# US 2004/0071869 A1 · Method of coating a tape measure blade > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2004/0071869 A1 - Document ID: US20040071869A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 10/268,432 - Filed: 2002-10-10 - Published: 2004-04-15 - Earliest claimed: 2002-10-10 - Inventors: Edgar T. Gilliam; James M. Critelli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20040071869A1 ## CPC - C23C 26/02: applying molten material to the substrate - C23C 24/10: with intermediate formation of a liquid phase in the layer - G01B 3/1003: characterised by structure or material; characterised by layout or indicia - G01B 2003/1058: {Manufacturing or assembling methods} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract A metallic tape blade may be substantially coated with a powder and then passed through an induction unit to heat the powder and form a coating on the blade, with the blade having a concavo-convex cross-section when passing through the induction unit. Alternatively, the metallic tape blade is substantially covered with a powder consisting essentially of nylon having a particle size of 20 microns or less and then passed through an induction unit to heat the blade and form a nylon coating derived from the powder thereon. Alternatively, a nylon coating is applied to the metallic tape blade, with the coating having a thickness of not more than 0.0015 inches and an abrasion resistance according to ASTM D968-81 of at least 30 liters of sand. One or more of these aspects may be combined to form a tape blade having a protective coating thereon. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of coating a tape measure blade, comprising: providing a metallic ribbon with length indicating indicia thereon; thereafter, substantially covering at least a segment of said ribbon with a powder; thereafter, passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit to heat said segment and thereby form a coating from said powder on said segment, said segment having a concavo-convex cross-section when passing through said induction unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said powder is a polymer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said powder comprises nylon. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein said powder consists essentially of nylon having a particle size of 20 microns or less. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said coating is substantially transparent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising triboelectrically charging said powder and wherein said substantially covering said segment with said powder comprises exposing said segment to said powder when said powder is triboelectrically charged. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein passing said segment with said powder thereon through said induction unit to heat said segment comprises passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit having a non-circular coil. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said coating has an abrasion resistance according to ASTM D968-81 of at least 30 liters of sand. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1: wherein said powder consists essentially of nylon having a particle size of 25 microns or less; wherein passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit comprises passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit having a non-circular coil; and wherein said coating is substantially transparent. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising triboelectrically charging said powder and wherein said substantially covering said segment with said powder comprises exposing said segment to said powder when said powder is triboelectrically charged. ### Claim 11 A method of coating a tape measure blade, comprising: providing a metallic ribbon with length indicating indicia thereon; thereafter, substantially covering at least a segment of said ribbon with a powder, said powder consisting essentially of nylon having a particle size of 20 microns or less; and thereafter, passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit to heat said segment to form a nylon coating from said powder thereon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit comprises passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit having a non-circular coil. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said coating is substantially transparent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further comprising triboelectrically charging said powder and wherein said substantially covering said segment with said powder comprises exposing said segment to said powder when said powder is triboelectrically charged. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit comprises passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit with said segment having a concavo-convex cross-section when passing through said induction unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said coating has an abrasion resistance according to ASTM D968-81 of at least 30 liters of sand. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said coating has an abrasion resistance according to ASTM D968-81 of at least 40 liters of sand. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11: wherein said segment has a concavo-convex cross-section when passing through said induction unit; wherein passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit comprises passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit having a non-circular coil; and wherein said coating is substantially transparent. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising triboelectrically charging said powder and wherein said substantially covering said segment with said powder comprises exposing said segment to said powder when said powder is triboelectrically charged. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said powder consists essentially of nylon having a particle size of 15 microns or less. ### Claim 21 A method of coating a tape measure blade, comprising: providing a metallic tape measure blade with length indicating indicia thereon; applying a nylon coating to at least a segment of said ribbon, said coating having a thickness of not more than 0.0015 inches and an abrasion resistance according to ASTM D968-81 of at least 30 liters of sand. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein said abrasion resistance is at least 40 liters of sand. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein said abrasion resistance is at least 50 liters of sand. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23 wherein said abrasion resistance is at least 75 liters of sand. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein said thickness is approximately 0.001 inches or less and said abrasion resistance is at least 40 liters of sand. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein said coating is substantially transparent. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein applying said coating comprises: substantially covering said segment with a nylon powder; thereafter, passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein said passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit comprises passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit with a concavo-convex cross-section. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 further comprising triboelectrically charging said powder and wherein said substantially covering said segment with said powder comprises exposing said segment to said powder when said powder is triboelectrically charged. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21: wherein said segment has a concavo-convex cross-section when passing through said induction unit; wherein applying said coating comprises substantially covering said segment with a nylon powder and thereafter passing said segment with said powder thereon through an induction unit having a non-circular coil; wherein said coating is substantially transparent; and wherein said abrasion resistance is at least 50 liters of sand. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29 wherein said powder consists essentially of nylon having a particle size of 20 microns or less.