Garment Measurement and Reporting System

Abstract

A garment inspection system uses a digital measuring tape measure to measure and check dimensions of produced garments. The measured dimensions are transmitted to a computer via a wireless radio frequency connection between the digital tape measure and the computer. A software program is installed in the computer in a stand-alone or networked environment to read, store, analyze and manage the data and inspection results.

1 . A tape measure including:
 a casing;   a spool mounted rotatably within the casing and having rotor thereon which rotates together with the spool;   a tape wound upon the spool and extendable from the casing to take linear measurements and whereupon extension thereof the spool and rotor rotate;   a stator located in the casing and cooperating with said rotor to sense angular orientation of the spool; and   conversion means converting said sensed angular orientation of the spool into a linear measurement corresponding to the linear extent to which the tape is extended.   
     
     
         2 . The tape measure of  claim 1 , further comprising a display upon the casing for displaying said linear measurement. 
     
     
         3 . The tape measure of  claim 1 , further comprising a transmitter for transmitting data associated with said angular orientation of the spool and/or said linear measurement to a remote device. 
     
     
         4 . The tape measure of  claim 3 , further comprising a key upon the casing which when depressed effects transmission of current measurement data. 
     
     
         5 . The tape measure of  claim 1 , wherein said rotor comprises an array of apertures on the spool, and wherein said stator comprise an optical sensor detecting light from a light source passing through the apertures. 
     
     
         6 . The tape measure of  claim 5 , wherein said apertures are spaced evenly about the spool and said conversion means comprises an electronically implemented algorithm including a variable associated with the wound diameter of the tape upon the spool. 
     
     
         7 . A garment measurement and reporting system, including:
 a tape measure for measuring linear dimensions of a garment, the tape measure including a transmitter for transmitting data associated with said linear dimensions; and   a computer receiving data transmitted from the transmitter, the system running software which produces reports based on said data.   
     
     
         8 . The garment measurement and reporting system of  claim 7 , wherein the tape measure comprises:
 a spool mounted rotatably within the casing and having rotor thereon which rotates together with the spool;   a tape wound upon the spool and extendable from the casing to take linear measurements and whereupon extension thereof the spool and rotor rotate;   a stator located in the casing and cooperating with said rotor to sense angular orientation of the spool; and   conversion means converting said sensed angular orientation of the spool into a linear measurement corresponding to the linear extent to which the tape is extended.   
     
     
         9 . The garment measurement and reporting system of  claim 8 , wherein the tape measure further comprises a display upon the casing for displaying said linear measurement. 
     
     
         10 . The garment measurement and reporting system of  claim 8 , wherein the tape measure further comprises a transmitter for transmitting data associated with said angular orientation of the spool and/or said linear measurement to a remote device. 
     
     
         11 . The garment measurement and reporting system of  claim 10 , wherein the tape measure further comprises a key upon the casing which when depressed effects transmission of current measurement data. 
     
     
         12 . The garment measurement and reporting system of  claim 8 , wherein the tape measure comprises an array of apertures on the spool, and wherein said stator comprise an optical sensor detecting light from a light source passing through the apertures. 
     
     
         13 . The garment measurement and reporting system of  claim 12 , wherein the tape measure comprises an electronically implemented algorithm including a variable associated with the wound diameter of the tape upon the spool.