Quick automotive cosmetic repair

• US 20070067075A1
• Filed: 02/14/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: McMillan, Michael, Sena, Keith, Soto, Mario, Purifoy, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/353,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067075A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/00 Servicing, maintaining, repairing, or refitting of vehicles vehicles adapted to carry a workshop for servicing or maintenance B60P3/14; servicing rail locomotives B61K
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8854 Grading and classifying of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/88 Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination

Abstract

This invention is directed to a method for quick repairing multiple cosmetic defects of a vehicle wherein the method comprises the steps of: (a) identifying said cosmetic defect of the vehicle; (b) regulating environmental elements within a controlled perimeter used for positioning the vehicle or an area around the cosmetic defect wherein the environmental elements comprise liquid, air, temperature, light, radiation, humidity, or a combination thereof; (c) acquiring repair data on the cosmetic defect of the vehicle within the controlled perimeter; (d) entering the repair data into a computing device; (e) retrieving one or more repair specification from a first database located in said computing device or located in a host computer in communication with said computing device; (f) estimating repair cost based on the repair specification; (g) obtaining an authorization to repair the cosmetic defect based on said repair cost and the repair specification; and (h) repairing the cosmetic defect based on the repair specification within 0.1 to 8 hours.

Claims

1. A method of repairing cosmetic defects of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying said cosmetic defect of the vehicle (11);

(b) regulating environmental elements within a controlled perimeter used for positioning the vehicle or an area around the cosmetic defect wherein the environmental elements comprise liquid, air, temperature, light, radiation, humidity, or a combination thereof (12);

(c) acquiring repair data on the cosmetic defect of the vehicle within the controlled perimeter (13);

(d) entering the repair data into a computing device (14);

(e) retrieving one or more repair specification from a first database located in said computing device or located in a host computer in communication with said computing device (15);

(f) estimating repair cost based on the repair specification (16);

(g) obtaining an authorization to repair the cosmetic defect based on said repair cost and the repair specification (17); and

(h) repairing the cosmetic defect based on the repair specification within 0.1 to 8 hours (19).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cosmetic defects comprise:

coating and paint defects, dents of a vehicle body, vehicle interior surface and finish damages, glass and windshield damages, vehicle exterior surface damages, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the repair data comprise data on color measurement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the repair specification comprises a color formulation.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising a step of mixing colors based on said color formulation.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of preparing a repair material based on the repair cost and the repair specification, wherein the repair material is prepared at a first location that is within or adjacent to the controlled perimeter, a second location, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the repair authorization is obtained in a digital form.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step to modify the repair specification.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the modified repair specification is stored in a second database.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is selected from:

a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a PDA, a pocket PC, a mobile phone, a smart phone, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing amenities to a customer who waits for the said vehicle while it is being repaired, wherein the amenities are selected from the:

a resting space, an entertaining facility, a car care education facility, a car care products selection facility, a future car care service scheduling facility, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprises a step of recording data of the cosmetic defect before and after the repair.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data of the cosmetic defect is recorded and stored digitally.

14. A facility for repairing cosmetic defects of a vehicle comprising:

(a) a controlled perimeter for positioning the vehicle or an area around the cosmetic defect of the vehicle;

(b) environmental control devices for regulating environmental elements within the controlled perimeter, wherein the environmental elements comprise liquid, air, temperature, light, radiation, humidity, or a combination thereof;

(c) a data acquisition means for acquiring repair data on the cosmetic defect of the vehicle within the controlled perimeter;

(d) a computing device for entering the repair data;

(e) a first database for retrieving one or more repair specification, wherein the first database is located in said computing device or located in a host computer in communication with said computing device;

(f) a computer program for estimating repair cost based on the repair specification;

(g) an authorization device for obtaining an authorization to repair the cosmetic defect based on said repair cost and the repair specification; and

(h) a repair means for repairing the cosmetic defect based on the repair specification within 0.1 to 8 hours.

15. The vehicle repair facility of claim 14, wherein the facility is stationary.

16. The vehicle repair facility of claim 14, wherein the facility is mobile.

17. A hub-satellite quick repair system for repairing cosmetic defects of a vehicle comprising two or more quick repair facilities of claim 14 in communication with a central control facility, wherein said central control facility comprises a communication means for communicating with the quick repair facilities in the system, storage facilities for storing repair equipments, materials or ingredients for preparing said repair materials, and a transportation means to supply said quick repair facilities with said materials, said ingredients, said repair equipments, or a combination thereof.