TAPE RULE ASSEMBLY WITH A FLEXIBLE COVER AT OPENING IN HOUSING

摘要

Disclosed is a rule assembly having a housing, a reel rotatably mounted in the housing, an elongated blade wound on the reel and extendable through an opening in the housing, and an end hook member attached to the elongated blade. A hook portion extends downwardly below a bottom surface of the housing when the blade is in a fully retracted position. The housing has an opening having an upper portion disposed above the blade, and a flexible cover overhanging the opening to inhibit or prevent penetration of debris therein. The cover is flexed by the end hook member upon impact by force (e.g., when dropped) and permits movement of the end hook member into the opening to reduce deformation of the end hook member. Optionally, a grip cover made of elastomeric material is provided on the housing and the cover is part of the grip cover.

主权项

1. A rule assembly comprising:
a housing; a reel rotatably mounted in the housing; an elongated blade arranged to be wound on the reel and having a free end configured to extend through an opening in the housing; an end hook member attached to the free end of the elongated blade, the end hook member including a mounting portion connected to the free end of the elongated blade and a hook portion extending generally perpendicularly from the mounting portion at the free end of the elongated blade; the hook portion being constructed and arranged to extend downwardly below a bottom surface of the housing when at the opening in the housing, when the elongated blade is in a fully retracted position; the opening having an upper portion disposed above the elongated blade and the mounting portion when the elongated blade is in the fully retracted position; the housing having a flexible cover overhanging the upper portion of the opening to inhibit penetration of debris into the opening, wherein the flexible cover is positioned to be flexed by the end hook member upon impact by force thereon to absorb force from the impact and permit movement of the end hook member into the upper portion of the opening.