Tape Measure Flexible Control Element and Buffer Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional tape measures cause abrasion to the tape body and can injure users due to the hard fixing block, and lack tactile feedback for operation, making it difficult to adjust the tape's recovery speed safely and efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A tape measure structure featuring a housing assembly with a rotation disk, a flexible control element that can be pressed to stop the tape body without direct finger contact, and a buffer to reduce collision damage, allowing for tactile operation and reduced abrasion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a hard fixing block is used to stop the tape body, then the tape body can be effectively stopped, but it causes abrasion to the tape body and can injure users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetaping body stopping capabilityVSAvoidabrasion and user injury

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a flexible control element as an intermediary between the user's finger and the tape body. This flexible element deforms when pressed, allowing the user to stop the tape body without direct contact, thereby preventing abrasion and injury while maintaining effective stopping capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a flexible control element made of deformable material that acts as a protective interface. When the user presses this flexible element, it deforms to transmit the stopping force to the tape body while protecting both the user's finger and the tape body from direct contact and abrasion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Stability of the object's composition

If the fixing block is selectively fixed to the housing, then the structure is stable, but the operation has no hand feeling and cannot adjust the recovery speed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixing block stabilityVSAvoidtactile feedback and speed adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the fixed fixing block into a dynamic flexible control element that can deform under user input. This allows the system to provide tactile feedback and enable speed adjustment while maintaining structural stability through the flexible element's controlled deformation and recovery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state of the control element from rigid to flexible/deformable. This parameter change enables the control element to respond to user input with tactile feedback while maintaining stable operation, allowing for speed adjustment without compromising structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the tape body is wound back quickly, then the measurement is efficient, but it causes collision damage and noise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement efficiencyVSAvoidcollision damage and noise

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a buffer as a cushioning element positioned to intercept the tape body during rapid winding. This buffer absorbs the collision energy before it can damage the tape body or generate noise, allowing efficient winding while preventing harmful effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The flexible control element enables safe and efficient adjustment of the tape body's length and speed through tactile operation, reducing abrasion and collision damage while preventing user injury.

Implementation Method 1

at least one flexible control element, coupled to the combination portion and adapted to shield a part of the tape body exposed out of the operation portion, and deformable to touch and stop the tape body after pressed down

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

when the tape body is wound back, the buffering of the buffer can be used to reduce the damage to the tape body and the sound generated from collision

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuffering: Damping

Data Source

PatentUS10429164B2Tape measure structure

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 TOP LONG INDAL

AI summary

A tape measure structure is characterized in that an access opening of a housing assembly is configured with a flexible control element capable of being pressed to touch and stop a tape body movably installed inside the housing assembly, and a buffer for buffering the tape body is configured on one side of the flexible control element adjacent to the access opening. Whereby, the present invention can avoid the damage to the tape body, prevent the injury to users, and does not interfere hand feeling so as to make the operation convenient.