DE102017101963A1 - Integrated clip - Google Patents

Abstract

A panel 100 with a fixed attachment clip 102 for a motor vehicle is presented. The panel 100 has a piecewise planar rear side 104, with which the clip 102 is fixedly connected. The clip 102 has two mutually symmetrical legs 106, 108. They have three interconnected and symmetrically arranged sub-legs 110, 116, 120, which are each flexibly connected to each other and can fix the panel 100 by means of a stair-like surface on a body part.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a panel - such as a door trim in a vehicle with an integrated clip.

State of the art

In the automotive industry - especially in the interior - it is often necessary that cladding be attached to other components of the vehicle. A simple method of attachment is to use fastening clips, which are used to clip the panel - usually in the form of a panel - to sheet metal parts by the clips are inserted or plugged into holes and lock themselves there. However, panels and clips are stored separately and the clips are inserted or assembled in the panels as needed. It happens again and again that the clips are lost during assembly. This is also the case when the panels are used with clips in measuring frames for measuring, and then removed again from the measuring frame. Also in this process, it can always come back to the loss of clips. During final assembly, it may then be necessary to thread new clips into openings in the panels before, for example, attaching the panel to a vehicle door.

The present invention is based on the object of presenting an improved panel in which the mounting clips can not be lost.

Brief description of the invention

The above object is solved by the subject-matter of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the following description and the figures.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a panel is presented with a fixedly attached mounting clip for a motor vehicle. The panel with the integrated clip has a piecewise planar back, to which the fastening clip (102) is firmly connected.

The fastening clip also has two mutually symmetrical legs, which extend away from the back of the panel and have three interconnected and symmetrically arranged part leg.

The respective first partial leg connects with its first end to the panel; the respective second partial leg, which connects with its first (upper) end to a respective second (lower) end of the first partial leg, has on its outer side a staircase-like structure.

A respective third partial leg, which connects with its first end to a respective second end of the second partial leg, is flexibly connected at a second distal end to the third partial leg of the other leg. In this case, respective connecting points of the partial legs are flexibly connected to one another.

Detailed description of the invention

The following terms and expressions are used in this document:

The term "panel" generally describes a trim within a vehicle - as part of a vehicle interior. The inside of the panel or the lining is typically oriented against a body part. This may be an inner side of a door of the vehicle, a rear seat trim, a trim of a center console, dashboard etc. Panels are typically clipped to the body panels by means of clips.

The term "clip" describes a fastener which is fixed to a first element to be fastened, so that the first element can be attached to, for example, a body part. The clip is normally inserted into an opening of the carrier element and locks itself there.

The concept of the panel with the integrated clip presented here has a number of advantages:

The direct fusion of the panel or cladding with the clip immediately prevents the clip from detaching from the panel and being lost. The fixed connection also ensures that the clips are always positioned precisely on the panel and thus fit exactly into the holes of the receiving device - for example, inside a car door. Extra alignment is not required. This can also increase the quality of the panels. The proposed clips are also suitable to compensate for different distances from the panel to the carrier. In addition, a clip on the panel is presented, which can be released again, without damaging the clip. If the clip does experience damage, the panel has an opening next to the clip that can be used to record a replacement clip.

Further advantageous embodiments will be described in connection with the figures.

It should be noted that embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to different subject matters. In particular, some embodiments of the invention with apparatus claims and other embodiments of the invention may be described in conjunction with the description of corresponding methods. However, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this application that, unless explicitly stated otherwise, in addition to a combination of features associated with a type of subject matter, any combination of features that fall into different categories of features is also possible Subject matters belong.

Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following exemplary description of presently preferred embodiments. The individual figures of the drawings of this application are merely to be regarded as schematic, by way of example and not to scale.

list of figures

• 1 shows the panel with an integrated clip.
• 2 shows the panel with a different shape of the built-in clip.
• 3 represents the panel with another shape of the built-in clip.
• 4 represents the insertion of the built-in clip.
• 5 illustrates an embodiment of how the clip is removable without damage.

Description of exemplary embodiments

It should be noted that features of different embodiments, which are the same or at least functionally identical to the corresponding features or components of the embodiment, are provided with the same reference numerals or with a different reference numeral, which is only in its first digit is different from the reference number of a (functionally) corresponding feature or a (functionally) corresponding component. In order to avoid unnecessary repetitions, features or components already explained on the basis of a previously described embodiment will not be explained in detail later.

It should also be noted that the embodiments described below represent only a limited selection of possible embodiments of the invention. In particular, it is possible to suitably combine the features of individual embodiments with one another, so that a multiplicity of different embodiments are to be regarded as obviously disclosed to the person skilled in the art with the embodiment variants explicitly illustrated here.

1 puts the panel 100 with the integrated clip 102 represents.

At the panel 100 it may be a door inner lining of a vehicle. Alternatively, other panels or covers in the interior of a vehicle come into consideration. They can be used both in cars (passenger cars) and in trucks (lorries) or boats, sailing yachts, etc. Firmly connected to the panel 100 is a fixing clip 102 , The panel-clip combination has a piecewise planar back 104 of the panel 100 on, with the attachment clip 102 is firmly connected.

The fastening clip 102 has two mutually symmetrical legs 106 . 108 on, moving away from the back 104 of the panel 100 extend and three interconnected and symmetrically arranged sub-leg 110 . 116 . 120 , The two partial legs 106 , 108 are symmetrical to each other; therefore only a partial leg 106 described in detail.

The first leg 110 closes with a first end 112 to the panel 100 at; the second leg 116 closes at a second end 118 of the first leg 110 at. On the outside of the second leg 116 there is a staircase-like structure.

The third leg 120 , with his first end 118 to the second end 118 of the second leg 116 is at its second distal end 122 flexible with the third leg 120 the other leg flexibly connected. The respective connection points 114 . 118 . 122 the partial leg 110 . 116 . 120 are each flexibly connected to each other, with the second and third partial legs 116 . 120 form a trapezoidal shape.

1 also shows an element 124 on which the panel 100 through the clip 102 is held. In the process, the staircase-like surfaces of the second partial legs hook 116 at the respective edges of the element 124 one. At the element 124 For example, it may be an inside of a door of a vehicle while the panel is inside 100 is about the door panel. In other embodiments is the panel 100 to other interior trim elements of vehicles and the element 124 around other fixed body parts to which the panel 100 or the cladding should be clipped. Other examples of panels include interior trim, trunk liners, engine compartment linings, console panel linings or seat linings.

Alternative to direct integration of the clip 102 in the back 104 of the panel 100 can the clip 102 also with the panel 100 be glued. In the first case are the panel 100 and the clip 102 is integrally molded; in the second case, the panel 100 and the clip 102 first be made separately, then glued together or fused together. It is also to be noted that the clip 102 made of flexible plastic or thinned so that at the joints 114 between the first 112 and second 116 leg and at the joints 118 of the second leg 116 with the third leg 120 a flexible connection exists. If necessary. the connection points 114, 118, 122 are somewhat narrower and more flexible than the partial legs 110 . 116 . 120 itself. This applies accordingly to the distal ends 122 the third leg 120 , On the other hand, the material is from the clip 102 is so stable that he is the panel 100 on the element 124 can hold. - Of course, the panel 100 a plurality of integrated clips 102 contain.

2 shows the panel 100 with another shape of the built-in clip 102 , As you can see, the first leg has 110 another structure. The first leg 110 has a parallel to the back 104 of the panel 100 extending section 202 on. So that can be between the element 124 and the panel 100 there is a clearance passing through the spacer sections 204 the thigh 106 . 108 or by the spacers 206 is determined.

It should also be noted that in one embodiment, the staircase-like structure of the second leg portions 116 can be executed barb-like. A corresponding counter-structure can be found in the appropriate place of the element 124 to allow for better locking.

3 puts the panel 100 with another form of integrated clip 102 In this case, the room is 302 between spacers 204 solid filled. This results in a better mechanical stability of the clip structure.

4 represents the insertion of the integrated clip 102 in the element 124 Through a force, symbolized by the arrows 402 on the joints 118 between the second legs 116 and the third leg part 120 , the thighs become 106 . 108 flexibly compressed so that the clip 102 in a hole of the element 124 can be inserted in order to be locked there after it has spread apart again.

5 represents an embodiment of how the clip 102 without taking any harm from the item again 124 is removable. This is a thread-like element 502 (or thread) at the joints 118 attached between the second and third sub-legs 116, 120, passing through a hole in the panel 100 can be pulled so that the thighs 106 . 108 be contracted so that the clip 102 without damage from the hole of the element 124 is removable (symbolized by a pulling force 504 ).

In an additional embodiment, an opening (not shown) is located at a predefined distance adjacent to the mounting clip 102 , This opening can be used to hold a replacement clip when the clip is in place 102 is canceled. The replacement clip is shaped so that it can engage in the opening to the panel 100 to fix on a body part.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

panel

102

clip

104

planar back

106

Thighs of the clip

108

Thighs of the clip

110

first leg

112

End of the first leg

114

Connection between first and second partial leg

116

second leg

118

Connection between second and third leg

120

third leg

122

distal end of the third leg

124

element

202

parallel section

204

spacer section

206

spacer

302

Space between spacers

402

Force on thigh

502

Thread-like element

504

pulling power

Claims (9)

A panel (100) having a fixed attachment clip (102) for a motor vehicle, comprising - A piecewise planar back (104) of the panel (100) to which the fastening clip (102) is fixedly connected, wherein the fastening clip (102) has two mutually symmetrical legs (106, 108) extending away from the rear side (104) of the panel (100) extend and have three interconnected and symmetrically arranged part legs (110, 116, 120), of which the respective first part leg (110) connects with its first end (112) to the panel (100), the respective second partial limb (116), which connects with its first end (114) to a respective second end (114) of the first partial limb (110), has a stepped structure on its outer side, and a third partial limb (120) which cooperates with connecting its first end (118) to a respective second end (118) of the second leg (116), being flexibly connected to the third leg (120) of the other leg (106, 108) at a second distal end (122), wherein joints the leg parts (110, 116, 120) are flexibly interconnected. The panel (100) according to Claim 1 in which the mounting clip (102) and the panel (100) are integral. The panel (100) according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the mounting clip (102) and the panel (100) are glued together. The panel (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment clip (102) is made of flexible plastic. The panel (100) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is an opening in the panel (100) at a predefined distance adjacent the mounting clip (102). The panel (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first part legs (110) each have a parallel to the back (104) of the panel (100) extending portion (202). The panel (100) according to Claim 6 in which the respective first part leg (110) additionally has a spacing section (204). The panel (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the staircase-like structure of the second leg portions (116) is hook-like. The panel (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the panel (100) is one of a door trim panel of an interior trim, a trunk trim, an engine compartment trim, a console member, and a seat trim.

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