Abstract: A knife includes a body, and a blade slider slidably mounted within the body, the blade slider configured to hold and slidably move a blade relative to the body. The knife further includes a blade snapper pivotally coupled to the body, positioned such that when the blade slider selectively positions the blade to be engaged by the blade snapper, pivotal movement of the blade snapper imparts a force on a blade segment of the blade to detach the blade segment from the blade.

Abstract: An ergonomic tape measure having a side which has a protruding surface that fills at least a part of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand and provides a comfortable and secure feeling grip when holding the tape measure. The tape measure can have a grip swell surface which fills part or all of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand. The tape measure can have a grip swell side center region which protrudes from a grip swell plane and into the gripping cavity of an operator's hand.

Abstract: A construction tool has a housing, a processor disposed within the housing, a microphone disposed within the housing, the microphone capturing speech uttered by a user, speech services module connected to the processor for interpreting the speech, the speech services module providing instructions to the processor in response to the interpreted speech, and a speaker disposed within the housing. The construction tool is electrically connectable to a power tool, a hand tool, and/or a non-motorized sensing tool. The speech services module may be disposed within the housing. Alternatively, the speech services module may be located in a remote server accessed via a wireless communications interface.

Abstract: A knife includes a body, and a blade slider slidably mounted within the body, the blade slider configured to hold and slidably move a blade relative to the body. The knife further includes a blade snapper pivotally coupled to the body, positioned such that when the blade slider selectively positions the blade to be engaged by the blade snapper, pivotal movement of the blade snapper imparts a force on a blade segment of the blade to detach the blade segment from the blade.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a tape measure comprises an accessory removably coupleable to either side of the housing. According to another embodiment, a tape measure comprises an accessory removably coupleable to the housing via a locking mechanism that holds the accessory at a plurality of desired orientations. According to another embodiment, a tape measure comprises a slide lock, where movement of the slide lock from a locked position into an unlocked position requires depression of the actuator towards the interior of the housing. According to another embodiment, a motor assembly for a tape measure comprises a backer plate, a motor body, and a spring, where a bond is applied therebetween. According to another embodiment, a motor assembly for a tape measure comprises a motor body and a spring, where one of a metallurgical bond or an adhesive is applied between the motor body and the spring.

Abstract: A knife includes a body, and a blade slider slidably mounted within the body, the blade slider configured to hold and slidably move a blade relative to the body. The knife further includes a blade snapper pivotally coupled to the body, positioned such that when the blade slider selectively positions the blade to be engaged by the blade snapper, pivotal movement of the blade snapper imparts a force on a blade segment of the blade to detach the blade segment from the blade.

Abstract: A hand tool comprising a head portion, a shaft, and a grip component is provided. The grip component and the shaft form a handle of the hand tool. The grip component is a reverse-molded component formed by: forming the external portion of the grip component by molding a first thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material or thermoplastic urethane (TPU) material into a shell that surrounds a first cavity; after forming the external portion; placing the shaft into the first cavity; and, after the external portion is formed and the shaft is placed into the first cavity, forming the inner portion of the grip component by injecting a second TPE material or TPU material into the first cavity and onto the shaft. The first TPE or TPU material has a first level of hardness, and the second TPE or TPU material has a second level of hardness lower than the first level.

Abstract: A knife includes a body, and a blade slider slidably mounted within the body, the blade slider configured to hold and slidably move a blade relative to the body. The knife further includes a blade snapper pivotally coupled to the body, positioned such that when the blade slider selectively positions the blade to be engaged by the blade snapper, pivotal movement of the blade snapper imparts a force on a blade segment of the blade to detach the blade segment from the blade.

Abstract: An ergonomic tape measure having a side which has a protruding surface that fills at least a part of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand and provides a comfortable and secure feeling grip when holding the tape measure. The tape measure can have a grip swell surface which fills part or all of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand. The tape measure can have a grip swell side center region which protrudes from a grip swell plane and into the gripping cavity of an operator's hand.

Abstract: An ergonomic tape measure having a side which has a protruding surface that fills at least a part of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand and provides a comfortable and secure feeling grip when holding the tape measure. The tape measure can have a grip swell surface which fills part or all of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand. The tape measure can have a grip swell side center region which protrudes from a grip swell plane and into the gripping cavity of an operator's hand.

Abstract: A tape rule assembly includes differential spring-drive systems for rotating a reel of tape through an angular distance different from the angular distance traveled by a hub carrying a wound spring, relative to the tape rule housing. The differential spring drive systems include planetary and cycloidal drive systems. The tape rules of the present invention are thus made more compact than conventional tape rules.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a tape measure comprises an accessory removably coupleable to either side of the housing. According to another embodiment, a tape measure comprises an accessory removably coupleable to the housing via a locking mechanism that holds the accessory at a plurality of desired orientations. According to another embodiment, a tape measure comprises a slide lock, where movement of the slide lock from a locked position into an unlocked position requires depression of the actuator towards the interior of the housing. According to another embodiment, a motor assembly for a tape measure comprises a backer plate, a motor body, and a spring, where a bond is applied therebetween. According to another embodiment, a motor assembly for a tape measure comprises a motor body and a spring, where one of a metallurgical bond or an adhesive is applied between the motor body and the spring.

Abstract: An ergonomic tape measure having a side which has a protruding surface that fills at least a part of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand and provides a comfortable and secure feeling grip when holding the tape measure. The tape measure can have a grip swell surface which fills part or all of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand. The tape measure can have a grip swell side center region which protrudes from a grip swell plane and into the gripping cavity of an operator's hand.

Abstract: A hand tool comprising a head portion, a shaft, and a grip component is provided. The grip component and the shaft form a handle of the hand tool. The grip component is a reverse-molded component formed by: forming the external portion of the grip component by molding a first thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) material or thermoplastic urethane (TPU) material into a shell that surrounds a first cavity; after forming the external portion; placing the shaft into the first cavity; and, after the external portion is formed and the shaft is placed into the first cavity, forming the inner portion of the grip component by injecting a second TPE material or TPU material into the first cavity and onto the shaft. The first TPE or TPU material has a first level of hardness, and the second TPE or TPU material has a second level of hardness lower than the first level.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, embodiments of a tape measure include one or more of a belt clip removably coupleable to alternatively the left or right side of the housing, and a belt clip removably coupleable in a plurality of orientations via alignment apertures on the clip shaped to engage with a locking mechanism. According to another aspect of the disclosure, a slide lock includes a lock engagement tab which engages with a protrusion in the housing when moving the slide lock from a locked to unlocked position, requiring depression of a slide lock actuator to disengage the lock engagement tab from the protrusion to move the slide lock into the unlocked position. According to another disclosure aspect, a motor assembly includes a motor body, a spring, a backer plate, and a protrusion formed on one of the motor body and the backer plate, protrusion welded together.

Abstract: A tape rule having a housing, a hub, a reel, a tape, a spring, and a motor. The hub and reel are rotatably mounted within the housing. The tape is wound around the reel. The spring is wound around the hub and is attached to at least one of the reel and the tape. The motor is disposed adjacent to the hub and is configured, when activated, to rotate the hub to adjust an amount by which the spring is wound around the hub.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a tape measure comprises an accessory removably coupleable to either side of the housing. According to another embodiment, a tape measure comprises an accessory removably coupleable to the housing via a locking mechanism that holds the accessory at a plurality of desired orientations. According to another embodiment, a tape measure comprises a slide lock, where movement of the slide lock from a locked position into an unlocked position requires depression of the actuator towards the interior of the housing. According to another embodiment, a motor assembly for a tape measure comprises a backer plate, a motor body, and a spring, where a bond is applied therebetween. According to another embodiment, a motor assembly for a tape measure comprises a motor body and a spring, where one of a metallurgical bond or an adhesive is applied between the motor body and the spring.

Abstract: An ergonomic tape measure having a side which has a protruding surface that fills at least a part of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand and provides a comfortable and secure feeling grip when holding the tape measure. The tape measure can have a grip swell surface which fills part or all of the gripping cavity of an operator's hand. The tape measure can have a grip swell side center region which protrudes from a grip swell plane and into the gripping cavity of an operator's hand.

Abstract: A tape rule having a housing, a hub, a reel, a tape, a spring, and a motor is presented. The hub and reel are rotatably mounted within the housing. The tape is wound around the reel. The spring is wound around the hub and is attached to at least one of the reel and the tape. The motor is disposed adjacent to the hub and is configured, when activated, to rotate the hub to adjust an amount by which the spring is wound around the hub.