GB2306348A

GB2306348A - A document shredder with a vibratory shreddings compactor

Info

Publication number: GB2306348A
Application number: GB9622161A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rolf Nowack
Original assignee: Geha Werke GmbH
Current assignee: Geha Werke GmbH
Priority date: 1995-10-26
Filing date: 1996-10-24
Publication date: 1997-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-24
Also published as: ITMI962145A1; FR2740363B1; DE19539792C2; GB9622161D0; GB2306348B; FR2740363A1; IT1284968B1; DE19539792A1

Description

2306348 1 A Document Shredder The present invention relates to a document

shredder with a receptacle arranged below the cutting mechanism in base, preferably a receiving bag for shreddings, on which vibratory mechanism is arranged for compacting the shreddings.

Document shredders, as for example proposed in DE-A-44 08 231, have the disadvantage that the shreddings generated are not compacted in the receiving bag, with the result that the receiving bag is filled relatively quickly with shreddings. In practice therefore, the door of the lower cabinet is opened and the shreddings are pressed down manually by knowing and watchful operators. Also it is always necessary to compress the shreddings by hand before sealing the filled receiving bag. Such handling is not only troublesome, but it also leads very easily to littering of the area surrounding the shredder with paper shreddings.

In DE-A-37 06 897 it is proposed that shreddings from document shredder can be compressed in the receptacle by pressing component. Problems arise here, however, since the pressing component has to be arranged in the entry area for shreddings into the receptacle beneath the cutting mechanism. Restriction of the output of the shreddings can only be avoided by an expensive specially designed pressing component. There is always the danger also when using a receiving bag, which is advantageous in business machines, that it could become damaged by overfilling, which naturally must be avoided.

In DE-A-42 31 408 it is proposed that in shredders the broken up material can be compressed in a vibratory compressor following the cutting mechanism instead of an expensive ball press. The vibratory compressor has a receptacle for the shreddings, which is displaced by vibration at a relatively high frequency in the horizontal plane by a vibration generator driven via an eccentric and a rocker arm by an electric drive motor. Such solutions are however too expensive for smaller, economical document shredders, such as those used in offices.

The present invention has the aim of avoiding the quoted disadvantages, especially for smaller economical document shredders, such as those used in offices, providing a reliably operating, simple and economical method of increasing the receiving capacity of a receiving bag or also of a receptacle container.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a document shredder as described in the opening paragraph of the present specification, in which the vibratory mechanism has a vertically moveable vibration plate, on which the bottom of receptacle (receiving bag) rests and in which an activating mechanism is provided with a lever which can pivot about a hinge joint, which is divided into an activating arm and a lever arm, taken either directly or via an intermediate element (carrying frame) to the vibration plate such that by means of alternating downwards or upwards movement of the activating arm a vertical vibratory motion of the vibration plate can be obtained and thereby a vibratory compaction of the shreddings in the receptacle (receiving bag).

The present invention provides a surprisingly effective vibratory compaction of the shreddings in the receiving bag performed in a simple manner.

In accordance with a preferred form of construction of the present invention, the lever is formed as a two-armed lever, which is made up of an activating arm and a lever arm, which is taken either directly or via an intermediate element (carrying frame) to the vibration plate.

Alternatively it is also possible however to link a single armed lever, which is divided into an activating arm and a lever arm which is taken either directly or via an intermediate element (carrying frame), to the vibration plate at one end in the base.

Advantageously the vibration plate is arranged in the base so that it can pivot by means of a hinge joint on one side and that the lever arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is taken to the vibration plate. This solution is distinguished by its simple construction and is nevertheless very effective. The activating mechanism can also be integrated cost effectively in the base of a document shredder.

In accordance with a preferred form of the present invention it is provided that the lever arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is taken to the underside of the C - 4 vibration plate. This gives a particularly simple and cost effective construction. Preferably the lever is formed as an angle lever.

Another preferred form of construction is characterised in that the vibration plate is arranged in the base hanging on a carrying frame, onto which the activating arm of the lever of the activating mechanism attaches. This arrangement is also characterised by simple construction and -1s nevertheless very effective, whereby the activating mechanism is cost effective in production. In the last named form of construction the activating arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is arranged in the upper part of the base and is fastened there to the carrying frame of the vibration plate.

It has basically been shown that a hand operated activating mechanism meets all the requirements, whereby in this case the activating arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is taken to the outside and is provided with a handle at its outer end. This solution naturally can be especially cheaply produced.

Alternatively it is however also possible that the activating arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is taken to a motor driven camshaft, such that by a downwards or upwards movement of the activating arm a vertical vibratory motion of the vibration plate can be obtained and thereby a vibratory compaction of the shreddings in the receptacle (receiving bag).

Two examples of document shredders made in accordance with the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, i Figure 1 is n which: is a schematic representation of a document shredder, in whose base, close to the floor, the activating mechanism for the vibration plate is arranged; and Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a document shredder, in which the activating mechanism of the vibration plate is arranged in the upper side of the base.

In the drawings a document shredder 1 with a cutting mechanism 2 is shown. The document shredder 1 is arranged on a base 3, in which a receiving bag 4 is positioned under the cutting mechanism 2. The receiving bag 4 hangs on a frame 5. Close to the f loor 6 of the base 3 there is a vibration plate 7 which can pivot on a hinge joint 8. In the lower part of the base 3 there is also arranged an angle lever, which is formed from an activating arm 9 and a lever arm 10, and which forms an activating mechanism 11, which can pivot about a hinge joint 12. The activating arm 9 of the angle lever is taken to the outside of the base 3 and provided with a handle 13. The lever arm 10 is taken to the underside of the vibration plate 7 and lies loosely on it. On the upper side of the vibration plate 7 sits the bottom of the receiving bag 4. The base 3 of the document shredder 1 can also be moved on rollers 14.

As soon as documents are shredded in the cutting mechanism 2, the shreddings fall into the receiving bag 4.

6 is As soon as an indicating device, not shown, signals that a certain degree of filling has been reached in the receiving bag 4, the operator must push down the handle 13 of the activating lever 9 with his foot. The activating lever 9 then thereby swivels to the position shown dashed in Figure 1, which has the result that the vibration plate 7 is moved upwards by the upwards movement of the lever arm 10 of the angle lever about the hinge pivot 8, into the position represented by dashed lines in the drawing. By releasing the handle 13 of the activating arm 9 the vibration plate 7 falls back down, whereby compaction of the shreddings in the receiving bag 4 occurs. By multiple treading down on the handle 13 it is possible to obtain a surprisingly intensive compaction of the shreddings.

The compaction of the shreddings is also aided in that in the starting phase the shreddings are additionally pressed against the upper inner bordering edge 15 of the base 3. The shreddings are hereby pre-compressed. The vibratory compaction described then follows. The compaction ensures also that the shreddings are completely within the receiving bag 4 before the removal of the receiving bag 4 from the base 3. Any undesirable escape of shreddings from the upper edge of the receiving bag 4 is thus prevented, and the open upper region of the receiving bag 4 facilitates easy closure, without the need to compress it again by hand as previously.

overall the disposal of the shreddings is cleaner and easier. It has also been shown that surprisingly the volume captured in the receiving bag 4 is increased markedly, according to the size of the receptacle of the document shredder, by ca. 50 to 100%. The document shredder 1 can accordingly be worked for longer, without the necessity for exchanging the receiving bag 4. The maintenance interval can be increased by 50 to 100%.

In Figure 2 of the drawings another example of construction of the present invention is shown, in which the vibration plate 7 in the base 3 is arranged to hang on a carrying frame 16. Here also the activating lever 9 of the activating mechanism 11 is formed as a two-armed lever, and the activating arm 9 is taken to the outside. An inner lever arm 17 is fastened to a linkage 18 on the carrying frame 16 of the vibration plate 7. The two-armed lever of the activating mechanism 11 is also fastened movably to a hinge joint 19 in the base 3.

By a downwards movement of the activating arm 9 its inner lever arm 17 is swivelled upwards about the hinge joint 19. The carrying frame 16 fastened at the linkage 18 to the lever arm 17 consequently pulls the vibration plate 7 upwards, into the position shown dashed in the drawing. If the activating arm 9, i.e. its handle 13, is released, then the vibration plate 7 falls down abruptly, whereby compaction of the shreddings in the receiving bag 4 occurs. There has previously occurred, as already described, a precompression of the shreddings against the upper inner bordering edge 15 of the base 3. By repeated depression of the activating arm 9 it is possible to achieve effective - 8 vibratory compaction of the shreddings in the receiving bag 4. Here also using the configuration described here, it is possible to achieve a marked increase in the captured volume in the receiving bag 4 by ca. 50 to 100%.

In the place of the receiving bag 4 described above, it is possible by means of the activating mechanism 11 to introduce a vibratory movement in a rigid receptacle arranged in the base 3, so that the effective vibratorv compaction of the shreddings described here can also be achieved.

It is also advantageous that the expenditure on the installation of the activating mechanism 11 in the receptacle 3 is relatively low. It is also entirely conceivable to drive the activating arm 9 of the activating mechanism 11 by machine, for example using a cam shaft. it would then only be necessary for a short time or even continuously to drive this camshaft from the drive motor of the document shredder 1 or even an additional motor. The intensity of the vibratory compaction could be increased further by this. Such a form of construction falls within the scope of the present invention.

9

Claims

Claims is 1. A document shredder with a receptacle arranged below the

cutting mechanism in a base, preferably a receiving bag for shreddings, on which a vibratory mechanism is arranged for compacting the shreddings, in which the vibratory mechanism has a vertically moveable vibration plate, on which the bottom of the receptacle (receiving bag) rests and in which an activating mechanism is provided with a lever which can pivot about a hinge joint, which is divided into an activating arm and a lever arm, taken either directly or via an intermediate element (carrying frame) to the vibration plate such that by means of alternating downwards or upwards movement of the activating arm a vertical vibratory motion of the vibration plate can be obtained and thereby a vibratory compaction of the shreddings in the receptacle (receiving bag).
2. A Document shredder according to Claim 1, in which the lever is formed as a two-armed lever, which is made up of an activating arm and a lever arm, which is taken either directly or via an intermediate element (carrying frame) to the vibration plate.
3. A document shredder according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the vibration plate is arranged in the base so that it can pivot by means of a hinge joint on one side and that the lever arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is taken to the vibration plate.
4. A document shredder according to any preceding claim, - C in which the lever arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is taken to the underside of the vibration plate.
5. A document shredder according to any preceding claim, in which the lever is formed as an angle lever.
6. A document shredder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the vibration plate is arranged in the base hanging on a carrying frame, onto which the activating arm of the lever of the activating mechanism attaches.
7. A document shredder according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3 or 5, in which the activating arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is arranged in the upper part of the base and is fastened there to the carrying frame of the vibration plate.
8. A document shredder according to any preceding claim, in which the activating arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is taken to the outside and is provided with a handle at its outer end.
9. A document shredder according to any preceding claim, in which the activating arm of the lever of the activating mechanism is taken to a motor driven camshaft, such that by a downwards or upwards movement of the activating arm a vertical vibratory motion of the vibration plate can be obtained and thereby a vibratory compaction of the shreddings in the receptacle (receiving bag).
10. A document shredder substantially as disclosed herein with reference to either Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.