Bosch in a legal battle over human flesh-sensing table saw technology

Oregon-based SawStop filed a lawsuit with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) and the US District Court in Oregon against Robert Bosch GmbH of Germany and its subsidiary, Robert Bosch Tool Corp.

The maker of table saws intended to prevent the infringement of its patented inventions. According to SawStop, Bosch announced that it would be releasing a table saw equipped with inventions developed and patented by the former. The company is requesting the ITC to bar Bosch’s said table saws from entry in the US, and for them to cease advertising and selling the alleged infringing products as well.

The tool in question, the Bosch REAXX Jobsite Table Saw, which was introduced in March and will be marketed in Fall 2015, features human flesh-sensing technology and a replaceable cartridge system. A small explosive charge that pushes the blade beneath the table and away from the user’s fingers is used instead of an aluminum brake. This is said to prevent damages to the blade, a common problem in existing technologies.

A Bosch spokesperson stated that Bosch REAXX was based from patented innovations developed by the Power Tool Institute along with the engineering team at Robert Bosch Tool Corps.

SawStop claimed that the Power Tool Institute denied the need for active injury mitigation technology on table saws.