Disclosed is a tape measure, comprising: a tape measure housing (1) provided with an accommodating cavity; a tape core assembly (2) arranged in the accommodating cavity; and a tape belt assembly (3) wound around the tape core assembly (2). The tape measure housing (1) is further provided with a tape outlet for the tape belt assembly (3) to extend outwards. The tape measure further comprises a braking assembly (4) and a driving assembly (5), wherein the driving assembly (5) is movably mounted onto the tape measure housing (1); the tape core assembly (2) is provided with a braking face (201); the driving assembly (5) drives the braking assembly (4) to come into contact with the braking face (201) of the tape core assembly (2) and to press the same, thereby realizing braking. Abrasion of the scale on the surface of a tape belt is effectively prevented.

A tape rule comprises a blade, a reel, a spring, a lock, and a housing. The blade comprises a substrate and a coating. The coating is configured to provide color, environmental protection, and/or abrasion resistance. In some embodiments, (1) the coating is formed from non-polymer materials; (2) the blade comprises reinforcements metallurgically bonded to the blade at or near a free end; (3) measurement indicia comprise laser marked portions of the substrate that create color contrasts with other portions of the substrate; (4) the measurement indicia comprise portions of the substrate visible through gaps in the coating; (5) the measurement indicia comprise voids in the substrate filled with a coating material having a contrasting color; and/or (6) the substrate has a surface texture configured to change an appearance of the coating relative to an appearance of the coating on an as-rolled surface finish of the metal substrate.

A measuring instrument that reads a measure including a plurality of reading patterns arranged in a length direction of the measure, each reading pattern including a plurality of patterns arranged in a width direction of the measure, includes: a flattening member that increases a flatness of the measure; and a first reader that optically reads the plurality of patterns arranged in the width direction included in a single reading pattern from the measure in a state where the flatness is increased by the flattening member.

A tape rule comprises a blade, a reel, a spring, a lock, and a housing. The blade comprises a substrate and a coating. The coating is configured to provide color, environmental protection, and/or abrasion resistance. In some embodiments, (1) the coating is formed from non-polymer materials; (2) the blade comprises reinforcements metallurgically bonded to the blade at or near a free end; (3) measurement indicia comprise laser marked portions of the substrate that create color contrasts with other portions of the substrate; (4) the measurement indicia comprise portions of the substrate visible through gaps in the coating; (5) the measurement indicia comprise voids in the substrate filled with a coating material having a contrasting color; and/or (6) the substrate has a surface texture configured to change an appearance of the coating relative to an appearance of the coating on an as-rolled surface finish of the metal substrate.

A measuring instrument that reads a measure including a plurality of reading patterns arranged in a length direction of the measure, each reading pattern including a plurality of patterns arranged in a width direction of the measure, includes: a flattening member that increases a flatness of the measure; and a first reader that optically reads the plurality of patterns arranged in the width direction included in a single reading pattern from the measure in a state where the flatness is increased by the flattening member.

Disclosed is a tape measure, comprising: a tape measure housing (1) provided with an accommodating cavity; a tape core assembly (2) arranged in the accommodating cavity; and a tape belt assembly (3) wound around the tape core assembly (2). The tape measure housing (1) is further provided with a tape outlet for the tape belt assembly (3) to extend outwards. The tape measure further comprises a braking assembly (4) and a driving assembly (5), wherein the driving assembly (5) is movably mounted onto the tape measure housing (1); the tape core assembly (2) is provided with a braking face (201); the driving assembly (5) drives the braking assembly (4) to come into contact with the braking face (201) of the tape core assembly (2) and to press the same, thereby realizing braking. Abrasion of the scale on the surface of a tape belt is effectively prevented.

A tape measure includes a housing comprising first and second housing portions together defining a mouth, and separated by a seam; and a spool configured to be secured between the first and second housing portions, the spool containing a tape blade wound thereon and partially extending therefrom through the mouth, the tape blade terminating in a hook portion. The seam is formed both above the mouth and at a side of the mouth, such that a structure of the first housing portion extends at least substantially an entire width of the mouth, under the tape blade. The tape blade is biased to retract into the housing and wind around the spool, such that in a fully retracted position the hook portion abuts the structure of the first housing portion. In an extended position the tape blade is unwound from the spool such that the hook extends away from the mouth.

A measuring tape that has a housing, a reel rotatably mounted inside the housing, and a blade configured to the drawn out through an entrance of the housing includes: an indirect brake configured to lock the reel indirectly through the blade wound around the reel; a direct brake configured to lock the reel directly by pressing against the reel; and a release button exposed outside the housing, wherein locking of the indirect brake and the direct brake with respect to the reel can be simultaneously released by the release button.