Safety brakes for circular saw blades, circular saws that include the safety brakes, and methods of operating circular saws

A safety brake for a circular saw, the safety brake comprising:

• a sensor assembly configured to detect an actuation parameter and to generate a trigger signal responsive to detection of the actuation parameter;
• a brake assembly including:
• (i) a brake cam configured to selectively transition between a disengaged configuration in which the brake cam is spaced apart from a blade-receiving region of the safety brake, wherein the blade-receiving region is configured to receive a circular saw blade, and an engaged configuration in which the brake cam extends into the blade-receiving region and is configured to operatively engage a planar side surface of the circular saw blade and thus to resist rotation of the circular saw blade;
• and
• (ii) a brake pad that includes a pad friction material, wherein the brake pad is positioned, relative to the brake cam, such that the pad friction material faces toward the brake cam;
• and
• an actuator assembly configured to selectively transition the brake cam from the disengaged configuration to the engaged configuration responsive to receipt of the trigger signal from the sensor assembly.