Rotatable Shredder Device Preventing Bird Nesting and Crowning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shredder machines face issues with 'bird nesting' where shredded particles accumulate near the cutting assembly or outlet, reducing efficiency and potentially damaging the machine, and 'crowning' where particles accumulate unevenly in the waste bin, leading to inaccurate bin full detection and user assistance needs.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable device with radially extending fingers is positioned adjacent the output opening to move shredded materials caught in the cutting assembly and within the bin, dispersing them evenly and preventing accumulation, which includes a shaft that rotates to clear particles and is activated by sensors detecting material presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If shredded particles are deposited into the bin after cutting, then the shredding function is achieved, but bird nesting accumulates near the outlet and cutting assembly
Solution Approach 1:
A rotatable device with radially extending fingers is positioned between the outlet and the bin to act as an intermediary mechanism. The fingers engage with shredded particles and actively distribute them into the bin, preventing accumulation near the outlet and cutting assembly while maintaining the shredding function.
2Quantity of substance
If particles accumulate in the bin, then storage function is achieved, but crowning occurs and triggers false bin full detection
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable device with distributing fingers acts as an intermediary between the outlet and bin, actively spreading particles evenly across the bin bottom. This prevents crowning (peak formation) and ensures accurate bin full detection by maintaining uniform particle distribution throughout storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable device performs preliminary distribution action as particles enter the bin, preventing crowning before it occurs. By continuously spreading particles during the filling process, the system avoids the need for later user intervention to level the pile.
3Ease of manufacture
If a brush-off device slides reciprocally below the housing, then some particle removal is achieved, but the underside of the cutting assembly and outlet cannot be cleaned
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of positioning the cleaning device below the housing as in prior art, this invention positions the rotatable device with fingers above the outlet, where it can directly engage and remove particles from the underside of the cutting assembly and outlet area, reversing the conventional approach to access previously unreachable surfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a shredder having a rotatable device located at least partially between a shredder mechanism and a bottom of an output opening of the shredder housing. The rotatable device includes a shaft configured to rotate about an axis parallel to an axis of the cutting assembly so as to allow for rotation of the device. The rotatable device has a plurality of fingers or fins extending at least partially radially from the shaft. The rotatable device is able to rotate about the shaft axis in either direction, so as to disperse any accumulation of shredded materials in the waste bin, as well as remove shredded materials caught in or near the cutting assembly within and adjacent the output opening.