Automobile body dent repair tool

Abstract

A set of tools for the process generally known as “paintless dent repair” for removing a class of dents in automobile body panels is modified to have interchangeable handles with a range of positions relative to the working end of the tool. Thus, permitting the modified set of tools to be comprised of many fewer individual tools than is the current practice in the art.

1 . An automobile body dent repair tool comprising in combination: 
 a. an elongated shank having distal and proximal ends, and    b. at least one handle, and    c. a joining means for releasably attaching a handle to said proximal end of said shank, and    d. said joining means further comprising at least one rod and a like number of holes adapted to receive said rods, and    e. said joining means further comprising a securing means for preventing disengagement, and    f. when joined, said shank and handle are rigidly joined and comprise a tool having a handle at proximal end and a working tip at the distal end.    
   
   
       2 . The dent repair tool of claim one where said joining means having first and second parts, the first part having an axially extending tang having a polygonal cross section and the second part having an axial hole adapted to receive said polygonal tang in a sliding engagement, said first part attached to said shank, and said second part attached to said handle, whereby when said two parts are joined, said handle and said shank are securely connected.  
   
   
       3 . The dent repair tool of  claim 1  where said joining means having first and second parts, the first part having an axially extending threaded tang, and the second part having a threaded axial hole adapted to receive said tang in a threaded engagement, whereby when said two parts are joined, said handle and said shank are securely connected.  
   
   
       4 . The joining means of the dent repair tool of  claim 1  further comprising a rod and where said joining means having first and second parts each having an axially located hole adapted to receive said rod, whereby said rod engaging said holes joins said handle and shank in a securely connected alignment.  
   
   
       5 . The dent repair tool of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of interchangeable handles and a plurality of interchangeable shanks, and each handle and shank having cooperating joining means to removably attach said handles to said shanks in a securely connected alignment, thereby comprising a dent repair tool.  
   
   
       6 . The dent repair tool of  claim 1  further comprising a second handle attached near the distal end of the shank.  
   
   
       7 . The second handle of the dent repair tool of  claim 6  is fixedly attached to the shank.  
   
   
       8 . The second handle of the dent repair tool of  claim 6  is removably attached to the shank.  
   
   
       9 . The dent removal tool of  claim 1  further comprising an extension means comprising a shaft having joining means adapted to couple with cooperating portions of said joining means of  claim 1 , whereby said extension means is in a securely connected alignment between said handle and said shank, thereby forming an extended dent repair tool  
   
   
       10 . The handle at the proximal end of said shank of the dent repair tool of  claim 1  further having a thumb rest.  
   
   
       11 . An automobile body dent repair tool comprising in combination: 
 a. an elongated shank having distal and proximal ends, and    b. at least one handle, and    c. a joining means for releasably attaching a handle to said proximal end of said shank, and    d. said joining means further comprising a rod and cooperating hole adapted to receive said rod, and    e. said cooperating rod and hole further comprising anti-rotation means to prevent axial rotation between said rod and hole, and    f. said joining means further comprising a securing means for preventing disengagement, and    g. when attached, said shank and handle are rigidly joined and comprise a tool having a handle at proximal end and a working tip at the distal end.    
   
   
       12 . The dent repair tool of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 said rod and hole having a polygonal cross sectional shape.    
   
   
       13 . The dent repair tool of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 said rod and hole having threaded engagement means.