Shredder Circulating Cutter Design Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shredders for cutting sheet media into small shreds have design limitations due to the proximity requirements of guide panels to rotary cutters, restricting the distance and location of these panels and other design parameters.
Innovation Solution
A shredder system incorporating a rotary cutter that rotates on a first axis and a circulating cutter moving in an endless path, which cuts the sheet in conjunction with the rotary cutter, allowing for a conveyor to supply the sheet from a feedstock supplier to the rotary cutter, thereby providing greater design flexibility for the shredding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If guide panels are disposed close to rotary cutters to guide feedstock, then feedstock guidance function is improved, but design flexibility and freedom in location and distance parameters are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the feedstock conveyance function from the guide panels and assigns it to a separate conveyor mechanism. This allows the guide panels to be positioned optimally for guiding feedstock to the cutters without being constrained by the need to also convey feedstock, thereby resolving the contradiction between guidance effectiveness and design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the feedstock handling system into separate functional components: the conveyor handles feedstock transport while the guide panels handle directional guidance. This segmentation allows each component to be independently optimized for its specific function without compromising the other, enabling greater design freedom.
2Manufacturing precision
If guide panels are disposed close to rotary cutters, then feedstock guidance is effective, but the distance and location parameters are limited
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the conveyance function from the guide panels and assigning it to a dedicated conveyor, the patent enables the guide panels to maintain precise positioning for accurate feedstock guidance while the conveyor handles the distance-related transport function, thus resolving the contradiction between guidance precision and distance flexibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a conveyor is introduced to convey feedstock from feedstock supplier to rotary cutter, then design flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circulating cutter serves multiple functions: it acts as both a cutting element and a conveyor mechanism for feedstock. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated conveyor components, thereby increasing design flexibility while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the conveyance function with the cutting function by using the circulating cutter as both a blade and a conveyor. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate conveyor mechanisms in many configurations, resolving the contradiction between design flexibility and structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a shredder assuring greater freedom in designing a feedstock supplier that supplies sheets, and a sheet manufacturing apparatus. The shredder has a feedstock supplier having a supply opening through which a sheet is supplied; and a shredding device configured to shred the sheet supplied from the feedstock supplier. The shredding device includes a rotary cutter that rotates on a first axis, and a circulating cutter that moves in an endless path and cuts the sheet in conjunction with the rotary cutter. The circulating cutter includes a conveyor configured to convey the sheet from the feedstock supplier to the rotary cutter.