US 7,574,950 B2
Bevel adjustment assembly for a saw
Jason D. Hetcher, Waukesha, Wis. (US); Mark D. Willer, Brookfield, Wis. (US); Dennis J. Cerney, Mukwonago, Wis. (US); William A. Elger, West Bend, Wis. (US); Harold L. Papenfuss, Menomonee Falls, Wis. (US); Daryl S. Richards, Sussex, Wis. (US); David R. Bauer, Delafield, Wis. (US); Edward T. Gisske, Mt. Horeb, Wis. (US); Edward A. Raleigh, Lodi, Wis. (US); Michael E. Weber, Hartland, Wis. (US); Eric Fernandes, Franklin, Wis. (US); David Hlavac, Germantown, Wis. (US); Troy C. Thorson, Waukesha, Wis. (US); and Michael L. Welliver, Milwaukee, Wis. (US)
Assigned to Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, Brookfield, Wis. (US)
Filed on Apr. 15, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/107,314.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/562592, filed on Apr. 15, 2004.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/608851, filed on Sep. 10, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2005/0262983 A1, Dec. 01, 2005
Int. Cl. B23D 45/04 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 83—473  [83/490; 83/522.18] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power tool comprising:
a housing including a base and a table pivotably coupled to the base;
a drive unit supported by the housing for pivoting movement about an axis, the drive unit being operable to drive a tool element to work on a work piece;
a locking assembly operable to lock the drive unit in an angular position relative to the housing, the locking assembly including
a brake surface defined by one of the housing and the drive unit,
a brake member supported by the other of the housing and the drive unit, the brake member being movable relative to the brake surface between a braking position, in which the brake member applies a friction force to the brake surface to lock the drive unit in an angular position relative to the housing, and a release position, in which the drive unit is movable relative to the housing,
a biasing member operable to bias the brake member to the braking position,
an actuator assembly operable to cause movement of the brake member at least from the braking position to the release position;
a detent assembly operable to position the drive unit relative to the housing in a selected angular position, the detent assembly including
a detent projection supported on one of the housing and the drive unit, and
a detent recess defined by the other of the housing and the drive unit, the projection being engageable in the recess to position the drive unit relative to the housing in the selected angular position, wherein the detent assembly has a detent engaged condition, in which the projection engages the recess, and a disengaged condition, in which the detent does not engage the recess, and wherein the locking assembly is operable when the detent assembly is in the engaged position and in the disengaged position;
a detent condition sensor operable to sense whether the detent assembly is in the engaged condition or in the disengaged condition;
a position sensor operable to sense an angular position of the drive unit relative to the housing;
a display operable to display the angular position to an operator; and
a controller communicating between the position sensor and the display, the controller receiving from the position sensor position information corresponding to an angular position of the table relative to the base, the controller transmitting a signal to the display to cause the display to indicate to the user display information corresponding to the position information, and wherein the controller receives from the detent condition sensor detent condition information corresponding to the condition of the detent assembly, the controller being operable to calibrate the signal transmitted to the display based on the detent condition information.