Patent ID: 6085433
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
A tape measure comprising:a tape;a housing, wherein its upper surface is surrounded by a serrated edge with a plurality of tilted tooth, said tape being mounted with said housing anda brake mechanism mounted within said housing;said brake mechanism further including:a two-ends release key provided in said housing, one end of said release key being engaged to said housing, while the other end remains free to move; anda brake having two ends, an upper end of said two ends of said brake being in connection with said release key while the other end of said brake and an intermediate portion of said release key are engaged to said housing, said brake having an intermediate protrusion and a recessed portion extending downward in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of said housing; anda stopper with two ends, an upper end of said two ends being in connection with said brake while a lower end of said two ends face against a stop block to let said tape pass through a gap therebetween so as to control a motion of said tape, either be released or halted; and whereinthe brake structure is characterized in that when said release key is pressed by user's finger, said tape is drawn out and extended, the upper end of said brake, which is in connection with said release key is actuated to make said brake tentatively deform with respect to its original shape, while at the same time, said stopper, is affected by a reaction force produced by a retracting motion of said tape, said stopper is displaced upward and pushes its upper end into said recessed portion formed on said brake such that the retracting force of said tape overcomes a halting force produced between said stopper and said stop block so that said tape can be retracted and wound back into said housing, and when said release key is released free from pressing by the user's finger, the brake returns to its original shape, and its intermediate protrusion pushes said stopper downward accordingly so that said tape is tightly gripped and halted between said stopper and said stop block thereby performing the desired braking function.