IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,240,048
Granted Patent B2
US 12,240,048 · App. 18/131,118 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Reciprocating saw

Inventors: Vincent Zornow (Milwaukee, WI); Jonathon Gasteiner (Brookfield, WI); Gerald Zucca (Akron, OH)
Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
B23D49/16B27G19/006
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,240,048
App. No.
18/131,118
Granted
Mar 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A reciprocating saw includes a housing, a motor positioned within the housing and configured to drive a reciprocating saw blade, and a shoe coupled to the housing. The shoe is configured to engage a workpiece. The reciprocating saw also includes a proximity sensor configured to detect the workpiece when engaged with the shoe. The proximity sensor is positioned on a forward end of the housing in a facing relation with the workpiece. In response to the proximity sensor detecting formation of a gap between the shoe and the workpiece, the proximity sensor is operable to deactivate the motor.

Claims (30)

1. A reciprocating saw comprising:

a housing;

a motor positioned within the housing and configured to drive a reciprocating saw blade;

a trigger configured to selectively activate the motor;

a shoe coupled to the housing and including a workpiece contact surface at a distal end thereof configured to engage a workpiece during a workpiece cutting operation;

a workpiece detection system configured to detect rearward movement of the housing away from the workpiece; and

a controller in communication with the workpiece detection system, the motor, and the trigger;

wherein, in response to the workpiece detection system detecting the rearward movement of the housing exceeding a predetermined value while the trigger is depressed, the controller is operable to deactivate the motor,

wherein the shoe is moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position, in which the shoe is configured to engage the workpiece, and an extended position in which a gap is defined between the shoe and the workpiece, in response to rearward movement of the housing; and

wherein the workpiece detection system further includes a switch operable to communicate to the controller to deactivate the motor in response to being actuated by movement of the shoe from the retracted position to the extended position.

2. The reciprocating saw of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is a distance between the housing and the workpiece.

3. A reciprocating saw comprising:

a housing;

a motor positioned within the housing and configured to drive a reciprocating saw blade;

a trigger configured to selectively activate the motor;

a shoe coupled to the housing and including a workpiece contact surface at a distal end thereof configured to engage a workpiece during a workpiece cutting operation;

a workpiece detection system configured to detect rearward movement of the housing away from the workpiece and formation of a gap between the shoe and the workpiece, the workpiece detection system supported by the housing; and

a controller in communication with the workpiece detection system, the motor, and the trigger;

wherein, in response to the workpiece detection system detecting the rearward movement of the housing exceeding a predetermined value or formation of a gap while the trigger is depressed, the controller is operable to deactivate the motor; and

wherein the shoe is moveable relative to the housing between a retracted position, in which the shoe is configured to engage the workpiece, and an extended position in which a gap is defined between the shoe and the workpiece.

4. The reciprocating saw of claim 3 , wherein the workpiece detection system includes a spring biasing the shoe toward the extended position.

5. The reciprocating saw of claim 4 , wherein the workpiece detection system further includes a switch operable to communicate to the controller to deactivate the motor in response to being actuated by movement of the shoe from the retracted position to the extended position.

6. The reciprocating saw of claim 5 , wherein the spring and the switch are positioned within the housing.

7. The reciprocating saw of claim 3 the workpiece detection system includes,

a magnet coupled for movement with the shoe between the retracted position and the extended position, and

a Hall-effect sensor coupled to the housing and configured to detect the magnet.

8. The reciprocating saw of claim 3 , wherein the workpiece detection system includes a proximity sensor positioned on a forward end of the housing in a facing relation with the workpiece.

9. The reciprocating saw of claim 8 , wherein, in response to the proximity sensor detecting formation of a gap between the shoe and the workpiece, the proximity sensor communicates to the controller to deactivate the motor.

10. The reciprocating saw of claim 3 , wherein the workpiece detection system detects rearward movement of the shoe relative to the workpiece.

11. The reciprocating saw of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined value is a distance between the housing and the workpiece.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2024
From: ZORNOW, VINCENT; GASTEINER, JONATHAN; ZUCCA, GERALD
To: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066292/0913 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17124698 · Dec 17, 2020
Provisional Application 62951193 · Dec 20, 2019
Related Publication 20230234147A1 · Jul 27, 2023
References Cited (29)
US 3515251A · Clapp · 1970 [cited by applicant]
US 4219747A · Hornung et al. · 1980 [cited by applicant]
US 5984020A · Meyer et al. · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 6236177B1 · Zick et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 7533736B2 · Stirm et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7971362B2 · Haas · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 8230605B2 · Oberheim · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8960323B2 · Oberheim · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9827623B2 · Gibbons · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20040181951A1 · Wittke · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20060247795A1 · Gass et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20090183887A1 · Baber et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100152882A1 · Krapf et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110061245A1 · Oberheim · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20140053419A1 · Leh et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160288193A1 · Thorson · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170216986A1 · Dey, IV et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180123500A1 · Heston · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190063679A1 · Mergener · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190091824A1 · Chellew · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200276680A1 · Green · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210323189A1 · Wiker et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
DE 102009044916A1 · 2011 [cited by examiner]
DE 102012217179A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
EP 3162479A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP H02139114A · 1990 [cited by applicant]
WO 2013046522A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
DE102009044916A1 English Translation; Apr. 2011 Ulli Hoffmann; B23D59/001. [cited by examiner]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/US2020/065493 dated Apr. 16, 2021 (11 pages). [cited by applicant]