Patent Application
20080093491
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It is understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right,” “left,” “top,” and “bottom” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the shredder blades and designated parts thereof. The language “at least one of ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’,” as used in the claims and in corresponding portions of the specification, means “any group having at least one ‘A’; or any group having at least one ‘B’; or any group having at least one ‘C’;—and does require that a group have at least one of each of ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’.” Additionally, the words “a” and “one” are defined as including one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
Referring to
Referring to
As best shown in
The shredder blade body 11 preferably has a central bore 16 therethrough adapted for mounting the shredder blade body 11 onto a shredder shaft 20. The bore is preferably polygonal to facilitate mounting of the shredder blade 10 onto the shredder shaft 20.
The shredder blade body 11 has an outer perimeter 38. At least a portion of the outer perimeter 38 forms a first cutting mechanism 40A. The outer perimeter 38 is preferably, but not necessarily, circular to form a circumferential cutting edge which forms the first cutting mechanism 40A. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from this disclosure that any other outer blade profile can be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the shredder blade 10 can be serrated to form a serrated circumferential cutting surface which forms the first cutting mechanism 40A without departing from the scope of the present invention. Alternatively, the outer perimeter 38 may include one or more cutting teeth which form the first cutting mechanism 40A without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Referring specifically to
Referring to
The cutting flange(s) 14 are preferably formed by a stamping or punching process. It is preferred that the shredder blade 10 include four cutting flanges 14 that are generally equidistantly spaced along a second generally circular path 50B (illustrated by the lower arrow show in dashed lines in
Each of the cutting flanges 14 preferably includes a leading, cutting edge 15A and a trailing edge 15B. As shown in
Each cutting flange 14 is preferably generally arcuate such that each of the cutting flanges 14 extends along a portion of the second generally circular path 50B. It is also preferred that each of the cutting flanges 14 has a generally rectilinear cross section as measured along a radial cross section of the shredder blade body 11. While the flanges 14 are shown as having a generally constant width (i.e., extending a constant distance from the plane 36 defined by the shredder blade body 11), the width profile can vary without departing from the scope of the present invention. That is the size, thickness, configuration, and shape of the flanges can vary without departing from the scope of the present invention. Similarly, the flanges 14 can be linear or sinusoidal in either width, height or thickness without departing from the scope of the present invention. Similarly, while it is preferred that the shredder blades 10 are made through a punching process, any suitable manufacturing method can be used.
The at least one cutting flange 14 form a second cutting mechanism 40B which is adapted to rotate through the second generally circular path 50B that is located generally at a second radius 46 from the center 42 of the shredder blade body 11. The second radius 46 is less than the first radius 44 such that the shredder blade 10 is adapted to make a lengthwise cut (i.e., the typical lengthwise cuts made in materials that are only shredded into strips) in the material while also at least partially making at least one cross-cut in the material. The cross cut may only be partially made by a flange 14 on single shredder blade 10 since when the blades are paired they may be configured to make a single cross cut using flanges 14 from each of the opposing blades 10. However, depending on the material being shredded, a cross cut may sometimes be formed by a single cutting flange 14 without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Referring still to
The shredder preferably receives power from an outlet via a power conduit, such as an electrical cord, 28. However, the shredder can be powered by batteries or any other suitable power source.
Referring still to
One preferred method of manufacturing the shredder blades 10 of the present invention is as follows. A sheet of material that will be used to form the shredder blades 10 may be punched to form a shredder blade body 11. The provided shredder blade body 11 generally defines a plane 36 and has opposing major surfaces 48. The shredder blade body 11 has a central bore 42 therethrough adapted for mounting the shredder blade body 11 onto a shredder shaft 20. The shredder blade body 11 has an outer perimeter 38. At least a portion of the outer perimeter 38 forms a first cutting mechanism 40A adapted to rotate through a first generally circumferential path 50A located generally at a first radius 44 as measured from a center 42 of the shredder blade body 11. The method also includes pressing portions of the shredder blade body 11 to form at least one punch out 18 therein to form at least one cutting flange 14 located on one of the opposing major surfaces 48 of the shredder blade body 11 and extending outwardly therefrom at an angle with the plane 36. The at least one cutting flange 14 forms a second cutting mechanism 40B adapted to rotate through a second generally circular path 50B located generally at a second radius 46 from the center 42 of the shredder blade body 11. The second radius 46 is less than the first radius 44 such that the shredder blade is adapted to make a lengthwise cut in the material while also at least partially making at least one cross-cut in the material.
It is recognized by those skilled in the art that changes may be made to the above described shredder blades 10 and/or method of making same without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. For example the shredder blades 10 may include a third cutting mechanism located at a different radius from the first and second cutting mechanisms 40A, 40B without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but is intended cover all modifications which are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the above specification, the appended claims and/or shown in the attached drawings.
