WO2020069616A1

WO2020069616A1 - Tape measure with a disc brake mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2020069616A1
Application number: PCT/CA2019/051409
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert NIELSON
Original assignee: Nielson Robert
Priority date: 2018-10-01
Filing date: 2019-10-01
Publication date: 2020-04-09

Abstract

A tape measure comprises a disc brake mechanism. The disc brake mechanism has a first side and a second side. The first side of the disc brake mechanism functions as a brake pad to engage the tape reel to apply the frictional force to the tape reel. The first side of the disc brake mechanism also has a shaft which extends through the spring mechanism. The second side of the disc brake mechanism has a plurality of inclined cam surfaces arranged in annular formation which interact with a plurality of corresponding inclined cam surfaces arranged in annular formation on an inner wall of the housing. Rotation of the disc brake mechanism in a first direction causes the disc brake mechanism to move towards the tape reel and rotation of the disc brake mechanism in a second direction causes the disc brake mechanism to move away from the tape reel. The spring mechanism biasing the causing the disc brake mechanism to rotate in the second direction.

Description

TAPE MEASURE WITH A DISC BRAKE MECHANISM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a tape measure and, in particular, to a tape measure with a disc brake mechanism.

Description of the Related Art

[0002] United States Patent No. 7,584,548 which issued on September 8, 2012 to Nielson, and the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a tape measure comprising a housing having a tape outlet opening. A flexible measuring tape is movable between a retracted position in which the measuring tape is substantially disposed within the housing, and an extended position in which at least a portion of the measuring tape extends through the tape outlet opening and linearly outside the housing. The measuring tape has a free end and a pair of longitudinal edges, and the measuring tape has measuring indicia displayed thereon. A magnifying lens is connected to the housing. The magnifying lens overlays the portion of the measuring tape extending outside the housing when the measuring tape is in the extended position. The magnifying lens extends laterally beyond one of the longitudinal edges of the measuring tape. A cross-hair extends across the magnifying lens. The cross-hair is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal edges of the portion of the measuring tape extending outside the housing. The cross-hair is aligned against the measuring indicia.

[0003] United States Patent No. 8,782,917 which issued on July 22, 2014 to Hunsberger et al., and the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a tape measure comprising a housing having a tape reel rotatably mounted therein. A measuring tape is at least partially coiled about the tape reel. The measuring tape is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position at least a portion of the measuring tape extends outwardly of the housing. In the retracted position the measuring tape is substantially coiled about the tape reel and disposed within the housing. A spring mechanism biases the tape reel to rotate so as to move the measuring tape from the extended position to the retracted position. A disc brake mechanism applies a frictional force to the tape reel to control rotation of the tape reel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved tape measure with a disc brake mechanism.

[0005] There is accordingly provided a tape measure comprising a housing having a recess in an inner wall thereof, a tape reel rotatably mounted within the housing, and a measuring tape at least partially wound about the tape reel. The measuring tape is movable between an extended position in which at least a portion of the measuring tape extends outwardly of the housing and a retracted position in which the measuring tape is substantially wound completely about the tape reel and disposed within the housing. There is a spring mechanism received by the tape reel. The spring mechanism biases the tape reel to rotate so as to move the measuring tape from the extended position towards the retracted position.

[0006] There is also a disc brake mechanism for applying a frictional force to the tape reel to control rotation of the tape reel. The disc brake mechanism has a first side and a second side. The first side of the disc brake mechanism has a plurality of inclined cam surfaces arranged in annular formation which interact with a plurality of corresponding inclined cam surfaces arranged in annular formation on an inner wall of the housing. The second side of the disc brake mechanism functions as a brake pad to engage the tape reel to apply the frictional force to the tape reel. The first side of the disc brake mechanism also has a shaft which extends through the spring mechanism and is received by the recess in the inner wall of the housing. Rotation of the disc brake mechanism in a first direction causes the disc brake mechanism to move towards the tape reel and rotation of the disc brake mechanism in a second direction causes the disc brake mechanism to move away from the tape reel. The spring mechanism biasing the disc brake mechanism to rotate in the second direction.

[0007] There may be a protrusion extending from an inner wall the housing and a recess in the second side of the disc brake mechanism. The protrusion extending from the inner wall of the housing may be received by the recess in the second side of the disc brake mechanism. The spring mechanism may include a coiled flat spring. There may be a lever for rotating the disc brake mechanism. There may be a recess in the first side of the disc brake mechanism. The shaft may extend from the recess in the first side of the disc brake mechanism. There may be a protrusion on the inner wall of the housing and an opening on the disc brake mechanism. The protrusion may engage the opening when the disc brake mechanism is in a locked position. There may be a sloped edge on the disc brake mechanism and an inclined cam surface on the inner wall of the housing. The sloped edge on the disc brake mechanism engages the inclined cam surface on the inner wall of the housing when the disc brake mechanism is in an engaged position

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF DRAWINGS [0008] The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of the embodiments thereof given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009] Figure l is a perspective view of a tape measure;

[0010] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the tape measure;

[0011] Figure 3 is another exploded view of the tape measure; [0012] Figure 4 is a sectional view of the tape measure showing a disc brake mechanism of the tape measure in a released position;

[0013] Figure 5 is a sectional view of the tape measure showing the disc brake mechanism of the tape measure in an engaged position; [0014] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a first housing half and the disc brake mechanism of the tape measure;

[0015] Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation view of the disc brake mechanism in a released position;

[0016] Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevation view of the disc brake mechanism in an intermediate position;

[0017] Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevation view of the disc brake mechanism in an engaged position;

[0018] Figure 10 is an enlarged view of a second housing half and the disc brake mechanism of the tape measure; [0019] Figure 11A is a side elevation view of the tape measure and Figure 11B is a section view taken across 11B-11B of Figure 11 A; and

[0020] Figure 12A is a side elevation view of the tape measure and Figure 12B is a section view taken across 12B-12B of Figure 12A. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Referring to the drawings, and first to Figure 1, a tape measure 10 is shown. The tape measure 10 generally comprises a housing 12 which encloses a flexible measuring tape 14. The measuring tape 14 may be extended out of the housing 12 during use, as shown in Figure 1, or be retracted into the housing 12 during storage and/or transport, as is well known. There is a scale 16 marked on the measuring tape 14 and a hook 18 at a free end of the measuring tape 14. The scale 16 allows a user to measure distances. The hook 18 allows the measuring tape 14 to be hooked onto an object being measured and prevents the free end of the measuring tape 14 from retracting into the housing 12 beyond a desired point.

[0022] The housing 12, in this example, includes a first housing half 20 and a second housing half 22. The first housing half 20 and the second housing half 22 are better shown in Figures 2 and 3. An inner wall 24 of the first housing half 20 is provided with a plurality of inclined cam surfaces, for example cam surfaces 26a and 26b, which are arranged in an annular formation about the axis of rotation. There may be protrusion 28 extending from the inner wall 24 of the first housing half 20 at the axis of rotation. An inner wall 30 of the second housing half 22 is provided with a recess 32 at the axis of rotation.

[0023] The tape measure 10 also includes a disc brake mechanism 34. The disc brake mechanism 34 has a first side 36 and a second side 38. The first side 36 of the disc brake mechanism 34 provided with a plurality of inclined cam surfaces, for example cam surfaces 40a and 40b, which are arranged in an annular formation about the axis of rotation. There is also a recess 42 in the first side 36 of the disc brake mechanism 34 at the axis of rotation. The second side 38 of the disc brake mechanism 34 is provided with a substantially planar annular surface 44 which functions as a brake pad. There is also a recess 46 in the second side 38 of the disc brake mechanism 34 at the axis of rotation. The recess 46, in this example, has a depth of 0.5mm. There is a shaft 48 extending from the second side 38 of the disc brake mechanism 34 along the axis of rotation. [0024] There is also a substantially annular tape reel 50 rotatably mounted in the housing and about which the measuring tape 14 is wound. The tape reel 50 receives a spring mechanism in the form of a coiled flat spring 52 through which the shaft 48 of the disc brake mechanism 34 extends. The tape reel 50 is provided with a slot 54 through which a connector 56, male in this example, of the coiled flat spring 52 extends. The connector 56 of the coiled flat spring 52 is also coupled with a connector 58 of measuring tape 14 to generate tension to allow the measuring tape 14 to retract into the housing 12. The taper reel also includes an annular flange 60. A cover 62 retains the coiled flat spring 52 within the tape reel 50 and receives the shaft 48 of the disc brake mechanism 34 to keep the components in place.

[0025] Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, when the tape measure is assembled, the protrusion 28 extending from the inner wall 24 of one of the first housing half 20 is received by the recess 42 in the first side 36 of the disc brake mechanism 34. The shaft 48 extending from the second side 38 of the disc brake mechanism 34 is received by the recess 32 in an inner wall 30 of the second housing half 22. The disc brake mechanism 34 is biased towards a released position, as shown in Figure 4, when cam surfaces of the disc brake mechanism are each at a bottom of a corresponding cam surface on the inner wall 24 of the first housing half 20. This maintains a spacing between the first side 36 of the disc brake mechanism 34 and the measuring tape 14. This allows for rotation of the measure tape 14. The coiled flat spring 52 biases the disc brake mechanism 34 to the released position. The disc brake mechanism 34 may be actuated from the released position to an engaged position, as shown in Figure 5, by manually actuating the disc brake mechanism 34 using a lever 64. Rotation of the disc brake mechanism 34 causes the cam surfaces of the disc brake mechanism 34 to ride up the corresponding cam surfaces of the first housing half 20. The first side 36 of the disc brake mechanism 34 moves to engage the tape reel 50 and the measuring tape 14. The disc brake mechanism may engage the annular flange 60 of the tape reel and a blade of the measuring tape 14. This prevents rotation of the measuring tape 14. The recess 42 in the first side 36 of the disc brake mechanism 34 allows the disc brake mechanism 34 to properly contact the measuring tape 14 when the disc brake mechanism 34 is in the engaged position. [0026] Referring now to Figure 6, there is a protrusion 66 on the inner wall 24 of the first housing half 20 and an opening 68 in the disc brake mechanism 34. The protrusion 66 on the inner wall 24 of the first housing half 20 is configured to engage the opening 68 in the disc brake mechanism 34 when the disc brake mechanism 34 is moved to the engaged position. This restricts recoil of the measure tape 14 into the housing 12 when the measuring tape 14 is in the extended position. Figure 7 shows the protrusion 66 in a released position when the disc brake mechanism 34 is also in its released position. Figure 8 shows the protrusion 66 in an intermediate position, as the disc brake mechanism 34 is being rotated relative to the first housing half 20, and the disc brake mechanism 34 is in an intermediate position. Figure 9 shows the protrusion 66 in an engaged position, engaging engage the opening 68 in the disc brake mechanism 34, when the disc brake mechanism 34 is in its engaged position. The protrusion 66 has sloped side walls to allow the disc brake mechanism 34 to slide over the protrusion 66 so that the protrusion may engage the opening 68 in the disc brake mechanism 34 when the disc brake mechanism 34 is moved to the engaged position.

[0027] Referring now to Figure 10, there is an inclined cam surface 70 on the inner wall 30 of the second housing half 22 and a flange 72 of the disc brake mechanism 34 is provided with a sloped edge 74. As shown in Figures 11 A and 11B, the sloped edge 74 of the flange 72 of the disc brake mechanism 34 does not engage the inclined cam surface 70 on the inner wall 30 of the second housing half 22 when the disc brake mechanism 34 is in the released position. However, as shown in Figures 12A and 12B, the sloped edge 74 of the flange 72 of the disc brake mechanism 34 does not engage the inclined cam surface 70 on the inner wall 30 of the second housing half 22 when the disc brake mechanism 34 is in the engaged position. This provides a further locking feature. [0028] It will be understood by a person skilled in the art that many of the details provided above are by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is to be determined with reference to the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A tape measure comprising: a housing having a recess in an inner wall thereof; a tape reel rotatably mounted within the housing; a measuring tape at least partially wound about the tape reel, the measuring tape being movable between an extended position in which at least a portion of the measuring tape extends outwardly of the housing and a retracted position in which the measuring tape is substantially wound completely about the tape reel and disposed within the housing; a spring mechanism received by the tape reel for biasing the tape reel to rotate so as to move the measuring tape from the extended position towards the retracted position; and a disc brake mechanism for applying a frictional force to the tape reel to control rotation of the tape reel, the disc brake mechanism having a first side and a second side, the first side of the disc brake mechanism having a plurality of inclined cam surfaces arranged in annular formation which interact with a plurality of corresponding inclined cam surfaces arranged in annular formation on an inner wall of the housing, the second of the disc brake mechanism functioning as a brake pad to engage the tape reel so as to apply the frictional force to the tape reel and the second side of the disc brake mechanism having a shaft extending through the spring mechanism and received by the recess in the inner wall of the housing, rotation of the disc brake mechanism in a first direction causing the disc brake mechanism to move towards the tape reel and rotation of the disc brake mechanism in a second direction causing the disc brake mechanism to move away from the tape reel, and the spring mechanism biasing the disc brake mechanism to rotate in the second direction.

2. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1 further including a protrusion extending from the inner wall the housing and a recess in the second side of the disc brake mechanism, wherein the shaft extending from the inner wall of the housing is received by the recess in the second side of the disc brake mechanism.

3 The tape measure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring mechanism includes a coiled flat spring.

4. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1 further including a lever for rotating the disc brake mechanism.

5. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1 further including a recess in the first side of the disc brake mechanism.

6. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shaft extends from the recess in the first side of the disc brake mechanism.

7. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1 further including a protrusion on the inner wall of the housing and an opening on the disc brake mechanism, wherein the protrusion engages the opening when the disc brake mechanism is in an engaged position.

8. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1 further including a sloped edge on the disc brake mechanism and an inclined cam surface on the inner wall of the housing, wherein the sloped edge on the disc brake mechanism engages the inclined cam surface on the inner wall of the housing when the disc brake mechanism is in an engaged position.