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US 2025/0076018 A1Published application
Tape Measure with Protective Bumper
AssigneeMilwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
InventorsDevin W. Herritz, Patrick W. McCarthy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tape measure including an elongate tape blade is shown. The tape measure includes a protective bumper that extends below the tape opening. The bumper is shaped to allow the tape hook to pivot during drop or impact to reduce the impact force experienced by the tape hook.
Claims20
A tape measure comprising:
- a housing defining a cavity;
- a reel mounted within the cavity of the housing;
- a bumper located at a lower corner of the housing, the housing and the bumper together defining a tape opening, the bumper comprising:
- a shoulder portion having an exterior surface;
- a recess surface positioned above the shoulder portion and positioned above the tape opening;
- wherein the recess surface is setback from the exterior surface of the shoulder portion defining a gap distance;
- a tape blade wound around the reel, the tape blade having an inner end coupled to the reel and an outer end extending out of the tape opening;
- and
- a hook assembly coupled to the outer end of the tape blade, the hook assembly comprising:
- an upper hook extending above the tape blade, the upper hook spaced a first distance from the shoulder portion;
- and
- a lower hook extending below the tape blade, the lower hook spaced a second distance from the shoulder portion, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance;
- wherein the difference between the first distance and the second distance defines a hook recess distance;
- and
- wherein the gap distance and the hook recess distance define a total gap distance between the recess surface and the upper hook.
12 more elements
A tape measure comprising:
- a housing;
- a tape opening defined in the housing;
- a bumper defining a lower corner of the housing, the bumper comprising:
- a recess surface located at least partially above the tape opening;
- an impact corner located below the tape opening;
- wherein the impact corner is located in front of the recess surface defining a gap distance measured in a horizontal direction between the impact corner and the recess surface;
- 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 tape opening;
- and
- a hook assembly coupled to the outer end of the elongate blade, the hook assembly comprising:
- an upper hook extending above the elongate blade, the upper hook spaced a first distance from the bumper in the horizontal direction;
- and
- a lower hook extending below the elongate blade, the lower hook spaced a second distance from the bumper in the horizontal direction, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance;
- wherein the difference between the first distance and the second distance defines a hook recess distance;
- and
- wherein the gap distance and the hook recess distance define a total gap distance between the recess surface and the upper hook.
13 more elements
A tape measure comprising:
- a housing;
- a bumper defining a lower corner of the housing, the bumper and the housing defining a tape opening, the bumper comprising:
- a shoulder portion having an exterior surface;
- a recess surface located at least partially above the tape opening;
- an impact corner located below the tape opening;
- a reel rotatably mounted within the housing;
- a tape blade wound around the reel, the tape blade having an inner end coupled to the reel and an outer end extending out of the tape opening;
- a retraction system coupled to the reel, wherein the retraction system drives rewinding of the tape blade on to the reel;
- and
- a hook assembly coupled to the outer end of the tape blade, the hook assembly comprising:
- an upper hook extending above the tape blade, the upper hook having a first inner surface spaced a first distance from the impact corner;
- and
- a lower hook extending below the tape blade, the lower hook having an second inner surface spaced a second distance from the impact corner, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance;
- wherein the orthogonal distance measured between the first inner surface and the second inner surface defines a hook recess distance.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.