US6324769B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rule assembly with increased blade standout
Assignee: Stanley Works
•
Filing: 1999-08-04
•
Granted: 2001-12-04
•
Expires: 2019-08-04
Abstract
Abstract A retractable rule assembly includes a housing assembly and a reel rotatably mounted in the housing assembly. An elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to the reel is constructed and arranged with respect to the housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to the reel outwardly through a spaced opening in the housing assembly. A coil spring formed of a ribbon of metal has a construction and arrangement between the housing assembly and the reel to rotate the reel in the housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of the housing assembly opening in a normal concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration onto the reel in an abutting volute coil formation in a flattened cross-sectional configuration. A blade holding assembly is constructed and arranged to be manually actuated to hold the blade in any position of extension outwardly of the housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held. The blade has a blade width, thickness and height of concavo-convex curvature sufficient to enable the blade to stand out arcuately a length measured along the blade of at least 10.5 feet with a horizontal linear length of standout thereof being greater than 97% of the arcuate length of standout.
Inventors
- 👤 John C. Murray
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:11
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B3/00; G01B3/10; G01B3/1003; G01B3/1005; G01B3/1007; G01B2003/1015; G01B2003/1033; G01B2003/1038; G01B3/1041; G01B2003/1053; G01B3/102
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
A retractable rule assembly comprising a housing assembly; a reel rotatably mounted in said housing assembly; an elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to said reel constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to said reel outwardly through a spaced opening in said housing assembly; a coil spring formed of a ribbon of metal having a construction and arrangement between said housing assembly and said reel to rotate said reel in said housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of said housing assembly opening in a normal concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration onto said reel in an abutting volute coil formation in a flattened cross-sectional configuration; and a blade holding assembly constructed and arranged to be manually actuated to hold the blade in any position of extension outwardly of said housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held; said blade having a blade width, thickness and height of concavo-convex curvature sufficient to enable the blade to stand out arcuately a length measured along the blade of at least 10.5 feet with a horizontal linear length of standout thereof being greater than 97% of the arcuate length of standout.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
215 words
A retractable rule assembly comprising a housing assembly; a reel rotatably mounted in said housing assembly; an elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to said reel constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to said reel outwardly through a spaced opening in said housing assembly; a coil spring formed of a ribbon of metal having a construction and arrangement between said housing assembly and said reel to rotate said reel in said housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of said housing assembly opening in a normal concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration onto said reel in an abutting volute coil formation in a flattened cross-sectional configuration; and a blade holding assembly constructed and arranged to be manually actuated to hold the blade in any position of extension outwardly of said housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held; said blade having a blade width, thickness and height of concavo-convex curvature sufficient to enable the blade to stand out arcuately a length measured along the blade of at least 10.5 feet with a horizontal linear length of standout thereof being greater than 97% of the arcuate length of standout.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said elongated blade has a width in the flattened configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 1.10″-1.5″, a height in the concavo-convex configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.25″-0.40″ and a thickness in either configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.0045″ to 0.0063″.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
77 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration of said blade includes an arcuate central section having a predetermined radius of curvature and integral arcuate end sections each having the same radius of curvature, the radius of curvature of said central section being a dimension within the range of 0.30″ to 0.60″ and the radius of curvature of said end section being a dimension within the range of 1.0″ to 5.0″.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the metal ribbon of said spring has a width which is 95%-120% of the width of the metal ribbon of said blade in said flattened configuration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein the metal ribbon of said spring is 100%-110% of the width of the metal ribbon of the blade.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said housing assembly does not substantially exceed 3.65″ in height.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said housing assembly does not substantially exceed 3.25″ in height.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the metal ribbon of said spring has a width which is 95%-120% of the width of the metal ribbon of said blade.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the metal ribbon of said spring is 100%-110% of the width of the metal ribbon of the blade.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said housing assembly does not substantially exceed 3.65″ in height.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said housing assembly does not substantially exceed 3.25″ in height.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein a relatively short free end portion of said blade has a clear film of plastic material adhered to a concave side thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
155 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said blade has an end hook member on the free end thereof, said end hook member being formed of sheet metal of a predetermined thickness to include a concavo-convex mounting portion having a U-shaped hook portion bent at a generally right angle from an end thereof, said end hook member being mounted on the free end of said blade with the mounting portion thereof secured in limited sliding engagement with a concave side of the free end of said blade so that said rule can be measured externally from an exterior surface of said U-shaped hook portion or internally from an interior surface of said U-shaped hook portion, said U-shaped hook portion including a bight section extending transversely from a convex side of the free end of said blade and spaced leg sections extending beyond transversely spaced corners of the free end of said blade.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
137 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said housing assembly includes a pair of cooperating housing members, each including an end wall having a peripheral wall extending from a periphery thereof and terminating in a free edge, said housing members being fixed together with their free edges interengaged by a plurality of bolts extending through one of said housing members and threadedly engaged in the other at spaced positions adjacent the peripheral walls thereof and by a fixed reel spindle having a non-circular interengaging recess-projection connection at each end thereof with the central interior of the adjacent end wall, each end of said spindle being interiorly threaded to threadedly receive a bolt therein extending through a central hole in the adjacent end wall and the recess-projection connection between the central hole and threaded interior.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said housing assembly includes a fitment defining a part of the housing assembly opening adjacent a convex side of said blade, said fitment having a plurality of tangentially extending transversely spaced elongated ridges defining surfaces for engaging the convex side of said blade extending tangentially from said reel to said housing assembly opening.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
133 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said holding assembly includes a holding member mounted on said housing assembly for arcuate movement in opposite directions between a normally inoperative position and a holding position, said holding member having (1) an interior free end movable into wedging engagement with the tangentially extending portion of said blade to hold the same against an interior holding surface in the housing assembly when said holding member is in said holding position and (2) an exterior thumb engaging portion configured to be moved digitally to move said holding member from the normally operative position thereof to the holding position thereof, said interior free end portion including a central recess of a width to operatively accommodate the width of said mounting portion of said hook member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
A retractable rule assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said blade when extended outwardly from said housing has a generally symmetrical U-shaped cross-sectional configuration in a widthwise direction thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
216 words
A retractable rule assembly comprising a housing assembly; a reel rotatably mounted in said housing assembly; an elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to said reel constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to said reel outwardly through a spaced opening in said housing assembly; a coil spring formed of a ribbon of metal having a construction and arrangement between said housing assembly and said reel to rotate said reel in said housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of said housing assembly opening in a normal concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration onto said reel in an abutting volute coil formation in a flattened cross-sectional configuration; and a blade holding assembly constructed and arranged to be manually actuated to hold the blade in any position of extension outwardly of said housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held; said elongated blade having a width in said flattened configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 1.10″-1.5″, a height in the concavo-convex configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.25″-0.40″ and a thickness in either configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.0045″ to 0.0063″.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
216 words
A retractable rule assembly comprising a housing assembly; a reel rotatably mounted in said housing assembly; an elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to said reel constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to said reel outwardly through a spaced opening in said housing assembly; a coil spring formed of a ribbon of metal having a construction and arrangement between said housing assembly and said reel to rotate said reel in said housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of said housing assembly opening in a normal concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration onto said reel in an abutting volute coil formation in a flattened cross-sectional configuration; and a blade holding assembly constructed and arranged to be manually actuated to hold the blade in any position of extension outwardly of said housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held; said elongated blade having a width in said flattened configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 1.10″-1.5″, a height in the concavo-convex configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.25″-0.40″ and a thickness in either configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.0045″ to 0.0063″.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein the metal ribbon of said spring has a width which is 95%-120% of the width of the metal ribbon of said blade in its flattened configuration.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 19 wherein the thickness of the metal ribbon of said spring is 0%-25% thinner than the thickness of the metal ribbon of the blade.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
82 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein the height of the housing assembly does not substantially exceed 3.65 inches for a blade length that is at most approximately 33 feet, wherein the height of the housing assembly does not substantially exceed 3.45 inches for a blade length that is at most approximately 30 feet, and wherein the height of the housing assembly does not substantially exceed 3.25 inches for a blade length that is at most approximately 8 meters.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
77 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein the concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration of said blade includes an arcuate central section having a predetermined radius of curvature and integral arcuate end sections each having the same radius of curvature, the radius of curvature of said central section being a dimension within the range of 0.30″ to 0.60″ and the radius of curvature of said end section being a dimension within the range of 1.0″ to 5.0″.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
A retractable rule assembly according to claim 18 , wherein said blade when extended outwardly from said housing has a generally symmetrical U-shaped cross-sectional configuration in a widthwise direction thereof.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
234 words
A retractable rule assembly comprising a housing assembly; a reel rotatably mounted in said housing assembly; an elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to said reel constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to said reel outwardly through a spaced opening in said housing assembly; a coil spring formed of a ribbon of metal having a construction and arrangement between said housing assembly and said reel to rotate said reel in said housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of said housing assembly opening in a normal concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration onto said reel in an abutting volute coil formation in a flattened cross-sectional configuration; and a blade holding assembly constructed and arranged to be manually actuated to hold the blade in any position of extension outwardly of said housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held; and wherein the concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration of said blade includes an arcuate central section having a predetermined radius of curvature and integral arcuate end sections each having the same radius of curvature, the radius of curvature of said central section being a dimension within the range of 0.30″ to 0.60″ and the radius of curvature of said end sections being a dimension within the range of 1.0″ to 5.0″.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
234 words
A retractable rule assembly comprising a housing assembly; a reel rotatably mounted in said housing assembly; an elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to said reel constructed and arranged with respect to said housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to said reel outwardly through a spaced opening in said housing assembly; a coil spring formed of a ribbon of metal having a construction and arrangement between said housing assembly and said reel to rotate said reel in said housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of said housing assembly opening in a normal concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration onto said reel in an abutting volute coil formation in a flattened cross-sectional configuration; and a blade holding assembly constructed and arranged to be manually actuated to hold the blade in any position of extension outwardly of said housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held; and wherein the concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration of said blade includes an arcuate central section having a predetermined radius of curvature and integral arcuate end sections each having the same radius of curvature, the radius of curvature of said central section being a dimension within the range of 0.30″ to 0.60″ and the radius of curvature of said end sections being a dimension within the range of 1.0″ to 5.0″.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
47 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 24 wherein the radius of curvature of said central section being a dimension within the range of 0.40″ to 0.50″ and the radius of curvature of said end section being a dimension within the range of 2.0″ to 4.0″.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 24 the radius of curvature of said central section is approximately 0.46″ and the radius of curvature of said end section is approximately 3.0″.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
85 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 24 wherein said elongated blade has a width in the flattened configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 1.10″-1.5″, a height in the concavo-convex configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.25″-0.40″ and a thickness in either configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.0045″ to 0.0063″ and wherein said blade stands out arcuately a length measured along the blade of from at least 10.5 feet up to approximately 13 feet.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
61 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 27 wherein said elongated blade has a width in the flattened configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 1.25″-1.39″, a height in the concavo-convex configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.30″-0.35″ and a thickness in either configuration thereof having a dimension within the range of 0.005″ to 0.0056″.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
A retractable rule assembly as defined in claim 28 wherein said elongated blade has a width of approximately 1.25″, a height in the concavo-convex configuration thereof approximately of 0.32″ and a thickness in either configuration thereof of approximately 0.0051″.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-12-03 | 2005-06-04 | 2005-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-12-03 | 2009-06-04 | 2009-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-12-03 | 2013-06-04 | 2013-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |