member provided with a series of markers of alternately high and low light transmissivity or of alternatively high and low light reflectivity, and an optical sensing device sensitive to the passage of said markers past said optical sensing device, said member being part of, or mechanically coupled with, said actuating element so that the displacement of said actuating element will cause said marker member to move so as to cause said markers to traverse said measuring zone, the machine further including a counter operable to count displacement of said markers through said measuring zone, and   wherein said marker member comprises a disk mounted for rotation about an axis thereof and carrying a co-axial gear pinion which forms with said actuating element, part of a gear train adapted to convert movement of said actuating member into a rotational movement of substantially greater magnitude of said disk, said series of markers being arranged in an annular track around said disk.   
     
     
         16 . A machine according to  claim 15  wherein said optical sensing device comprises two optical sensors disposed at different positions along said series of markers, said positions being such that light signals received by the two sensors as said marker member is moved are displaced in phase from one another to an extent to allow said processor to determine the direction of displacement of the marker member as well as the extent of such movement. 
     
     
         17 . A machine according to  claim 16  wherein said actuating element engages said one major wall of said passage when no such sheet material is present therein, the processor being configured, at times during operation of the machine when said actuating element is in engagement with said major wall, to adopt the corresponding position of said actuating element as corresponding to zero material thickness. 
     
     
         18 . A shredding machine for shredding sheet material, the machine comprising a feed aperture and a cutting mechanism powered by an electric motor, the feed aperture being arranged to receive sheets for shredding and to direct such sheets to the cutting mechanism for shredding, the machine having means for measuring the thickness of sheet material passed into said feed aperture for shredding which sheet material may comprise a plurality of superimposed sheets which together provide such thickness, said measuring means controlling said cutting mechanism so as to permit energisation of the cutting mechanism where the thickness of sheet material measured thereby is below a controlling threshold and to prevent such energisation where the thickness of sheet material measured is above said controlling threshold, characterised in that the machine includes at least one sensor sensing a variable parameter relevant to such shredding and control means operable to adjust said controlling threshold automatically in dependence upon the value of the parameter sensed. 
     
     
         19 . A machine according to  claim 18  wherein said parameter comprises one or more of supply voltage, temperature of said motor and electrical current supplied to said motor. 
     
     
         20 . A machine according to  claim 19  including a plurality of sensors, each sensing a respective said parameter and wherein said control means is operable to adjust said controlling threshold according to a predetermined scheme or algorithm in dependence upon the values of the respective parameters sensed by all of said sensors. 
     
     
         21 . A machine according to  claim 18  wherein said measuring means includes an actuating element which is movable from a first limiting position engaging or relatively close to one major wall of said aperture, away from said major wall, against a biasing force acting on said element, and means for measuring displacement of said actuating element from said limiting position. 
     
     
         22 . A machine according to  claim 21  wherein said means for measuring displacement of said actuating element comprises a marker member provided with a series of markers of alternately high and low light transmissivity or of alternatively high and low light reflectivity and optical sensing means sensitive to the passage of said markers past said sensors, said member being part of, or mechanically coupled with, said actuating element so that the displacement of said actuating element will cause said marker member to move so as to cause said markers to traverse said measuring zone, the apparatus including counting means operable to count displacement of said markers through said measuring zone. 
     
     
         23 . A machine according to  claim 22  wherein said marker member comprises a disk mounted for rotation about an axis thereof and carrying a co-axial gear pinion which forms with said actuating element, part of a gear train adapted to convert movement of said actuating member into a rotational movement of substantially greater magnitude of said disk, said series of markers being arranged in an annular track around said disk. 
     
     
         24 . A machine according to  claim 22  wherein said optical sensing means comprises two optical sensors disposed at different positions along said series of markers, said positions being such that light signals received by the two sensors as said marker member is moved are displaced in phase from one another to an extent to allow said control means to determine the direction of displacement of the marker member as well as the extent of such movement. 
     
     
         25 . A machine according to  claim 24  wherein said actuating element engages said one major wall of said passage when no such sheet material is present therein, the apparatus including control means which is arranged, at times during operation of the machine when said actuating element is in engagement with said major wall of the apparatus, to adopt the corresponding position of said actuating element as corresponding to zero material thickness. 
     
     
         26 . A machine according to  claim 23  wherein said optical sensing means comprises two optical sensors disposed at different positions along said series of markers, said positions being such that light signals received by the two sensors as said marker member is moved are displaced in phase from one another to an extent to allow said control means to determine the direction of displacement of the marker member as well as the extent of such movement. 
     
     
         27 . A machine according to  claim 26  wherein said actuating element engages said one major wall of said passage when no such sheet material is present therein, the apparatus including control means which is arranged, at times during operation of the machine when said actuating element is in engagement with said major wall of the apparatus, to adopt the corresponding position of said actuating element as corresponding to zero material thickness. 
     
     
         28 . A machine according to  claim 21  wherein said parameter comprises one or more of supply voltage, temperature of said motor and electrical current supplied to said motor. 
     
     
         29 . A machine according to  claim 28  including a plurality of sensors, each sensing a respective said parameter and wherein said control means is operable to adjust said controlling threshold according to a predetermined scheme or algorithm in dependence upon the values of the respective parameters sensed by all of said sensors. 
     
     
         30 . A machine for processing sheet material, fed through a feed passage, the machine being characterised by means for measuring the thickness of sheet material fed through said passage, said measuring means including an actuating element which is movable from a first limiting position engaging or relatively close to one major wall of said passage, away from said major wall, against a biasing force acting on said element, and means for measuring displacement of said actuating element from said limiting position;
 wherein said means for measuring displacement of said actuating element comprises a marker member provided with a series of markers of alternately high and low light transmissivity or of alternatively high and low light reflectivity and optical sensing means sensitive to the passage of said markers past said sensors, said member being part of, or mechanically coupled with, said actuating element so that the displacement of said actuating element will cause said marker member to move so as to cause said markers to traverse said measuring zone, the apparatus including counting means operable to count displacement of said markers through said measuring zone, and   wherein said marker member comprises a disk mounted for rotation about an axis thereof and carrying a co-axial gear pinion which forms with said actuating element, part of a gear train adapted to convert movement of said actuating member into a rotational movement of substantially greater magnitude of said disk, said series of markers being arranged in an annular track around said disk.   
     
     
         31 . A machine according to  claim 30  wherein said optical sensing means comprises two optical sensors disposed at different positions along said series of markers, said positions being such that light signals received by the two sensors as said marker member is moved are displaced in phase from one another to an extent to allow said control means to determine the direction of displacement of the marker member as well as the extent of such movement. 
     
     
         32 . A machine according to  claim 31  wherein said actuating element engages said one major wall of said passage when no such sheet material is present therein, the apparatus including control means which is arranged, at times during operation of the machine when said actuating element is in engagement with said major wall of the apparatus, to adopt the corresponding position of said actuating element as corresponding to zero material thickness. 
     
     
         33 . A method for operating a shredder comprising a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, a thickness detector for detecting a thickness of the at least one article to be shredded inserted in the throat, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements, the shredder mechanism enabling the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements and the motor being operable to drive the cutter elements in a shredding direction so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein; the method comprising:
 detecting with the thickness detector a thickness of the at least one article to be shredded inserted into the throat;   if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold, operating the motor to drive the cutter elements in the shredding direction to shred the at least one article;   detecting during operation of the motor a performance characteristic of the motor; and   reducing the predetermined maximum thickness threshold based on the detected performance characteristic of the motor.   
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the performance characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a temperature of the motor during operation, and current flow through the motor. 
     
     
         35 . A method for operating a shredder comprising a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, a thickness detector for detecting a thickness of the at least one article to be shredded inserted in the throat, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements, the shredder mechanism enabling the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements and the motor being operable to drive the cutter elements in a shredding direction so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein; the method comprising;
 detecting with the thickness detector a thickness of the at least one article to be shredded inserted into the throat;   if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold, operating the motor to drive the cutter elements in the shredding direction to shred the at least one article;   detecting during operation of the motor a performance characteristic of the motor; and   reducing the predetermined maximum thickness threshold based on the detected performance characteristic of the motor,   wherein the performance characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a temperature of the motor during operation, and current flow through the motor, and   wherein the predetermined maximum thickness threshold is stored in a microcontroller, and reducing the predetermined maximum thickness threshold is performed by resetting the predetermined maximum thickness threshold in the microcontroller with a reduced predetermined maximum thickness threshold.   
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 35 , wherein the reduced predetermined maximum thickness threshold is derived by reducing the predetermined maximum thickness threshold with a predetermined scheme or algorithm. 
     
     
         37 . A shredder comprising:
 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, the shredder mechanism enabling the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements and the motor being operable to drive the cutter elements in a shredding direction so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein;   a thickness detector configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article to be shredded being received by the throat; and   a controller coupled to the motor and the thickness detector, the controller being configured
 a) to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold; 
 b) to detect a performance characteristic of the motor; and 
 c) to reduce the predetermined maximum thickness threshold based on the detected performance characteristic of the motor. 
   
     
     
         38 . A shredder according to  claim 37 , wherein the performance characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a temperature of the motor during operation, and current flow through the motor. 
     
     
         39 . A shredder comprising:
 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, the shredder mechanism enabling the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements and the motor being operable to drive the cutter elements in a shredding direction so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein;   a thickness detector configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article to be shredded being received by the throat; and   a controller coupled to the motor and the thickness detector, the controller being configured
 a) to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold; 
 b) to detect a performance characteristic of the motor; and 
 c) to reduce the predetermined maximum thickness threshold based on the detected performance characteristic of the motor, 
   wherein the predetermined maximum thickness threshold is stored in a microcontroller, and the predetermined maximum thickness threshold is reduced by resetting the predetermined maximum thickness threshold in the microcontroller with a reduced predetermined maximum thickness threshold.   
     
     
         40 . A shredder according to  claim 39 , wherein the reduced predetermined maximum thickness threshold is derived by reducing the predetermined maximum thickness threshold with a predetermined scheme or algorithm.