US 6,148,534 AGranted

Tape rule with an elaborate buffer

OwnerShih Lin Liinventor

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Abstract

Disclosed herein is a tape rule with an elaborate buffer comprising a tape, a tape rule housing, and a buffer, wherein the buffer together with its buffer block and strut is formed as a whole piece and installed in the housing, and combined with the housing to form a gate in the opening making the tape able to pass therethrough either extending out of or retracting into the housing. During the retraction of the tape, a hook provided at the tip of the tape is detained by the buffer and backlashing forces are transmitted to the buffer. In this manner impact force is absorbed by the buffer to avert damaging the tape hook or even tearing the tape thereby protecting the accuracy of measurement and ensuring durability of the tape rule. Further to this, by virtue of buffer's whole piece structure, the manufacturing process and assembly procedure of the tape rule can be simplified thereby improving its productivity and minimizing production cost.

Claims1

Dependent claims

A tape rule with an elaborate buffer comprising:

a coiled longitudinally extendable tape rule having a tip and a tip hook attached to said tip;
and
a tape rule housing having a pair of side walls and an end wall surrounding said side walls for accommodating said coiled longitudinally extendable tape rule therein, said end wall having an opening therein for serving as a gate for said longitudinally extendable tape rule to extend outwardly from said housing and retracting said tape rule into said housing;
said buffer including a longitudinally extending buffer block having a forward portion and a rear portion, said forward portion being disposed outside said housing adjacent to said opening and said rear portion being disposed within said housing and adjacent to said end wall, and wherein said buffer block includes a rectangular plate in a rear port ion thereof and a pair of laterally extending integrally formed generally J-shaped resilient members having enlarged end portions and extending rearwardly and outwardly in opposite directions from said rectangular plat e with said end portions being secured against the side walls of said housing;
whereby said buffer block buffers the return of said tip hook a s said tape rule is returned to said housing.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.