A mechanical bin-full device for a paper shredder with a bin, having a curved, perforated T-blade sensor on a cylindrical body partially covered with a metal sheet. The T-blade is pendent into the bin. Metal contacts are placed on the paper shredder near the metal sheet, forming a switch, which is coupled to a motor control circuit for the shredder motor. The T-blade is pushed by paper shreddant and rotates the cylinder body as paper shreddant fills the bin. When the bin becomes full, the T-blade is positioned so that the metal contacts touch the metal sheet, closing the control circuit switch, and causing the motor to cease operating. The control circuit can include a microcontroller coupled to the motor, or a transistor-based driver coupled to a motor relay.

An article destruction device includes an electric motor driving at least one moving component. An indication panel includes at least three visual indicators situated in sequence. Each visual indicator is associated with a stage of an approaching overload (motor cool down) condition. A first visual indicator lights when the motor or corresponding sensor temperature is below a first threshold, i.e., when the device is first powered on. A second indicator lights when the temperature exceeds the first threshold and is below at least a second threshold, i.e., the temperature is approaching a fault condition. A last visual indicator lights when the temperature exceeds the first and the at least second thresholds, i.e., the fault condition is met. A thermistor on the motor energizes (self-heats) with the motor. A thermostatic switch controls current flow through windings of the motor depending on measured temperatures meeting operating and equilibrium temperature thresholds.

A mechanical bin-full device for a paper shredder with a bin, having a curved, perforated T-blade sensor on a cylindrical body partially covered with a metal sheet. The T-blade is pendent into the bin. Metal contacts are placed on the paper shredder near the metal sheet, forming a switch, which is coupled to a motor control circuit for the shredder motor. The T-blade is pushed by paper shreddant and rotates the cylinder body as paper shreddant fills the bin. When the bin becomes full, the T-blade is positioned so that the metal contacts touch the metal sheet, closing the control circuit switch, and causing the motor to cease operating. The control circuit can include a microcontroller coupled to the motor, or a transistor-based driver coupled to a motor relay.

A paper shredder controller, with an all-analog controller including a power supply circuit, coupled to a door open switch circuit, an automatic forward control circuit, an automatic reverse control circuit, and a wastebin full circuit. The paper shredder controller includes an overload circuit, a forward-reverse control and relays circuit, a forward-reverse model delay setting circuit, and an overheating protection circuit. Further includes a POWER indicator light; a DOOR OPEN light; an AUTOMATIC FORWARD light; an OVERHEATING light, and a WASTEBIN FULL light.

A paper shredder having shredder cover and a motor coupled to shredder blades includes a shredder throat in proximity to shredder blades. The shredder throat has a moveable blade, and a fixed blade. A shredder jam grip has a projection in communication with a power switch plunger. When the shredder is in the NORMAL position, a throat gap is in its normal position and the projection positions the plunger to power to the motor. When the shredder is in the JAM CLEAR position, the throat gap is in its wide position and the projection positions the plunger to remove power from the motor.

A paper shredder jam clear mechanism including a power switch coupled to bidirectional motor, a sensor coupled to the power switch, and disposed in a feed inlet, and a jam clear button coupled to the sensor. The power switch has an AUTO/FORWARD position, to move the motor forward; an OFF position; and a REVERSE position, to move the motor in reverse. The sensor is coupled to the power switch in the AUTO/FORWARD position, and the motor is moved forward when the sensor detects an object in the feed inlet. The jam clear switch is configured to contact the sensor, and to move the motor forward. A delay circuit is coupled to the contact switch and to the motor, when actuated by the contact switch delays an operation of the motor for a period. Also, the delay circuit when actuated causes a brief period of auto-operation operation of the motor.

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 thickness gauging device is deactivated during shredding until the material is shredded so that rippling or flapping of the material within the feed passage will not cause false readings as to the amount of material inserted into the feed passage.

A comminution device for product for comminution such as memory cards or mobile terminal apparatuses has a comminution unit which has two interacting cutting rollers having cutting discs that have cutting edges on the external peripheral edges and form a cutting gap. The cutting discs of the one cutting roller each engage in an annular groove between adjacent cutting discs of the other cutting roller and along the external circumference have a plurality of teeth, each having one tooth tip and one tooth blade. The tooth blades of the one cutting roller during operation upon rotation of the cutting rollers each lie beside the tooth blades of the other cutting roller. The comminution unit yet has an infeed having an infeed track for the product for comminution to the comminution unit, said infeed track terminating above the cutting gap. An elongate piloting device which extends across a length of at least 30% of the length of the cutting rollers, and which in the longitudinal profile thereof slopes downward is disposed therebetween.

A paper shredder having shredder cover and a motor coupled to shredder blades includes a shredder throat coupled to an inlet in the shredder cover and in proximity to shredder blades. The shredder throat has a moveable throat blade, which widens the shredder throat. An anti-jam switch, which when activated causes the motor to advance the shredder blades to clear a jam in the widened shredder throat. The jam clearing mechanism can be automatic or manual, as by push-button or turn-knob linkages. A method for recovering from a shredder jam in a paper shredder is provided, including providing a moveable throat blade; sensing a shredder throat jammed condition; releasing the moveable throat blade; moving the moveable throat blade to a wide gap position; sensing the moveable throat blade in the wide gap position; advancing shredder blades in response to the sensing, by which the jammed condition is cleared.

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 energized 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.