US Patent 7024791 Tape measure with laser beam

A tape measure includes a housing, a rule blade coilable within the housing, and a light plane generator disposed on the housing. The light plane generator may include a laser source for emitting a laser beam and a line lens in the path of the laser beam for converting the laser beam into a laser plane. Preferably, the laser plane intersects both the rule blade and a workpiece. The light plane generator may be pivoted about a horizontal axis and/or a vertical axis.