US 7,374,150 B2
Ergonomic fish tape
David L. Wiesemann, Pewaukee, Wis. (US); and David A. Huebschen, Menomonee Falls, Wis. (US)
Assigned to Actuant Corporation, Glendale, Wis. (US)
Appl. No. 10/566,930
PCT Filed Aug. 06, 2004, PCT No. PCT/US2004/025510
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Oct. 25, 2006,
PCT Pub. No. WO2005/013668, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 17, 2005.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/493819, filed on Aug. 08, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2007/0187659 A1, Aug. 16, 2007
Int. Cl. H02G 1/08 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 254—134.3FT  [254/134.3  R; 242/390.8] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fish tape reel assembly disposed about a center axis and lying along first and second sides of a center line intersecting and extending perpendicularly to the center axis, the assembly comprising:
a housing defining a cavity concentric about the center axis and disposed between an outer periphery of the housing and inner periphery of the housing which defines a central opening through which the center axis extends;
a handle member having a retainer shoe captured within the housing so as to be rotatable about the center axis with respect to the housing, the handle member defining an exit aperture on a first side of the center line in communication with the cavity and a pistol grip on a second side of the center line, the pistol grip being oriented so that the weight of the reel assembly is balanced such that a user grasping the pistol grip will have the user's wrist essentially straightened and horizontal in a neutral balanced position of the pistol grip; and
a fish tape wound within the cavity and having one end fixed to the housing and an opposite end extending outside of the housing, wherein the fish tape is wound within the cavity by rotating the housing about the center axis with respect to the handle member;
wherein the inner periphery of the housing defines a plurality of convex hand grips having raised ribs.