Shield assembly for power tool

A guard collar for a power tool, comprising:

• a base portion configured to be mounted around a neck of a gear case of the power tool;
• and
• a guard-attachment portion including a circumferential engagement interface extending along a circumferential span between circumferentially spaced ends of the guard-attachment portion, the circumferential engagement interface defining a recess that opens in a radial direction and including at least one keying feature positioned at a selected circumferential location along the span,
• wherein the recess and the at least one keying feature are cooperatively configured such that a guard member having a complementary keying feature is seatable in the recess when the complementary keying feature aligns with the at least one keying feature of the guard collar, and a guard member having a non-complementary keying feature that does not align with the at least one keying feature is inhibited from fully seating in the recess.

A shield assembly for a power tool, comprising:

• a guard collar including a base portion configured to be mounted around a neck of a gear case of the power tool, and a guard-attachment portion including a circumferential engagement interface extending along a circumferential span between circumferentially spaced ends of the guard-attachment portion, the circumferential engagement interface defining a recess that opens in a radial direction and including at least one first keying feature positioned at a selected circumferential location along the span;
• and
• a first guard member including a body portion configured to at least partially surround a working member of the power tool and a circumferential engagement portion disposed along an inner perimeter of the body portion, the circumferential engagement portion including at least one second keying feature complementary to the first keying feature of the guard collar;
• wherein the recess of the guard collar and the circumferential engagement portion of the first guard member are cooperatively configured such that the first guard member is seatable in the recess in the radial direction along the circumferential span when the second keying feature aligns with the first keying feature of the guard collar, and a second guard member having a non-complementary keying feature that does not align with the first keying feature is inhibited from fully seating in the recess.

A method of installing a guard member on a guard collar of a power tool, the method comprising:

• providing a guard collar including a base portion mounted around a neck of a gear case of the power tool and a guard-attachment portion including a circumferential engagement interface defining a recess that opens in a radial direction and includes at least one first keying feature positioned at a selected circumferential location along a circumferential span;
• providing a guard member including a body portion configured to at least partially surround a working member of the power tool and a circumferential engagement portion disposed along an inner perimeter of the body portion, the circumferential engagement portion including at least one second keying feature complementary to the first keying feature of the guard collar;
• and
• aligning the first keying feature of the guard collar with the second keying feature of the guard member and seating the circumferential engagement portion of the guard member in the recess of the guard collar in the radial direction along the circumferential span to attach the guard member to the guard collar.