Vehicle body restoration process

• US 20070250415A1
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• 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: Wilch, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US10/242,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250415A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for accurately estimating the cost of parts, materials, and labor units needed to properly restore a damaged vehicle body. The invention is directed to a vehicle body restoration process and vehicle body restoration guide used during the restoration process. The process includes entering an identification data for damaged areas of a vehicle on a stand alone computer or on a client computer in communication with a host computer wherein the identification data is based on a damage report supplied by an insurance company claims adjuster. A checklist is then retrieved from a material database on one or more body materials required for restoring the selected damaged areas. The body materials are utilized in restoring the damaged areas of the vehicle body and a list, such as an invoice of the body materials is generated.

Claims

1. A vehicle body restoration process comprising:

(a) entering an identification data for damaged areas of a vehicle listed in a guide on a computer wherein said identification data is based on a damage report prepared by an adjuster from an auto insurance company;

(b) retrieving a checklist from a material database on one or more body materials and visual instructions required for restoring said damaged areas, said body materials comprise abrasive &

attachment;

undercoating &

anti-corrosion;

caulking &

seam; and

inner &

outer contour portion repair materials;

(c) utilizing said body materials and said visual instructions from said checklist in restoring said damaged areas; and

(d) generating a list of said body materials.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said damaged area comprises a side member, pillar, radiator support, apron, floor pan, quarter panel, lower back panel, inner and outer contoured portions of said vehicle.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said checklist comprises quantity, cost and manufacturer of said body materials.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said material database resides on a CD-ROM loaded into said computer or on a hard drive of said computer.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein said list is an invoice.

7. The process of claim 1 further comprising printing said list on a printable sheet.

8. The process of claim 1 further comprising restoring said damaged areas of said vehicle.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein said checklist comprises visual instructions suitable for carrying out said restoring step.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein said checklist is displayed on a screen of said computer.

11. The process of claim 8 wherein said list further comprises identity of technician, number of labor units used in said restoring step.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein said damaged report is produced by accessing an estimator database comprising said damaged areas identified by make, year and model number of said vehicle.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein said damaged report includes estimated labor units needed for restoring said damaged areas.

14. The process of claim 13 further comprising storing said damaged report for future use.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is an automobile, truck, tractor, motorcycle, trailer, ATV, pick-up truck or a heavy mover.

3. (canceled)

16. A vehicle body restoration process comprising:

(a) entering an identification data for damaged areas of a vehicle listed in a guide on a client computer in communication with a host computer wherein said identification data is based on a damage report prepared by an adjuster from an auto insurance company;

(b) retrieving a checklist from a material database on one or more body materials and visual instructions required for restoring said damaged areas, said body materials comprise abrasive &

attachment;

undercoating &

anti-corrosion;

caulking &

seam; and

inner &

outer contour portion repair materials;

(c) utilizing said body materials and said visual instructions from said checklist in restoring said damaged areas; and

(d) generating a list of said body materials.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein said material database resides on a CD-ROM loaded into said host computer.

18. A vehicle body restoration process comprising:

(a) receiving from a client computer an identification data for damaged areas of a vehicle listed in a guide, said client computer being in communication with a host computer wherein said identification data is based on a damage report prepared by an adjuster from an auto insurance company;

(b) retrieving a checklist from a material database stored on said host computer on one or more body materials and visual instructions required for restoring said damaged areas, said body materials comprise abrasive &

attachment;

undercoating &

anti-corrosion;

caulking &

seam; and

inner &

outer contour portion repair materials; and

(c) sending to said client computer said checklist required for restoring said damaged areas.

19. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing restoration of a vehicle body, said computer readable program code means comprising;

(a) computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to enter an identification data for damaged areas of said vehicle body listed in a guide on said computer wherein said identification data is based on a damage report prepared by an adjuster from an auto insurance company;

(b) computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to retrieve a checklist from a material database on one or more body materials and visual instructions required for restoring said damaged areas, said body materials comprise abrasive &

attachment;

undercoating &

anti-corrosion;

caulking &

seam; and

inner &

outer contour portion repair materials; and

(c) computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to generate a list of said body materials and said visual instructions from said checklist.

20. The computer product of claim 19 wherein said damaged area comprises a side member, pillar, radiator support, apron, floor pan, quarter panel, lower back panel, inner and outer contoured portions of said vehicle.

22. The computer product of claim 19 wherein said checklist comprises quantity, cost and manufacturer of said component.

21. (canceled)

23. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing restoration of a vehicle body, said computer readable program code means comprising;

(a) computer readable program code devices configured to cause a host computer to receive from a client computer an identification data for damaged areas of a vehicle listed in a guide, said client computer being in communication with said host computer wherein said identification data is based on a damage report prepared by an adjuster from an auto insurance company;

(b) computer readable program code devices configured to cause said host computer to retrieve a checklist from a material database stored on said host computer on one or more body materials and visual instructions required for restoring said damaged areas, said body materials comprise abrasive &

attachment;

undercoating &

anti-corrosion;

caulking &

seam; and

inner &

outer contour portion repair materials; and

(c) computer readable program code devices configured to cause said host computer to send to said client computer said checklist required for restoring said damaged areas.