U.S. patent application number 11/832110 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-05 for structure for end piece of a tape rule.
Invention is credited to Jason Huang.
Application Number | 20090031576 11/832110 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40223794 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090031576 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang; Jason |
February 5, 2009 |
STRUCTURE FOR END PIECE OF A TAPE RULE
Abstract
The present invention relates to an improvement of tape rule, in
particular to end portion of the measuring tape which includes
measuring tape connecting portion and hook hanging portion, both
parts are made in same material as whole body. The surface of
measuring tape connecting portion is formed with rivets. The hook
hanging portion of measuring tape has at least 1 mm thickness, its
surface contains holes with enough depth to enclose a magnetic
object, the magnets thickness does not exceed the depth of the
holes; the surface of hook hanging portion is wrapped with a
holding element covering its front surface, rear surface, and the
magnetic object enclosed.
Inventors: |
Huang; Jason; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LOWE HAUPTMAN HAM & BERNER, LLP
1700 DIAGONAL ROAD, SUITE 300
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
40223794 |
Appl. No.: |
11/832110 |
Filed: |
August 1, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
33/758 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 33/01 20130101;
G01B 3/1056 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
33/758 |
International
Class: |
G01B 3/10 20060101
G01B003/10 |
Claims
1. An improved structure for an end piece of a tape rule, said end
piece comprising: a measuring tape connecting portion connected
horizontally to the end of the measuring tape so that the end piece
is connected to the measuring tape as one piece; a hook plate,
placed at the end of the end piece, perpendicularly extended
downwardly from the tape connecting portion; so that an article for
measurement can be hooked by the hook plate, so a measurement can
be made; two magnetic objects and, said hook plate containing two
spaces for receiving the two magnetic objects therein, and a
holding element disposed outside of the hook plate for holding the
two magnetic objects onto the hook plate; wherein the said magnetic
objects are between 0.5 mm-3 mm in thickness; and wherein said
holding element is formed as a box having an opening on one side
thereof.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. The improved structure for an end piece of a tape rule as
claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said holding element
is less than the thickness of the hook plate and the magnetic
objects.
5. (canceled)
6. The improved structure for an end piece of a tape rule as
claimed in claim 1, wherein the said holding element contains two
small holes, aligned with said magnet objects.
7. (canceled)
8. The improved structure for an end piece of a tape rule as
claimed in claim 1, wherein the space for holding magnets formed on
said hook plate is extended from outside to inside of the hook
plate.
9. (canceled)
10. The improved structure for an end piece of a tape rule as
claimed in claim 1, wherein the space for holding objects formed on
said hook plate is at least two holes formed in the hook plate.
11. The improved structure for an end piece of a tape rule as
claimed in claim 1, wherein the said holding element is made of a
slip preventing material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an improvement of tape
rule, in particular to the hook plate of end piece of the measuring
tape. A magnetic object is put inside the space formed of hook
plate, and is wrapped by a holding element to cover the front and
rear surfaces of the hook plate of hanging portion of the measuring
tape.
[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0004] It is known to public that the tape rule is a motive and
convenient measuring tool. As shown in FIG. 1, in general, the
measuring tape 12 of connectional tape rule is reserved in a
housing 11. At the end portion of the measuring tape 12, there is
an end piece 13. Said end piece 13 contains a connecting plate 14
to be attached onto the end of the measuring tape 12, and a hook
plate 15 perpendicularly extended from the connecting plate 14. In
using the tape rule, by using the hook plate 15 of the end piece
13, it is merely necessary for people to pull the end piece 13 and
then put the end piece 13 against the surface of an article or hook
onto the end of the article to be measured.
[0005] However, said end piece 13 of tape rule has some
disadvantages as follows:
[0006] In order to make the hook plate of the end piece be
connected to the measuring tape as an entity, and to prevent
inconvenience of carrying the tape rule due to the end piece, the
area of hook plate is made as small as possible. However, if the
area of hook is too small, it is difficult to hook onto an article
and easy to slide away from the article to cause inaccurate
measurement, to improve such problem happened in the end piece of
conventional tape rules, U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,644 B2 discloses an
end piece for attachment to the end of measuring tape. A cross
curvature tape measure supports its own weight when it is extended
horizontally and is held in an upright position. A perpendicular
hook at the end of the measuring tape can be used to secure the end
of the measuring tape to an edge of an object. A hook that extends
above the curved surface of the measuring tape allows measurements
to be secured from below an object while maintaining the upright
and self supporting position of the tape. An adhering or magnetic
means attached at the end of the measuring tape further assists in
allowing measurements to be taken without causing the incidental
collapse of the measuring tape. Such and end piece may be removably
attached, and may be adapted to fit on existing tape measures. US
Patent Application No. 2004/0064962A1 also discloses a soft
stop-proof hook head of a measuring tape is located at one end of
the measure tape and comprises a ruler hook. A surface of a ruler
hook is enclosed by a soft elastomer. The soft elastomer is made of
a flexible material. When the soft elastomer is pressed, it
generates an elastic resistance; in measuring, the ruler hook is
coupled to a measured bench mark of an object to be measured with a
slide-stop effect. Moreover, the soft elastomer is extended with a
slide piece for enhancing the slide-stop effect.
[0007] From the above two former applications, they all install
magnetic object to front end of the end piece of measure tape, such
that when the end piece is in contact with object made of metals,
according to the magnetic nature of the end piece, the said object
will be attached to the end piece of measuring tape. To increase
the strength and stability of attachment are also designer and
manufacturer's object of improvement.
[0008] However, the above mentioned structures are depend on
magnetic object being installed to the front end surface of end
piece, since only one side of magnetic object is attached by glue
to end piece, the parts would fall apart easily due to the glue
loss its adhesive effect after repeat contact in use; or because
the magnetic piece of end piece is extruded outside the end piece,
the parts are easily fall apart due to repeat contact in use.
Furthermore, since objects to be measured can be in many different
forms, not all object to be measured can be hooked by the hook
plate of the end piece, therefore rely solely on the magnetic
nature of the end piece to attach the object is insufficient.
[0009] In order to overcome the inconvenience of the design of the
above cases, the inventor of present invention has experiment,
conduct research and make improve of present invention to reach its
final outcome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide an
improved structure for the end piece of tape rule, that is to wrap
the magnetic object together with the hook plate as a whole
body.
[0011] According to the improved structure of the end piece of
present invention, hook plate of the end piece has a caved-in space
to embrace whole magnetic object, after the said magnet is put into
the said caved-in space, then a holding element is used to cover
the whole magnetic end piece.
[0012] According to the improved structure of the end piece of
present invention, the holding element that is used to wrap the
whole magnetic hook hanging portion of end piece has elastic nature
and is slip preventing.
[0013] A more complete understanding of these and other features
and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a
careful consideration of the following detailed description of
preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of conventional tape rule.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the construction of the
hook plate of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a exploded perspective view showing the
construction of the hook plate of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the construction of
the hook plate of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a view of magnetic nature under the construction
of the hook plate of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 is an optional view 2 of the construction of the hook
plate of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 7 is an optional view 3 of the construction of the hook
plate of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 8 is an optional view 4 of the construction of the hook
plate of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 9 is an optional view 5 of the construction of the hook
plate of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] According to the improved structure for the end piece of the
tape rule of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2 and 3, the
end piece 2 includes a measuring tape connecting portion 3 and a
hook plate 4. The measuring tape connecting portion 3 and the hook
plate 4 are made by same material to form a whole body. There are
pin holes 31, 32 for rivets to insert into and connect the end
piece 2 to be firmly attached to the surface of measuring tape (the
portion of tape rule denoted by 12 shown in FIG. 1).
[0024] The said hook plate 4 is connected to end of measuring tape
connecting portion 3 and extend downward from the connecting plate,
the hook plate 4 has two caved-in potholes 51, 52 and is cut from
bottom towards center upwardly, the height of the potholes is large
enough to take in the whole magnetic objects, the depth of the two
potholes is the same as hook plate 4.
[0025] There are magnetic objects 61, 62 can be circular,
rectangular or other shapes of plate, and the said magnetic objects
are preferably formed as circular plate. The circular magnetic
object's depth mainly do not exceed the depth of the said caved-in
potholes 51, 52, and the size of magnets must not exceed the
potholes, so the potholes can completely enclose the two magnets;
in general, the said hook plate 4 has at least 1 mm thickness, and
the depth of pothole is less than the thickness of hook plate,
while the magnetic object's thickness is preferably designated
between 0.5 mm-3 mm.
[0026] Said caved-in potholes 51, 52 on the hook plate can be
formed as concaved grooves 51, 52 corresponding to the magnetic
objects 61, 62, such that the magnetic objects 61, 62 can quickly
inserted into said concaved grooves 51, 52 to form an entity of end
piece having magnetic objects. In addition, inside the concaved
grooves 51, 52, adhesive agent can be filled to increase the
adhesive force between magnetic objects 61, 62 and the wall of
concaved grooves 51, 52. There is a holding element 7 covering the
magnetic object 61, 62 and hook hanging portion entirely as one
piece and is wrapped upwardly from bottom of the hook plate 4 to
enclose the hook plate 4 and magnetic object 61, 62.
[0027] Holding element 7 can be formed of a box having an opening,
its size is designed to enable it to easily slip onto hook hanging
portion 4 from bottom to cover its surface. The said holding
element 7 is to be a thin coat by design, not exceed the thickness
of magnetic object 61, 62, therefore, will not reduce the
effectiveness of the magnetic object. One function of holding
element 7 is for wrapping the magnetic object onto the hook hanging
portion 4.
[0028] When the holding element is made of a box for entirely
wrapping the magnetic objects and the hook plate, it covers both
front surface and rear surface of the hook hanging portion, hence
as the said holding element is made of elastic and slip preventing
material (such as plastic), the elastic nature of the holding
element, when contacts an article's surface, increases the
resistance between the hook hanging portion and the article to be
measured, so the article can be firmly hooked for obtaining an
accurate measurement.
[0029] FIG. 4 of present invention discloses a holding element 7
that covers the outside of hook hanging portion where two magnets
61, 62 are enclosed in. Since the magnets are made the same size
and depth as the caved-in potholes 51, 52, therefore the magnet 61,
62 is maximized in the pothole 51, 52 to reach its top performance.
While the magnets are enclosed in the said holding element 7, they
are not exposed to the air, therefore the problem of magnets fall
off from hook hanging portion 4 of end piece 2 is solved.
[0030] According to the FIG. 5 of present invention, because
magnets 61, 62 are put in the caved-in potholes 51, 52, its
magnetic nature would not be reduced by the material and thickness
of the hook hanging portion, hence the magnets 61, 62 can attract
article placed in front, at the back or below the said hook plate
4, and its magnetic nature will not be limited by the form of
article to be measured.
[0031] According to the FIG. 6 of present invention, the holding
element can not only designed to have an opening, it can also be
U-shape. The U-shape holding element 72 covers the front, back and
bottom of hook plate 4, and the magnetic nature of magnets 61, 62
enclosed will not be reduced by its cover.
[0032] According to the FIG. 7 of present invention, in order to
increase the usability of holding element 72, small holes 73, 74
are formed on the holding element 72 and the corresponding spot of
the magnetic objects 61, 62, such that both the concealler and the
magnets can be fixated easily during assembling.
[0033] According to FIG. 8 of present invention, in order to
connect magnets 81, 82 and hook plate 4, two holes 801, 802 are
formed on the hook plate 4, then the magnetic objects 81, 82 are
put into the holes 801, 802 to form a whole body. Finally, the
magnetic objects 81, 82 and hook plate 4 are enveloped with holding
element 91.
[0034] According to FIG. 9 of present invention, another embodiment
to connect hook plate 4 and magnetic objects 81, 82 is to have two
grooves 803, 804 on hook plate 4, then put the magnetic objects 81,
82 into the grooves 803, 804 to make the hook plate an entity.
Finally envelope the magnetic objects 81, 82 and hook plate 4 with
holding element 81.
[0035] According to the improved structure for the end piece of the
tape rule of the present invention, hook plate is attached to
magnetic object and the whole body is covered by elastic
concealler, this particular design can prevent the parts from fall
apart due to incorrectly external force, also able metal object to
be attached to hook hanging portion's front surface, back surface,
and bottom. Since present invention is not disclosed and for sale
previously, thus believed present invention is an invention of
novelty.
[0036] Although the present invention has been described with a
certain degree of particularity, the present disclosure has been
made by way of example and changes in details of structure may be
made without departing from the spirit thereof.
* * * * *