Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a tape rule laving a laser indicating mechanism for indicating objects of different locations, and two horizon indicators for indicating whether the surface of an object is on the horizontal plane both in x-direction or y-direction.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a tape rule, and more particularly, to a tape rule having a laser indicating mechanism for indicating objects of different locations and two horizon indicators for indicating the surface of an object is on the horizontal plane.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Most of conventional tape rules are generally equipped with springs in housings for winding back measuring tapes. For such a tape rule, as shown in FIG. 1, only a looking switch  101  above the housing  100  is provided. When the suspending rule is used in measurement, ill order to prevent the trouble induced from the locking of the locking switch  101 , generally, the user is necessary to resist against the lower surface of the rule  200  so as to suspend the rule  200 .  
           [0005]    Since the conventional tape rules are used only for measuring the lengths of objects or distances between two objects. It is not convenient to people, especially the workmen, such as carpenters, masons, construction workers, and etc.  
           [0006]    There are a lot of patents having disclosed a lot of multi-function tools as follows:  
           [0007]    1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,515 issued to Mayer discloses a knife blade sharpener that is integrally mounted onto the scab board of a knife.  
           [0008]    2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,867 issued to Tsao discloses a multifunction tool, which includes a retractable measuring tape, a pencil sharpener, a blade and other stationery tool elements that are frequently used for office work purposes.  
           [0009]    3. U.S. Pat. No. 752,339 issued to Gutsteini discloses a pair of shears having a pencil sharpener attached thereto.  
           [0010]    4. U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,137 issued to Dombrowski discloses a tape measurer having an integral pencil sharpener. It does not disclose a blade sharpener.  
           [0011]    5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,256 issued to Mills discloses a combination of taper measurer, pencil sharpener and knife blade sharpener.  
           [0012]    However, the above-mentioned former U.S. patents having the following disadvantages:  
           [0013]    1. No patent discloses tape rule with functions of measuring the lengths of objects, including objects of different locations and indicating the surface of an object that is on the horizontal plane. And, these functions are very important to the carpenters, construction workers, etc.  
           [0014]    2. Most of the above-mentioned U.S. patents provide for no other functions, besides holding a knife, a pencil sharpener, a blade sharpener, a blade sharpener, etc. However, it is very dangerous for a workman to bring a lot of tools having relations with blades when he is working.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0015]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape rule having a laser indicating mechanism for indicating objects of different locations and horizon indicators for indicating the surface of an object is on the horizontal plane, so that the user himself/herself may obtain a very large scale of convenience.  
           [0016]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination of tape rule, laser indicating mechanism, and horizon indicators, which not only can indicate an object at a location, but also another object at a different location without moving the whole tape rule. Then more convenience is provided to people.  
           [0017]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination of tape rule, laser indicating mechanism and horizon indicators, which do not contain tools that may cause dangers to workmen.  
           [0018]    A more complete understanding of these and other features and advantages of the patent invention will become apparent from a careful consideration of the following detailed description of certain embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of conventional tape rule;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tape rule according to the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tape rule according to the present invention seen from another direction;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view according to the present invention showing the individual components;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are the plane views showing the present invention in uses. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]    Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described more fully below with reference to attached drawings.  
         [0026]    An example of conventional tape rule is shown in FIG. 1. Its function and disadvantages are described above and disadvantages are described above and would not be repeated herewith.  
         [0027]    The present invention of a tape rule having laser indicating mechanism of the present invention is shown in perspective in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. It comprises a housing  1  and a retractable measuring tape  10  to be held inside the housing. On the housing  1 , there are a push button  13  for stopping and releasing the measuring tape  10 , a first horizon indicator  11  and a second horizon indicator  12  for determining a horizontal plane; and a laser releasing bulb  22  together with its switching button  21  and laser generating circuit for indicating an object by releasing a beam of laser.  
         [0028]    As shown in FIG. 4, the housing  1  is formed by a left housing  14  and a right housing  15  to join together. Inside the housing  1 , there is a reel  3  for the measuring tape  10  to wind around; a stopper including a push button  13  is exposed outside the housing  1 . On the housing, there are a plurality of spaces for holding the first horizon indicator  11 , the second horizon indicator  12  and laser indicating mechanism. The laser indicating mechanism includes a switching button  21  with laser, generating circuit, a laser indicating bulb  22 , and a refraction element  23 . There is also a space for holding battery  18  as an electric power source for supplying electric power to the laser generating circuit. The battery  18  can be safely held inside the housing  1  by a battery cover  18  at the bottom of the housing  1 . On one side surface of the housing  1 , there is a hook  17  for the user to bring the tape rule with him.  
         [0029]    As shown in FIG. 5, it can be clearly seen that all of the tools including the first horizon indicator  11 , the second horizon indicator  12 , the push button  13 , the measuring tape  10  with the reel  16 , the switching button  21  with laser generating circuit, the laser indicating bulb  22  and the battery  18  etc. are properly arranged onto the housing  1 .  
         [0030]    In using the tape rule of the present invention, the measuring tape  10  can be retracted out of the housing to measure the length of an object or the distance between two objects. Since the first horizon indicator  11  and the second horizon indicator  12  are perpendicular to each other it then can determine whether a plane is on the horizontal plane both in x-direction and in y-direction.  
         [0031]    In addition, because there is a refraction element  23  in the laser indicating mechanism. Then as shown in FIG. 6, it would cause the laser beam emitted from the laser releasing bulb  22  to be refracted. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, the laser beam emitted from the laser indicating bulb  22  also can be a straight laser beam, Such that the distance H between two points can be accurately indicated and measured.,  
         [0032]    From the descriptions of the above, it can be clearly understood that the present invention provides functions that do not have been seen in prior arts. It is a new creation and a creation with practicalities.  
         [0033]    Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, the present disclosure has been made by way of example and changes in details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.