Patent Publication Number: US-2011072592-A1

Title: Auto body tool

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an automobile tool for auto body repairs. Specifically, the present invention relates to a tool that facilitates the removal of automobile rear quarter panels. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     On an automobile, a quarter-panel is a body panel that typically covers the section between the rear door and the trunk. It is typically made of sheet metal, but is sometimes made of fiberglass and fiber-reinforced plastic. The quarter-panel typically wraps between a vehicle&#39;s door and hood, or the door and trunk, and can be welded to the wheel arch assembly. The panel between a car&#39;s front door and the hood is typically held in place by means of a bolt, rather than by welds. The real quarter panel is many times replaced rather than repaired. The panel is designed differently for various types of vehicles, and has different sizes and lengths. 
     In order to remove the quarter panel, the spot welds must be broken. Typically, a drill is used to break the welds, then a chisel is used to split apart the metal panels. However, prying apart the metal layers using a standard chisel or a crowbar can be difficult because of the position required to access the area of interest and lack of an area on a chisel against which force can be applied. A need exists for a tool that improves an auto body worker&#39;s ability to remove quarter panels. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings of the problems of the prior art by providing a tool that allows access of a chisel to the areas in between metal layers after the spot welds have been removed in a configuration that makes prying the layers apart more easy to accomplish. More specifically, the present invention provides a tool that includes a chisel at one end that is sufficiently bent away from the shank to fit into the desired space. The present invention also provides a shoulder segment that in combination with the shank essentially forms a right triangular shape which a worker can apply a hammering force to help him pry off the desire pieces of metal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiment(s) considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an auto body tool constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a right side elevational view of the auto body tool shown in  FIG. 1 , a left side elevational view being a mirror image thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the auto body tool shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of the auto body tool shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the auto body tool shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear elevational view of the auto body tool shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the auto body tool as it would be used in conjunction with an automobile. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , an auto body tool  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a shank  16 , a first end  12 , a second end  14 , a shoulder  80 , and a chisel  50 . As will be discussed below with further detail, the auto body tool  10  is configured for placement of the beveled edges  60 ,  62  of the chisel  50  on the interior locations of an automobile&#39;s quarter panels where the metal layers meet. The auto body tool  10  is further configured so that once so placed, the shoulder  80  will be positioned in such a way that it a hammering force can be applied against it to help pry apart two metal sheets. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , the auto body tool  10  is unitarily formed of a metal material of thickness  26 . It shall be understood, however, that the auto body tool  10  can be constructed of steel, titanium, or another suitable material that will not deform when a hammering force is applied to the shoulder  80 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , the auto body tool  10  is designed and configured to include an elongated shank  16 . The shank  16  includes an upper surface  20 , a lower surface  30 , opposite thereto, a left side wall  24  perpendicular to the upper surface  20  and the lower surface  30 , and a right side wall  22  opposite the left side wall  24 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , the first end  12  of the auto body tool  10  includes distal edge  40 . Distal edge  40  is substantially rectangular in cross section and is designed to be substantially orthogonal to both upper surface  20 , and lower surface  30 . Distal edge  40  is also designed to be substantially orthogonal also to both the left side wall  24  and right side wall  22 . Distal edge  40  forms a blunt end to the shank  16  but alternatively could be formed from a tapered end. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , the second end  14  is configured to include a chisel  50 . The chisel  50  bends away from the upper surface  20  and toward the lower surface  30  forming an angle with the shank  16 . Chisel  50  includes an outer surface  54 , an inner surface  56 , and a sharp edge  64 . The sharp edge  64  of the chisel  50  is formed from two beveled surfaces  60 ,  62  which form approximately  45  degree angles with the interior and exterior surfaces  56 ,  54  respectively. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , auto body tool  10  also includes a hammering shoulder  80  which is located at a position slightly offset from the midpoint of the shank  16 . The hammering shoulder  80  includes a slanted shoulder wall  88  that extends away from the upper surface  20  of the shank  16  in an inclined plane. Slanted shoulder wall  88  includes an exterior surface  84 , and an interior surface  86 , opposite thereto. The hammering shoulder  80  also includes a vertical shoulder wall  90  that extends away from the upper surface  20  of the shank  16  opposite the slanted wall  88 , substantially perpendicularly from the upper surface  20  of the shank  16 . Vertical shoulder wall  90  includes an exterior vertical wall  94  and an interior vertical wall  92 . The slanted shoulder wall  88  meets the vertical shoulder wall  90  at heel  82 . The hammering shoulder  80  forms an interior area cavity  100  with the shank  16  that is essentially a right triangle in cross section. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the auto body tool  10  is shown positioned at an automobile&#39;s  150  rear quarter panel location as it could typically be used. It can be seen that hammering shoulder  80  is easily accessible for the application of a force against it by a hammer or other means on the vertical wall  88  of the hammering shoulder  80  while the chisel  50  is securely pressed against the metal layers at a desired location by the shank  16 . 
     It will be understood that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention. For example, the auto body tool  10  could be used for other purposes than removing quarter panels. The shoulder  80  could be configured in various shapes of various heights. The shank  16  could be made of various overall lengths, either shorter or longer. Moreover, the chisel  50  could be formed to bend away from the shank at various angles and also be made of varying lengths. All such variations and modifications, including those discussed above, are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.