Tape measure clip with a knife sharpening material

Abstract

The tape measure has a tape, which is partially received within an interior of a housing. An attachment is fixedly attached with one side of the housing, and the attachment has an outer surface that faces away from the housing and that is provided with a knife sharpening material. The attachment allows a user to conveniently sharpen their knife without carrying around a separate sharpening stone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tape measure, comprising:
 a housing,   a tape partially received within an interior of the housing,   an attachment fixedly attached with one side of the housing, and   the attachment having an outer surface that faces away from the housing and includes a knife sharpening material   
     
     
         2 . The tape measure as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the attachment is a spring clip that includes two legs that are biased towards one another and can be elastically separated from one another. 
     
     
         3 . The tape measure as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the two legs of the spring clip include a first leg that is fixedly attached with the housing and a second leg with an outer surface that includes the knife sharpening material. 
     
     
         4 . The tape measure as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the second leg includes an opening for allowing a tool to pass through the second leg to secure the first leg with the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The tape measure as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the first leg is fixedly attached with the housing by a screw that is threadedly engaged with the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The tape measure as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the knife sharpening material includes at least one of monocrystalline or polycrystalline diamond stones. 
     
     
         7 . The tape measure as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the knife sharpening material has a grit in the range of 1,000 to 3,000. 
     
     
         8 . The tape measure as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the attachment is generally planar. 
     
     
         9 . The tape measure as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the attachment has a T-shape. 
     
     
         10 . A method of joining an attachment to a tape measure, the method including the steps of:
 removing a first spring clip from a housing of the tape measure; and   fixedly attaching an attachment to the tape measure, the attachment having an outer surface with a knife sharpening material.   
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the step of fixedly attaching the attachment to the tape measure includes the step of threadedly engaging a screw that extends through a portion of the attachment with the housing of the tape measure. 
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the attachment is a spring clip that includes a first leg and a second leg, and wherein the second leg includes an opening, and wherein the step of threadedly engaging the screw with the tape measure includes inserting a screwdriver through the opening of the second leg to fixedly attach the first leg of the spring clip with the housing of the tape measure. 
     
     
         13 . The method as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the second leg is biased towards the first leg. 
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the attachment is generally planar and has a T-shape. 
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the knife sharpening material includes at least one of monocrystalline or polycrystalline diamond stones. 
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the knife sharpening material has a grit in the range of 1,000 to 3,000. 
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , further including the step of rubbing a knife against the knife sharpening material. 
     
     
         18 . A spring clip, comprising:
 a first leg and a second leg that are biased towards one another;   the second leg having an outer surface with a knife sharpening material that has a grit in the range of 1,000 to 3,000; and   the second leg having a through opening formed therein for allowing a tool to extend through the second leg when fixedly attaching the first leg with a case of a tape measure.   
     
     
         19 . The spring clip as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the knife sharpening material includes at least one of monocrystalline or polycrystalline diamond stones. 
     
     
         20 . The spring clip as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the second leg has an end that is tapered.