Patent Publication Number: US-2006005680-A1

Title: Miter gauge assembly for table saw

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      The present application derives priority under 35 USC § 119(e) from U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/586,130, filed Jul. 7, 2004. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates generally to a miter gauge assembly for a table saw and more specifically to a miter gauge assembly for a combination table/miter saw.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Typical table saws have a miter gauge assembly to push a workpiece into the blade at a miter angle. Such typical miter gauge assembly is bulky and difficult to store. It is an object of the invention to provide a miter gauge assembly that is easy to store.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with the present invention, an improved miter gauge assembly is employed. The power tool has a base assembly, a table supported by the base assembly, the table having a slot, a saw assembly pivotably supported by the table, the saw assembly including a motor, and a blade driven by the motor, the blade is substantially parallel to the slot, and a miter gauge assembly disposable on the slot, the miter gauge assembly comprising a body, a fence pivotably attached to the body, and a bar pivotably attached to the body, the bar being disposable in the slot.  
      Additional features and benefits of the present invention are described, and will be apparent from, the accompanying drawings and the detailed description below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention according to the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a combination table/miter saw according to the invention, whereas  FIGS. 1A-1B  are side views of the combination table/miter saw in the miter saw and table saw modes, respectively; and  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a miter gauge assembly according to the invention, where  FIG. 2A  is a partial top plan view of the miter gauge assembly, and  FIG. 2B  is a cross-sectional view along lines B-B of  FIG. 2A . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      The invention is now described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals designate like parts. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a combination table/miter saw  100  may include a base assembly  10 , a table assembly  11  supported by base assembly  10 , and a saw assembly  20  supported by the table assembly  11 . Saw assembly  20  may include a trunnion assembly  21  disposed on the table assembly  11 , a pivotable arm  22  pivotably attached to trunnion assembly  21 , a motor  24  supported by the arm  22  and driving a blade  23 . Arm  22  also supports upper blade guard  27 , which covers an upper part of blade  23 . Lower blade guard  25  is pivotally attached to upper blade guard  27 . An auxiliary blade guard  26  may be pivotably connected to lower blade guard  25 .  
      Preferably, table assembly  11  is pivotally attached to base assembly  10  via joint  15  so that, when the table assembly  11  is in the orientation of  FIG. 1A , the saw assembly  20  can act as a miter saw, i.e., saw assembly  20  can be pivoted downwardly towards table assembly  11  to cut a workpiece placed on table assembly  11 .  
      On the other hand, when table assembly  11  is rotated via joint  15  to the orientation of  FIG. 1B , the saw  100  acts as a table saw, i.e., saw assembly  20  will be supported by and disposed underneath the table assembly  11 . In such orientation, blade  23  extends through the table assembly  11 , so that a user can dispose a workpiece on table assembly  11  and push it towards blade  23  for cutting.  
      Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the invention described below can be applicable to non-combined table saws.  
      Preferably, base assembly  10  has at least one wheel  13  thereon.  
      Base assembly  10  may also support four leg assemblies  30 . Preferably leg assemblies  30  are pivotally attached to base assembly  10 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , miter gauge assembly  40  may be disposed on table  11 . Miter gauge assembly  40  preferably includes a body  44 . A fence  41  may be pivotably attached to body  44  via pivot joint  41 P. Preferably, fence  41  has a workpiece supporting surface  41 S which is substantially perpendicular to table  11 .  
      Fence  41  may have an arcuate slot  41 S. Slot  41 S preferably has a center of curvature substantially coincident with pivot  41 P.  
      A knob  42  may have a screw (not shown) extending through slot  41 S, threadingly engaging body  41 , and sandwiching fence  41  therebetween. With such arrangement, the user can change the angular position of fence  41  (and thus of workpiece supporting surface  41 S) relative to body  44  by rotating fence  41 . To fix the angular position of fence  41 , the user need only tighten knob  42 .  
      Persons skilled in the art will recognize it is preferable to provide angle indicia  41 I on fence  41 . Body  44  may carry a pointer  44 P to interact with indicia  41 I to indicate the angular position of fence  41 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that pointer  44 P and indicia  41 I can alternatively be placed on fence  41  and body  44 P, respectively.  
      A bar  43  may be pivotally attached to body  44  via pivot  43 P. Bar  43  is preferably disposable on a slot  11 S that extends along table  11  substantially parallel to blade  23 .  
      An arcuate slot  44 S extends through body  44 . Slot  44 S preferably has a center of curvature substantially coincident with pivot  43 P.  
      A handle  45  has a screw extending through slot  44 S and threadingly engaging bar  43 . Persons skilled in the art will recognize that body  44  is preferable sandwiched between handle  45  and bar  43 .  
      Preferably bar  43  is pivotable between an extended position (shown in solid lines in  FIG. 2A ) and a retracted position (shown in broken lines in  FIG. 2A ). Body  44  preferably has two depressed slot ends  44 SE to enable the user to quickly find the extended and/or retracted position. Preferably, slot ends  44 SE are disposed at the ends of slot  44 S.  
      These slot ends  44 SE are lower than the portion of body  44  along slot  44 S. Accordingly, the handle  45  will move into such depressed area. In order to pivot bar  43 , the user will have to release handle  45  to such an extent that handle  45  can clear the portion of body  44  along slot  44 . Otherwise, handle  45  will not permit rotation of bar  43 .  
      Persons skilled in the art will recognize that such arrangement allows the user to fold bar  43  into body  44 . In particular, if body  44  is substantially rectangular and substantially within an envelope E, which is defined by the largest width and depth of miter gauge assembly  40 , bar  43  will not extend beyond envelope E when in the retracted position. Such compact arrangement facilitates transportation and storage of miter gauge assembly  40 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , body  44  may have a hook  47  attached thereon via a screw  46 . Hook  47  preferably engages a lip  11 L of table  11 . Hook  47  prevents the user from vertically lifting miter gauge assembly  40  when miter gauge assembly  40  is disposed on table  11 .  
      Table  11  may have a lock  48  threadingly engaged to table  11 . Lock  48  may contact bar  43 , pushing it into locking contact with slot  11 S.  
      Because miter gauge assembly  40  may be locked to table  11  in such manner, the user can change the mode of saw  100  without having to remove or separately store miter gauge assembly  40 .  
      Persons skilled in the art may recognize other additions or alternatives to the means disclosed herein. However, all these additions and/or alterations are considered to be equivalents of the present invention.