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US 6,755,107 B2Granted
Miter saw having a light beam alignment system
AssigneeOne World Technologies Lmt.
InventorsDavid G. Peot, Philip F. Minalga, George M. Hornick, William C. Buck, William E. Kaiser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A table saw such as a chop saw, a miter saw, compound miter saw or a sliding compound miter saw that is provided with a laser arbor alignment system. An opaque shield or transparent shield having an opaque mask blocks the laser beam from being projected into a range of normal operator eye positions. One or more openings in the shield or opaque mask provide a sight line on a workpiece initially. As the saw is moved into engagement with the workpiece, the shield is pivoted away from the workpiece and a solid laser line is projected on the workpiece.
Claims19
A miter saw comprising:
- a motor having a spindle;
- a saw base;
- an arm connecting the motor to the saw base;
- a blade secured to the spindle and rotated by the motor to cut a workpiece disposed on the saw base;
- an arbor secured to the spindle, the arbor including an arbor base having a first arcuate surface;
- a light source emitting a narrow beam of light, the light source having a housing including a second arcuate surface, mating with the first arcuate surface of the arbor and movably fixable relative thereto about an axis orthogonal to the light beam in order to precisely align the a narrow beam of light relative to the blade for providing a visual indication of the alignment of the blade with the workpiece.
3 more elements
A cutting machine comprising:
- a base assembly having a generally planer support surface for a workpiece to be cut;
- a motor driven cutting assembly connected to the base and movable thereto along a path lying in a cutting plane between a load position and a cut position, the motor driven cutting assembly including a motor having a motor housing and a rotary spindle, a cutting disc attached to the spindle and lying in the cutting plane, a stationary upper guard surrounding a portion of the cutting disc, and a lower guard pivotably movable relative to the upper guard between a closed position in which the cutting disc is substantially covered and a open position in which the cutting disc is exposed sufficiently to cut the work piece;
- and
- a light source mounted to the motor driven cutting assembly and arranged to emit a narrow beam of light adjacent the cutting disc for providing a visual indication of the alignment of the cutting disc with the workpiece;
- wherein the lower guard is provided with a series of spaced apart segments formed in a portion of the guard interposed between the light source and the workpiece to be cut such that when the lower guard is in the closed position, the segments allow light to pass there through to form an interrupted pattern of light on the work piece proximate the region of the cut, the pattern of light on the workpiece becoming solid as the lower guard moves to the open position when the motor driven cutting assembly is moved to the cut position.
2 more elements
A miter saw comprising:
- a base assembly having a generally planer support surface for a workpiece to be cut;
- a motor driven cutting assembly pivotably connected to the base and movable thereto along a path lying in a cutting plane between a load position and a cut position, the motor driven cutting assembly including a motor having a motor housing and a rotary spindle, a circular saw blade attached to the spindle and lying in the cutting plane, a stationary upper guard surrounding a portion of the circular saw blade, and a lower guard pivotably movable relative to the upper guard between a closed position in which the circular saw blade is substantially covered and a open position in which the circular saw blade is exposed sufficiently to cut the workpiece;
- and
- a light source mounted to the motor driven cutting assembly, the light source emitting a narrow beam of light adjacent the circular saw blade for providing a visual indication of the alignment of the circular saw blade with the workpiece;
- wherein the lower guard is provided with a series of spaced apart segments formed in a portion of the lower guard interposed between the light source and the workpiece to be cut when the guard is in the closed position to allow light to pass there through and to form an interrupted pattern of light on the work piece proximate the region of the cut, the pattern of light on the workpiece becoming solid as the lower guard moves to the open position when the motor driven cutting assembly is moved to the cut position.
2 more elements
A movable lower blade guard for use in a miter saw having a light source forming an illuminated alignment line on a workpiece to be cut, the lower blade guard comprising:
- a movable shield sized to surround a segment of a circular saw blade, the shield having an outer peripheral edge spaced from and protecting a portion of the saw blade circumference, the shield rotatably attached to the miter saw for movement between a covered and uncovered position, wherein the shield is provided with a series of spaced apart segments formed in a portion of the outer peripheral edge of the shield interposed between the light source and the workpiece to be cut when the shield is in the closed position to allow light to pass there through and to form an interrupted pattern of light on the work piece proximate the region of the cut, the pattern of light on the workpiece becoming solid as the shield moves to the uncovered position during the cutting of the work piece.
A saw comprising:
- a motor having a spindle;
- a saw base;
- an arm connecting the motor to the saw base;
- a blade secured to the spindle and rotated by the motor to cut a workpiece disposed on the saw base;
- an arbor secured to the spindle;
- a light source attached to the arbor and arranged to be rotated by the motor with the blade, the light source emitting a narrow beam of light adjacent the blade for providing a visual indication of the alignment of the blade with the workpiece;
- and
- a moveable guard that pivots to cover at least a portion of the blade that is not engaging the workpiece, the guard having an opaque portion that blocks the beam of light to prevent the beam of light from being directed toward an operator of the saw and a transparent portion that allows the narrow beam of light to pass through to create a line of light on the workpiece when the moveable guard is disposed between the laser and the workpiece;
- wherein the transparent portion comprises a pattern of transparent areas in the guard to project the emitted light beam on the workpiece as an interrupted pattern of light when the guard is in the closed position.
6 more elements
A saw comprising:
- a motor having a spindle;
- a saw base;
- an arm connecting the motor to the saw base;
- a blade secured to the spindle and rotated by the motor to cut a workpiece disposed on the saw base;
- an arbor secured to the spindle;
- a light source attached to the arbor and arranged to be rotated by the motor with the blade, the light source emitting a narrow beam of light adjacent the blade for providing a visual indication of the alignment of the blade with the workpiece;
- and
- a moveable guard that pivots to cover at least a portion of the blade that is not engaging the workpiece, the guard having an opaque portion that blocks the beam of light to prevent the beam of light from being directed toward an operator of the saw and a transparent portion that allows the narrow beam of light to pass through to create a line of light on the workpiece when the moveable guard is disposed between the laser and the workpiece;
- wherein the transparent portion comprises a plurality of gaps in the opaque portion to project the emitted light beam on the workpiece as an interrupted pattern of light when the guard is in the closed position.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.