Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DRYWALL MEASURING TAPE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to measuring tapes and, more
specifically to a drywall measuring tape having a T-square
bracket for aligning the drywall measuring tape along an edge of
a drywall sheet, and having a pair of laser light sources
projecting laser light beams perpendicularly to the extended
measuring tape to facilitate taking measurements relative to a
remote surface.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Measuring tapes are well known and widely used in countless
situations where length or distance measurements are needed
quickly and accurately. In construction, measuring tapes are
essential to bring an architect's vision to life from a
blueprint, translating written dimensions into the correct
placement and sizing of raw construction materials. Where no
dimensions are known or given, such as for drywall board that is
hung after a structure is framed, it becomes essential to
measure a space to cut a material to size.
As drywall is hung, it may be necessary to cut each sheet
to fit into a specific place on a wall or ceiling surface. It
is often necessary to take a measurement horizontally across a
vertical surface, such as a wall, the measurement being relative
to a point on an adjoining surface, such as a floor or ceiling.
On a wall that meets a sloping ceiling, such as in a room with a
cathedral ceiling or in a stairwell, a horizontal measurement
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along the wall relative to the point on the sloping ceiling
where the sloping ceiling intersects the width of a drywall
sheet is frequently needed. Additionally, it is frequently
desirable to take measurements perpendicular to a surface edge,
a wall or wall stud, or the like.
U.S. Patent No. 6,209,219, issued on April 3, 2001 to D.
Wakefield, discloses a measuring tape that utilizes a single
laser light beam to illuminate a point on a remote surface to
take a measurement relative to the point on the remote surface.
The measuring tape additionally has bubble-type level indicators
disposed on the housing to facilitate positioning the housing
and the projected laser beam relative to a plumb orientation.
The laser light beam is useful for taking a measurement relative
to a remote surface. However, because only a single laser light
source is used, the measuring tape's housing must be held in a
particular orientation to cast the beam at its target. The
device is configured with the laser beam cast perpendicular to
the measuring tape, and normal to the plane of the housing's
base. However, for drywall work and many other tasks, it is
preferable that a laser beam is directed perpendicular to the
measuring tape but parallel to the plane of the housing's base
so that, with the base of the housing held flush against a wall,
a laser beam is projected toward the ceiling. Additionally,
this measuring tape device lacks a T-square or other attachment
that would allow the tape measure to be quickly positioned for
measurements taken in relation to a surface edge, a wall or wall
stud, or the like.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0059735, published on May
23, 2002, discloses a tape measure with a laser beam. A single
laser device is carried in the tape measure's housing, and is
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directed forward substantially parallel to the extended
measuring tape. In this arrangement, while the laser device
provides a laser pointer conveniently contained in the tape
measure's housing, the laser beam does not function to project a
mark that can be used fox taking a measurement relative to a
remote surface. Additionally, the tape measure lacks bubble
level or other orienting features or positioning features to
assist in placing the tape measure in a plumb orientation or in
alignment with a surface edge, a wall or wall stud, or the like.
U.S. Patent No. 5,075,977, issued on December 31, 1991 to
J. Rando, describes an automatic plumb and level tool, utilizing
a laser diode to project a light beam to provide a plumb or
level reference. The device, however, does not perform any
measuring function. U.S. Patent No. 5,182,863, issued on
February 2, 1993 to J. Rando, describes an automatic plumb and
level tool, utilizing a laser diode to project a light beam to
provide a plumb or level reference, with a measuring capability.
The measuring capability is provided in one embodiment by an
acoustic distance measuring device, and in another embodiment by
a measuring tape. Neither embodiment, however, orients the
measuring device and the laser light beam in a manner to
facilitate taking a measurement relative to a remote surface.
U.S. Patent No. 5,894,675, issued on April 20, 1999 to J.
Cericola, discloses a combination tool for use in measuring,
leveling, squaring, and plumbing operations. The tool is a
right angle square device that is adapted to hold a tape measure
and a laser pointing device. This device, however, is not a
measuring tape but instead is an accessory device in which a
conventional measuring tape can be housed.
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None of the above inventions and patents, taken either
singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant
invention as claimed. Thus a drywall measuring tape solving the
aforementioned problems is desired.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
This disclosure is directed to a drywall measuring tape.
The drywall measuring tape includes a housing having two
separate mating halves. The separate mating halves cooperate to
form an interior chamber. The housing has a base. The base
defines a base plane. A measuring tape is supported within the
interior chamber. The measuring tape is extendable from the
housing along a line of extension. The line of extension is in
line with and in a plane parallel to the plane of the base. A
focused light source is disposed on each of the mating halves.
Each focused light source projects a focused light beam outward
from the housing. Each focused light beam is projected
perpendicularly to the line of extension and parallel to the
base plane. A power supply is disposed within the housing. The
power supply is connected to the focused light source. A switch
is disposed on the housing. The switch is electrically
connected between the power supply and the focused light source.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drywall measuring tape
according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a drywall measuring tape
according to the present invention, with the T-square bracket
removed.
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Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a drywall measuring tape
according to the present invention.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The drywall measuring tape is a tape measuring device
incorporating focused light beam sources to facilitate taking
measurements relative to a remote surface, and a T-square guide
for bringing the drywall measuring tape quickly into alignment
with a surface edge, a wall or wall stud, or the like.
The drywall measuring tape is a generally conventional tape
measure extendably contained within a housing. A laser light
source is located on each side of the housing. Each laser light
source projects a focused light beam perpendicular to the
extended tape measure, and in a plane parallel to the housing
base. Thus, when the tape measure is extended across a wall
with the housing base flush against the wall, one of the laser
light sources projects a reference spot onto the ceiling, while
the other projects onto the floor. This allows a measurement to
be taken horizontally across a wall in reference to a point on
the ceiling or floor.
Additionally, the drywall measuring tape includes a T-
square bracket on the housing base, disposed so that the drywall
measuring tape can be quickly aligned with a surface edge, a
wall or wall stud, or the like for a measurement perpendicular
to the surface edge, a wall or wall stud, or the like.
The drywall measuring tape may include a digital display,
incorporating an electronic sensor to read electronically
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readable markings disposed on the tape measure to digitally
display a measured distance.
The drywall measuring tape is designated generally as 10 in
the drawings. Referring to Figs. 1-3, the drywall measuring
tape 10 comprises a housing 20 that contains a measuring tape
30. The measuring tape 30 is a conventional elongated flexible
rule blade, disposed to be extended from and rewound into the
housing 20 by a conventional spring reel mechanism. The housing
20 has a flat base 22. The measuring tape 30 extends from the
housing adjacent to the base 22, and is extendable in line with,
and in a plane roughly parallel to, the plane of the base 22.
The surface of the measuring tape 30 bears visual indicia
34 of the length of the extended tape relative to a measuring
reference point of the drywall measuring tape 10. An end piece
32 is disposed on the end of the measuring tape 30. The end
piece 32 functions to prevent the measuring tape 30 from being
rewound into the housing 20. Additionally, the end piece 32 is
useful, as with conventional measuring tapes, to hold the end of
the measuring tape in place during a measurement. The end piece
32 may be pointed and sharpened so that the end piece 32 can be
inserted into a wood or drywall surface to further hold the end
of the measuring tape during a measurement.
The drywall measuring tape 10 includes a pair of focused
light beam sources 44 mounted on the housing 20. The focused
light beam sources 44 are preferably laser diodes. The focused
light beam sources 44 are connected to a power supply, such as
one or more replaceable or rechargeable batteries 38, and are
controlled by an ON/OFF switch 48.
The focused light beam sources 44 are oriented, one on each
side of the housing, to project a focused light beam 46 in a
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direction that is parallel to the plane of the housing base 22
and perpendicular to a line of extension of the measuring tape
30. It can be readily appreciated that, during a task such as
measuring a horizontal distance across a wall with the base 22
of the housing 20 held flush against the wall, this arrangement
of the focused light beam sources 44 is optimally suited for
using the focused light beams 46 to align the drywall measuring
tape 10 with a remote point such as point on a ceiling.
Additionally, because a focused light beam source 44 is located
on each side of the housing 20, the drywall measuring tape 10 is
useful extended in either direction along the wall.
The drywall measuring tape 10 also includes a T-square
bracket 40 disposed on the base 22 of the housing 20. The T-
square bracket 40 is a length of aluminum or steel angle stock,
which is disposed on the base 22 of the housing 20 perpendicular
to the extended measuring tape 30. The T-square bracket 40
allows the drywall measuring tape 10 to be used as an extendable
T-square, allowing measurements to be taken quickly in reference
to a surface edge, a wall or wall stud, or the like. The T-
square bracket 40 is removable, and the drywall measuring tape
10 is shown in Fig. 2 with the T-square bracket 40 removed.
The drywall measuring tape 10 also includes orientation
indicators 42 disposed on the housing 20. The orientation
indicators are preferably conventional bubble level indicators.
The orientation indicators 42 are disposed on the sides and the
front of the housing 20.
Turning now to Fig. 3, the drywall measuring tape 10 is
adapted for the easy removal and replacement of the measuring
tape 30. The housing 20 is formed of two cooperating halves 24,
26 that are joined together by screws 28, or in any other manner
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that facilitates the quick disassembly and assembly of the
housing 20 fox removal and replacement of a damaged measuring
tape. The measuring tape 30 is removably supported within the
housing 20. The housing 20 is preferably formed of a rigid
rubber, plastic, or other material for durability. A blade
locking actuator 36 is disposed on the housing 20 and functions
to lock the measuring tape 30 in a known, conventional manner.
In the use of a conventional tape measure, a measured
distance is generally determined from indicia printed on the
surface of the measuring tape 30, read from the measuring tape
30 at the front of the housing. However, a distance measured by
the drywall measuring tape 10 that is relative to the focused
light beam sources 44 must be adjusted to account for a distance
that the focused light beam sources 44 are set back from the
front of the housing 20. This may be accomplished by offsetting
the visual indicia 34 on the measuring tape 30 so that the
distance read at the front of the housing includes the offset
distance from the front of the housing to the point on the
measuring tape 30 that is in vertical alignment with the focused
light beam sources 44. Alternatively, the drywall measuring
tape 10 may incorporate means for digitally displaying a
measured distance. It is known in the art to provide
electronically readable indicia on a tape measure, and to employ
an electronic means to read the indicia and display a measured
distance. U.S. Patents No. 4,186,490, 4,747,215, and 5,628,120
illustrate and teach various means for including electronically
readable indicia on a measuring tape and for electronically
reading the indicia and displaying a measured distance.
The preferred embodiments of the invention provide a
drywall measuring tape using focused light beams to project a
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reference point to facilitate taking a measurement relative to a
remote surface. The drywall measuring tape is helpful in taking
a measurement horizontally across a vertical surface, such as a
wall, the measurement being relative to an adjoining horizontal
surface, such as a floor or ceiling. The drywall measuring tape
may have a T-square guide so that the drywall measuring tape can
be quickly aligned with an edge.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any
and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
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