Can opener with auto-shutoff and method of operating a can opener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10739797-B2
Application number	US-201715794611-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2017
Priority date	Oct 26, 2017
Publication date	Aug 11, 2020
Grant date	Aug 11, 2020

Abstract

An electric can opener comprises a motor, a controller, and a signal-detecting element monitoring at least one of (i) an audio signal and (ii) a motion-type signal during operation of the can opener. The controller determines a baseline signal value, calculates a threshold signal value and compares the monitored signal value to the calculated threshold value. The controller stops operation of the can opener if the detected signal is outside the threshold from the baseline.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A can opener system comprising:
a motor connected to a drive train;
a can drive wheel, the motor operable to rotate the can drive wheel via the drive train;
a controller; and
an accelerometer providing a signal to the controller, the controller receiving and determining a baseline signal value from the accelerometer and calculating therefrom a threshold signal value as a predetermined amount of the baseline signal value; and
wherein the controller stops operation of the can opener if the signal from the accelerometer is below the threshold signal value.

2. A method of controlling an electric can opener, the method comprising:
initiating a cutting cycle via a user input signal, the cutting cycle comprising activating an electric motor to rotate a can drive wheel via a drive train;
generating a signal value from an accelerometer during the cutting cycle;
monitoring the signal value via a controller;
determining a baseline signal value;
calculating a signal threshold from the detected baseline signal value;
comparing the signal value to the calculated threshold value at repeated intervals; and
stopping operation of the can opener if the monitored value from the accelerometer is below the calculated signal threshold value.

Assignees

• Hamilton Beach Brands Inc

Inventors

• Keegan David
• Mulvaney Patrick T
• Carley Matthew T

Classifications

• B67B7/38 Primary

  Power-operated cutting devices (machines for domestic use with a plurality of interchangeable units A47J43/06, A47J44/00) · CPC title

• G05D19/02 Primary

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• G01P13/00

  Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement (electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00) · CPC title