A tape measure comprises a housing containing a tape, spring, reel, and hub, with first seal(s) to seal between the reel cartridge and the hub and/or to seal between the reel and the housing and/or a part fixed to the housing. An outermost coil of the spring may extend out of an opening in the reel and be attached to an innermost coil of the tape, and a second seal may be provided on the reel, to seal between the spring and the reel where the spring extends from the reel. Alternatively, the spring may be contained within the reel, and an outermost coil of the spring may be attached to an interior of the reel. An exterior of the reel may include an attachment portion to which an innermost coil of the tape is attached. The housing may be openable to enable contaminants to be removed from the housing.

A tape measure having a light emitting device includes a housing, a reel received in the housing, and a blade wound on the reel to be extended or retracted through an inlet of the housing, and further includes a first case, a second case coupled with the first case to form the housing, a light emitting portion positioned in front of the center of the reel around the inlet of the housing, and a light emitting circuit portion positioned in the rear side of the center of the reel by facing the light emitting portion, wherein the light emitting circuit portion includes a circuit board disposed on a rear lower side of the housing, and the first case and the second case provide circuit receiving spaces for receiving the circuit board, respectively.

A device for taking a measurement of a dimension of a part of the body of a patient, includes: an electronic tape measure having a portable housing, a winder accommodated in the housing, a tape which is partially wound on the winder and of which a portion, called the “unwound portion”, extends outside the housing, and a measuring module for a measurement, relative to the unwound portion; a consistency control module for checking the consistency of the measurement by at least one consistency rule and at least one context datum; and an alert module for delivering an alert if an inconsistency is detected by the consistency control module.

A tool, such as a tape measure, including a spring-based retraction system is shown. The tape measure includes a fluid-based retraction speed controller. The speed controller may be formed from a rotor/stator arrangement. The rotor is coupled to the reel and the stator is coupled to the housing opposing the rotor. The rotor converts some rotational energy from tape reel into movement of a fluid (e.g., movement of air, movement of oil, etc. through friction) which acts to slow or limit the retraction/rotational speed of the reel as the retraction spring expands driving the reel during tape blade retraction.

The invention is a fluid container, such as a flask or canteen, positioned in previously unused spaces found in the housing of a measuring tape mechanism. The present invention possesses a fluid container or vessel place inside the external housing of a measuring tape component (with an opening and cap), which simultaneously encloses an internal integrated spooled measuring tape with spring-loaded retracting measuring tape with a locking mechanism. The present invention allows for the simultaneous placement of a fluid container inside previously unused space in a measuring tape housing to store fluids in an efficient and effective manner without requiring two separate vessels or components, to allow for a more efficient and effective incorporation of a useful fluid vessel in previously unused space in a measuring tape mechanism to provide storage of hydration or medicinal fluids in a more efficient and effective manner on construction or work sites.

According to an embodiment, a tape measure comprises an accessory removably coupleable to either side of the housing. According to another embodiment, a tape measure comprises an accessory removably coupleable to the housing via a locking mechanism that holds the accessory at a plurality of desired orientations. According to another embodiment, a tape measure comprises a slide lock, where movement of the slide lock from a locked position into an unlocked position requires depression of the actuator towards the interior of the housing. According to another embodiment, a motor assembly for a tape measure comprises a backer plate, a motor body, and a spring, where a bond is applied therebetween. According to another embodiment, a motor assembly for a tape measure comprises a motor body and a spring, where one of a metallurgical bond or an adhesive is applied between the motor body and the spring.

A tape measure includes a spool, a housing defining an opening, where the spool is rotatably coupled to the housing, and a blade including a first end and a second end, where the first end is connected to the spool and the second end is movable through the opening between a retracted position and an extended position. The manually retractable tape measure further includes a cleaning assembly positioned within the housing adjacent the opening such that the cleaning assembly is in contact with the blade to push away debris from the blade as the blade moves between the retracted position and the extended position.

A measuring tape device may include a housing having an aperture, a reel assembly enclosed within the housing, and a blade having a first end configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly. The reel assembly may be configured to alternately allow the blade to be withdrawn from the reel assembly through the aperture or received in the aperture onto the reel assembly via operation of a spring. The spring is anchored to a post disposed within the housing at a first end of the spring and operably coupled to the blade at a second end of the spring. The post includes a slot dividing the post into a first post portion and a second post portion. Each of the first and second post portions may have rounded edges at portions thereof that define lateral boundaries of the slot.

A tool, such as a tape measure, including a spring-based retraction system is shown. The spring-based retraction system includes at least two springs that drive a tape spool during tape retraction. The springs are indirectly coupled to each other via a single center post, in one embodiment, two center posts on a single spool, in another embodiment, or two center posts that are on different spools, in another embodiment.

A tape measure comprises a housing containing a tape, spring, reel, and hub, with first seal(s) to seal between the reel cartridge and the hub and/or to seal between the reel and the housing and/or a part fixed to the housing. An outermost coil of the spring may extend out of an opening in the reel and be attached to an innermost coil of the tape, and a second seal may be provided on the reel, to seal between the spring and the reel where the spring extends from the reel. Alternatively, the spring may be contained within the reel, and an outermost coil of the spring may be attached to an interior of the reel. An exterior of the reel may include an attachment portion to which an innermost coil of the tape is attached. The housing may be openable to enable contaminants to be removed from the housing.