Shredder with interactive interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9486807-B2
Application number	US-201313835775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

A shredder includes a cutting mechanism operable to shred material fed thereto. A controller is coupled to the cutting mechanism to control the on/off state and the direction of rotation of the cutting mechanism. An interactive user interface is coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to detect a jammed condition within the shredder and communicate a series of instructions to the interactive user interface to instruct the user how to clear the jam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shredder comprising:
a cutting mechanism operable to shred material fed thereto;
a controller coupled to the cutting mechanism to control the on/off state and the direction of rotation of the cutting mechanism; and
an interactive user interface coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to detect a jammed condition within the shredder and communicate a series of instructions to the interactive user interface to instruct the user how to clear the jam,
wherein the controller is operable to provide an instruction via the interactive user interface to operate a reverse direction control,
wherein the controller is operable to run the cutting mechanism in reverse for a predetermined period of time following user actuation of the reverse direction control, and
wherein the controller is operable to provide an instruction via the interactive user interface, after the predetermined time period has expired, to operate a forward direction control.

2. The shredder of claim 1 , wherein, upon user actuation of the forward direction control, the controller is configured to operate the cutting mechanism in the forward direction until the material is fully passed through the cutting mechanism or another jam is detected.

3. The shredder of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to prompt a predetermined number of user-actuated directional operations of the cutting mechanism, and if the jam is not cleared, to indicate to the user that the jam must be manually cleared.

4. The shredder of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide continuous illumination of lighting associated with the reverse direction control during the predetermined period of time, and to flash lighting associated with the forward direction control upon expiry of the predetermined period of time.

5. The shredder of claim 1 , wherein the reverse and forward direction controls are provided by individual push-buttons.

6. The shredder of claim 1 , wherein the reverse and forward direction controls are provided by a common multi-position actuator.

7. The shredder of claim 1 , wherein the controller illuminates a jam icon and lighting associated with the reverse direction control to instruct the user to operate the reverse direction control.

8. The shredder of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to flash both the jam icon and lighting associated with the reverse direction control to instruct the user to operate the reverse direction control.

9. The shredder of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to flash both the jam icon and lighting associated with the forward direction control to instruct the user to operate the forward direction control.

10. The shredder of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the jammed condition by identifying a load on the cutting mechanism in excess of a threshold.

11. The shredder of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the jammed condition by concurrently identifying material presence and a load on the cutting mechanism below a threshold.

12. A method of controlling a shredder including a cutting mechanism, the method comprising:
identifiying a jammed condition within the shredder; and
communicating a series of interactive instructions to a user via a user interface of the shredder to instruct the user how to perform a jam clearing procedure, wherein communicating the series of interactive instructions includes
instructing the user via the user interface to operate a reverse direction control, and
instructing the user via the user interface to operate a forward direction control,
wherein the instruction to operate the forward direction control is communicated in response to the cutting mechanism operating in reverse for a predetermined period of time following user actuation of the reverse direction control.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, upon user actuation of the forward direction control, operating the cutting mechanism in the forward direction until the material is fully passed through the cutting mechanism or another jam is detected.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising prompting a predetermined number of user-actuated directional operations of the cutting mechanism, and if the jam is not cleared, indicating to the user that the jam must be manually cleared.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing continuous illumination of lighting associated with the reverse direction control during the predetermined period of time, and flashing lighting associated with the forward direction control upon expiry of the predetermined period of time.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising illuminating a jam icon and lighting associated with the reverse direction control to instruct the user to operate the reverse direction control.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising flashing both the jam icon and lighting associated with the reverse direction control to instruct the user to operate the reverse direction control.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising flashing both the jam icon and lighting associated with the forward direction control to instruct the user to operate the forward direction control.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the jammed condition is identified by identifying a load on the cutting mechanism in excess of a threshold.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the jammed condition is identified by concurrently identifying material presence and a load on the cutting mechanism below a threshold.

Assignees

• Acco Brands Corp

Inventors

• Barthel Michael R
• Schantz Brad L

Classifications

• B02C18/0007 Primary

  specially adapted for disintegrating documents · CPC title

• B02C2018/168

  User safety devices or measures in shredders · CPC title

• B02C2018/164

  Prevention of jamming and/or overload · CPC title

• B02C25/00 Primary

  Control arrangements specially adapted for crushing or disintegrating · CPC title

• B02C18/00

  Disintegrating by knives or other cutting or tearing members which chop material into fragments {(tree stump comminutors A01G23/067)} · CPC title