Band saw

Abstract

A handheld band saw includes a housing, a motor supported by the housing, a handle coupled to the housing, and a saw blade substantially covered by the housing except a portion of the saw blade extending through a cut zone. The handheld band saw further includes a drive wheel assembly and a shoe coupled to the housing. The shoe extends into the cut zone and is configured to support a workpiece during the cutting operation. The shoe includes an actuator that is coupled for movement with the shoe. The actuator is configured to adjust the shoe to one of a plurality of predefined positions relative to the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handheld band saw comprising:
 a housing;   a motor supported by the housing;   a handle coupled to the housing and configured to be grasped by a user during a cutting operation;   a saw blade substantially covered by the housing except for a portion of the saw blade extending through a cut zone in which a workpiece is cut during the cutting operation;   a drive wheel assembly having a drive wheel driven by the motor and a driven wheel driven by the drive wheel via the saw blade; and   a shoe coupled to the housing and extending into the cut zone, the shoe being configured to support a workpiece during the cutting operation,   wherein the shoe includes an actuator that is coupled for movement with the shoe and is configured to adjust the shoe to one of a plurality of predefined positions relative to the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld band saw of  claim 1 , further comprising a rail extending from the housing and defining a shoe axis, wherein the shoe slides along the shoe axis that is parallel to the saw blade in the cut zone. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld band saw of  claim 2 , wherein the actuator is depressed by a user, enabling a user to move the shoe between a retracted position and an extended position along the shoe axis. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld band saw of  claim 3 , further comprising a tooth that is actuated via the actuator and a plurality of notches along the rail that selectively receive the tooth to maintain the shoe in one of the plurality of predefined positions between the retracted position and the extended position. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld band saw of  claim 4 , wherein the tooth is moveable between a first position, in which the tooth is received in one of plurality of notches, thereby inhibiting the shoe from moving along the shoe axis, and a second position, in which the tooth is removed from one of the plurality of notches, thereby enabling the shoe to move along the shoe axis. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld band saw of  claim 5 , wherein the tooth includes a cam surface that is capable of sliding against one of the plurality of notches to automatically move the tooth to the second position without depressing the actuator when an impact force is exerted on a distal end of the shoe, at which point the shoe moves toward the retracted position. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld band saw of  claim 6 , wherein the impact force is proportionate to dropping the band saw from a distance greater than approximately two inches above a ground surface. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld band saw of  claim 5 , wherein the tooth is biased toward the first position. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld band saw of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe further includes a slot through which the saw blade extends. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld band saw of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery removably coupled to the handle, wherein the battery, when coupled to the handle, is configured to provide power to the motor. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld band saw of  claim 1 , further comprising a trigger disposed adjacent a gripping portion of the handle, wherein power from the battery is supplied to the motor when the trigger is actuated. 
     
     
         12 . A handheld band saw comprising:
 a housing;   a handle supported by the housing and configured to be grasped by a user during a cutting operation;   a motor supported by the housing;   a drive wheel assembly rotationally driven by the motor, the drive wheel assembly at least partially disposed within the housing;   a saw blade driven by the drive wheel assembly and configured to cut a workpiece during the cutting operation; and   a shoe coupled to the housing adjacent the saw blade, wherein the shoe is configured to support a workpiece during the cutting operation, and wherein the shoe includes 
 a slide mechanism for adjusting the shoe along a shoe axis that is parallel with the saw blade, and 
 a detent mechanism having a tooth that is selectively receivable in one of a plurality of notches for maintaining the shoe in a discrete position along the shoe axis, 
 wherein the tooth has a cam surface shaped to permit removal of the tooth from one of the plurality of notches when a force is applied to the shoe in the direction of the shoe axis, thereby causing the shoe to move along the shoe axis. 
   
     
     
         13 . The handheld band saw of  claim 12 , further comprising a battery removably coupled to the handle, wherein the battery, when coupled to the handle, is configured to provide power to the motor. 
     
     
         14 . The handheld band saw of  claim 12 , further comprising a trigger disposed adjacent a gripping portion of the handle, wherein power from the battery is supplied to the motor when the trigger is actuated. 
     
     
         15 . The handheld band saw of  claim 12 , wherein the shoe is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position along the shoe axis, and wherein the shoe automatically moves toward the retracted position in response to a force applied to the shoe in the direction of the shoe axis that is sufficient to overcome a biasing force of the detent mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The handheld band saw of  claim 12 , wherein the slide mechanism further includes an actuator that is capable of moving the tooth between an extended position, in which the tooth is received within one of the plurality of notches, and a retracted position, in which the tooth is removed from one of the plurality of notches. 
     
     
         17 . The handheld band saw of  claim 16 , wherein the actuator is pivotably coupled to the slide mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The handheld band saw of  claim 12 , wherein the saw blade is covered by the housing except a portion of the saw blade extending through a cut zone, wherein the shoe is disposed within the cut zone. 
     
     
         19 . The handheld band saw of  claim 12 , wherein the shoe further includes a support surface against which a workpiece is abutted during a cutting operation and a slot through which the saw blade extends. 
     
     
         20 . The handheld band saw of  claim 19 , wherein the slide mechanism is coupled to the support surface.