U.S. patent number RE37,212 [Application Number 09/469,495] was granted by the patent office on 2001-06-12 for tape measure.
Invention is credited to Forrest A. Marshall.
United States Patent |
RE37,212 |
Marshall |
June 12, 2001 |
Tape measure
Abstract
A tape measure is provided in which orientation of the primary
indicia are varied to allow reading of measurements from either
side. A centering strip is provided which gives fractional values
corresponding to the primary indicia, thus allowing easy
calculation of certain fractions of a given measurement. Other
visual aids for improving ease of use are provided, such as stud
centering marks, distinct colors and variations in numeral and
hatch mark sizing.
Inventors: |
Marshall; Forrest A. (Dublin,
GA) |
Family
ID: |
26694728 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/469,495 |
Filed: |
December 17, 1999 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
889639 |
Jul 8, 1997 |
05913586 |
Jun 22, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
33/759; 33/494;
33/520; 33/644; 33/679.1; 434/209 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01B
3/004 (20130101); G01B 3/1003 (20200101); G01B
3/1004 (20200101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01B
3/10 (20060101); G01B 3/00 (20060101); G01B
3/02 (20060101); G01B 003/10 (); G01B 003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;33/759,483,494,758,679.1,520,644 ;434/188,191,205,209 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
New E-Z Read, Olympia Industrial, Inc., City of Industry, Georgia,
undated..
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Primary Examiner: Fulton; Christopher W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Johnson; Kristin Russell; Dean W.
Kilpatrick Stockton LLP
Parent Case Text
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application
No. 60/021,468, filed Jul. 10, 1996.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A tape measure comprising:
a) a first indicator strip bearing a first plurality of evenly
spaced indicia in a first pattern in which adjacent indicia of the
first pluraltiy of indicia are oriented differently;
b) a second indicator strip bearing a second plurality of evenly
spaced indicia in a second pattern in which adjacent indicia of the
second plurality of indicia are oriented differently and the second
pattern complements the first pattern; and
c) a third indicator strip bearing a third plurality of evenly
spaced indicia in which the third plurality of indicia have a
quantitative value defining a fractional value of the first and
second plurality of indicia.
2. The tape measure of claim 1 in which indicia of the first and
second pluralities of indicia are sized differently than adjacent
indicia.
3. The tape measure of claim 1 in which each of the indicia are
marked with a symbol which indicates the orientation of the
indicia.
4. The tape measure of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of
hatch marks defining evenly spaced, fractional intervals between
each of the indicia of the first and second pluralities of
indicia.
5. The tape measure of claim 4 in which the each of the hatch marks
are varied in size in proportion to the fractional interval defined
thereby.
6. The tape measure of claim 1 in which the first indicator strip
further comprises a plurality of stud centering marks.
7. The tap measure of claim 6 in which the second indicator strip
further comprises a plurality of stud centering marks.
8. The tape measure of claim 6 in which the stud centering marks
are calibrated for centers having a first predetermined
quantitative value.
9. The tape measure of claim 6 in which the stud centering marks
are calibrated for centers having a second predetermined
quantitative value.
10. The tape measure of claim 6 in which the stud centering marks
are calibrated for centers having a first and second predetermined
quantitative value.
11. The tape measure of claim 10 in which the stud centering marks
for having the first predetermined quantitative value are visually
distinct from the stud centering marks for the second predetermined
quantitative value.
12. The tape measure of claim 6 in which the stud centering marks
are bracketed.
13. The tape measure of claim 1 in which the third indicator strip
is printed with a color which contrasts a color of the first and
second indicator strips.
14. A carpenter's tape measure comprising:
a) a long, thin flexible strip having a top surface, a first
lateral edge and a second lateral edge;
b) a first set of indicia printed on the top surface adjacent to
the first lateral edge, each indicium of the first set being evenly
spaced from adjacent indicia of the first set and printed
upside-down with respect to adjacent indicia of the first set, in
which every other indicium of the first set is of a different size
with respect to adjacent indicia of the first set;
c) a second set of indicia printed on the top surface adjacent to
the second lateral edge, each indicium of the second set being
evenly spaced from adjacent indicia of the second set and printed
upside-down with respect to adjacent indicia of the second set, in
which every other indicium of the second set is of a different size
with respect to adjacent indicia of the second set;
d) in which the first set of indicia is printed so as to correspond
to the second set of indicia;
e) in which the orientation all of the indicia is indicated by a
symbol printed adjacent to each indicium;
f) a third set of indicia printed on the top surface between the
first and second sets of indicia in which the third set of indicia
have a quantitative value defining a fractional value of the first
and second sets of indicia; and
g) a plurality of stud centering brackets printed adjacent to each
edge of the strip at predetermined intervals corresponding to the
numeric values of the first and second sets of indicia. .Iadd.
15. A tape measure comprising:.Iaddend.
.Iadd.a. a first indicator strip bearing a first plurality of
evenly spaced indicia for measuring a distance;.Iaddend.
.Iadd.b. a second indicator strip bearing a second plurality of
evenly spaced indicia for measuring a distance; and .Iaddend.
.Iadd.c. a third indicator strip located between the first and
second indicator strips and bearing a third plurality of evenly
spaced indicia in which the third plurality of indicia have
quantitative values defining a fractional value of the first and
second plurality of indicia, wherein at least some of the
quantitative values of the third plurality of indicia are expressed
as fractions and wherein at least some of the quantitative values
of the third plurality of indicia are located on the tape measure
adjacent to the first and second plurality of indicia whose
fractional value they define. .Iaddend..Iadd.
16. The tape measure of claim 15 wherein the first plurality of
indicia are arranged in a first pattern in which adjacent indicia
of the first plurality of indicia are oriented differently.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
17. The tape measure of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of
hatch marks defining evenly spaced, fractional intervals between
each of the indicia of the first and second pluralities of indicia.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
18. The tape measure of claim 15 wherein the first indicator strip
further comprises a plurality of stud centering marks.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
19. The tape measure of claim 18 wherein the second indicator strip
further comprises a plurality of stud centering marks.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
20. The tape measure of claim 15 wherein the third indicator strip
is printed with a color which contrasts a color of the first and
second indicator strips. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Carpenters, woodworkers and others involved in the construction of
structures, furniture and other goods typically rely on some form
of measuring tool in laying out the dimensions of the object being
constructed. Perhaps the most common tool of this sort is the tape
measure. Despite its popularity, however, the typical tape measure
is not always easy to use, given the frequency and typical
conditions of use. For instance, carpenters must often take several
measurements in multiple directions from one position. As a result,
many of the measurements must be read "upside-down" as tape
measures are frequently marked in only one orientation.
Furthermore, measurements must often be made in many different
intervals, i.e., eighths or sixteenths of an inch. A typical tape
measure may use very similar markings between such intervals,
increasing the risk of an erroneous reading. In construction,
measurements are typically made in a single unit, such as inches.
Nonetheless, many tape measures are marked in mixed units, such as
feet and inches, further increasing the risk of erroneous
readings.
Users must frequently identify some fraction of an overall
measurement, e.g., a carpenter may need to know the center-point of
board he or she has just measured. Tape measures typically do not
provide mechanisms for readily identifying such a fraction.
Some measurements made during construction occur on regularly
repeating intervals, such as laying studs on sixteen or twenty-four
inch centers. It would be desirable to provide a tape measure that
easily allows these repetitive measurements to be made.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view of a first portion of an illustrative
embodiment of the tape measure according to the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of a second portion of the tape measure of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a third portion of the tape measure of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a fourth portion of the tape measure of
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a carpenter's tape measure 10 according to the
present invention. Tape 10 features indicia 12A-N on a first
indicator strip 14, indicia 16A-N on a second indicator strip 18,
indicia 20A-N on a centering strip 22 and stud centering marks 30.
Indicia 12A-N, 16A-N, 20A-N may be numerals or other symbols useful
for indicating units of distance. Indicia 12A-N, 16A-N, and 20A-N
are evenly spaced on a linear scale so that measurements of units
of distance may be taken with reference thereto.
Indicia 12A-N on strip 14 alternate between the upright and
upside-down positions. In other words, if 12A is upside-down, 12B
is upright and so on. Indicia 16A-N likewise alternate between the
upright and upside-down positions, although the pattern complements
that of inidicia 12A-N. Thus, if 12A is upside-down, 16A is
upright, and so on for the extent of tape 10. In addition, indicia
that are in the same orientation, i.e., 16A, 12B, 16C, 12D, etc.
(the nominally upright indicia), may be sized differently that the
complementary set of indicia. By this, the user more easily may
distinguish one set of indicia from another. (Of course, as the
position of tape is changed, e.g., if the tape is rotated
one-hundred and eighty degrees, first one and then the other set of
indicia will be "upright.")
Because tape 10 is marked in the manner described, a user easily
may take multiple measurements in multiple directions without
changing position or reading symbols that are upside-down. For
example, a carpenter standing along one side of a board may wish to
take measurements of the board in both the left and right
directions. With a conventional tape measure, the carpenter would
either have to move about in order to take the measurements, or
take at least some of the measurements by reading the tape measure
in an upside-down position. Using tape 10, however, the carpenter
may take measurement of the board to the right and left of his
position and read from the set of indicia which is upright. To
increase further the ease of reading, each indicia 12A-N, 16A-N may
bear an underline 17 which indicates to the user the bottom of the
symbol, thereby facilitating the identification by the user of the
indicia that are upright in the given position.
Fractional divisions of units of length defined by indicia 12A-N
and 16A-N are denoted by hatch marks 40, 41 and 42. For instance,
if the scale of tape 10 is in inches, hatch marks 40 represent
one-quarter inch divisions, hatch marks 41 represent one-eight inch
divisions and hatch marks 42 represent one-sixteenth inch
divisions. To improve ease of reading, the length of each hatch
mark may be varied according to the fraction it represents. Thus,
hatch marks 40 may be longer than hatch marks 41. Likewise, hatch
marks 42 may be dots rather than lines to further distinguish that
fraction from the others. Furthermore, each hatch mark may extend
to the very edge of the tape measure.
Indicia 20A-N are distributed linearly along centering strip 22.
The quantitative value of indicia 20A-N is some fractional value of
indicia 12A-N, 16A-N. For example, it is often necessary, when
measuring construction materials, to determine the center of the
material being measured. Thus, if indicia 20A-N are calibrated to
indicate exactly one-half of the quantitative value of indicia
12A-N, 16A-N to which indicia 20A-N are proximate, the user easily
can identify the mid-point of the material. The user reads indicia
12A-N, 16A-N and locates the indicium 12x, 16x representing the
overall length of the object. The user may then refer to the
proximate indicia 20x, which will show one half of the value
indicated by the indicium 12x, 16x. Other fractions may also be
used.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, particular indicia may be
highlighted with stud centering marks 30. Marks 30 allow a user
easily and rapidly to mark the proper spacing for studs or other
regularly occurring structures. In the illustrative embodiment, the
sixteen and twenty-four inch marks are bracketed with marks 30, as
these distances are the most common spacings for studs. Other
intervals may be used as appropriate.
Marks 30 may be provided over the entire length of tape 10. For
instance, marks 30 for measuring sixteen inch centers may be placed
at indicia 12A-N, 16A-N indicating inches sixteen, thirty-two,
forty-eight and so on. Marks 30 for measuring twenty-four inch
centers may be placed at indicia 12A-N, 16A-N indicating inches
twenty-four, forty-eight and so on. Marks 30 for measuring
different intervals may be visually distinct. For instance, marks
30 for sixteen inch centers may be squared off, whereas marks for
twenty-four inch centers may be rounded. In this manner, the
different stud centering intervals are easily distinguished. Where
such marks coincide, such as at the forty-eight inch mark (not
shown), marks 30 for the differing intervals may overlap, the
differences between each marking allowing both to be readily
identified.
Marks 30 may be bracketed around the desired indicia so that the
width of the typical structure can be accounted for. Thus, as
illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, marks 30 span a distance of one and
one-half inches, the width of a standard "two by four" stud, and
are centered on the desired point. In this manner, the user can
mark the desired center-point of the stud, as well as its
boundaries, eliminating the chance of an erroneous reading of
markings made on the structure.
Other features may also be included to increase the ease of use of
tape 10, while reducing the risk of erroneous measurements. For
instance, tape 10 may employ a contrasting color scheme to improve
ease of reading. Indicia 12A-N, 16A-N, 20A-N may be numbered out in
single unit, e.g., inches, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Thus, large
readings can be made in inches alone rather than as a combination
of inches and feet.
Each of the features described herein may be used alone or in
combination. The effect of these features, either alone or in
combination, is to ease the task of taking the numerous
measurements associated with construction by providing readily
distinguishable visual cues to the user.
Although the foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating,
explaining and describing embodiments of the present invention,
modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent
to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from
the scope or spirit of the invention.
* * * * *