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US 11,543,226 B2Granted
Tape measure with tape blade including end protective film
AssigneeMilwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
InventorsAbhijeet A. Khangar, Collin D. Roesser
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tape measure including an elongate tape blade is shown. The tape measure includes a relatively short protective polymer film coupled to an end of the tape blade adjacent to the hook end of the tape blade.
Claims18
A tape measure comprising:
- a housing:
- a reel rotatably mounted within the housing;
- an elongate blade wound around the reel, the elongate blade having an inner end coupled to the reel and an outer end extending out of the housing;
- a hook assembly coupled to the outer end of the elongate blade;
- and
- a retraction system coupled to the reel, wherein the retraction system drives rewinding of the elongate blade on to the reel;
- wherein the elongate blade comprises:
- an elongate metal core having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface includes a concave curved section and the lower surface includes a convex curved section;
- an upper polymer coating layer covering at least a portion of the upper surface of the elongate metal core;
- a lower polymer coating layer covering at least a portion of the lower surface of the elongate metal core;
- an ink layer forming a series of measurement markings and located between the upper surface of the elongate metal core and the upper polymer coating layer;
- and
- a protective film coupled via an adhesive to an outer surface of the lower polymer coating layer adjacent to the outer end of the elongate blade, the protective film having a length that is less than 20% of a total length of the elongate blade;
- wherein the protective film has an average thickness between 0.14 mm and 0.25 mm;
- wherein the adhesive has a thickness between 0.01 mm and 0.05 mm,
- wherein a peel strength between the protective film and the outer surface of the lower polymer coating is greater than 9 lbs.
13 more elements
A tape measure comprising:
- a housing:
- a reel rotatably mounted within the housing;
- an elongate blade wound around the reel, the elongate blade having an inner end coupled to the reel and an outer end;
- a hook assembly coupled to the outer end of the elongate blade;
- and
- a retraction system coupled to the reel, wherein the retraction system drives rewinding of the elongate blade on to the reel;
- wherein the elongate blade comprises:
- an elongate metal core having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface includes a concave curved section and the lower surface includes a convex curved section;
- and
- a protective film coupled via an adhesive to the elongate metal core, the protective film having a length less than a total length of the elongate blade, wherein a peel strength between the protective film and an adjacent surface of the elongate blade is greater than 9 lbs.
7 more elements
A tape measure comprising:
- a housing:
- a reel rotatably mounted within the housing;
- an elongate blade wound around the reel, the elongate blade having an inner end coupled to the reel and an outer end;
- a hook assembly coupled to the outer end of the elongate blade;
- and
- a retraction system coupled to the reel, wherein the retraction system drives rewinding of the elongate blade on to the reel;
- wherein the elongate blade comprises:
- an elongate metal core having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface includes a concave curved section and the lower surface includes a convex curved section;
- an upper nylon coating layer covering at least a portion of the upper surface of the elongate metal core;
- a lower nylon coating layer covering at least a portion of the lower surface of the elongate metal core;
- an ink layer forming a series of measurement markings and located between the upper surface of the elongate metal core and the upper nylon layer;
- a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer coupled to at least one of an outer surface of the upper nylon coating layer and an outer surface of the lower nylon coating layer, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has a thickness of between 0.01 mm and 0.05 mm;
- and
- a protective film coupled to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer adjacent to the outer end of the elongate blade.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.