Method for the measurement of lengths and angles and an equipment therefor

Apparatus for measuring length, comprising a measuring tape having two longitudinal, parallel side edges, a casing for the measuring tape which can be pulled out of and pushed into the casing or be displaced relative thereto, markings on the measuring tape, at least one sensor in the casing for detecting the markings on the measuring tape, and an electronics unit in the casing for converting signals from said sensor in to length measurements, wherein

• a) the measuring tape has a thickness of at least 0.05 and at most 1 mm;
• b) the body of the measuring tape, within a ribbon shaped zone of the measuring tape, said zone extending between and parallel to and at a distance from the side edges of the measuring tape, is corrugated to form said markings consisting of a repeated pattern of embossings, including depressions and elevations in the form of transverse ridges and valleys on both sides of the measuring tape in said ribbon-shaped zone;
• c) the measuring tape on both sides of said ribbon-shaped corrugated zone, between the ribbon-shaped corrugated zone and the side edges of the measuring tape, has at least one zone which is void of corrugations having transverse ridges and valleys;
• d) the embossings have a depth of at least 0.05 mm;
• e) the repeated pattern of embossings forming a continuous wave shape in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon-shaped corrugated zone, the length of the wave being at least 0.5 mm;
• f) the measuring tape being at least substantially made of a ferromagnetic, but not magnetized, material;
• g) and said at least one sensor is a magnetoresistive sensor provided to register the number of at least one of said type of embossings as said embossings pass the sensor from a certain starting position to a certain measuring point when the measuring tape is moved relative to the at least one sensor.