GB2313397A

GB2313397A - Resilient clip

Info

Publication number: GB2313397A
Application number: GB9610690A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Heinz Otto Baum; Steve Thompson
Original assignee: Newfrey LLC
Current assignee: Newfrey LLC
Priority date: 1996-05-22
Filing date: 1996-05-22
Publication date: 1997-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 2016-05-22
Also published as: GB2313397B; GB9610690D0

Abstract

A resilient clip 12 for mounting on a metal stud 20 for welding to a receptor surface 10 and having a projecting head 22, has a mounting aperture 18 of keyhole design and a face 34 adapted to contact the receptor surface 10. At least part of the wall 30 of the mounting aperture 18 has a stepwise tapered shoulder 36,38 which tapers to reduce the internal diameter of the mounting aperture 18 towards the face of the clip 12 adapted to contact the receptor surface 10. The clip comprises two parts, one captive to a trim strip 2 and the other, fig 5, attached to the stud 20.

Description

RE8ILIENT CLIP The present invention relates to a resilient clip for mounting on a metal stud for welding to a receptor surface and having a projecting head.

Clips of this type are used in the automotive industry to attach trim to motor vehicles, for example to attach a moulded trim strip to cover the gap found between the end face of a window glass and the surface of a vehicle body opposed thereto.

It is known from European Patent No. 489,505 to provide a metal stud having a projecting head for welding to a receptor surface and a resilient clip for mounting on said stud and retained by said projecting head characterised in that the underside of said head has a stepwise, tapered shoulder which reduces step-by-step to the diameter of said stud, in that said clip has a retaining hole of which the internal diameter increases correspondingly from a diameter equal to that of the stud whereby it engages the tapered shoulder under said head when the clip is applied to the stud and in that said clip is provided with at least two retaining members which contact said receptor surface to urge the clip into close engagement with the tapered shoulder under the head of the stud.

In the clip and stud assembly described in European Patent No. 489,505, the clip is forced over the stud in an axial direction.

It is also known to provide a clip assembly in which the clip has a mounting aperture of keyhole design.

In a known example of such a clip, the mounting aperture is substantially oval in shape, a portion of the internal wall of the oval being provided with an internal flange projecting into the aperture. In order to mount the clip on a weld stud, the clip is placed on the stud with the unflanged portion of the aperture axially aligned with the stud, and is then slid longitudinally so that the underside of the head of the stud engages the flange. A resilient tongue projects into the aperture from the wall of the aperture and serves to retain the clip in its engaged position on the stud.

This mounting method is particularly suitable for use with clips of the two-part type where a first part is mounted on the stud as described and a second part is pre-assembled with the moulded trim.

The manufacture of such clips requires the observance of precise tolerances both in the clip and in the stud as welded to the receptor surface, in order to minimise relative movement between the clip and the vehicle body.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved clip which can easily be mounted on a headed metal stud and in which relative movement between the clip and the vehicle body can be minimised.

The present invention provides a resilient clip for mounting on a metal stud for welding to a receptor surface and having a projecting head, which clip has a mounting aperture of keyhole design and a face adapted to contact the receptor surface, characterised in that at least part of the wall of the mounting aperture has a stepwise tapered shoulder, which tapers to reduce the internal diameter of the mounting aperture towards the face of the clip adapted to contact the receptor surface.

In a preferred embodiment of a clip according to the invention, the mounting aperture is substantially oval in shape, and the stepwise tapered shoulder extends over about half of the total circumference of the aperture.

The clip is preferably of the two part type, in which a first clip is mounted on the stud, and a second part is pre-assembled with the moulded trim.

The clip according to the invention is particularly suitable for mounting or a metal stud of the type in which has a projecting head, the underside of which has a stepwise tapered shoulder which reduces step-by-step to the diameter of the stud.

A preferred embodiment of a clip according to the invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a clip according to the present invention used to mount trim strip to the gap between the end face of a window glass and the surface of a vehicle body; Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and Figure 3 is a plan view of the clip of Figure 1.

As can be seen from Figure 1, a moulded trim strip (2) is mounted to cover a gap (4) formed between an end face (6) of a window glass (8) and a vehicle body surface (10).

A clip assembly (12) comprises a first clip (14) and a second clip (16). The first clip (14) has a stud mounting aperture (18) which permits the first clip (14) to be fixed by sliding the clip (14) onto a stud (20) with a head (22) which is fixed, for example by welding, to the vehicle body surface (10). The first clip (14) is thus fixed to the vehicle body by the stud mounting aperture (18).

The second clip (16) has a trim supporting portion (24) for engagement with inwardly bent edges extending longitudinally at both side portions of the trim (2) and retaining portions (26) extending from the trim supporting portion (24) and coming into engagement with the first clip (14). The first clip (14) is further provided with holding portions (28) for receiving therein, fixing and holding the retaining portions (26) of the second clip (16). The clips (14) and (16) are mounted so that both are connected together and the trim (2) covers the gap (4). On each of the surfaces of the holding portions (28) of the first clip (14) and the surfaces of the retaining portions (26) of the second clip (16) opposed thereto there are formed a plurality of teeth so that the second clip (16) can only move in its push-in direction.

The stud mounting aperture (18) of the first clip (14) is of keyhole design. At least part of the wall (30) of the mounting aperture (18) has a stepwise tapered shoulder (32), which tapers to reduce the internal diameter of the mounting aperture (18) towards the face (34) of the clip (14) adapted to contact the vehicle body surface (10).

The projecting head (22) of the stud (20) has an underside (36) which has a stepwise, tapered shoulder (38) which reduces step-by-step to the diameter of the stud (20).

When the clip (14) is applied to the stud (20), the stepwise tapered shoulder (32) engages the tapered shoulder (38) under the head (22). Relative movement between the clip (14) and the vehicle body surface (10) is thus minimised.

Claims

1 A resilient clip (12) for mounting on a metal stud (20) for welding to a receptor surface (10) and having a projecting head (22), which clip (12) has a mounting aperture (18) of keyhole design and a face (34) adapted to contact the receptor surface (10), characterised in that at least part of the wall (30) of the mounting aperture (18) has a stepwise tapered shoulder (32), which tapers to reduce the internal diameter of the mounting aperture (18) towards the face (34) of the clip (12) adapted to contact the receptor surface (10).