Tape measure with tape blade profile increasing tape standout

1. A tape measure comprising:

a housing;

a reel rotatably mounted within the housing;

an elongate blade wound around the reel, the elongate blade comprising:

an upper surface;

a lower surface;

a curved profile such that the upper surface of the elongate blade defines a concave surface and the lower surface defines a convex surface;

a flat width greater than 32 mm; and

a curved width, wherein the curved width is less than the flat width;

a standout distance of the elongate blade from the housing of at least 168 inches; and

a retraction system coupled to the reel, wherein the retraction system drives rewinding of the elongate blade on to the reel.

2. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the curved width to the flat width is less than 0.8.

3. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the curved width is less than 26 mm.

4. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of curved height to flat width is greater than 0.27.

5. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the elongate blade includes a metal core and the metal core has an average thickness along its length that is less than 0.14 mm.

6. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the curved profile is located along a lengthwise portion of the elongate blade having a length less than a total length of the elongate blade.

7. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the curved profile is located along at least the first 132 inches of a length of the elongate blade.

8. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the elongate blade comprises:

an elongate metal core having a first thickness, T 1 ;

an upper polymer coating coupled to an upper surface of the elongate metal core, the upper polymer coating having a second thickness, T 2 ;

a lower polymer coating coupled to a lower surface of the elongate metal core, the lower polymer coating having a third thickness, T 3 .

9. The tape measure of claim 8 , wherein T 1 ≥T 2 +T 3 .

10. The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the retraction system is a spring-based retraction system comprising a spring coupled to the reel, wherein, as the elongate blade is unwound from the reel to extend from the housing, the spring stores energy and the spring releases energy driving rewinding of the elongate blade on to the reel.

11. A method of measuring droop of a tape measure comprising:

providing a tape measure, the tape measure comprising:

a housing defining an opening;

a reel rotatably mounted within the housing;

an elongate blade wound around the reel, the elongate blade having a curved profile such that an upper surface of the elongate blade defines a concave surface and a lower surface defines a convex surface; and

a hook assembly coupled to a hook end of the elongate blade;

extending the elongate blade from the housing through the opening in a direction perpendicular to gravity to an extended standout length;

supporting the elongate blade with a portion of the housing by itself when extended at the extended standout length; and

measuring a vertical distance between the hook end of the elongate blade and the opening in the housing while the elongate blade is supported by the portion of the housing by itself and while the elongate blade is extended to the extended standout length.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the portion of the housing is a finger guard.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the extended standout length is 10 feet and the vertical distance is less than 33 inches.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the extended standout distance is a maximum standout distance that is at least 168 inches.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a width of the elongate blade is greater than 32 mm.