Painted surface sanding tool

Abstract

A sanding tool is disclosed that can be used to remove a raised defect or imperfection from a painted surface. The sanding tool includes a base that defines an arcuate guide surface configured to be placed in contact with the base. In general, the base supports a sanding element for movement with respect to the base in a sanding motion. The guide surface maintains the sanding element at a desired position with respect to the painted surface while the sanding element moves in the sanding motion. An offset of the sanding element with respect to the guide surface can be selectively adjusted in certain embodiments. In some embodiments the guide surface is defined by first and second prongs spaced apart widthwise of the base, with the sanding element mounted between the prongs. A convex oscillating point sanding element is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sanding tool for removing a raised defect from a painted surface, the sanding tool comprising:
 a handheld base having a height and comprising an arcuate guide surface that is curved along the height, the guide surface being configured for engagement with the painted surface;   an arm mounted on the base for movement along the height of the base with respect to the guide surface through a range of motion, the arm being configured to mount a sanding element having a sanding surface on the arm for movement with the arm with respect to the base, the arm being configured such that the sanding element mounted on the arm is movable with respect to the arm in a sanding motion; and   a locking mechanism configured to selectively lock the arm in position with respect to the base at a plurality of positions along the range of motion, wherein the arm is configured to position the sanding element such that the sanding surface has a different offset from the arcuate guide surface along the height of the base at each of the plurality of positions of the arm.   
     
     
         2 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the guide surface includes a first surface portion on a first side of the arm and a second surface portion on a second side of the arm opposite from the first side of the arm. 
     
     
         3 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second surface portions is curved along the height of the base and the first and second surface portions are aligned with one another along the height of the base. 
     
     
         4 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of positions of the arm includes a first position in which the arm mounts the sanding element such that the sanding surface protrudes from the guide surface along the height of the base and a second position in which the arm mounts the sanding element such that the sanding surface is aligned with the guide surface along the height of the base. 
     
     
         5 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the sanding surface protrudes from the guide surface by less than 0.1 inches in the first position of the arm. 
     
     
         6 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of positions of the arm includes a first position in which the arm mounts the sanding element such that the sanding surface is recessed from the guide surface along the height of the base and a second position in which the arm mounts the sanding element such that the sanding surface is aligned with the guide surface along the height of the base. 
     
     
         7 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the sanding surface is recessed from the guide surface by less than 0.1 inches in the first position of the arm. 
     
     
         8 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the arm is pivotably mounted on the base for rotation about a pivot axis through the range of motion. 
     
     
         9 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a gear that rotates about a gear axis as the arm rotates about the pivot axis and a pawl that is selectively engageable with the gear to prevent rotation of the gear about the gear axis. 
     
     
         10 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a gear that rotates about a gear axis as the arm rotates about the pivot axis and a worm meshed with the gear and configured to rotate about a worm axis transverse to the gear axis. 
     
     
         11 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a handle member and a guide member secured to the handle member, the guide member defining the arcuate guide surface. 
     
     
         12 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the guide member is formed from a non-surface-marring material. 
     
     
         13 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the guide member is replaceable. 
     
     
         14 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the sanding motion comprises one of rotation and oscillation about an axis oriented generally parallel to an axis about which the guide surface is curved. 
     
     
         15 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the sanding motion comprises one of rotation and oscillation about an axis oriented generally perpendicular to an axis about which the guide surface is curved. 
     
     
         16 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the arm is configured to mount the sanding element such that the sanding surface has a contact area with the painted surface of less than 1.0 in 2  at each of the plurality of positions of the arm. 
     
     
         17 . A sanding tool for removing a raised defect from a painted surface, the sanding tool comprising:
 a base having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a height extending from the bottom to the top, a width extending from the first side to the second side, and a length extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, the distal end portion of the base including a first guide prong and a second guide prong spaced apart along the width of the base, each of the first and second guide prongs defining a respective arcuate guide surface which curves along the height of the base, wherein the base is configured for mounting a sanding element having a sanding surface having a curvature that is generally the same as the curvature of the guide surfaces such that the sanding surface is located between the first and second guide prongs and is generally aligned with the guide surfaces along the height of the base, wherein the base is configured to mount the sanding element on the base such that the sanding element is movable with respect to the base in a sanding motion such that the sanding surface is configured to sand a portion of the painted surface generally aligned with the guide surfaces between the first and second guide prongs.   
     
     
         18 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the sanding tool further comprises a movable arm between the first and second prongs and configured to mount the sanding element on the base. 
     
     
         19 . A sanding tool as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the sanding motion comprises one of rotation and oscillation about a sanding motion axis and the sanding motion axis is oriented one of generally parallel to and generally perpendicular to the width of the base. 
     
     
         20 . A sanding element configured to be mounted on a shaft for one of conjoint rotation and conjoint oscillation with the shaft about an axis of the shaft, the sanding element comprising a facing surface that is configured to face a work surface being sanded by the sanding element, the facing surface including a sanding surface portion configured to engage the work surface and having a surface area of less than about 1.0 in 2 , the facing surface being convex and being arcuate in cross section along substantially a full extent of the sanding element in both a vertical axis of the sanding element and a horizontal axis of the sanding element oriented perpendicular to the vertical axis.