Abstract:
A tape measure magnet having a magnet coupled to the tab on the extendable tape end of a tape measure, allowing a worker to extend the tape measure in order to reach and retrieve small metal objects without leaving his or her work environment.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to tape measures and, more specifically, to a tape measure having a magnet attached to the extendable tape end, allowing the tape measure to also be used to pick up metal objects.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Construction workers and other laborers often work on ladders and other hard to reach areas. To minimize the inconvenience of going up and down a ladder every time a tool or other item is needed, many people use a utility belt or some other means for bringing as many tools as possible to the hard to reach area. Such utility belts or bags often contain commonly used tools, such as a hammer, nails, a tape measure, and the like. Nevertheless, some items are accidentally left behind or drop from the worker&#39;s perch, leaving them out of reach below or to a side. This situation requires the frustrating and time-consuming effort of extricating one&#39;s self from one&#39;s work environment to pick up a loose item before returning to work. This process is not only a waste of time, it can often be very dangerous, and even life-threatening. Every time a person raises or lowers himself from a ladder or other high perch, he is running the risk of an accidental fall.  
           [0003]    It is often the case that small metallic objects, such as nails and screws, fall or are left behind. One solution for retrieving these items without having to go back down from a ladder or roof would be to use a magnet tied to the end of some long object such as a string. There are several problems with this approach, however. First, the string only allows a worker to accurately reach objects that are directly below him, since the magnet will hang down at a ninety degree angle to the ground. Additionally, a string is likely to get tangled or caught on some other object in the work area or surrounding environment.  
           [0004]    A need therefore existed for a magnet coupled to the extendable tape end of a tape measure, allowing a user to reach and retrieve small metal objects such as nails and screws without having to leave his or her work environment.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    An object of the present invention is to provide a tape measure having a magnet coupled to an extendable tape end and capable of allowing a user to reach and retrieve small metal objects without leaving the work environment.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
         [0006]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a tape measure magnet is disclosed, comprising, in combination, a spring-loaded tape measure having an extendable tape housed inside a casing, the tape has a first end having a tab coupled thereto, and a magnet having a tab coupling side and an attracting side, the tab coupling side is dimensioned to be coupled to the tab of the first end of the tape, the attracting side of the magnet has sufficient attractive force to retain metal objects in a fixed position relative thereto when the metal objects are brought into proximity with the attracting side of the magnet.  
           [0007]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for retrieving metallic objects from a distance is disclosed, comprising, in combination, the steps of providing a spring-loaded tape measure having an extendable tape housed inside a casing, the tape has a first end having a tab coupled thereto, providing a magnet having a tab coupling side and an attracting side, the tab coupling side is dimensioned to be coupled to the tab of the first end of the tape, the attracting side of the magnet has sufficient attractive force to retain metal objects in a fixed position relative thereto when the metal objects are brought into proximity with the attracting side of the magnet, extending the first end of the tape, bringing the magnet into proximity with a metal object so that the magnet is able to retain the metal object in a fixed position relative thereto, and retracting the first end of the tape to fetch the metal object to the casing of the tape measure.  
           [0008]    The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the tape measure magnet of the present invention, showing a magnet capable of being coupled to the tab of the first end of the tape as well as to the casing of the tape measure.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is an end view of the tape measure of FIG. 1, showing the first end of the tape in a retracted position.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the magnet of the tape measure magnet of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a partial, side view of the first end of the tape of the tape measure, showing the tab of the first end of the tape coupled to the magnet.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a partial, perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the tape measure magnet of the present invention, showing how the magnet can be coupled to the tab of the first end of the tape through a slot in the tab.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a back view of the tab of the first end of the tape of FIG. 5, showing the slot in the tab.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 2  reference number  10  refers generally to the preferred embodiment of the tape measure magnet of the present invention. The tape measure magnet  10  comprises a spring-loaded tape measure  12  having an extendable tape  14  housed inside a casing  16 . The tape  14  has a first end  18  having a tab  20  coupled thereto. The tape measure magnet  10  further comprises a magnet  22  having a tab coupling side  24  and an attracting side  26 . The tab coupling side  24  is dimensioned to be coupled to the tab  20  of the first end  18  of the tape  14 . The attracting side  26  of the magnet  22  has sufficient attractive force to retain metal objects (not shown), such as nails or screws, in a fixed position relative thereto when the metal objects are brought into proximity with the attracting side  26  of the magnet  22 . In this way, a user can extend the first end  18  of the tape  14  in virtually any direction in order to reach and retrieve small metal objects. After the objects have been retained by the magnet  22 , the user simply retracts the first end  18  of the tape  14  into the casing  16  of the spring-loaded tape measure  12  to retrieve the object.  
         [0016]    In the preferred embodiment, the tab coupling side  24  of the magnet  22  comprises a screw  28  (shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and  4 ) dimensioned to be coupled to a threaded aperture  30  (shown in FIGS.  1 - 2 ) in the tab  20 .  
         [0017]    Referring now to FIGS.  5 - 6 , an alternative embodiment or the tape measure magnet  10 , hereinafter  100 , is shown. The tape measure magnet  100  is essentially the same as before although instead of a screw  28 , the tab coupling side  24  of the magnet  22  comprises a prong  32  dimensioned to be coupled to a slot  34  in the tab  20 . While the tape measure magnet  10  and the tape measure magnet  100  use a screw  28  and a prong  32 , respectively, it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit could be derived from an alternative embodiment of the tape measure magnets  10  and  100  in which the tab coupling side  24  of the magnet  22  is coupled to the tab  20  by some other means, such as by a clip.  
         [0018]    In the preferred embodiment, the casing  16  of the spring-loaded tape measure  12  has at least one metal side dimensioned to receive the attracting side  26  of the magnet  22  so that the magnet  22  can be retained in a fixed position relative to the metal side of the casing  16  when the attracting side  26  of the magnet  22  is brought into proximity with the metal side of the casing  16 . This allows the magnet  22  to be “stored” for easy access on the casing  16  of the tape measure  12  when the magnet  22  is not needed.  
         [0019]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.