Apex Brands, Inc.

Olympia Tools International Inc.

Cecil Mckinley Wilson

Jonathan Siebert Beckwith

Eric Jon Van Fossen

Nicholas Ryan Imsand

Brendan Michael Walsh

Vlad Patrangenaru

Adam Baxter

Jimmy Shangyao Wei

Kevin Fitzpatrick

A chalk port for retaining chalk within a chalk reservoir of a chalk box may include an interface portion configured to interface with a housing of the chalk box to retain the chalk port in contact with the chalk box, a tapered portion extending away from the interface portion in an axial direction, and a slit assembly disposed at the tapered portion. The tapered portion may have a diameter that reduces as distance from the interface portion increases. The tapered portion may include a plurality of projections separated from each other by slits of the slit assembly. The projections may have a rest position configured to bias the slit assembly closed. Ribs may be formed to extend between the interface portion and the projections to bias the projections to the rest position.

Chalk box with improved one-way valve

An end hook may include a stem portion extending in a first plane from a proximal end to a distal end and an engaging portion. The end hook may be operably coupled to the measuring device at the proximal end. The engaging portion may be defined by a set of teeth having external lateral edges that define a hook width therebetween. The engaging portion may extend away from the stem portion by an engaging length. Each of the teeth may include a portion thereof that extends away from the distal end of the stem portion in a second plane that is substantially perpendicular to the first plane. Each of the teeth may further include a portion thereof, proximate to a distal end of the teeth, that bends out of the second plane to form an engaging angle. The hook width may be in a range between about 16.5 mm and about 21 mm, and the engaging angle may be greater than about 45 degrees.

Chalk box with improved end hook grip

A line lock assembly for locking a retraction assembly of a chalk box may include a line lock cover () operably coupled to a housing of the chalk box to form a line lock member enclosure, and a line lock member () disposed within the line lock member enclosure. The line lock member may be configured to move responsive to rotation of the line lock cover to alternately lock the retraction assembly and unlock the retraction assembly based on a position of the line lock cover.

Chalk box with line lock assembly

A chalk box including a housing () having an aperture (), a reel assembly () enclosed within the housing, a string () having a first end operably coupled to an end hook () and configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and having a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly, a chalk reservoir () in which the string is retained or through which the string passes prior to extending out of the aperture, and a seating assembly () configured to extend around at least fifty percent of the length or volume of the end hook when the string is fully withdrawn into the housing.

Chalk box with end hook seating assembly

A nozzle for a chalk box that includes a housing and a chalk reservoir may be configured to be releasably coupled with the housing. The nozzle may include a shell, and a nozzle flange assembly configured to interface with a case flange assembly of the housing to operably couple the nozzle to the housing. The nozzle flange assembly may include a locking member. A gasket portion may be integrated into the locking member to seal an interface between the nozzle flange assembly and the case flange assembly to inhibit chalk leakage from the chalk box.

Chalk box with nozzle gasket overmold

A guide assembly for a tape measuring device may include an inner guide portion facing a reel assembly of the tape measuring device, and an outer guide portion facing away from the reel assembly. The guide assembly may be configured to enable the tape to be paid out from an aperture of the tape measuring device in both lateral directions relative to the aperture.

Two-way tape guide assembly

A drive assembly for a tool with a rotatable crank and a reel may include a carrier operably coupled to the reel, a stress relief plate interposed between the carrier and the crank and configured to operably couple the carrier to the crank, and mating surfaces disposed on the carrier, the stress relief plate, and the crank in a stacked arrangement to distribute stresses and increase maximum torque capacity of the drive assembly.

Drive structure for tape or chalk reels

A tape measuring device includes a housing having a first case half, a second case half, and an aperture. The device also includes a reel assembly disposed in the housing, a tape having a first end operably coupled to an end hook and configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and having a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly, and a retraction assembly configured to interface with the reel assembly to enable the tape, after extension from the housing, to be wound onto the reel assembly. The first case half includes a first metallic case plate operably coupled thereto without a fastener, and the second case half includes a second metallic case plate operably coupled thereto without a fastener. The first and second case halves may be operably coupled together via one or more fasteners operably coupling the first metallic case plate to the second metallic case plate.

Insert molded metal case plates

A tape measuring device includes a housing having an aperture, a reel assembly disposed in the housing, a tape having a first end operably coupled to an end hook and configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and having a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly, and a retraction assembly configured to interface with the reel assembly to enable the tape, after extension from the housing, to be wound onto the reel assembly. The retraction assembly includes a crank operably coupled to the reel assembly to turn the reel assembly responsive to rotation of the crank, and includes a knob operably coupled to the crank via a knob hinge. The knob hinge is rotatable between a closed position for storage or transport and an open position for operation of the retraction assembly, and is configured to be retained in each of the open position and the closed position.

Injection molded hinged knob

A modular storage system includes a unit body having a first lateral end, a second lateral end opposite the first lateral end, and an upper surface extending between the first and second lateral ends. The unit body includes a first groove formed in the upper surface at the first lateral end and a first groove connector in the first groove. The system includes a tongue piece having a first and second side. Each of the first and second sides of the tongue piece has a shape corresponding to the first groove and a tongue connector configured to releasably engage the first groove connector.

Modular storage system

A valve for a lid of a fluid vessel includes a valve body having an adapter portion coupling first and second opposite ends of the valve body. The first and second ends are rotatably fixed to each other and have an angle formed therebetween. The adapter portion is configured to be rotatably coupled to the lid about a first axis. The first end of the valve body is configured to be coupled to a button for rotating the first end about the first axis. The valve includes a stopper coupled to the second end of the valve body and configured to cover an opening in the lid. The stopper is configured to be separated from the opening when the first end of the valve body is rotated in a first direction about the first axis.

Lid assembly for a fluid vessel

A spool for a chalk box may include a core member extending substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the spool, a first sidewall disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spool at a first end of the core member, and a second sidewall disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the first sidewall at a second end of the core member. The string may be configured to be retained on the spool by being wound onto the core member. The first sidewall may include a first anchorage orifice and a second anchorage orifice spaced apart from each other and each passing through the first sidewall from an inside surface of the first sidewall to an outside surface of the first sidewall. A spool groove may be formed on the outside surface of the first sidewall extending from the first anchorage orifice to the second anchorage orifice.

Chalk box with chalk reel spool groove

A method of packaging a measuring tape device such that an internal feature of the measuring tape device is exposed may include supporting a housing of the measuring tape device on a base portion of an internal feature exposing holder, and proximate to a backing portion of the internal feature exposing holder, extending a portion of a blade of the measuring tape device from the housing to engage a hook capturing edge of an extension portion, and retaining the housing with the base portion and the backing portion such that a portion of the blade remains exposed.

Apparatus for supporting a measuring tape for display and packaging assembly associated therewith

A measuring tape device may include a housing having an aperture, a reel assembly enclosed within the housing, and 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. The housing may include a first case half and a second case half. The reel assembly may be configured to alternately allow the blade to be withdrawn from the reel assembly through the aperture or received in the aperture onto the reel assembly. The first case half and the second case half may be joined together via threaded fasteners inserted into respective portions of screw bosses formed in corresponding portions of the first and second case halves. Mating features may be provided on the first and second case halves to facilitate joining the first and second case halves. At least some of the mating features may be longer than others of the mating features, or a diameter of the screw bosses is about 1.5 time to about 2.5 times larger than a diameter of the threaded fasteners.

Growing community of inventors

Sanford, NC, United States of America

Cecil Mckinley Wilson