Table saw with blade shroud

Abstract

Table saws with splitters and blade shrouds are disclosed. The blade shrouds may be configured so that a forward portion of the splitter stabilizes a back portion of the blade shroud against side-to-side movement of the back portion of the blade shroud. The blade shroud may include a slot and the splitter may stabilize the blade shroud by fitting into the slot.

1 . A table saw comprising:
 a table defining a work surface;   a generally planar, circular blade configured to extend at least partially above the work surface;   a motor to drive the blade;   a splitter adjacent the blade; and   a blade shroud supported by the splitter, where at least part of the blade shroud overlaps at least part of the splitter, and where the part of the blade shroud that overlaps at least part of the splitter is positioned to contact the splitter for support.   
   
   
       2 . The table saw of  claim 1 , where the blade shroud includes a back edge, and further comprising a slot in the back edge configured so that the splitter fits into the slot. 
   
   
       3 . The table saw of  claim 1 , where the blade shroud has top region, a bottom, and a back edge between the top region and the bottom, and further comprising a slot in the back edge extending from the bottom toward the top region, where the slot is configured so that the splitter fits into the slot. 
   
   
       4 . The table saw of  claim 1 , where the blade shroud includes a slot and where the blade shroud and splitter overlap because the splitter fits into the slot. 
   
   
       5 . The table saw of  claim 4 , where the splitter has sides and the slot has edges, and where the slot is sized so that the edges of the slot are close to the sides of the splitter. 
   
   
       6 . The table saw of  claim 1 , where the blade shroud has a side-to-side dimension, and further comprising a slot positioned generally in the side-to-side center of the blade shroud and configured so that the splitter fits into the slot. 
   
   
       7 . The table saw of  claim 1 , where the blade shroud has a bottom portion adjacent the splitter, and where the bottom portion includes at least one angled side. 
   
   
       8 . The table saw of  claim 1 , where the blade shroud includes a slot, where the blade shroud has a bottom portion adjacent the splitter, and where the bottom portion adjacent the splitter includes two angled sides. 
   
   
       9 . The table saw of  claim 1 , where the blade shroud is configured to pivot up to accommodate a workpiece, where the blade shroud includes a slot, where the blade shroud and splitter overlap because the splitter fits into the slot, and where the slot is long enough so that the splitter stays in the slot as the blade shroud pivots up to accommodate a workpiece. 
   
   
       10 . A table saw comprising:
 a table defining a work surface;   a generally planar, circular blade configured to extend at least partially above the work surface;   a motor to drive the blade;   a splitter adjacent the blade, where the splitter has two sides; and   a blade shroud supported by the splitter, where at least part of the blade shroud overlaps both sides of the splitter, and where the part of the blade shroud that overlaps both sides of the splitter is positioned to contact the splitter for support.   
   
   
       11 . The table saw of  claim 10 , where the blade shroud is configured to substantially cover the blade, where the blade shroud includes a back edge having a slot, and where at least part of the blade shroud overlaps both sides of the splitter by the splitter fitting into the slot. 
   
   
       12 . The table saw of  claim 11 , where the splitter has sides and the slot has edges, and where the slot is sized so that the edges of the slot are close to the sides of the splitter. 
   
   
       13 . The table saw of  claim 10 , where the blade shroud has a side-to-side dimension, and further comprising a slot positioned generally in the side-to-side center of the blade shroud and configured so that the splitter fits into the slot. 
   
   
       14 . The table saw of  claim 10 , where the blade shroud has a bottom portion adjacent the splitter, and where the bottom portion includes at least one angled side. 
   
   
       15 . The table saw of  claim 10 , where the blade shroud includes a slot, where the blade shroud has a bottom portion adjacent the splitter, and where the bottom portion adjacent the splitter includes two angled sides. 
   
   
       16 . The table saw of  claim 10 , where the blade shroud is configured to pivot up to accommodate a workpiece, where the blade shroud includes a slot, where the blade shroud and splitter overlap because the splitter fits into the slot, and where the slot is long enough so that the splitter stays in the slot as the blade shroud pivots up to accommodate a workpiece. 
   
   
       17 . A table saw comprising:
 a table defining a work surface;   a generally planar, circular blade configured to extend at least partially above the work surface;   a motor to drive the blade;   a splitter having a forward portion adjacent the blade; and   a blade shroud configured to substantially cover the blade, where the blade shroud has a back portion, and where the blade shroud is configured so that the forward portion of the splitter stabilizes the back portion of the blade shroud.   
   
   
       18 . The table saw of  claim 17 , where the back portion of the blade shroud is configured to contact the forward portion of the splitter upon side-to-side movement of the back portion of the blade shroud. 
   
   
       19 . The table saw of  claim 17 , where the back portion of the blade shroud has a side-to-side dimension, where the blade shroud has a front portion, and where the front portion has a side-to side dimension greater than the side-to-side dimension of the back portion. 
   
   
       20 . The table saw of  claim 17 , further comprising a slot in the back portion of the blade shroud, and where the splitter stabilizes the back portion of the blade shroud by fitting into the slot.