The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 21, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 14, 1999
Zareh Khachatoorian, Northridge, CA (US);
Olympia Group, Inc., City of Industry, CA (US);
Abstract
A spring-loaded tape cartridge in a tape measure housing includes a coilable tape rotatably mounted to position a free end of the tape to pass through an opening in the housing. The tape cartridge is biased to retract the tape into the compartment when the free end is pulled out of the housing to perform a measurement. A stop tab at the free end engages the workpiece and assures that the free end remains outside housing and available for gripping. An internal spring portion acts between the housing and the tape cartridge for applying a substantially constant frictional force on the tape cartridge. A second spring portion is provided for selectively applying increased and decreased frictional forces on the tape cartridge to supplement the substantially constant frictional forces. A locking member is provided for selectively applying a substantially normal pressure to the tape transverse to the movement path to positively lock the tape against the housing and prevent the tape from moving relative to the housing. A finger-actuated control or rocking button actuates the second friction-producing spring to decrease frictional forces in the releasing position, maintaining the locking member disengaged from the tape, urging the locking member into contact with the tape and actuating the second friction-producing spring portion to increase the frictional forces in the locking position, and to apply intermediate frictional forces on the cartridge while maintaining the locking member disengaged from the tape in the neutral position of the control or rocking button.