Patent Application
20130037637
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to paper shredders and in particular, to power-saving paper shredders.
2. Background of the Art
Increasingly, energy-saving configurations of modern electric and electronic devices are becoming more desirable. Typically, an electric device is equipped with an ON/OFF switch corresponding to POWER ON/POWEROFF states respectively. In the POWER ON state, in an operational mode, the main functional parts of a machine become operable during a task. This typically operates the machine with near-maximal power consumption. After the task is complete, the machine shifts to a POWER ON-STANDBY (STANDBY) state, during which at least a portion of the electric circuitry of the machine remains energized, awaiting a cue to resume the operational mode state. Oftentimes, machines remain in the POWER ON/STANDBY state often for many hours per week as a convenience to the user. This convenience bears the cost of a constant, if lower level, of energy consumption. Masses of these products, in the aggregate, wastefully consume substantial amounts of energy, creating a background level of non-purposeful energy consumption. Paper shredders typically have ON/OFF/STANDBY states and remain at least partially energized while in STANDBY state. A powerless standby mode is useful.
Embodiments provide apparatus and method for a power-saving shredder that comminutes shreddant, including motorized shredder blades to comminute shreddant when activated; a motor controller coupled to the motorized shredder blades; a shredder controller coupled to the motor controller; a timer coupled to the motor controller, wherein the timer is activated over a predetermined active period; and a mechanically-actuated switch (GREEN SWITCH) coupled to the shredder controller.
The GREEN SWITCH while actuated causes the shredder controller, the motor controller, the motorized shredder blades, and the timer to be activated. The GREEN SWITCH causes the motorized shredder blades to become deactivated when deactuated. The GREEN SWITCH is a Normally Off switch. The timer causes power to be removed from the shredder controller, the motor controller, and the motorized shredder blades upon expiration of the predetermined active period.
Certain embodiments have a predetermined active period being less than about one hour. In other embodiments, the predetermined active period is less than about five minutes. In yet other embodiments, wherein the mechanically-actuated switch comprises a single pole, single throw switch. In still other embodiments, the mechanically-actuated switch is a mechanically-actuated switch trip switch and, in some cases, the mechanically-actuated switch is a single pole, single throw, trip switch and wherein the predetermined active period comprises less than about one hour. In some embodiments, the mechanically-actuated switch is disposed in a paper feed inlet opening throat.
In still another embodiment, a shredder for comminuting shreddant, includes motorized shredder blades to comminute shreddant when activated; a motor controller coupled to the motorized shredder blades; a shredder controller coupled to the motor controller, including a timer coupled therein, wherein the timer is activated over a predetermined active period; a power enable/disable (PED) switch to provide electric power to the motorized shredder blades, the motor controller, and the shredder controller with a timer when in the power enabled state; and a mechanically-actuated switch (GREEN SWITCH) coupled to the shredder controller.
The GREEN SWITCH while actuated causes the shredder controller, the motor controller, the motorized shredder blades, and the timer to be activated. The GREEN SWITCH causes the motorized shredder blades to become deactivated when deactuated. The GREEN SWITCH is a Normally Off switch. Typically, the timer causes power to be removed from the shredder controller, the motor controller, and the motorized shredder blades upon expiration of the predetermined active period.
In embodiments, the shredder with the mechanically-actuated switch includes a single pole, single throw, trip switch and the predetermined active period comprises less than about one hour. In other embodiments, the mechanically-actuated switch comprises a single pole, single throw switch and the predetermined active period comprises about five minutes.
An example method of operating a paper shredder is provided, including operating a mechanical actuation switch ON; applying power to paper shredder electrical and electronic elements by operating the mechanical actuation switch; setting a timer for a predetermined active period; operating motorized paper shredder blades by operating the mechanical actuation switch ON; operating the mechanical actuation switch OFF; counting by the timer the predetermined active period; and if the predetermined active period has expired, removing power from the paper shredder electrical and electronic elements. In some of these embodiments, operating a mechanical actuation switch ON further comprises operating a mechanical actuation switch ON in the paper shredder feed inlet throat. In other embodiments, before operating the mechanical actuation switch ON, enabling power to the paper shredder using a power enable/disable switch. The method also can include after the operating the mechanical actuation switch ON, sensing a shreddant in the paper feed inlet. In particular matters, electro-optically sensing a shreddant in the paper feed inlet may be performed.
Described herein are example embodiments of a paper shredder having a depowered standby state.
Embodiment of the present invention disclosed herein are illustrated by way of example, and are not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:
Skilled artisans can appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.
Embodiments disclosed herein disclose a paper shredder that has ON/OFF/STANDBY states and a POWERLESS STANDBY (GREEN) state as well. When powered ON, the shredder can enter a POWERED STANDBY state for a predetermined active period, prepared for imminent shredder functioning. After a predetermined period without operation, the shredder is directed to the GREEN state, upon expiration of the active period. In the GREEN state, all power to shredder motor and control electronics is removed and the shredded is powered down. However, the shredder can be made to operate (i.e., “be awakened”), simply by placing shreddant in the paper feed inlet and actuating the mechanical actuation switch. Thus, no power is required in the depowered standby state.
A mechanically-actuated trip switch (GREEN SWITCH) may be used as a mechanical wake-up switch to power up the shredder, and to allow POWER ON functioning for a limited, predetermined active period. The GREEN SWITCH may be a single pole, single throw, normally open (OFF) switch, including one of a trip switch, a micro-switch, or any type of mechanical switch sensitive enough to detect the presence of a shreddant. For convenient use, the GREEN SWITCH may be disposed at the feed inlet opening or in the throat of the shredder to prevent accidental actuation. In contrast to an electro-optical switch, the GREEN SWITCH of the present embodiments consumes no power itself, and does not require sentinel or monitor electronics to be powered up to sense paper feed and to power the shredder circuitry. An electro-optical switch may be used to sense the presence of shreddant in the shredder feed throat during the active period but it, too, can be powered down after the active period has expired. The GREEN SWITCH then can be used to restore power for shredding when shreddant is present at the (normally open) GREEN SWITCH. Alternatively, the GREEN SWITCH may be used in place of the electro-optical switch, or other shredder operation sensor, so that the shredder has few parts, less complexity, and greater economy.
Instead, application of power to shredder 100 can be initiated by actuation of the GREEN SWITCH 150 located in throat 110, and can be deactivated upon expiration of the predetermined active period as sensed by timer 145. Shredder blades 120 can be activated during mechanical operation (e.g., deflection) of GREEN SWITCH 150. After GREEN SWITCH 150 returns to its base state (e.g., undeflected), shredder 100 may enter a powered STANDBY state for the duration of the predetermined active period. Timer 145 is configured to signal shredder controller 140 to remove power from shredder 100, including motorized shredder blades 120, motor controller 130, and shredder controller 140. Of course, neither shredder 100 nor shredder 200 is required to have discrete controllers 130, 140, or 230, 240, respectively, but one or both may have an integrated controller. Even so, controller 140 is operatively coupled to controller 130 and through controller 130, to motorized shredder blades 120.
Turning to
Once power is turned off to controllers 230, 240, power can be restored to controllers 230, 240 and motor 220 after operation of GREEN SWITCH 250. Such a configuration can reduce the amount of standby power used by shredder 200 during long period of non-use. By contrast, existing shredders would remain at least partly powered up, for example, at least part of the shredder controller of an existing shredder would consume energy, for hours or longer, until the shredder power switch was turned off. PED switch 270 allows or prevents power to flow to the controllers 230, 240 and motors 220. However, no power is provided to these elements until activated by the GREEN SWITCH 250 or during a predetermined active period.
Turning to
If no shreddant is introduced while the shredder is powered up and during the predetermined active period, powering off (S440) all electrical (e.g., motorized shredder blades) and electronic (e.g., controllers), for example, by a timer limit signal, reduces power consumption of the shredder to zero. However, an act of inserting shreddant (S450) is a command by the user via the GREEN SWITCH to resuming shredder operation (S455), in which case, the shredder begins operating by powering on (S410) the electrical and electronic components as before. Otherwise, the shredder electricity remains off.
The embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein are intended to be illustrative only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and adaptations of the prevent invention as well as alternative embodiments of the prevent invention may be contemplated or foreseeable. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
