Sawstop's Patenet To Expire in 2021 Cheaper Saws?

[Bruce Wrenn]

With Sawstop's patent set to expire in 2021, will the market be "flooded" with less expensive (sounds better than cheaper) saws? When Biesemeyers patent was set to expire years ago, the market was flooded with Biese clones. Suprisingly, none of the manufacturers recognized that Biesmeyer had rescended his patent years earlier.

[Edwin Santos]

I wish I knew how to articulate it properly - but a post in one of the many Sawstop patent discussion threads in this forum mentioned that there are techniques that a sharp patent lawyer can use to tweak, amend, append, supplement a patent that can effectively keep the clock running indefinitely. The knowledgeable poster who talked about this basically said don't hold your breath.

I don't know for sure if any of this is accurate, but with the way the world seems to be, it wouldn't surprise me. Especially since the story goes that the Sawstop founder is a patent lawyer.

I really admired Elon Musk's move to abandon Tesla's patents in favor of open source in 2014. His blog post that announced it is quite inspiring, and if you're inclined, you can read it here

[tom lucas]

I read an article about 6 months ago where the government was considering making a saw-stop like feature a requirement. Me, I'm on the fence. I don't want to see the costs go through the roof, and I think there are likely better technological solutions that don't result in a $300 cost when the safety feature is triggered. It's probably best if the government stays out it and lets the market drive it.

[Rod Sheridan]

I read an article about 6 months ago where the government was considering making a saw-stop like feature a requirement. Me, I'm on the fence. I don't want to see the costs go through the roof, and I think there are likely better technological solutions that don't result in a $300 cost when the safety feature is triggered. It's probably best if the government stays out it and lets the market drive it.

Hi Tom, I agree with letting the market choose the solution, however I think it's time for regulations to mandate active safety systems once the patent expires.

That should give a few years to develop regulations as to what the machines have to sense, how fast, what sort of injury is acceptable etc.

regards, Rod.

[Pat Barry]

I believe Sawstop could simply renew their patent by paying the recurring cost and still own the IP and thus block competition.

[Steve Demuth]

I believe Sawstop could simply renew their patent by paying the recurring cost and still own the IP and thus block competition.

That's not how patents work. Festool may be able to extend some of their patents administratively beyond the nominal expiration date, if their issuance was delayed by government regulatory action, or delays at the USPTO. That could get them a few years extension. Beyond that, for mechanical patents like theirs, the patents become public property and can be copied by anyone.

The patents that protect the Sawstop mechanism are fairly dense and inter-related, and it's hard to know without a deep study exactly when they will be free, but it's almost certainly over by the mid-2020s.

[Mike Henderson]

I believe Sawstop could simply renew their patent by paying the recurring cost and still own the IP and thus block competition.

No, inventors wish that was the case. A patent has a specific life and extending it is very difficult, if not impossible.

Mike

[Pat Barry]

I read an article about 6 months ago where the government was considering making a saw-stop like feature a requirement. Me, I'm on the fence. I don't want to see the costs go through the roof, and I think there are likely better technological solutions that don't result in a $300 cost when the safety feature is triggered. It's probably best if the government stays out it and lets the market drive it.

Note - its a sad day when they can regulate what saw technology we can use but other, more lethal products, are readily available to virtually anyone

[Ray Newman]

Let's say that the SawStop patents expired.

Will the SawStop technology fit into existing table saw design? Or, will table saw design require changes to accommodate the SawStop technology?

If the SawStop technology requires a design change, will the consumer see the anticipated price breaks as the costs for redesign, retooling, etc., are reflected in the selling price and are passed on to the consumer.

In all the discussions/arguments/rants over SawStop, I cannot recall this issue of SawStop compatibility will current design discussed. Does anyone know??

[Steve Demuth]

You can, I think, reasonably assume that all the major mid-to-high end brands are already working on blade stopping technology, and talking to their (almost universally Chinese or Taiwanese) manufacturers to prepare.

[David Kumm]

To me it will be a bigger deal when the more expensive industrial machines will have the choice of the technology. Now it only works on hobby level saws with 10" blades. Hobbiests have a choice but professional workers don't. Hopefully that will evolve. Dave

[Simon MacGowen]

To me it will be a bigger deal when the more expensive industrial machines will have the choice of the technology. Now it only works on hobby level saws with 10" blades. Hobbiests have a choice but professional workers don't. Hopefully that will evolve. Dave

Not sure what you mean by professional workers don't have a choice. Many cabinet shops now have the ICS saws and a lot of businesses with employees are using SawStop to prevent legal suits in case of accidents.

If you are talking about SS in a large saw, Google to find a video that shows the SS being tested in a huge sawing machine.

Simon

[Mike Henderson]

A different technology is used in the meat industry. Practically all meat is cut on a bandsaw these days. The workers wear blue gloves and there are multiple cameras pointed at the work area of the bandsaw. If a camera detects that a hand is going into the saw, the mechanism stops the saw immediately.

I can imagine that before that technology was developed there were a lot of meat cutters who had lost fingers.

At least that's my understanding of how it works. If someone is more knowledgeable, please post a correction.

Mike

[Mike Wilkins]

Maybe Bosch will wait until then and re-release their blade stop flesh sensing saw. Even though their application was different than the SS version, the courts were swayed by the SS owners to force Bosch to cease marketing their own machine.

[John Sanford]

Maybe Bosch will wait until then and re-release their blade stop flesh sensing saw. Even though their application was different than the SS version, the courts were swayed by the SS owners to force Bosch to cease marketing their own machine.

Did Bosch pull it from the rest of the world?