Patent ID: 7159331

Claim:
A tape measure, comprising: a main case having first and second sidewalls and a peripheral wall extending between said sidewalls; a flexible tape blade selectively deployable from said case; said tape blade having a generally curved cross-sectional profile when deployed from said main case and having a generally flat profile when retracted into said main case; said blade comprising a longitudinal axis, a distal end portion, an inner end portion, and an expected buckling region therebetween; said distal end portion being deployed before said expected buckling region and said inner end portion when said blade is deployed from said case; a hook attached to said distal end portion of said tape blade so as to be movable a distance along a longitudinal axis of said tape blade; said hook comprising a first section disposed generally parallel to said longitudinal axis and a second section connected thereto and disposed generally normal to said longitudinal axis; said blade having a substantially uniform cross-sectional thickness in said inner end portion and said distal end portion; said blade having a non-uniform cross-sectional thickness in said expected buckling region, with a greater thickness present away from said longitudinal axis of said blade than proximate said longitudinal axis; said expected buckling region including a location where said blade would normally buckle in a standout test if said blade had said uniform cross-sectional thickness throughout.