Dent removal tool with controlled constant pulling force

Abstract

A dent-pulling tool for pulling dents out of the surface of sheet metal body panels of a vehicle is provided. The tool includes a specially shaped adapter or cup that is adhered to the dent with adhesive. The adapter has at least one groove, or similar formation, on the contact surface thereof to optimize adhesion. The tool also includes a removable base having a non-marring material bonded thereto. The base may include one or more adjustable feet that stabilize the tool during use. The pulling tool is attached to the adapter and continuous controlled pulling force is applied to the adapter to pull the dent back into place. The pulling tool may be ratchet, screw, pneumatically, or hydraulically activated.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tool for removing dents from sheet metal surfaces of an automotive body panel comprising: 
 an adapter attachable to a dent with adhesive; and,    a puller tool attached to said adapter for exerting continuous controlled pulling force on said adapter to pull said dent back to a flush configuration.    
     
     
         2 . The tool of  claim 1 , said puller tool being ratchet activated.  
     
     
         3 . The tool of  claim 1 , said puller tool being screw activated.  
     
     
         4 . The tool of  claim 1 , said puller tool being pneumatically activated.  
     
     
         5 . The tool of  claim 1 , said puller tool being hydraulically activated.  
     
     
         6 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein said adapter includes a head connected by a neck to a body, said puller tool including a jaw grasping said head of said adapter.  
     
     
         7 . The tool of  claim 1 , said adapter being formed of at least one material selected from aluminum, polyethylenes, and urethanes.  
     
     
         8 . The tool of  claim 1 , said adapter including a surface having at least one dovetail groove therein, said surface contacting said adhesive.  
     
     
         9 . The tool of  claim 8 , said surface including a plurality of said dovetail grooves, said plurality of dovetail grooves being curved and concentrically aligned on said surface.  
     
     
         10 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a base attached to said puller tool.  
     
     
         11 . The tool of  claim 10 , said base including at least one opening centrally aligned therein.  
     
     
         12 . The tool of  claim 10 , said base having a non-marring material bonded to at least one surface thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The tool of  claim 10 , said base including at least one foot adjustably connected thereto.  
     
     
         14 . The tool of  claim 13 , said foot having a non-marring material bonded to at least one surface thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The tool of  claim 13 , said foot being adjustably connected to said base by at least one joint.  
     
     
         16 . The tool of  claim 15 , said at least one joint being a pin joint.  
     
     
         17 . The tool of  claim 13 , said foot being adjustably connected to said base by at least one extendable leg.  
     
     
         18 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment mechanism cooperating with said adapter, wherein said adjustment mechanism limits the movement of said adapter.  
     
     
         19 . The tool of  claim 18 , wherein said adjustment mechanism is attached to a connecting rod.  
     
     
         20 . The tool of  claim 18 , wherein said adjustment mechanism is a locking nut.  
     
     
         21 . An adapter for a dent removal tool comprising: 
 a head connected by a neck to a body with at least one surface having at least one dovetail groove formed therein.    
     
     
         22 . The adapter of  claim 21 , said head and said neck being generally cylindrical.  
     
     
         23 . The adapter of  claim 21 , said dovetail groove being curved.  
     
     
         24 . The adapter of  claim 21 , said surface including a plurality of said dovetail grooves, said plurality of said dovetail grooves being aligned parallel on said surface.  
     
     
         25 . The adapter of  claim 24 , said plurality of said dovetail grooves being curved.  
     
     
         26 . The adapter of  claim 24 , said plurality of said dovetail grooves being circular and concentrically aligned on said surface.  
     
     
         27 . The adapter of  claim 21 , said body being formed of a high density plastic.  
     
     
         28 . The adapter of  claim 21 , said body being formed of a metal.  
     
     
         29 . A dent removal tool comprising: 
 an adapter attachable to a dented sheet with adhesive, said adapter including a surface having at least one dovetail groove formed therein; and,    a puller tool attached to said adapter for exerting force on said adapter to alter said dented sheet.    
     
     
         30 . The dent removal tool of  claim 29 , said dovetail groove being curved.  
     
     
         31 . The dent removal tool of  claim 29 , said surface having a plurality of said dovetail grooves formed therein.  
     
     
         32 . The dent removal tool of  claim 31 , said plurality of dovetail grooves being aligned parallel on said surface.  
     
     
         33 . The dent removal tool of  claim 32 , said plurality of dovetail grooves being circular and concentrically aligned on said surface.  
     
     
         34 . The dent removal tool of  claim 29 , said puller tool being pneumatically activated.  
     
     
         35 . The dent removal tool of  claim 29 , said puller tool being hydraulically activated.  
     
     
         36 . The dent removal tool of  claim 29 , said puller tool being hammer-activated.  
     
     
         37 . The dent removal tool of  claim 29 , said puller tool including a base attached thereto, said base including at least one foot adjustably connected thereto.  
     
     
         38 . The dent removal tool of  claim 29 , wherein the puller tool includes an adjustment mechanism attached thereto.  
     
     
         39 . The dent removal tool of  claim 38 , wherein said adjustment mechanism is a locking nut.  
     
     
         40 . A base for a dent removal tool comprising: 
 a body including an opening centrally aligned therein; and,    at least one foot adjustably connected to said body.    
     
     
         41 . The base of  claim 40 , said at least one foot being adjustably connected to said body by at least one pivot joint.  
     
     
         42 . The base of  claim 40 , said foot including a non-marring material attached to a bottom surface thereof.  
     
     
         43 . The base of  claim 40 , said body having a first end portion and a second end portion, a first of said feet being aligned proximally to said first end portion and a second of said feet being aligned proximally to said second end portion, said first foot being rotatable about a first axis and said second foot being rotatable about a second axis.  
     
     
         44 . The base of  claim 43 , said first axis being aligned parallel to said second axis, said first and said second axes being aligned parallel to said body.  
     
     
         45 . The base of  claim 40 , said foot being attached to said body by at least one extendable leg.  
     
     
         46 . A dent removal tool comprising: 
 a puller tool attachable to a dented surface for exerting force on said surface; and,    a base attached to said puller tool, said base including at least one foot adjustably connected thereto.    
     
     
         47 . The dent removal tool of  claim 46 , said foot having a non-marring material bonded thereto.  
     
     
         48 . The dent removal tool of  claim 46 , said foot connected to said base by at least one extendable leg.  
     
     
         49 . The dent removal tool of  claim 46 , said foot connected to said base by at least one pivot joint.  
     
     
         50 . The dent removal tool of  claim 46 , said foot including two rectangular feet connected to said base.  
     
     
         51 . The dent removal tool of  claim 46 , wherein said puller tool includes an adjustment mechanism.  
     
     
         52 . The dent removal tool of  claim 51 , wherein said adjustment mechanism is a locking nut.  
     
     
         53 . A method for removing a dent from a sheet of metal comprising: 
 adhering an adapter with adhesive to a dented portion of a metal sheet; and,    applying continuous controlled force with a puller tool to the adapter to deform the dented portion of the metal sheet.    
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising the step of: 
 applying the adhesive to a surface of the adapter having at least one dovetail groove formed therein.    
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the continuous controlled force is applied to the adapter until the dented portion of the sheet metal is pulled back to a flush configuration.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 53 , further comprising the step of: 
 mounting the puller tool on the metal sheet by adjustably positioning at least one foot of a base attached to the puller tool.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the continuous controlled force is pneumatically generated.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the continuous controlled force is hydraulically generated.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the continuous controlled force is screw generated.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the continuous controlled force is ratchet generated.