Patent ID: 7490414

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 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; a reinforcement distinct from but permanently attached to said blade in said expected buckling region, said distal end portion and said inner end portion being free of said reinforcement; said expected buckling region including a location where said blade would normally buckle in a standout test absent said reinforcement.