Motorized tape measure
AssigneeMilwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
InventorsGareth J. Mueckl, Scott Earl McKinster
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Abstract
Various aspects of tape measures with one or more of a sensor, a motor, and a clutch, are shown. The sensors described herein detect, through various mechanisms, the position of the retraction system of a tape measure. The measurements by the sensors may be used to control a motor to adjust an amount of tension in the spiral spring of a tape measure. In various embodiments a motor interacts with the retraction system of the tape measure via a clutch, which moderates an amount of force that the motor can communicate to the retraction system.
Claims20
A tape measure comprising:
- a housing;
- a tape reel rotatably mounted within the housing;
- a rotational axis defined by the tape reel around which the tape reel rotates;
- an elongate tape blade wound around the tape reel;
- a spiral spring coupled to the tape reel, wherein when the elongate tape blade is unwound from the tape reel to extend from the housing the spiral spring stores energy, wherein the spiral spring releasing energy drives rewinding of the elongate tape blade on to the tape reel;
- and
- a sensor that measures a speed of the elongate tape blade being extended from or retrieved into the housing.
A tape measure comprising:
- a housing;
- a tape reel rotatably mounted within the housing;
- a rotational axis defined by the tape reel around which the tape reel rotates;
- an elongate tape blade wound around the tape reel;
- a spiral spring coupled to the tape reel, wherein when the elongate tape blade is unwound from the tape reel to extend from the housing the spiral spring stores energy, wherein the spiral spring releasing energy drives rewinding of the elongate tape blade on to the tape reel;
- and
- a sensor that measures at least one of a length of the elongate tape blade extended from and a length of the elongate tape retrieved into the housing.
A tape measure comprising:
- a housing;
- a tape reel rotatably mounted within the housing;
- a rotational axis defined by the tape reel around which the tape reel rotates;
- an elongate tape blade wound around the tape reel;
- a spiral spring located within the housing, wherein when the elongate tape blade is unwound from the tape reel to extend from the housing the spiral spring stores energy, wherein the spiral spring releasing energy drives rewinding of the elongate tape blade on to the tape reel;
- a motor that interfaces with the tape reel via a clutch, the clutch positioned between the motor and the tape reel;
- and
- a sensor that measures a tension of the spiral spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.