GB2287746A

GB2287746A - Clip

Info

Publication number: GB2287746A
Application number: GB9504472A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yuichi Shirase
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 1994-03-18
Filing date: 1995-03-06
Publication date: 1995-09-27
Also published as: GB9504472D0; KR0146395B1; JP3325113B2; SE9500916L; SE9500916D0; KR950027214A; JPH07259823A

Abstract

A clip (10), of plastics material, includes a flange-like member (12), a plurality of resilient retaining members (13) with outer engaging surfaces projecting from a lower surface of the flange-like member to form collectively a box-like enclosure of polygonal section, and a plurality of projections (14) projecting from the lower surface of the flange-like member between adjacent ones of the resilient retaining members (13) at corners of the box-like enclosure. It is used to fasten panels (1, 2) by pushing the resilient retaining members (13) into aligned polygonal attachment holes (3, 4) formed in the panels with the projections (14) positioned at the corners of the attachment holes (3,4). Since the clip (10) requires only a small force for insertion into the attachment holes, it improves working efficiency whilst eliminating all possibility of rotation in the attachment holes. A member (20) is inserted to force the members (13) apart and can be rotated to allow release of the clip. <IMAGE>

Description

CLIP This invention relates to a clip used for example to attach a trim board or the like over a vehicle body panel.

Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 1165810, for example, teaches a clip of this type formed of plastic and consisting of a female member formed of a flexible material and comprising a flange-like member formed at its center with a vertical boss hole, a plurality of elastic retaining members with outer engaging surfaces and collectively projecting from the lower surface of the flangelike member in the shape of a cylinder, the elastic retaining members being pushed into circular attachment holes formed in panels in shapes complementary to the shape of said cylinder for fastening the panel members together by engagement of the elastic retaining members with the edge of the attachment hole on the rear side of the panels, and a male member inserted into the boss of the female member to urge the elastic retaining members in the engagement direction, rotation of the male member relative to the female member causing the male member to retract from the position in which it holds the female member in engagement with the elastic retaining members.

In the clip of this configuration, however, since the plurality of elastic retaining members provided on the female member side are disposed in a cylindrical pattern, the female member is apt to rotate together with the male member when the male member is rotated for retracting it from the position for maintaining engagement.

While an attempt has been made to overcome this problem by increasing the elastic force of the elastic retaining members, this increases the amount of force that has to be applied at the time of inserting the female member into the attachment hole. Since this makes the insertion difficult, the workers fingers are likely to tire, reducing working efficiency.

Another possible way of coping with the problem is to change the cylinder formed by the plurality of elastic retaining members into a substantially rectangular shape and providing the panels with complementary square attachment holes. While this prevents rotation of the female member, it increases the width of the elastic retaining members on the respective sides. This again makes insertion difficult and decreases the working efficiency.

This invention was accomplished in light of the foregoing problem and aims at providing a clip which prevents the aforesaid rotation, can be attached with small inserting force and can be used with improved working efficiency.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a plastic clip comprising a flange-like member and a plurality of elastic retaining members with outer engaging surfaces and collectively projecting from a lower surface of the flange-like member to form a box-like enclosure of polygonal section and for fastening panels by pushing the elastic retaining members into aligned polygonal attachment holes formed in the panels thereby causing the elastic retaining members to engage with an edge of the attachment hole on the rear side of the panels, the clip being characterised in that the flange-like member has a plurality of projections projecting from the lower surface thereof between adjacent elastic retaining members at corners of the box-like enclosure and positioned at corners of the attachment holes when the elastic retaining members are pushed into the attachment holes.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a plastic clip comprising a flexible female member having a flange-like member formed at its center with a vertical boss hole, a plurality of elastic retaining members with outer engaging surfaces and collectively projecting from a lower surface of the flange-like member to form a box-like enclosure of polygonal section, the female member being able to fasten panels when the elastic retaining members are pushed into aligned polygonal attachment holes formed in the panels thereby causing the elastic retaining members to engage with an edge of the attachment hole on the rear side of the panels1 and a male member for insertion into the boss of the female member to urge the elastic retaining members in the engagement direction, rotation of the male member relative to the female member causing the male member to retract from the position in which it holds the female member in engagement with the elastic retaining members, the clip being characterised in that the flange-like member has a plurality of projections projecting from the lower surface thereof between adjacent elastic retaining members at corners of the box-like enclosure and positioned at corners of the attachment holes when the elastic retaining members are pushed into the attachment holes.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view showing a clip that is an embodiment of the invention in use.

Figure 2 is bottom view of the clip in the state shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line III III in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is perspective view of a clip that is an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a side view of the clip of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the clip of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a bottom view of the clip of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along line VIII VIII in Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along IX-IX in Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a side view of a modified clip according to the invention.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the clip of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a bottom view of the clip of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a side view showing the clip of Figure 10 in use.

Figures 1 to 3 show a clip that is an embodiment of the invention in use and Figures 4 to 9 show the clip before use.

Figures 1 to 3 show an example in which a clip 10 according to the invention is used for attaching a trim board 2 to an inner panel 1 of an automobile.

For enabling insertion of the clip 10, the inner panel 1 is formed with an attachment hole 3 and the trim board 2 with a attachment hole 4 alignable with the attachment hole 3. The attachment holes 3 and 4 are square and of approximately the same size.

The clip 10 will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 9. The clip 10 consists of two major parts, a female member 10A and a male member lOB.

The female member 10A, which is made of plastic, comprises a generally disk-shaped flange-like member 12 with a vertical boss hole 11 at its center, and four elastic retaining members 13 and four projections 14 formed integrally with the bottom surface of the flange-like member.

The top of the flange-like member is formed with a counterbore 15 surrounding the boss hole 11 and sawtooth cams 16 are formed on the floor of the counterbore 15 in the form of steps inclined in one direction.

The four elastic retaining members 13 are plate-like members that project downward approximately perpendicularly to the flange-like member 12 and are spaced substantially regularly one on each side of the attachment hole 3 so that collectively they form a box-like enclosure of rectangular cross-section. The elastic retaining members 13 are formed to flare outward from the inner surfaces of the attachment hole 3 in the downward direction so as to provide a retaining function by abutment of the outer surfaces of the elastic retaining members 13 with the edges of the attachment hole 3 on the rear side of the inner panel 1. The tips of the elastic retaining members 13 are bent inward from the inner surfaces of the attachment hole 3 and the attachment hole 4 for facilitating their insertion into these attachment holes, and the extremities thereof are formed with claws 17.

The four projections 14 are formed at the corners at the intersection points between adjacent pairs of the elastic retaining members 13 to extend downward by a distance greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the trim board 2 and the inner panel 1. The projections 14 have the outer surfaces of their tips chamfered into tapered surfaces 18 for facilitating their insertion into the attachment hole 3. The positions of the projections 14 correspond to the corners of the attachment hole 3.

The male member lOB, which is also made of plastic, comprises a generally disk-shaped flange-like member 21 with a central screwdriver slot 20 and a shaft member 22 extending substantially perpendicularly downward from the bottom surface of the flange-like member 21.

The flange-like member 21 is formed to a size to fit in the counterbore 15 formed in the top of the flange-like member 12 of the female member lOA and its bottom surface is formed at diametrically opposite positions with projections 23 capable of making sliding contact with the sawtooth cams 16 on the floor of the counterbore 15.

Four regularly spaced recesses 25 are formed around the lower end of the shaft member 22 for receiving the claws 17 of the elastic retaining members 13 of the female member 10A when the shaft member 22 is inserted into the boss hole 11 of the female member lOA to a prescribed intermediate depth. The shaft member 22 is further formed along the upper edges of the recesses 25 with a small protuberance 26. The recesses 25 are divided at so intervals by four partitions 28 extending downward from the protuberance 26 and the inner walls thereof are formed as an upwardly flared conical surface 29 whose upper end continues into the protuberance 26. The partitions 28 are formed to a thickness enabling them to slide within slits (not shown) in the female member lOA.

The intermediate portion of the shaft member 22 above the protuberance 26 is formed thereabout with four recesses 31 for receiving the claws 17 of the elastic retaining members 13 of the female member lOA when the male member lOB is inserted fully into the boss hole 11. The recesses 31 are regularly spaced in alignment with the recesses 25.

The portion of the shaft member 22 below the recesses 25 is formed as a conical tip 30.

As shown in Figures 4 to 9, the female member lOA and male member lOB constituted in the foregoing manner can be provisionally assembled prior to use. For this, the partitions 28 of the shaft member 22 of the male member lOB are aligned with the slits (not shown) formed in the boss hole 11 of the female member lOA and the shaft member 22 is pushed into the boss hole 11 from above. As the conical tip 30 of the shaft member 22 passes downward through the space enclosed by the downwardly inclined claws 17 of the elastic retaining members 13, the elastic retaining members 13 first flex outward and then, as shown in Figure 9, snap back to enter the recesses 25 surrounding the shaft member 22. This completes the provisional assembly.

The manner in which the provisionally assembled clip 10 is used will now be explained taking as an example the attachment of the trim board 2 to the inner panel 1 of an automobile.

First, the trim board 2 is positioned with respect to the inner panel 1 so as to align the attachment hole 4 with the attachment hole 3.

Next, the female member lOA is positioned above the trim board 2 with the projections 14 aligned with the corners of the attachment holes 4, 3 and the elastic retaining members 13 are then pushed into the attachment holes 4, 3. If the projections 14 are not aligned with the corners of the attachment holes 4, 3 at this time, for example if the elastic retaining members 13 are rotationally offset relative to the attachment holes 4, 3 as shown by the chain line in Figure 2, full insertion is impossible because the projections 14 collide with the hole edges. Thus, since the insertion can be made only after the alignment has been corrected by rotating the male member lOB to position the projections 14 at the corners, insertion in the proper orientation is ensured. During insertion, the elastic retaining members 13 are flexed inward and escape into the recesses 25.When the insertion has proceeded to the point that the bottom of the flange-like member 12 makes contact with the top of the trim board 2, the assembly is prevented from falling out of the attachment holes 4, 3 by the engagement of the outer surfaces of the elastic retaining members 13 with the hole edge on the rear side of the inner panel 1. As a result, the trim board 2 is provisionally attached to the inner panel 1. In this state, the projections 14 inserted into the corners of the attachment holes 4, 3 prevent rotation with respect to the inner panel 1. The female member lOA is therefore prevented from rotating by the engagement between the projections 14 and the attachment holes 4, 3, independently of any such effect provided by the elastic retaining members 13.

The male member lOB is then pressed down by pushing down on the flange-like member 21. As the shaft member 22 of the male member lOB descends within the female member lOA, the claws 17 are pushed outward by the conical surfaces 29of the shaft member 22, causing the elastic retaining members 13 to expand on the rear side of the inner panel 1. Once the claws 17 have ridden over the protuberance 26, they are prevented from returning by engagement with the recesses 31, as shown in Figure 3, and are therefore maintained in the expanded state.At the same time, the projections 23 on the male member lOB side make contact with the flat bottom surface 16a between the sawtooth cams 16 formed in the counterbore 15 of the female member 10A, whereby the top surface the flange-like member 21 of the male member lOB becomes flush with the top surface of the flange-like member 12 of the female member lOA.

As the partitions 28 of the female member lOA also escape from the slits (not shown) formed in the boss hole 11 of the female member lOA, the male member lOB can be rotated relative to the female member lOA.

When the trim board 2 is to be removed from the inner panel 1, the tip of a screwdriver is inserted into the slot 20 and the male member lOB is rotated in the direction causing the projections 23 formed on the bottom surface of the flange-like member 21 to ascend the inclinations of the sawtooth cams 16. This causes the projections 23 on the head of the male member lOB to be pushed upward by the inclined surface of the sawtooth cams 16, moving the male member lOB upward, and also causes the claws 17 of the elastic retaining members 13 to ride on the partitions 28 extending down from the protuberance 26. With further rotation of the male member lOB, therefore, the claws 17 move into the recesses 25, restoring the provisionally assembled state.Thus the male member lOB and the female member lOA can be extracted together by pulling upward on the male member lOB, enabling the trim board 2 to be removed from the inner panel 1.

In the clip configured in the manner of the foregoing embodiment, the projections 14 provided in the corners between adjacent pairs of elastic retaining members 13 for insertion into the corners of the attachment holes 4, 3 serve as stops for preventing rotation. This means that the elastic retaining members 13 do not have to be provided with rotation prevention capability but only with engaging capability. It therefore suffices to form them only as wide as necessary for ensuring the minimum required engagement force.

Figures 10 to 13 show a modified version of the clip according to the invention. The reference numerals in Figures 10 to 13 which are the same as those in Figures 1 to 9 indicate the same members as those in Figures 1 to 9.

The structure of this modified clip differs from that of the structure of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 9 in the length of the projections 14. More specifically, in the clip 10 shown in Figures 1 to 9 the projections 14 of the female member lOA are much shorter than the elastic retaining members 13 and are only slightly longer than the sum of the thicknesses of the trim board 2 and the inner panel 1.

In this modified clip, on the other hand, the projections 14 have substantially the same length as the elastic retaining members 13.

With the structure of this modification, at the time of attaching the female member lOA it is possible to position the projections 14 at the corners of the attachment holes 4, 3 from the time that the insertion of the female member lOA into the attachment holes 4, 3 is started and to complete the insertion in the so-aligned state. This makes it easier for the worker to use the clip because he is able insert the female member l0A while observing the position of the projections 14 relative to the corners of the attachment hole 4 through the large gap between the flange-like member 12 and the trim board 2 at the beginning of the insertion. This clip is also convenient for fastening together three or more panels when only the bottom one has a square attachment hole and the others have round attachment holes.

As explained in the foregoing, in the clip according to this invention the projections inserted into the corners of the attachment holes serve as stops for preventing rotation. Therefore, since the elastic retaining members do not have to be provided with rotation prevention capability but only with engaging capability, it suffices to form them only as wide as necessary for ensuring the minimum required engagement force. Since the force required for insertion into the attachment holes is therefore small, the working efficiency is high. Moreover, the clip is totally free of the problem of the female member rotating together with the male member.

Claims

1. A clip of plastics material comprising a flange-like member, a plurality of resilient retaining members with outer engaging surfaces projecting from a lower surface of the flange-like member to form collectively a box-like enclosure of polygonal section, and a plurality of projections projecting from the lower surface of the flange-like member between adjacent ones of the resilient retaining members at corners of the box-like enclosure.

2. A clip according to claim 1, in which the flange-like member, the resilient retaining members and the projections are formed on a female member, with a vertical boss hole being provided at the centre of the flange-like member, and with a male member being provided for insertion into the boss hole of the female member into a position of predetermined engagement, subsequent rotation of the male member relatively to the female member causing the male member to retract from said position of predetermined engagement.

3. A clip according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the box-like enclosure is substantially square.

4. A clip according to any preceding claim, in which the projections are substantially as long as the resilient retaining members.

5. A clip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 9, or Figures 10 to 13, of the accompanying drawings.

6. A clip according to any preceding claim in combination with a plurality of panels having aligned attachment holes of which at least one is polygonal, the clip having been pushed into the panels such that the resilient retaining members act to fasten the panels together and the projections are positioned at the corners of the at least one polygonal hole to prevent rotation of the resilient retaining members.