Tape measure with finger drag brake
AssigneeApex Brands, Inc.
InventorsTobias McKay Bridges, Jonathan S. Beckwith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tape measure is described that has a finger recess in a housing, with at least a portion of the underside of a tape blade exposed in the finger recess. Pressing a finger against the underside of the tape allows the user to create a drag brake that acts against the retraction spring to slow and/or stop the retraction of the tape blade. The lateral edges of the tape blade, for that portion of the tape blade disposed in the finger recess, are protected by the housing. This arrangement results in a compact yet versatile and safe overall tape measure with good tactile feedback during finger-braking.
Claims20
A tape measure, comprising:
- a housing having an exit port and a finger recess;
- a tape blade having measuring indicia thereon, the tape blade moveable between a deployed configuration where the tape blade extends forwardly outward from the housing at the exit port and a retracted configuration where the tape blade is substantially retracted into the housing;
- the tape blade biased toward the retracted configuration;
- wherein the tape blade exits the housing at the exit port in the deployed configuration;
- wherein the finger recess is disposed rearwardly relative to the exit port;
- wherein a laterally central portion of an underside surface of the tape blade is externally exposed in the finger recess;
- wherein lateral edges of the tape blade, for a longitudinal portion of the tape blade spanning the finger recess, are protected by the housing so as to be not externally exposed when viewed from directly below the tape measure.
A method of operating a tape measure, the tape measure having a housing and a tape blade selectively deployable from the housing, the housing having a finger recess, the method comprising:
- deploying a portion of the tape blade forwardly from the housing at an exit port;
- thereafter retracting at least a segment of the portion of the tape blade into the housing;
- during the retracting, pressing a finger upward against a underside surface of the tape blade that is exposed in the finger recess;
- wherein the finger recess is disposed rearwardly relative to the exit port;
- wherein, during the retracting, lateral edges of the tape blade, for a longitudinal segment of the tape blade spanning the finger recess, are protected by the housing so as to be not engageable by a user of the tape measure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.