IP Library Granted Patent US 11,378,375
Granted Patent B2
US 11,378,375 · App. 17/043,340 · Granted Jul 5, 2022

Measuring tape with transverse locating aperture

Inventors: Adam Day (Apex, NC); Jonathan Beckwith (Charlotte, NC); Adam Baxter (Apex, NC); Vlad Patrangenaru (Ellicott City, MD)
Assignee: APEX BRANDS, INC
G01B3/1071B25H7/04G01B3/1041G01B3/1056G01B3/1089
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,378,375
App. No.
17/043,340
Granted
Jul 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A measuring tape device may include a housing having an aperture, a reel assembly defining an axis, a blade having a first end configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly, and a transverse aperture extending through the housing in a direction substantially parallel to the axis.

Claims (45)

1. A measuring tape device comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

a reel assembly defining an axis;

a blade having a first end configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly; and

a transverse aperture extending through the housing in a direction substantially parallel to the axis;

wherein the transverse aperture is disposed at a heel portion of the housing;

wherein the transverse aperture is configured to receive a fastener that passes through the transverse aperture to pivotally secure the device to a surface into which the fastener is secured; and

wherein, responsive to securing the device to the surface via the fastener, the blade is extendable and configured to receive a marking device at a predetermined portion thereof to define an arc with the marking device by pivoting the device about the fastener.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein an axis of the transverse aperture is substantially coplanar with a portion of the blade that is extended from the aperture of the housing.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the marking device is configured to be secured proximate to an end hook disposed at the first end of the blade.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first slot disposed in the heel portion extending parallel to the axis to enable a lanyard to be passed through the first slot to engage the transverse aperture.

5. A measuring tape device comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

a reel assembly defining an axis;

a blade having a first end configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly; and

a transverse aperture extending through the housing in a direction substantially parallel to the axis;

wherein the transverse aperture is disposed at a heel portion of the housing;

wherein the transverse aperture is configured to receive a fastener that passes through the transverse aperture to pivotally secure the device to a surface into which the fastener is secured;

wherein the transverse aperture is configured to receive a fastener that passes through the transverse aperture to pivotally secure the device to a surface into which the fastener is secured; and

wherein, responsive to securing the device to the surface via the fastener, the blade is extendable and an end hook disposed at the first end of the blade is configured to be secured to the surface to hold the device proximate to the surface with the blade extended along the surface such that an operator can make markings along the blade without holding any portion of the device.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the transverse aperture is configured to be larger than a diameter of the fastener and a head of the fastener such that the device is alternately capable of hanging on the fastener and being removed therefrom.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the transverse aperture is configured to be larger than a diameter of the fastener and smaller than a diameter of a head of the fastener.

8. A measuring tape device comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

a reel assembly defining an axis;

a blade having a first end configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly; and

a transverse aperture extending through the housing in a direction substantially parallel to the axis;

wherein the transverse aperture is disposed at a heel portion of the housing;

wherein the housing comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion, and wherein the transverse aperture is configured to provide a clamping load to secure the first housing portion to the second housing portion at the heel portion.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the transverse aperture comprises a first beveled outer edge configured to engage the first housing portion and a second beveled outer edge configured to engage the second housing portion to apply the clamping load.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the transverse aperture comprises a first hole post and a second hole post that meet at a joint, wherein the first beveled outer edge is disposed on the first hole post at an end thereof that is opposite the joint, and wherein the second beveled outer edge is disposed on the second hole post at an end thereof that is opposite the joint.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein a sleeve is disposed around the joint to facilitate holding the first and second hole posts together.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises at least one slot disposed in the heel portion to enable a lanyard to be passed through the slot to be secured to the sleeve.

13. The device of claim 10 , wherein the joint comprises a mechanical press fit, a threaded interface, a swaged interface or a crimped interface.

14. The device of claim 10 , wherein the first hole post comprises a male portion at an end thereof that is opposite the first beveled outer edge, and the second hole post comprises a female portion at an end thereof that is opposite the second beveled outer edge.

15. The device of claim 10 , wherein the first hole post and the second hole post are joined together at the joint via a bonding agent or adhesive.

16. A measuring tape device comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

a reel assembly defining an axis;

a blade having a first end configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly; and

a transverse aperture extending through the housing in a direction substantially parallel to the axis;

wherein the transverse aperture is disposed at a heel portion of the housing;

wherein the housing comprises a first slot disposed in the heel portion extending parallel to the axis to enable a lanyard to be passed through the first slot to engage the transverse aperture;

wherein the housing comprises a second slot disposed at the heel portion extending parallel to the axis and to the first slot to receive the lanyard.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the first slot is disposed at a back wall of the heel portion and the second slot is disposed at a bottom wall of the heel portion.

Assignments (15)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2026
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 075612/0935 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2026
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 075613/0150 →
NEW SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073377/0567 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVAL OF PATENT NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 442. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECOND LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073077/0584 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NO. 11203070 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 58991 FRAME 556. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0327 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NOS. 7444851 AND 11203070 WHICH WERE INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073078/0477 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 556. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068769/0309 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67310 FRAME 54. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068791/0141 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT NO. 11191173 WHICH WAS INCORRECTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58991 FRAME: 442. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 22, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068753/0687 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE APPLICATION NO. 16/672703 PAT. NO. 11191173 WAS INCORRCTLY INCLUDED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 66631 FRAME: 791. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT. Recorded Jun 25, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 067884/0469 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 3, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.; APEX TOOL GROUP, LLC
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067310/0054 →
SUPER PRIORITY GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT Recorded Feb 20, 2024
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 066631/0791 →
FIRST LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058991/0556 →
SECOND LIEN GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: APEX BRANDS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058991/0442 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2020
From: DAY, ADAM; PATRANGENARU, VLAD PETRU; BECKWITH, JONATHAN; BAXTER, ADAM
To: APEX BRANDS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053949/0605 →