The present invention relates generally to panel removers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a remover that can open or remove a panel without damaging neighboring components.
Trims and panels are commonly found in modern day technology. For example, automobile panels are prevalent in motor vehicles and allow thin sheets of metal to provide an outer body of the automobile or an inner casing within the vehicle. These panels typically cover less visually-appealing mechanical components of the machine to avoid exposing the unsightly machinery.
Panels are often hinged or otherwise removable so as to allow access to the contents within the panel. A tool is often helpful in removing the panel and can even be required for panels with low clearance. Most of these tools are small, wire-shaped instruments that pry open the panel. However, these instruments often rub against the panel at a bend point of the instrument and destroy or scratch the surface on which they pivot.
Tools were therefore created to prevent marring of surfaces on which the instrument pivots. For example,
Other advancements include nylon or other soft material instruments. Such instruments are less likely to damage surfaces due to the soft material, but are also weak and bend easily, lacking the rigidity and strength for higher load applications.
The present invention broadly comprises a panel removing tool with a bend portion that is set behind the fulcrum of the tool for added leverage. The bend portion can include a cover, for example a dipped polymer, that is made of a material softer than the remainder of the tool so as to prevent scratching or other damage to panels in which the tool is used.
In particular, the present invention broadly comprises a removal tool including a handle, a base extending from the handle and having a longitudinal axis, a bend extending from the base and being offset from the longitudinal axis of the base, and a pry extending form the bend and adapted to be disposed underneath an object to be lifted. A cover can be provided that covers a fulcrum of the bend and is composed of a cover material softer than a bend material of the bend.
For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to embodiments illustrated. As used herein, the term “present invention” is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention and is instead a term used to discuss exemplary embodiments of the invention for explanatory purposes only.
The present invention broadly comprises a panel removing tool with added leverage due to a bend portion that is located behind a fulcrum of the tool. The tool can pivot about the bend portion when applying leverage to remove a panel, and the bend portion can include a cover, for example a dipped polymer, that is made of a material softer than the remainder of the tool. The tool therefore prevents scratching or other damage to panels in which the tool is used.
As shown in
The handle 105 can be any structure capable of being gripped by a user. The handle 105 can include a texture or a separate structure that overlays the handle 105 to improve the grip of the user. The handle 105 can taper off at its end to form the neck 110. As discussed above, the neck 110 can include an opening that the base 115 inserts into to couple the base 115, bend 120, extension 125, and pry 130 to the handle 105. For example, the neck 110 can include internal threads, and the base 115 can include external threads, and the base 115 can threadably couple into the neck 110. The base 115 can also be coupled into the handle by an adhesive, a fastener, or a simple friction fit. Any other manner of coupling the base 115 and remaining components to the handle 105 can be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The base 115 acts as the structural backbone of the components of the tool 100 located outside of the handle 105. The base 115 connects the handle 105 to the bend 120, for example. The base 115 can be any shape but in some embodiments is a circular cross-section component that extends in a straight line from the neck 110 of the handle 105. As shown in
The bend 120 is the component of the tool 100 that a user pivots the tool 100 about to apply leverage and open a panel or other object. As shown, the bend 120 can have an offset fulcrum to allow for greater clearance and leverage. For example, the pry 130 can be located a first direction away from the longitudinal axis of the base 115, and the fulcrum of the bend 120 can be located a second direction away from the longitudinal axis of the base 115, where the first direction is opposite of the second direction. As shown, the bend 120 can be a 90° bend where the base 115 and pry 130 are angled at 90° with respect to each other. However, any angle can be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The pry 130 can be any shape that allows for an object to be lifted. For example, the pry 130 can be shaped as a flat blade, similar to a flat-head screwdriver, as best shown in
The cover 135 is located at the bend 120 to help prevent marring of a surface when the tool 100 is in use. For example, the cover 135 can be a dipped polymer, e.g., vinyl, or can be any other polymer or soft material that would help prevent marring of surfaces about which the bend 120 is placed upon.
To use the tool 100, a user can first insert the pry 130 underneath a panel or surface to be lifted. The tool 100 can then be lowered so that the fulcrum of the bend 120 touches a surface. The tool 100 can then pivot about the fulcrum at the bend 120 and lift the panel or other object. Because the fulcrum of the bend 120 is offset from the base 115, the tool 100 can provide additional leverage as compared to prior art tools. Further, because the cover 135 is located at the fulcrum of the bend 120, the surface upon which the tool 100 is initially placed can be maintained and scratches can be avoided.
As discussed above, the cover 135 can be made of a softer material as compared to the material of the base 115, bend 120, extension 125, and/or the pry 130. For example, the base 115, bend 120, extension 125 and pry 130 can be made of a metallic material, e.g., stainless steel, and the cover 135 can be made of dipped vinyl or another polymer. However, the present invention is not so limited.
As shown in
As used herein, the term “coupled” and its functional equivalents are not intended to necessarily be limited to direct, mechanical coupling of two or more components. Instead, the term “coupled” and its functional equivalents are intended to mean any direct or indirect mechanical, electrical, or chemical connection between two or more objects, features, work pieces, and/or environmental matter. “Coupled” is also intended to mean, in some examples, one object being integral with another object.
The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of the inventors' contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.
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