Safety systems for power equipment

Abstract

Machines with safety systems are disclosed. The machine may take the form of woodworking machines including table saws, band saws, miter saws, hand-held circular saws, pneumatic chop saws, radial-arm saws, jointers, planars, routers and shapers. The machines may include an operative structure configured to perform a task, where the operative structure includes a cutting tool adapted to move in at least one motion, and a safety system adapted to detect the occurrence of an unsafe condition between a person and the cutting tool and for mitigating the unsafe condition. The safety system may include a detection subsystem and a reaction subsystem. The machine may also include a bypass or override mode where in an injury mitigation system is disabled for certain cuts.

1 . A machine comprising:
 a blade; and   an injury mitigation system with a normal mode wherein the injury mitigation system is configured to take an action to mitigate injury in the event of contact between the user and the blade, and a bypass mode wherein the injury mitigation system is disabled and takes no action to mitigate injury in the event of contact between the user and the blade.   
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1 , where the action is to stop or retract the blade.