U.S. patent application number 11/110495 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-02 for method and apparatus for lubricating a shredding device.
Invention is credited to Derek A. Duke.
Application Number | 20060243631 11/110495 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37233397 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060243631 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Duke; Derek A. |
November 2, 2006 |
Method and apparatus for lubricating a shredding device
Abstract
A lubricant carrier is thin and sheet-like and comprises a body
with at least one associated lubricant containing container. In one
embodiment the body is defined by a pair of sheets and a the
container is located between the sheets. The container extends
across a width of the body from side-to-side. In use, the carrier
is fed into a cutting element of a shredding device. The container
is cut, releasing lubricant into direct contact with the cutting
element. The remaining portion of the body when fed through the
cutting element absorbs excess lubricant.
Inventors: |
Duke; Derek A.; (Henderson,
NV) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEIDE & MILLER, LTD.
7251 W. LAKE MEAD BLVD.
SUITE 530
LAS VEGAS
NV
89128
US
|
Family ID: |
37233397 |
Appl. No.: |
11/110495 |
Filed: |
April 20, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/525 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B02C 18/0007 20130101;
B02C 18/16 20130101; B02C 2018/166 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/525 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/00 20060101
B65D085/00 |
Claims
1. A lubricant carrier for use in lubricating the cutting element
of a shredding device comprising: a sheet-like body, said body
having a front face, an opposing rear face and a peripheral edge
defining a first end, an opposing second end and a pair of opposing
sides of said body; and at least one lubricant containing
container, said at least one container connected to said body.
2. The lubricant carrier in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at
least one container comprises a closed wall defining an interior
space in which said lubricant is located, said container located
within said body.
3. The lubricant carrier in accordance with claim 2 wherein said
body comprises a first sheet of material and a second sheet of
material connected to one another, said at least one container
located between said first and second sheets of material.
4. The lubricant carrier in accordance with claim 1 wherein said at
least one container extends across substantially a width of said
body between said sides of said body.
5. The lubricant carrier in accordance with claim 1 wherein a
plurality of containers are located on said front face of said
body.
6. The lubricant carrier in accordance with claim 1 wherein said
body comprises a first paper sheet and a second paper sheet
connected to one another and said at least one container comprises
a single polymer bag defining an interior space in which said
lubricant is located, said container located between said first and
second paper sheets of said body.
7. The lubricant carrier in accordance with claim 6 wherein said
body is elongate between its first and second ends and said
container extends generally transverse across said body from side
to side and said container is located towards one of said ends of
said body.
8. The lubricant carrier in accordance with claim 1 wherein said
container is not more than about 1/4'' in thickness.
9. The lubricant carrier in accordance with claim 1 wherein said
body and container are defined by a readily shreddable
material.
10. A method of lubricating a cutting element of a shredding device
comprising: providing a generally planar lubricant carrier, said
carrier comprising a body having a front face, an opposing rear
face, a top, a bottom and a pair of opposing sides and at least one
lubricant containing carrier mounted to said body; feeding one of
said ends of said lubricant carrier into said cutting element of
said shredding device; causing said cutting element to cut said at
least one lubricant containing carrier, releasing lubricant into
contact with said carrier; and feeding a remaining portion of said
at least one lubricant carrier into said cutting element to absorb
excess lubricant.
11. The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said at least
one container comprises a thin-walled polymer bag.
12. The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said at least
one container extends across a width of said body between said
sides thereof.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to shredding devices and, more
particularly, methods of lubricating the cutting element of such a
device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Paper shredders have long been used in business and
government offices to shred documents to maintain the security of
information. These shredders are often large industrial type
shredders capable of shredding thousands of pages of documents per
hour.
[0003] In recent years, identity theft has become a significant
problem, and small shredders have been developed and become popular
for personal use. These shredders are generally portable and
relatively inexpensive.
[0004] Regardless of their application, paper shredders are
generally of two types: strip cut and cross-cut. Both types of
shredders employ a cutting element. Paper or other material is fed
into the cutting element. Strip cut shredders cut the paper into
long, thin strips, such as 1/4'' or 1/8'' wide strips. Cross-cut
shredders cut the paper in multiple directions, such as into 1/8''
by 11/8'' pieces. After being shredded, material is generally
delivered to a waste basket.
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a portable shredding device in accordance
with the prior art. As illustrated, the device includes a lid
portion L and a basket portion B. A cutting element C is mounted to
the lid L. The cutting element C includes a cutting head which is
aligned with a slot S in the lid L. Paper P is directed through the
slot S into the cutting head. Paper strips or pieces are then
delivered into the basket B for disposal. Generally, the cutting
element C of this type of shredding device is electrically powered,
with a motor moving blades of the cutting head.
[0006] In order to prolong the life of the cutting head, the
cutting element must remain well-lubricated. Commonly used
personal-type strip shredders having a 1/4'' strip cut width may
need to be lubricated weekly when used 1-2 hours per week. Office
type cross-cut shredders may need to be lubricated every 0.5 hours
of use.
[0007] In order to lubricate the shredder, a lubricating oil must
be applied to the cutting element. This involves directing
lubricant through the slot S onto the cutting head. Unfortunately,
this is an undesirable task and one which is often avoided or
forgotten. Most individuals find it an unpleasant task to have to
take the time to find a bottle of lubricant and manually lubricate
their shredder by carefully directing the correct amount of
lubricant through the paper slot to the cutting head. As a result,
shredders are often inadequately lubricated, leading to their
accelerated wear and breakdown.
[0008] Automatic oilers have been developed to simplify the task of
lubricating shredders. These oilers are connected to a shredder and
provide lubricant directly to the cutting head of the shredder at
particular rates and/or times. For example, one such automatic
oiler is the Dahle SAO-120 Automatic Oiling System (available from
Dahle North America, Inc., 375 Jaffrey Road, Peterborough N.H.
03458). Unfortunately, these and similar systems are relatively
expensive, often costing hundreds of dollars, thus being as or more
expensive than the actual shredder itself. In addition, these
oilers themselves require maintenance, including filling with oil,
to ensure proper operation. Thus, these systems are not
particularly cost-effective for home use and not commonly used with
personal shredders, thus not solving the lubrication problem for
the average individual or office shredder user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The invention is a method and apparatus for lubricating the
cutting element of a shredding device.
[0010] In one embodiment, the invention is a lubricant carrier. The
carrier is preferably thin and sheet-like and comprises a body and
at least one associated lubricant containing container.
[0011] The body has a front face and an opposing rear face. In one
embodiment, the body is generally rectangular in shape, having a
first end, an opposing rear end and a pair of opposing sides.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the body comprises a pair of thin
first and second sheets which are connected to one another. The one
or more lubricant containing containers are located between the
first and second sheets of material comprising the body.
[0013] In one embodiment, the container is a thin-walled polymer
bag. A single elongate container is associated with the body,
extending generally from side-to-side of the body. In one
embodiment, the container is located nearer one end of the body
than the other.
[0014] In other embodiments of the invention, a plurality of
containers are associated with the body. A plurality of
micro-containers may be associated with one of the faces of the
body.
[0015] In accordance with a method of the invention, the carrier is
fed into the cutting element of the shredding device. The blades or
other elements of the cutting device cut or shred the body of the
carrier. When the one or more lubricant containing containers reach
the cutting element, the container(s) is cut open, releasing
lubricant into direct contact with the cutting element. The
remainder of the body of the carrier is then fed through the
cutting element to absorb excess lubricant.
[0016] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the entire
width of the cutting element of a shredding device is lubricated by
shredding of the lubricant carrier of the invention, greatly
simplifying the task of lubricating the shredder.
[0017] Further objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention over the prior art will become apparent from the detailed
description of the drawings which follows, when considered with the
attached figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a shredding device in accordance with the
prior art;
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates a lubricant carrier in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention;
[0020] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of
the carrier illustrated in FIG. 2 taken along line 3-3 thereof;
[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates a lubricant carrier in accordance with
another embodiment of the invention;
[0022] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the carrier
illustrated in FIG. 5; and
[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates a lubricant carrier in accordance with
yet another embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] The invention is a method and apparatus for lubricating a
cutting element of a shredding device. In the following
description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to
provide a more thorough description of the present invention. It
will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the
present invention may be practiced without these specific details.
In other instances, well-known features have not been described in
detail so as not to obscure the invention.
[0025] In general, the invention is a lubricant carrier. The
carrier comprises a body which contains lubricant or supports one
or more lubricant bearing containers. In a method of use, the
carrier is fed into the cutting element of the shredding device.
The blades or other cutting elements of the cutting head release
the lubricant from the carrier, lubricating the cutting
element/head.
[0026] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the
invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a lubricant carrier 20. The carrier
20 is preferably relatively thin and sheet-like, thus designed to
be fed through the cutting element of a shredding device.
[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the carrier 20 comprises a body
22. The body 22 has a front face or surface 24, a rear face or
surface 26, and a peripheral edge 28. The body 22 is preferably
relative thin, at least sufficiently thin to pass through a slot
and associated cutting head of a shredding device. In one
embodiment, the body 22 may have a maximum thickness of about
1/8''-1/2'', though the thickness may be greater or lesser
depending upon a number of factors including the material from
which the body 22 is constructed and the capacity of the cutting
element.
[0028] As illustrated, the body 22 has a first end 30 and an
opposing second end 32, and a pair of opposing sides or edges
34,36. In this embodiment, the body 30 is generally rectangular in
shape, though the body 30 may have other shapes, including square
and even irregular.
[0029] The lubricant carrier 20 also includes lubricant. The
lubricant is associated with the body 22. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate
a preferred embodiment where lubricant is located in a container 38
which is carried by the body 22.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the container 38
comprises a wall 40 which defines a closed interior space for
containing lubricant L. The wall 40 is preferably generally
impermeable to the lubricant L, thus completely containing the
lubricant except in the event the wall 40 is breached. Preferably,
the wall 40 thus prevents leakage and evaporation of the lubricant,
ensuring the carrier may be stored for long periods of time. At the
same time, however, the wall 40 is constructed of a material which
is readily cut by the blades or other elements of the cutting head
of a shredding device. In one embodiment, the wall 40 comprises a
polymer material, such as a thin plastic material, and may thus
comprises a bag element.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment, the
container 38 is relatively long, narrow and thin in shape,
including when filled with lubricant L. Preferably, the thickness
of the container 38 (when filled) along with the body 22,
contribute to a thin overall carrier 20 design, as described
above.
[0032] The container 38 may be constructed in a variety of manners.
Regardless of how constructed, lubricant L is preferably sealed
into the container 38. The lubricant L is preferably a shredder oil
as is well known to those in the art.
[0033] The container 38 is associated with the body 22. In a
preferred embodiment, the container 38 is mounted to the body 22.
Referring to FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the body 22 is constructed
of a first layer or sheet 42 and a second layer or sheet 44 of one
or more materials, which sheets 42,44 are joined together at one or
more locations.
[0034] The container 38 is preferably located between these layers
42,44 of material. The layers 42,44 might comprise, for example,
thin paper or plastic sheets. The container 38 may be mounted to
the body 22 directly by adhesive or other means, or may simply be
"trapped" within a space defined by the layers 42,44 of the body
22, with movement of the container 38 prevented by connection of
the layers 42,44 in the area surrounding the container 38.
[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the body 22 has width from side
to side 34,36 which is approximately equal to the width of the
cutting head of a shredding device. In one embodiment, the body 22
has a width of about 9 inches for acceptance by most shredding
devices. Preferably, the container 38 is approximately the same
width as the body 22, for reasons described in more detail below.
Thus, in one embodiment, the container 38 extends from the first
side 34 to the second side 36 of the body 22, generally
transversely across the body.
[0036] The container 38 is located between the first and second
ends 30,32 of the body 22. In one embodiment, the body 22 is
relatively long from its first end 30 to its second end 32, such as
by being 10-20 inches in length. The container 38 is preferably
located near the first end 30 or up to approximately midway between
the first end 30 and second end 32, for reasons also described in
more detail below.
[0037] One embodiment of the invention is a method of lubricating a
shredding device. A preferred embodiment of the method comprises
use of the lubricant carrier 20 of the preferred embodiment of the
invention.
[0038] In accordance with the method, a user feeds the lubricant
carrier 20 to the cutting head of the shredding device. In the case
of a shredding device configured as illustrated in FIG. 1, the user
feeds the lubricant carrier 20 through the slot S into the cutting
element C.
[0039] In this method, a user grasps the body 22 of the lubricant
carrier 20, such as at the second end 32 thereof. The user aligns
the first end 30 with the slot S and cutting element and feeds the
lubricant carrier 20 into the cutting element C. As the lubricant
carrier 20 is fed into the cutting element, the body 22 of the
carrier 20 is shredded.
[0040] The lubricant carrier 20 is moved into the cutting element
until the container 38 encounters the blades or other cutting
elements of the cutting head. At this time, the blades or other
cutting elements sever or breach the container 38. This releases
the lubricant L in direct contact with the blades or other cutting
elements. The lubricant carrier 20 continues to be shredded by the
shredding device and is deposited in the basket B.
[0041] Several important aspects of the invention will now be
appreciated. First, the carrier 20 delivers lubricant L directly to
the cutting element of the shredding device, and in particular the
blades of the cutting head thereof. In the preferred embodiment,
the container 38 is wide, and preferably approximately as wide as
the cutting head. In this manner, the entire width of the cutting
head of the shredding device is lubricated at the same time as the
blades or other elements breach the container 20 at approximately
the same time along the length thereof.
[0042] Further, in the preferred embodiment, the container 38 is
located some distance from the second end 32 of the body 22. Thus,
after the lubricant L is released to the cutting head, a section of
the body 22 passes through the cutting head to remove excess
lubricant therefrom. In the preferred embodiment, at least the
portion of the body 22 which is distal to the container 38 is
paper, as paper is more effective at absorbing excess lubricant
than plastic sheeting or similar materials.
[0043] A variety of alternate embodiments of the invention and
other features of the invention will now be appreciated.
[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the container 38 is located
within one or more portions of the body 22. In other embodiments,
however, the container 38 may be otherwise connected or mounted to
the body 22. For example, the container 38 might be connected to
one of the faces 24,26 of the body 22, such as with an adhesive or
other bonding material.
[0045] In one embodiment, the container 38 may be integrally formed
with the body 22. For example, the body 22 may comprise a pair of
plastic sheets which define a specifically located hollow interior
area for containing lubricant. In another embodiment, the container
38 may be associated with a thin sheet which is connected to a
paper backing comprising the body 22.
[0046] As indicated, it is preferred that the container 38 be of
sufficient width to lubricant substantially the entire width of the
cutting head of the shredding device. In a preferred embodiment,
the carrier includes a single container. In other embodiments, more
than one container 38 may be utilized to deliver the lubricant L to
the cutting head.
[0047] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate another embodiment of the
invention. As illustrated, in this embodiment a lubricant carrier
120 comprises a body 122 and a plurality of lubricant containing
containers 138. In this embodiment, the container 138 comprise
micro-capsules which are mounted to the body 122, such as by being
attached to a front surface of the body. Each micro-capsule
contains a small amount of lubricant. Sufficient lubricant is
delivered to the cutting element of the shredding device by
utilizing a large number of containers 138 located about the body
122. Once again, each capsule preferably encloses or surrounds a
volume of lubricant, thus protecting the lubricant from release
until the capsule is breached by the cutting element of the
shredding device.
[0048] It will now be appreciated that the size of the one or more
containers may depend upon the total volume of lubricant to be
delivered to the cutting element. In the preferred embodiment, the
carrier is generally thin so as to be fed through the cutting head
with little resistance and without damaging the cutting head of the
shredding device. In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2, the
amount of lubricant which is delivered to any particular portion of
the cutting head is thus best altered by changing the "height" H of
the container.
[0049] In one embodiment, instead of a single container as
illustrated in FIG. 2, a plurality of narrow, generally tubular
containers 238 may be located in succession along the length of at
least a portion of the body 222, as best illustrated in FIG. 6.
Again, it will now be recognized that the configuration of the
lubricant carrier may be varied and is selected to ensure that the
desired amount of lubricant is delivered to the cutting element of
the shredding device.
[0050] In the preferred embodiment, as detailed above, the carrier
includes an absorbing portion which is configured to pass through
the cutting element and absorb excess lubricant once the lubricant
has been delivered to the cutting element. The length of the body
and its material construction may be varied in order to accomplish
this purpose. For example, in one embodiment a first end of the
body may comprise a plastic sheet-type material which defines a
container for the lubricant, and a second portion of the body may
comprise an absorbing material such as a woven cotton material.
[0051] As indicated, in a preferred embodiment the lubricant
carrier is generally thin and sheet-like. As such, the carriers may
be stacked and sold in boxes.
[0052] In another embodiment, the lubricant carrier may be formed
in a continuous roll of interlocking or linked segments. In this
configuration, the lubricant carrier may be stored in roll format
and fed into the shredding device at particular intervals. In one
embodiment, containers of lubricating oil are associated with the
elongate carrier body at various intervals. The portions of the
body between the containers may be utilized as the excess oil
absorbing sections of the carrier. In one embodiment, for example,
containers may be associated with a body arranged into a continuous
roll. In other embodiments, individual carrier sheets or sections
may be linked, such as in computer-paper format, still permitting
the sheets to be stacked, but allowing them to be continuously fed
to the shredding device.
[0053] The lubricant carrier of the invention significantly
simplifies the task of lubricating the cutting element of a
shredding device. In particular, a user of the shredding device
need only periodically feed a lubricant carrier through the
shredding device. This simple act ensures complete lubrication of
the entire width of the cutting head and absorbs excess lubricant,
reducing what may be a four or five step process to a single
step.
[0054] In use, the lubricant carriers may simply be located in a
box near the shredding device for ease of access. Because the
carriers completely contain the lubricant for release until
shredding, there is no risk of spilling lubricant or the like,
which may occur when using a bottle of lubricant in order to
manually lubricate a shredding device.
[0055] It will be understood that the above described arrangements
of apparatus and the method there from are merely illustrative of
applications of the principles of this invention and many other
embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
* * * * *