Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to shredder apparatuses and, more particularly, to shredder apparatuses having a mechanical and cost-effective full bin indicator flap. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional full bin indicators for shredder apparatuses typically require some sort of electronic component in order to alert a user that the bin is full. One such device utilizes an infrared signal to recognize the accumulation of bin contents. Another device involves a mechanical flap that actuates an electronic switch when the bin has reached capacity. 
     Full bin indicators having electronic components tend to be expensive and are prone to electrical failure. A mechanical full bin indicator in accordance with the present invention provides a cost-effective way of alerting a user when a shredder bin has reached capacity. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a shredder apparatus is provided that comprises a bin for receiving shredded materials and a shredder housing having a shredder mechanism mounted therein. The shredder housing is provided on the bin and comprises an input opening on an upper side for receiving materials to be shredded and an output opening on a lower side for depositing shredded material into the bin. A movable member is movably connected to the shredder housing and extends into the bin. The movable member is positioned such that an accumulation of shredded material in the bin engages the movable member and moves it in an indicating direction. The movable member has a mechanical visual indicator associated therewith. Movement of the movable member in the indicating direction by the accumulation of shredded material moves the visual indicator in view of a user exterior of the shredder apparatus to visually indicate the accumulation to the user. 
     In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a shredder apparatus is provided that comprises a shredder mechanism and a housing containing the shredder mechanism. The housing has an input opening on an upper side for receiving materials to be shredded and an output opening on a lower side for depositing shredded material. A movable member is movably connected to the shredder housing and is positioned such that an accumulation of shredded material engages the movable member and moves it in an indicating direction. The movable member has a mechanical visual indicator associated therewith. Movement of the movable member in the indicating direction by the accumulation of shredded material moves the visual indicator in view of a user exterior of the shredder apparatus to visually indicate the accumulation to the user. 
     In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for indicating accumulation of shredded material from a shredder in a bin. Material to be shredded is fed into an input opening in a housing of the shredder and a shredding mechanism in the shredding housing shreds the fed material. The shredded material is deposited into the bin and accumulates therein. The accumulating shredded material engages a movable member movably that is mounted to the shredder housing and that extends into the bin to move the movable member in an indicating direction. The movable member has a visual member associated therewith, and movement of the movable member in the indicating direction by the accumulation of shredded material moves the visual indicator to visually indicate the accumulation to a user. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this disclosure, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a shredder apparatus having a full bin indicator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of a shredder housing in a first configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of a shredder housing in a second configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a shredder housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of a full bin indicator flap in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     An embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The description as set out herein illustrates an arrangement of an embodiment of the present disclosure and is not to be construed as limiting its scope in any manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a shredder apparatus  10  having a full bin indicator  24  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus  10  generally includes a shredder housing  20 , a bin  22 , and an indicator  24 . In the embodiment shown, the indicator  24  is a flap attached to the bin side (underside) of the shredder housing  20  and has an extended portion  25 . 
       FIG. 1  shows a view of the shredder housing  20  from the top. As shown, the shredder housing  20  is situated upon the bin  22  so that materials inserted into a shredder opening  32  will be shredded and deposited directly into the bin  22 . The shredder housing  20  may have a lip  46  or other structural arrangement that corresponds in size and shape with a top edge  48  of the bin  22 . In the embodiment shown, the shredder housing  20  and bin  22  are sized such that all but a portion  34  of the entire bin opening is covered by the shredder housing  20 . This opening  34  is a bin access opening that may be utilized to deposit articles (e.g., trash) that are not desired to be shredded. The shredder housing  20  may optionally be provided with a cutout  42  that increases the size of the bin access opening  34  in order to accommodate larger articles. The bin  22  may optionally be provided with an extension portion  36  to likewise increase the size of the bin access opening  34 . Naturally, at least one of a cutout  42  in the shredder housing  20  or an extension portion  36  in the bin  22  is preferred, so as to form the bin access opening  34 . 
     Alternatively, the bin  22  and the shredder housing  20  be may an integral component. In such a case, shredded materials within the bin portion of the apparatus may be removed via a door located on the bin portion and/or the shredder housing portion. All other features of an integral bin/housing configuration relevant to the present invention may be as described herein. 
     The configuration of the bin access opening  34  and its location relative to the shredder input opening  32  (also commonly referred to as the throat) is not particularly critical, and the invention is not limited to the configuration disclosed. For example, the bin access opening need not be provided in part by the bin, and instead may be an opening through the shredder housing  20  itself. Likewise, it may be entirely provided by an opening formed through the structure of the bin. Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention there may be no bin access opening present. Instead, the bin  22  and/or shredder housing  20  may be provided with a window through which the indicator  24  may be viewed. In other embodiments, the indicator  24  may be operably connected to or have a secondary element that is otherwise viewable from the exterior of the shredder apparatus  10  without requiring a bin access opening  34  or a window (e.g., a mechanical element that moves or otherwise changes its appearance that is connected to the indicator  24  through the shredder housing, or a mechanical gauge that is operably connected to the indicator  24 ). 
     Although the shredder housing  20  and bin  22  are shown as nesting in a complementary fashion, one of skill in the art will appreciate that such a complementary fit is not a requirement of the present invention. The present invention may be applied in apparatuses in which the shape of the shredder housing  20  greatly varies from that of the bin  22  (e.g., in cases where a shredder housing in accordance with the present invention is used with a pre-existing or generic receptacle). 
     The top of the shredder housing  20  may include a switch or plurality of switches to control operation of the shredder apparatus  10 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a rocker switch is provided on the shredder housing that includes a power button portion  26  and a reverse button portion  28 . Indicator lights  30  are also provided. The power button portion  26  turns the shredder apparatus  10  on and off. The reverse button portion  28  may be used to clear a jam when materials get stuck in the shredder machinery by reversing the feed direction. It is appreciated that any switches known in the art may be used for these purposes within the scope of the invention. The indicator lights  30  may indicate various operations and/or statuses associated with the shredder apparatus  10 . The shredder housing  20  may further be provided with a handle  50  to facilitate removal from and placement onto the bin  22 . 
     The bin side (underside) of the shredder housing  20  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As is known in the art, the shredder machinery  42 , including blades configured to shred inserted materials, is configured to receive inserted materials and to feed them through the device and to eject or deposit the shredded pieces of the materials into the bin  22 . The shredding machinery  42  therefore has an input opening at  32  and an output opening  43  at the bottom of the housing, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The top of the shredder housing  20  having an opening for the shredding machinery input  32  may be considered an “input side.” The bin side, or underside, of the shredder housing  20  may be considered an “output side.” 
     The shredder housing  20  and bin  22  may be designed for use together, or the shredder housing  20  may be designed to mount to pre-existing bins owned by a user, such as wastebaskets, trash cans, and the like. The particular construction is not intended to be limiting. 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a flap  24  is provided and is pivotally attached to the bin side (underside) of the shredder housing  20  between the output opening  43  of the shredder housing  20  and the bin access opening  34 . Pivotal attachment may include a simple pivotal attachment about a pivot axis, or an attachment for compound movement that may include multiple axes or other types of movement (such as linear movement). Such attachment may be implemented by means of hinges  38  and/or hook  40 . The flap  24  is configured to rotate freely about the hinges  38  and/or hook  40  when not impinged by any other forces. As such, when the shredder housing  20  is placed upon the bin  22  and the bin  22  is empty, the flap  24  is in a first position in which it hangs freely under gravity from the shredder housing  20  in a downward direction, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     As the bin  22  becomes full of paper and/or other materials, the contents will begin to push against the flap  24  from the shredder side of the flap  24  and towards the bin access opening  34  (or other viewable location; e.g., a window, as discussed above). The accumulation of shredded materials will eventually be enough to push and rotate the flap  24  to a second position, shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , which may be approximately ninety degrees from the first position ( FIG. 4 ). In this position, at least a portion of the flap  24  becomes visible from the input side (i.e., exterior) of the shredder housing  20  through the bin access opening  34 . 
     The flap  24  may be provided with an extension  25  so as to increase visibility through the bin access opening  34 . The extension  25  or another part of the flap  24  visible through the bin access opening  34  may have indicia  27  thereon, such as the words “BIN FULL” (see  FIGS. 4–5 ) or an easily noticeable color (e.g., red, yellow, or orange), in order to alert a user that the bin  22  is full. The extension  25  may alternatively be sized to completely cover the bin access opening  34  in order to prevent the insertion of further articles when the bin  22  is full. In embodiments where no bin access opening  34  or viewing window is present, the extension  25  may be a flag or other element that is mechanically connected to the flap  24  and passes through a slot in the shredder housing  20  to become visible (or alter its appearance) to a user. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2–3 , the output side of the shredder housing  20  may be provided with a recess  44  that is sized and shaped to correspond to the flap  24  and any extension  25 . The recess  44  is suitable for allowing the flap  24  to be flush with the shredder housing surface during storage and/or transport. If the flap  24  is positioned in proximity of the output opening  43  of the shredder machinery  42  and the recess  44  is positioned around the output  43 , the flap  24  may be pivoted into position in the recess  44  to provide suitable protection from and for the sharp components of the shredder machinery  42 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Accordingly, a completely mechanical (with no electronic components aside from the shredding mechanism) indicator is provided to notify a user when the contents of a shredder bin  22  should be emptied. Failure by a user to recognize that a bin  22  is full may result in overfilling, jamming, a paper mess, or other hazardous condition. 
     While specific embodiments have been described above, it will be appreciated that the subject of the present disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as described. The descriptions above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Thus, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims set out below.

Technology Category: 7