Table saw with improved safety system

• US 20060123964A1
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SD3, LLC
• Original Assignee: SD3, LLC
• Inventors: Fanning, David A., Gass, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US11/348,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123964A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 83/477.200
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 45/067 the saw blade being adjustable according to depth or angle of cut
• 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: B27G 19/00 Safety guards or devices specially adapted for wood saws; Auxiliary devices facilitating proper operation of wood saws
• CPC Class Codes: B27G 19/02 for circular saws
• 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: F16P 3/148 using capacitive technology
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/089 Responsive to tool characteristic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7726 By movement of the tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/773 Work-support includes passageway for tool [e.g., slotted table]

Abstract

A table saw having a brake mechanism configured to engage and stop a blade is disclosed. The table saw includes a brake positioning system configured to adjust the position of the brake mechanism to maintain the brake mechanism in an operative position relative to the blade as the blade is raised and lowered.

Claims

1. A table saw comprising:

a frame including a table defining a work surface;

a rotatable blade coupled to the frame and extendable up through the work surface;

an adjustment mechanism configured to selectively raise and lower the blade relative to the table;

a brake mechanism configured to engage and decelerate the blade; and

a brake positioning system configured to maintain the brake mechanism in an operative position adjacent the perimeter of the blade as the blade is raised and lowered.

2. The table saw of claim 1 where the brake positioning system is configured to prevent the brake mechanism from raising and lowering relative to the table when the blade is raised and lowered.

3. The table saw of claim 1, where the brake positioning system is configured to move at least a portion of the brake mechanism around the perimeter of the blade when the blade is raised and lowered.

4. The table saw of claim 1, where the brake positioning system includes a rack assembly.

5. The table saw of claim 1, further comprising a detection system configured to detect a dangerous condition between a person and the blade, and where the brake mechanism is configured to engage and decelerate the blade upon detection of the dangerous condition.

6. The table saw of claim 5, where the dangerous condition is contact between a person and the blade.

7. The table saw of claim 5, where the dangerous condition is proximity between a person and the blade.

8. The table saw of claim 1, where the table has a front and a back, where the blade has a front and a back corresponding to the portion of the blade adjacent the front and the back of the table, and where the brake mechanism is adjacent the back of the blade.

9. The table saw of claim 1, where the table saw has a feed direction, and where the brake mechanism is adjacent the downstream perimeter of the blade relative to the feed direction.

10. A table saw comprising:

a frame including a table defining a work surface;

a rotatable blade coupled to the frame and extendable up through the work surface;

an adjustment mechanism configured to selectively raise and lower the blade relative to the table;

a detection system configured to detect a dangerous condition between a person and the blade;

a brake mechanism configured to engage and decelerate the blade upon detection of the dangerous condition; and

brake positioning means for maintaining the brake mechanism in an operative position adjacent the perimeter of the blade as the blade is raised and lowered.