Safety detection and protection system for power tools

• Main Authors: PIERGA WOJCIECH T, SIWEK THOMAS R, SHISHEGAR AHMAD R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.11.2004
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ACCESSORY MACHINES OR APPARATUS; BLASTING; BROACHING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FILING; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; LIGHTING; LIKE OPERATIONS FOR WORKING METAL BY REMOVING MATERIAL, NOTOTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MACHINE TOOLS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PLANING; SAFETY DEVICES IN GENERAL; SAFETY DEVICES, e.g. THOSE FOR SAWS; SAWING; SCRAPING; SHEARING; SLOTTING; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS; WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL

A detection system for detecting a dangerous condition for an operator using a power tool of the type which has an exposed blade relative to a work surface and a protection system for minimizing, if not eliminating the possibility of a user being injured by contacting the blade. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a proximity detection system is capable of detecting the presence of a user near the blade of a table saw and a protection system that can either retract the blade below the work surface of the table saw or terminate the drive torque to the blade which can result in rapid stopping of the saw blade by a work piece that is being cut.