Brake Pawls for power equipment

• US 20030140749A1
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SD3, LLC
• Original Assignee: SD3, LLC
• Inventors: Fanning, David A., Gass, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US10/341,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20030140749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 83/62.1
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 13/14 Braking devices specially designed for band sawing machines, e.g. acting after damage of the band saw blade
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 5/38 Devices for braking the circular saw blade or the saw spindle; Devices for damping vibrations of the circular saw blade, e.g. silencing vibration-damping of sawing machines or devices working with circular saw blades B23D47/005
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/12 with means, e.g. feelers, which in case of the presence of a body part of a person in or near the danger zone influence the control or operation of the machine F16P3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/089 Responsive to tool characteristic

Abstract

Brake pawls for use in safety systems for power equipment are disclosed. The brake pawls include an energy-absorbing region. The energy absorbing regions may include a deformable or collapsible region made from apertures in the brake pawl or from collapsible members or from materials of differing hardnesses, strengths, or structures.

Claims

1. A brake pawl for use in a safety system for a power tool, where the power tool includes a moving cutting tool, the brake pawl comprising:

a first region adapted to engage the moving cutting tool; and

an energy-absorbing region adapted to absorb at least some of the energy of the moving cutting tool.

2. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the energy-absorbing region is a collapsible region.

3. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the energy-absorbing region is a deformable region.

4. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the energy-absorbing region comprises holes.

5. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the energy-absorbing region is structurally weaker than the first region.

6. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the brake pawl includes a mounting region adapted to mount the brake pawl on a pivot pin.

7. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the energy-absorbing region comprises an elongate aperture.

8. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the brake pawl includes a mounting region adapted to mount the brake pawl on a pivot pin, and where the energy-absorbing region comprises an aperture adjacent the mounting region.

9. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the brake pawl includes a mounting region adapted to mount the brake pawl in the power tool, and where the energy-absorbing region is between the first region and the mounting region.

10. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the energy-absorbing region is shaped to deform.

11. The brake pawl of claim 10, where the energy absorbing region is shaped like a “

T”

with two ends, and where the where the two ends are adapted to mount in brackets.

12. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the energy-absorbing region is annealed aluminum.

13. The brake pawl of claim 1, where the first region is annealed aluminum.

14. The brake pawl of claim 1, where both the first region and the energy-absorbing region are annealed aluminum.

15. A brake pawl for use in a safety system for a power tool, where the power tool includes a moving cutting tool, the brake pawl comprising:

a first portion adapted to engage the moving cutting tool;

a second portion adapted to mount in the power tool; and

an energy-absorbing portion positioned between the first and second portions.

16. The brake pawl of claim 15, where the energy-absorbing portion is deformable.

17. The brake pawl of claim 15, where the energy-absorbing portion is collapsible.

18. The brake pawl of claim 15, where the energy-absorbing portion is a collapsible member joining the first and second portions, and where the collapsible member is made of a material that is different from the first portion.

19. The brake pawl of claim 15, where the energy-absorbing portion comprises a plurality of collapsible members joining the first and second portions.

20. A brake pawl for use in a safety system for a power tool, where the power tool includes a moving cutting tool, the brake pawl comprising:

a first region adapted to engage the moving cutting tool; and

means for collapsing or deforming to absorb at least some of the energy of the moving cutting tool.