Shredder head having motor driven shredder blades and an associated safety feature and/or a method of shredding material
DCFirst Claim
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1. A method of shredding using a shredder having motor driven shredder blades and an associated safety feature, comprising:
- providing a shredder head housing defining a slot adapted to receive material to be shredded;
providing a plurality of shredder blades disposed within the shredder head housing and adapted to shred the material inserted into the slot;
providing a motor disposed within the shredder head housing and configured to drive the plurality of shredder blades;
providing a controller disposed at least partially within the shredder head housing and adapted to monitor a temperature of the motor;
providing a light indicator mechanism located on the shredder and being under operative control of the controller, wherein the controller causes the light indicator mechanism to generate a first light condition when the motor is operating within normal temperature parameters, the controller causes the light indicator mechanism to generate a second light condition when the motor temperature exceeds normal temperature parameters but is less than a predetermined overheat temperature, the controller causes the light indicator mechanism to generate a third light condition when the motor temperature is equal to or greater than the predetermined overheat condition; and
sensing the motor temperature and generating appropriate signals via the light indicator mechanism to generate a warning when a potential impending overheat temperature is detected to allow a user to modify shredder use to attempt to avoid an overheat situation while continuing to operate the shredder to shred material without the motor being deactivated.
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Abstract
A shredder having a safety feature(s) that reduces potential safety hazards by detecting the temperature of a shredder motor and issuing a warning as an predetermined overheat temperature approaches.
17 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of shredding using a shredder having motor driven shredder blades and an associated safety feature, comprising:
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providing a shredder head housing defining a slot adapted to receive material to be shredded; providing a plurality of shredder blades disposed within the shredder head housing and adapted to shred the material inserted into the slot; providing a motor disposed within the shredder head housing and configured to drive the plurality of shredder blades; providing a controller disposed at least partially within the shredder head housing and adapted to monitor a temperature of the motor; providing a light indicator mechanism located on the shredder and being under operative control of the controller, wherein the controller causes the light indicator mechanism to generate a first light condition when the motor is operating within normal temperature parameters, the controller causes the light indicator mechanism to generate a second light condition when the motor temperature exceeds normal temperature parameters but is less than a predetermined overheat temperature, the controller causes the light indicator mechanism to generate a third light condition when the motor temperature is equal to or greater than the predetermined overheat condition; and sensing the motor temperature and generating appropriate signals via the light indicator mechanism to generate a warning when a potential impending overheat temperature is detected to allow a user to modify shredder use to attempt to avoid an overheat situation while continuing to operate the shredder to shred material without the motor being deactivated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of shredding material, comprising:
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providing a shredder defining at least one slot for receiving material, the shredder comprising a plurality of shredder blades adapted to shred the material inserted into the at least one slot, the plurality of shredder blades being driven by a motor; monitoring the temperature of the motor; providing different light conditions to indicate;
when the temperature of the motor is within normal temperature parameters, when the temperature of the motor is above normal temperature parameters and below a predetermined overheat temperature, and when the temperature of the motor is equal to or greater than the predetermined overheat temperature; andbased on the monitored temperature of the motor, generating appropriate signals via at least one of the different light conditions to generate a warning when a potential impending overheat temperature is detected to allow a user to modify shredder use to attempt to avoid an overheat situation while continuing to operate the shredder to shred material without the motor being deactivated. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of shredding material, comprising:
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providing a shredder defining at least one slot for receiving material, the shredder comprising a plurality of shredder blades adapted to shred the material inserted into the at least one slot, the plurality of shredder blades being driven by a motor; monitoring the temperature of the motor; providing an automatic warning when the temperature of the motor is above normal temperature parameters and below a predetermined overheat temperature to alert a user to a potential impending overheat condition and to allow a user to modify shredder use to attempt to avoid an overheat situation while continuing to operate the shredder to shred material without the motor being deactivated, wherein the step of providing a warning comprises generating different light conditions to indicate;
when the temperature of the motor is within normal temperature parameters, when the temperature of the motor is above normal temperature parameters and below a predetermined overheat temperature, and when the temperature of the motor is equal to or greater than the predetermined overheat temperature; and
reducing power to the motor when the motor temperature exceeds normal temperature parameters but is less than a predetermined overheat temperature to extend an amount of time remaining prior to the temperature of the motor becoming equal to or greater than the predetermined overheat condition. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of shredding material, comprising:
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providing a shredder defining at least one slot for receiving material, the shredder comprising a plurality of shredder blades adapted to shred the material inserted into the at least one slot, the plurality of shredder blades being driven by a motor; monitoring the temperature of the motor; providing an automatic warning when the temperature of the motor is above normal temperature parameters and below a predetermined overheat temperature to alert a user to a potential impending overheat condition and to allow a user to modify shredder use to attempt to avoid an overheat situation while continuing to operate the shredder to shred material without the motor being deactivated, wherein the step of providing a warning comprises providing a display that generate at least one of alphanumeric text and a symbol when the temperature of the motor is above normal temperature parameters and below a predetermined overheat temperature.
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20. A method of shredding material, comprising:
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providing a shredder defining at least one slot for receiving material, the shredder comprising a plurality of shredder blades adapted to shred the material inserted into the at least one slot, the plurality of shredder blades being driven by a motor; monitoring the temperature of the motor; providing an automatic warning when the temperature of the motor is above normal temperature parameters and below a predetermined overheat temperature to alert a user to a potential impending overheat condition and to allow a user to modify shredder use to attempt to avoid an overheat situation while continuing to operate the shredder to shred material without the motor being deactivated, wherein the step of providing a warning comprises generating a light condition to indicate when the temperature of the motor is above normal temperature parameters and below a predetermined overheat temperature.
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21. A method of shredding material, comprising:
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providing a shredder defining at least one slot for receiving material, the shredder comprising a plurality of shredder blades adapted to shred the material inserted into the at least one slot, the plurality of shredder blades being driven by a motor; monitoring the temperature of the motor; providing an automatic warning when the temperature of the motor is above normal temperature parameters and below a predetermined overheat temperature to alert a user to a potential impending overheat condition and to allow a user to modify shredder use to attempt to avoid an overheat situation while continuing to operate the shredder to shred material without the motor being deactivated, wherein the step of providing a warning comprises providing a plurality of lights configured such that as the motor temperature rises toward the predetermined overheat temperature an increasing number of the plurality of lights activate to indicate an approaching overheat condition. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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22. A method of shredding material, comprising:
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providing a shredder defining at least one slot for receiving material, the shredder comprising a plurality of shredder blades adapted to shred the material inserted into the at least one slot, the plurality of shredder blades being driven by a motor; monitoring the temperature of the motor; providing an automatic warning when the temperature of the motor is above normal temperature parameters and below a predetermined overheat temperature to alert a user to a potential impending overheat condition and to allow a user to modify shredder use to attempt to avoid an overheat situation while continuing to operate the shredder to shred material without the motor being deactivated, wherein the step of providing a warning comprises providing a plurality of lights configured such that as the motor temperature rises toward the predetermined overheat temperature the plurality of lights activate and deactivate at an increasing frequency to indicate an approaching overheat condition. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification