Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the status of a system of battery strings is described. The battery string current is measured by a current sensor urged into contact with a metallic element in which the battery string current is flowing. The time history of the battery string current and voltage is interpreted to determine whether the battery string is discharging, charging or in a fully charged state. A moving average current in the charging state is used to establish a threshold for determining whether a thermal runaway condition exists. The moving average is maintained at the value that existed at a time when the battery string has been disconnected from the system current bus.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the status of a system of battery strings is described. The battery string current is measured by a current sensor urged into contact with a metallic element in which the battery string current is flowing. The time history of the battery string current and voltage is interpreted to determine whether the battery string is discharging, charging or in a fully charged state. A moving average current in the charging state is used to establish a threshold for determining whether a thermal runaway condition exists. The moving average is maintained at the value that existed at a time when the battery string has been disconnected from the system current bus.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the status of a system of battery strings is described. The battery string current is measured by a current sensor urged into contact with a metallic element in which the battery string current is flowing. The time history of the battery string current and voltage is interpreted to determine whether the battery string is discharging, charging or in a fully charged state. A moving average current in the charging state is used to establish a threshold for determining whether a thermal runaway condition exists. The moving average is maintained at the value that existed at a time when the battery string has been disconnected from the system current bus.

Abstract: A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the status of a system of battery strings is described. The battery string current is measured by a current sensor urged into contact with a metallic element in which the battery string current is flowing. The time history of the battery string current and voltage is interpreted to determine whether the battery string is discharging, charging or in a fully charged state. A moving average current in the charging state is used to establish a threshold for determining whether a thermal runaway condition exists. The moving average is maintained at the value that existed at a time when the battery string has been disconnected from the system current bus.

Abstract: An actuator is provided for preventing rotation of a rotary component including a plurality of teeth. The actuator includes a pawl pivotable about a first pivot axis and engageable with the rotary component for preventing rotation of the rotary component in a first rotary direction. The pawl is biased toward an engaged position with the rotary component by a pawl spring. A solenoid includes an electrically activated solenoid and an armature movable from a first position for holding said pawl out of engagement with the rotary component to a second position for allowing the pawl to be engaged with the rotary component. The armature includes an armature stop that is engageable with an electrical contact of an electric circuit for sensing a position of the armature.

Abstract: A connector for use in a cable assembly is described. The connector has a tab or socket having a long tang portion. The tang portion of the connector may be bent with respect to the tab or socket portion and the tang portion captivate between a cable and a cable termination. The cable termination may be a crimpable lug or a clamp having a crimpable portion. When formed into a cable termination assembly and connected where the cable is connected in a current-carrying application, the connector provides a quick disconnect capability for a smaller gauge sensing wire attached to a complementary tab or socket.

Abstract: A shredder having a feed passage configured to receive material to be shredded by the shredder. The shredder also has a thickness detector configured to measure the thickness of the material being fed through the feed passage. The thickness detector includes a contact member movable from a limiting position engaging one wall of the feed passage, away from the wall, against a biasing force acting on the contact member. A sensor is configured to measure varying displacement of the contact member from the limiting position. A controller is configured to zero the thickness detector at times during operation of the shredder when no material is being fed through the feed passage so that the thickness of the material being fed through the feed passage is measured with respect to a zero position of the thickness detector.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the status of a system of battery strings is described. The battery string current is measured by a current sensor urged into contact with a metallic element in which the battery string current is flowing. The time history of the battery string current and voltage is interpreted to determine whether the battery string is discharging, charging or in a fully charged state. A moving average current in the charging state is used to establish a threshold for determining whether a thermal runaway condition exists. The moving average is maintained at the value that existed at a time when the battery string has been disconnected from the system current bus.

Abstract: A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.

Abstract: A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.

Abstract: A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.

Abstract: A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.

Abstract: A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.

Abstract: A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.

Abstract: A shredder having a feed passage configured to receive material to be shredded by the shredder. The shredder also has a thickness detector configured to measure the thickness of the material being fed through the feed passage. The thickness detector includes a contact member movable from a limiting position engaging one wall of the feed passage, away from the wall, against a biasing force acting on the contact member. A sensor is configured to measure varying displacement of the contact member from the limiting position. A controller is configured to zero the thickness detector at times during operation of the shredder when no material is being fed through the feed passage so that the thickness of the material being fed through the feed passage is measured with respect to a zero position of the thickness detector.

Abstract: A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shredder that includes a housing having a movable part that forms at least a part of an opening for the insertion of articles to be fed into the shredder. A detector detects motion of the movable part, and in response, a controller performs a predetermined operation, including, for example, stopping cutting elements of the shredder mechanism.

Abstract: A shredder includes a thickness detector device having a contact portion in a throat of a housing. The contact portion is movable by a thickness between opposing major surfaces of at least one article being received by the throat. The thickness detector device includes a detectable portion movable by the contact portion, and a detector for detecting at least one position of the detectable portion that includes a position when the detectable portion has been moved by the contact portion by an amount that correlates to a predetermined maximum thickness. A controller is coupled to the thickness detector, is operable to prevent a motor from driving cutter elements in a shredding direction responsive to the detector detecting that the detectable portion has been moved by the amount that correlates to the predetermined maximum thickness, and is configured to vary the predetermined maximum thickness based on receiving an input parameter.

Abstract: A shredder is disclosed. The shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder mechanism enables the at least one article to be shredded to be fed into the cutter elements. The motor is operable to drive the cutter elements so that the cutter elements shred the articles fed therein. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is operable to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is at least equal to a predetermined maximum thickness.