Tape measure with finger drag brake
View Patent ↗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.
1. 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.
2. The tape measure of claim 1 , further comprising an end hook slidably mounted to a distal end portion of the tape blade; wherein the end hook extends through the exit port when the tape blade is in the retracted configuration; wherein the end hook comprises first and second downwardly extending legs.
3. The tape measure of claim 1 , further comprising a lock movably disposed in the housing and operative to selectively inhibit retraction of the tape blade via selective engagement with the tape blade.
4. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the tape blade naturally assumes a concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration when deployed from the housing.
5. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the tape blade forms a convolute coil on a drum in the retracted configuration, the drum disposed in the housing and rotatable relative thereto about a rotational axis; wherein the finger recess is disposed forwardly relative to the rotational axis.
6. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the portion of tape blade disposed in the finger recess has a downstream cross-section disposed closer to the exit port and an upstream cross-section disposed farther from the exit port; wherein the downstream cross-section has a greater height than the upstream cross-section.
7. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a generally planar lower surface that extends forwardly and rearwardly of the finger recess.
8. The tape measure of claim 1 :
wherein the housing comprises lateral sidewalls;
wherein the finger recess extends across a bottom of the housing and partially along the sidewalls and tapers into the sidewalls.
9. The tape measure of claim 1 :
wherein the finger recess includes an access opening providing access to the underside of the tape blade;
wherein the access opening has a different profile for a forward edge than a rearward edge, the forward edge disposed closer to the tape exit than the rearward edge;
wherein the access opening is laterally narrower than the tape blade portion in the finger recess.
10. The tape measure of claim 9 , wherein the rearward edge of the access opening is disposed forward of an axis about which the tape blade is wound when retracted.
11. The tape measure of claim 1 :
wherein the housing comprises lateral sidewalls;
wherein the finger recess extends across a bottom of the housing and partially along the sidewalls and tapers into the sidewalls.
12. The tape measure of claim 1 :
wherein the tape blade naturally assumes a concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration when deployed from the housing;
wherein the tape blade forms a convolute coil on a drum in the retracted configuration, the drum disposed in the housing and rotatable relative thereto about a rotational axis; wherein the finger recess is disposed forwardly relative to the rotational axis;
wherein the housing comprises lateral sidewalls;
wherein the finger recess extends across a bottom of the housing and partially along the sidewalls and tapers into the sidewalls; wherein the finger recess includes an access opening providing access to the underside of the tape blade;
wherein the finger recess includes an access opening providing access to the underside of the tape blade;
wherein the access opening has a different profile for a forward edge than a rearward edge, the forward edge disposed closer to the tape exit than the rearward edge;
wherein the access opening is laterally narrower than the tape blade portion in the finger recess.
13. 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.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the segment of the tape blade disposed in the finger recess has a downstream cross-section disposed closer to the exit port and an upstream cross-section disposed farther from the exit port; wherein the downstream cross-section has a greater height than the upstream cross-section.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the pressing the finger upward against the underside surface of the tape blade causes the retracting to stop.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising thereafter removing the finger from the underside surface of the tape blade and further retracting the tape blade.
17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, after the deploying and prior to the retracting, engaging a workpiece with a downwardly extending leg of an end hook attached to the tape blade.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein a distal portion of the tape blade naturally assumes a concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration during the deploying.
19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising thereafter resting the tape measure on a generally planar lower surface that extends forwardly and rearwardly of the finger recess.
20. The method of claim 13 :
wherein the finger recess includes an access opening providing access to the underside of the tape blade, with the access opening having a different contour at a forward edge thereof than at a rearward edge thereof;
further comprising, prior to the retracting and with the tape blade deployed, engaging a lock member associated with the housing against the tape blade to lock the tape blade relative to the housing.