	US 12,152,874 B2
	Tape measure
Hsiao-Ting Wen, Taichung (TW); Yo-Wen Hsiao, Taichung (TW); Chirag Kamani, West Hartford, CT (US); Daniel R. Seymour, Plainville, CT (US); and Hui-Ting You, Taichung (TW)
Assigned to Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., New Britain, CT (US)
Filed by Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., New Britain, CT (US)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/128,406.
Application 18/128,406 is a continuation of application No. 17/504,014, filed on Oct. 18, 2021, granted, now 11,624,600.
Application 17/504,014 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/002864, filed on Apr. 17, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/836,220, filed on Apr. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0304783 A1, Sep. 28, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01B 3/10 (2020.01); G01B 3/1005 (2020.01); G01B 3/1041 (2020.01); G01B 3/1056 (2020.01)

CPC G01B 3/1041 (2013.01) [G01B 3/1005 (2013.01); G01B 3/1056 (2013.01)]

15 Claims

1. A tape measure, comprising a housing; and contained in the housing: an elongate flexible measuring tape, an elongate flexible spring member, a hollow reel cartridge, and a hub member; wherein the hub member extends through the reel cartridge along a rotational axis of the reel cartridge; wherein the reel cartridge is mounted on, and/or surrounds at least part of, the hub member and is rotatable with respect to the housing; wherein the measuring tape is coiled around an external surface of the reel cartridge; wherein the spring member is coiled inside the housing such that the spring member is connected directly or indirectly to the hub member; and wherein the housing includes an opening through which the measuring tape may be extended from the housing and automatically retracted into the housing.