Tape measure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11215435-B2
Application number	US-202016986734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2020
Priority date	Mar 6, 2012
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A tape measure includes a housing having a wall defining an internal cavity and a tape port, a coilable measuring tape disposed within the internal housing and having a first end extendable out of the housing, and an end hook member including an attachment portion and a hook portion. The attachment portion is arranged to engage the first end of the tape to attach the end hook member to the tape. The hook portion extends in a direction normal to the attachment portion and includes a first face and a second face arranged to engage the workpiece. A finger guard extends from the housing, and is configured to engage the hook member, and a finger space is defined between the tape port and the finger guard and is arranged to receive a user's finger during operation of the tape measure such that the user's finger engages the measuring tape.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tape measure for measuring a workpiece, the tape measure comprising:
a housing defining an internal cavity and a tape port;
a coilable measuring tape at least partially disposed within the internal cavity of the housing and having a first end extendable out of the housing through the tape port;
an end hook member including an attachment portion and a hook portion, the attachment portion arranged to engage the first end of the measuring tape to attach the end hook member to the measuring tape, the hook portion extending in a direction substantially normal to the attachment portion and including a first face and a second face arranged to engage the workpiece, the second face facing outward from the first end of the measuring tape; and
a guard member extending from the housing at location in front of the tape port, the guard member having a front surface configured to engage a portion of the end hook member when the measuring tape is fully retracted; and
a finger space defined by the housing and located between the tape port and the guard member and arranged to receive a user's finger during operation of the tape measure such that the user's finger slidingly engages the measuring tape;
wherein the guard member defines an opening sized to allow passage of the measuring tape into the housing through the tape port and sized to inhibit passage of the hook portion into the housing.

2. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the first face of the end hook member contacts the front face of the guard member when the measuring tape is fully retracted.

3. The tape measure of claim 1 , further comprising a guard support member supporting the guard member from the housing.

4. The tape measure of claim 3 , wherein the guard member includes a U-shaped guard member.

5. The tape measure of claim 3 , wherein the guard member is formed of metal.

6. The tape measure of claim 3 , wherein the guard support member is formed of an impact resistant material.

7. The tape measure of claim 3 , wherein the guard support member is formed of a material that is more resilient than the housing.

8. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the finger space extends in a first direction between the tape port and the guard member, and wherein the housing includes a lowermost surface, and the finger space is recessed above the lowermost surface into the housing to provide space for the user's finger in a second direction substantially normal to the first direction.

9. The tape measure of claim 8 , wherein the guard member inhibits contact between the end hook member and the user's finger when the user's finger is positioned within the finger space.

10. A tape measure comprising:
a housing having a wall defining an internal cavity, the wall including a front surface and a bottom surface, a tape port formed in the housing adjacent the bottom surface;
a coilable measuring tape at least partially disposed within the housing and having a first end extendable out of the housing through the tape port;
an end hook member including an attachment portion and a hook portion, the attachment portion arranged to engage the first end of the measuring tape;
a guard member defining an opening sized to allow passage of the measuring tape into the housing through the tape port, the guard member having an outer surface configured to engage a surface of the hook portion when the measuring tape is fully retracted; and
a gap located behind the guard member and in front of the tape port, wherein the measuring tape extends across the gap.

11. The tape measure of claim 10 , wherein the user's finger slidingly engages the measuring tape in the gap and the gap is sized to receive a user's finger and the guard member limits contact between the user's finger and the hook portion when the user's finger is disposed in the gap during tape usage.

12. The tape measure of claim 10 , wherein the hook portion engages the guard member when the measuring tape is fully retracted.

13. The tape measure of claim 10 , further comprising a guard support member supporting the guard member from the housing.

14. The tape measure of claim 13 , wherein the guard member is formed from a substantially rigid material and wherein the guard support member is formed from a material that is more resilient than the housing and the guard member.

15. The tape measure of claim 10 , wherein the guard member includes a metal portion.

16. The tape measure of claim 10 , wherein the measuring tape passes between the user's finger and the housing within the gap, and wherein the application of pressure to the measuring tape at the user's finger inhibits retraction of the measuring tape.

17. The tape measure of claim 16 , wherein the application of pressure sandwiches the measuring tape between the housing and the user's finger to inhibit movement of the measuring tape.

18. A tape measure comprising:
a housing comprising a lowermost surface and defining an internal cavity and a tape port;
a coilable measuring tape at least partially disposed within the internal cavity of the housing and having a first end extendable out of the housing through the tape port;
an end hook member including an attachment portion and a hook portion, the attachment portion arranged to engage the first end of the measuring tape to attach the end hook member to the measuring tape, the hook portion extending in a direction substantially normal to the attachment portion and including a first face and a second face arranged to engage the workpiece, the second face facing outward from the first end of the measuring tape; and
a guard member located in front of the tape port, the guard member having a front surface configured to engage a portion of the end hook member when the measuring tape is fully retracted; and
a gap defined by the lowermost surface and located between the tape port and the guard member;
wherein the gap is recessed above the lowermost surface into the housing to provide space for the user's finger to engage with the measuring tape.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Burch Wade F
• Fischer Scott R
• Steele Michael S
• Khangar Abhijeet A

Classifications

• G01B3/1056 Primary

  Tape end arrangements, e.g. end-hooks · CPC title

• G01B3/1003

  characterised by structure or material; characterised by layout or indicia · CPC title

• G01B3/1071 Primary

  Separate means for supporting or affixing measuring tapes · CPC title