Abstract:
A garment inspection system uses a digital measuring tape measure to measure and check dimensions of produced garments. The measured dimensions are transmitted to a computer via a wireless radio frequency connection between the digital tape measure and the computer. A software program is installed in the computer in a stand-alone or networked environment to read, store, analyze and manage the data and inspection results.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the measurement of garments and other items. The invention more particularly, although not exclusively, relates to a garment inspection system using an electronic measuring tape to measure and check dimensions of garments during and after manufacture. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,242,574; 4,658,134; 5,027,526; 5,060,394; 5,426,863; 5,433,014; and 5,691,923 each disclose digital tape measures having markings or perforations along the length of the measuring tape itself—designed to be read by a sensor that is fixed inside the tape measure casing as the tape is extended or retracted. A problem with these tape measures is that after some time in use, the markings or perforations suffer from wear and tear as the tape is repeatedly subjected to the measuring environment outside of the tape measure casing. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,014 mentioned above, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,755 disclose digital tape measures having specific features and wireless transmission systems for transmitting data to a remote device. Neither of these however provides a multi-user networked software program to allow storage, analysis and management of inspection results that might be recorded during the measurement of garments during or after manufacture. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An improved electronic tape measure and garment measurement inspection and reporting system is provided. 
         [0005]    There is disclosed herein a tape measure including:
       a casing;   a spool mounted rotatably within the casing and having rotor thereon which rotates together with the spool;   a tape wound upon the spool and extendable from the casing to take linear measurements and whereupon extension thereof the spool and rotor rotate;   a stator located in the casing and cooperating with said rotor to sense angular orientation of the spool; and   conversion means converting said sensed angular orientation of the spool into a linear measurement corresponding to the linear extent to which the tape is extended.       
 
         [0011]    Preferably, the rotor comprises an array of apertures on the spool, and said stator comprises an optical sensor detecting light from a light source passing through the apertures. 
         [0012]    Preferably, said apertures are spaced evenly about the spool and said conversion means comprises an electronically implemented algorithm including a variable associated with the wound diameter of the tape upon the spool. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the tape measure further comprises a display upon the casing for displaying said linear measurement. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the tape measure further comprises a transmitter for transmitting data associated with said angular orientation of the spool and/or said linear measurement to a remote device. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the tape measure further comprises a key upon the casing which when depressed effects transmission of current measurement data. 
         [0016]    There is further disclosed herein a garment measurement and reporting system, including:
       a tape measure for measuring linear dimensions of a garment, the tape measure including a transmitter for transmitting data associated with said linear dimensions; and   a computer receiving data transmitted from the transmitter, the system running software which produces reports based on said data.       
 
         [0019]    Preferably, the tape measure as used in the system is that as described above. 
       Definitions 
       [0020]    As used herein the term “rotor” encompasses anything that can rotate together with the spool to convey the angular orientation of the spool. A “rotor” could comprise optical, magnetic, electrical or other physical means. The term encompasses but it not limited to markings, apertures, slots, reflectors, magnetic particles and also includes the possibility of the shaft and wiper of a variable resistor or plate(s) of a variable capacitor for example. 
         [0021]    As used herein the term “stator” encompasses anything that is fixed with respect to the casing to cooperate with the rotor to read its angular or rotational position. A “stator” can include an optical sender and/or receiver, a magnetic pick-up, electrical or other physical means. The term encompasses but it not limited to and also includes the track(s) of a variable resistor or plate(s) of a variable capacitor for example. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective illustration of a digital tape measure; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of a computer and wireless receiver with which the digital tape measure communicates; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a schematic cross sectional elevation of the digital tape measure; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a schematic partial illustration of an optical sensor associated with a tape spool of the digital tape measure; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram depicting the communication between the digital tape measure and the PC; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is an example of a measurement report as generated by software on the PC; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a measurement audit run-chart of data from the tape measure as generated from the tape measure data by software on the PC; and 
           [0030]      FIGS. 8 ,  9  and  10  are schematic block diagrams illustrating the overall measurement system. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0031]    In  FIGS. 1 to 4  of the accompanying drawings there is depicted schematically a digital tape measure  1  which has a plastic casing  2 . A steel tape  3  is mounted on a spring-loaded rotating spool  31 . The steel tape  3  has ordinary dimension marking printed on its top surface. These can be metric and/or imperial. A locking and unlocking mechanism  51  is provided. A printed circuit board (PCB) assembly  21  is provided. A liquid crystal display (LCD) unit  6  is provided. A battery compartment  7 , key switches  8 ,  9 ,  10  are provided. A universal serial bus (USB) data receiver  11  is provided. A laptop or desktop computer  12  is provided. 
         [0032]    Small slots  33  are cut evenly alongside the rim of one of the circular walls  32  of the tape spool  31 . This is located next to the PCB  21 . A photo sensor comprises a receiver  22   a  located at one side of the wall  32  and a light source  22   b  located at the other side of the wall  32  (hereinafter collectively referred to as “photo sensor  22 ”). Photo sensor  22  is mounted on the PCB  21 . When the tape  3  is extended from the casing, the tape spool  31  will rotate and the slots  33  on near the rim of the wall  32  will pass through the photo sensor  22  in one direction. The movement of the slots  33  will be detected by the photo sensor  22 . To account for the diminishing diameter of the measuring tape that remains wound upon the spool as the tape is extended, the CPU will apply an algorithm to convert the numerical data signals detected by the optical sensor  22  into linear dimensions which are then displayed on the LCD unit  6 . 
         [0033]    The spring loaded locking mechanism  51  will automatically lock the tape  3  when the pulling action of the tape stops. 
         [0034]    When the release button  5  is pressed, the tape  3  will be retracted by the spring loaded tape spool  31 . The slots  33  on the wall of the spool will pass the photo sensors  22  again in an opposite direction. The travelling direction and distance will be detected by the photo sensor  22 . The signal is again converted into data and calculated by the CPU and displayed on the LCD  6 . 
         [0035]    The key switch  8  will toggle the measured displayed dimensions between metric and imperial. 
         [0036]    When the tape  3  is fully retracted, the displayed dimension on the LCD  6  should be zero. In case if there is any residual value remain on the LCD  6 , by pressing key switch  9 , any displayed value on the LCD  6  will be set to zero. 
         [0037]    The system includes a garment inspection data recording, analysing and reporting software system to be installed on the laptop or desktop PC. 
         [0038]    When a garment dimension is measured and displayed on the LCD  6 , pressing the key switch  10  will cause the dimension to be transmitted via a radio frequency transmitter on the PCB  21 , to the USB receiver  11  connected to a laptop or desktop computer  12 . Typically the radio frequency would be in the range 2.4-2.4835 GHz under the SDTP protocol (Short Distance Digital Transceiving Protocol), or SFP protocol (Static Frequency Pair) for example. 
         [0039]    A software program is installed on the laptop or desktop computer  12 . The program can run on Windows or other operating systems. The program can be used in a stand-alone or networked environment. The program can support different languages, including but not limited to English and Chinese. 
         [0040]    The user can create a user name and login to the program with a unique password. The users can be categorized into different groups to access different levels of information from the program to perform different functions. There can be pre-set inspection templates and control charts and examples of these are depicted in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         [0041]    The user can retrieve pre-set inspection templates from the program. Authorized users can create and add new templates in the program. Authorized users can input, change, and edit data on the templates. The program can detect, receive and read numerical data from a digital measuring device through a wired or wireless interface. The user, by using the digital measuring device, can take and store measured data in the program. There will be a visually displayed signal on the computer monitor to prompt the position on the template where the data will be received. There will be an audio signal to confirm that data has been received and stored. Data will be received and stored in a pre-defined sequence, and the user can override and change such sequence if needed, by using the computer keyboard or pointing device. 
         [0042]    The received data can be analyzed. For example it could be compared to a pre-defined standard and tolerance level set. There will be visually displayed signal if received data is outside a tolerance level. Data can be plotted on pre-defined control charts (e.g. Run Charts). Completed inspection records can be stored, sorted and retrieved (e.g. by date, by inspector ID, by customer ID etc.). Received data can be deleted before records are confirmed and saved. Users can choose to input the data on the template using the computer keyboard, instead of via a transmission from the digital measuring device, if needed. Authorized users can retrieve, view, organize, delete, copy and print stored records. 
         [0043]    As will be appreciated, a single point non-contact detection and measurement system is provided. No coding marks or punched holes need be provided on the tape. Wireless data transmission allows maximum convenience and high efficiency. A multi-user networked software program allows storage and also enables analysis and management of inspection results. 
         [0044]    It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, rather than providing indicia on the spool  31  in the form of slots  33 , and rather than providing optical sensor components  22   a  and  22   b  at both sides of the spool wall  32  as exemplified, printed reflective and/or non-reflective markings could be provided at a single side of the wall and both optical components could then be positioned at that same side. Furthermore, rather than optical means, physical means in the form of bumps and/or depressions could be provided to cooperate with a physical switch for example. Similarly, magnetic means could be provided to achieve the same end.