GB2466147A

GB2466147A - Bumper fixation clip

Info

Publication number: GB2466147A
Application number: GB1004788A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keisuke Suzuki; Koji Kobayashi; Masahiro Ishikawa
Original assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd; Nifco Inc
Current assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd; Nifco Inc
Priority date: 2007-09-28
Filing date: 2008-09-29
Publication date: 2010-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2028-09-29
Also published as: CN101896376B; CN101896376A; JP4810521B2; DE112008002568T5; GB2466147B; JP2009083585A; WO2009041073A1; GB201004788D0

Abstract

A bumper fixation clip that stably fixes a bumper in position and facilitates installation and removal of the bumper. The bumper fixation clip (3) used to fix the bumper (2) to a vehicle body panel (1) has a leg (5) engaging with a vehicle body panel (1) and also has a bumper engagement section (6) engaging with an engagement hole (23, 24) formed in a flange (22) extending toward the vehicle body from the upper edge of the bumper (2). The bumper engagement section is adapted to be movable only in a direction different from the direction in which the bumper is installed and removed from the vehicle body panel, and the bumper engagement section includes at least one or more engagement members (7) separably engaging with the engagement hole by such a movement of the bumper engagement section.

Description

BUMPER SECURiNG CLIP

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a bumper securing clip used for securing a bumper to a vehicle body panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, bumper securing clips have been used for allowing a bumper to be secured to a vehicle body panel both easily and reliably. Each bumper securing clip typically comprises a plurality of leg portions engaging mounting holes formed in the vehicle body panel and a plurality of bumper engaging portions each engaging a flange hole formed in a flange extending from an edge of the bumper toward the vehicle body panel. Such a bumper securing clip is provided on each lateral side end of the bumper. See patent document 1, for instance.

In such a bumper securing clip, the bumper is fixedly attached to the vehicle body panel on account of the bumper engagement portions being retained in the corresponding flange holes via barbs. To ensure a secure attachment, each lateral end of the bumper may be fixedly attach to the corresponding bumper securing member via a pin, a screw or the like. See patent document 2, for instance. Figure 16 shows a conventional arrangement for attaching a bumper 101 to a vehicle body panel 100. A screw 103 is passed into a bumper 101 and a bumper securing clip 103 from the side of a wheel house H for esthetic reasons.

Patent document 1: Japanese patent laid open publication No. 2003-191897 Patent document 2: Japanese patent laid open publication No. 2007-125977

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

TASK TO BE ACHIEVED BY THE INVENTION

However, when a screw is used for securing the bumper to the bumper securing clip, the head of the screw protrudes into the wheel house, and may interfere with a tire depending on the vehicle body layout. Also, the when attaching and detaching the bumper, the screw must be fastened and unfastened from the side of the narrow wheel house so that the necessary work is both substantial and tiring.

The present invention was made in view of such problems of the prior art, and has a primary object to provide a bumper securing clip that eliminates the need for fastening a screw when securing the bumper to the bumper securing clip, but allows the bumper to be secured in a reliable manner by using a highly simple structure, with the additional advantage of simplifying the work involved in attaching and detaching the bumper.

MEANS TO ACHIEVE THE TASK

To achieve such an object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a bumper securing clip (3) for securing a bumper (rear bumper 2) to a vehicle body panel outer panel 1), comprising a leg portion (screw grommet 5) configured to be engaged by a mounting hole (15) formed in the vehicle body panel and a bumper engagement portion (engagement claw 6) configured to engage an engagement hole (23, 24) formed in a flange (22) of the bumper extending toward the vehicle body panel, wherein: the bumper engagement portion includes at least one engagement member (7) that is disposed moveãble only in a moveable direction different from a detaching/attaching direction for attaching and detaching the bumper to and from the vehicle body panel, and engages the engagement hole so as to be selectively detachable by a movement in the moveable direction thereof.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, as an additional feature to those of the first aspect, the engagement member is disposed to be moveable only in a direction perpendicular to a detaching/attaching direction of the bumper with respect to the vehicle body panel.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, as an additional feature to those of the first aspect, the engagement member includes an operation input portion rojecting piece 75) for displacing the engagement member in the moveable direction thereof.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, as an additional feature to those of the first aspect, the engagement is formed as a member separate from a main body of the bumper securing clip.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, as an additional feature to those of the first aspect, the bumper securing clip further comprises a biasing member (resilient leg 74) that urges the engagement member into the engagement hole.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, as an additional feature to those of the first aspect, the engagement member (rojection 73) includes a barb engagement portion that engages the engagement hole.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, as an additional feature to those of the first aspect, the bumper engagement portion further comprises an engagement claw (engagement claw 6) including a base portion (engagement claw base portion 61) fixedly attached to a main body of the bumper securing clip (clip main body 4), a resilient cantilever portion (62) extending from the base portion and an engagement portion (63) provided on a free end of the cantilever portion for engagement with a corresponding engagement hole formed in the flange of the bumper, the engagement claw being configured such that the engagement portion can be detached from the corresponding engagement hole by applying a force to the bumper in a direction to detach the same away from the vehicle body panel and thereby causing the cantilever portion to bend.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

According to the first aspect of the present invention, because the engagement member that engages with an engagement hole of the flange does not move in the attaching/detaching direction of the bumper, the force acting on the bumper in a direction to detach the bumper from the vehicle body does not release the engagement, and this ensures a stable attachment of the bumper. According to the second aspect of the present invention, as the moveable direction of the engagement member and the attaching/detaching direction of the bumper are perpendicular to each other, the engagement member is particularly unaffected by the force directed to detach the bumper, and this enhance the stable engagement even further. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the engagement and release of the engagement member can be readily effected by manual or other operation. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the structure of the bumper securing clip can be simplified, and the molding process of the bumper securing clip can be simplified. According to the fifth aspect of the present inventiQn, the engagement portion is enabled to maintain an engagement with the engagement hole under normal condition by using a highly simple structure. According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the engagement between the engagement hole and engagement portion can be readily established.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the engagement portion includes an engagement member and an engagement claw. The engagement claw may be configured to be disengaged when a force of a prescribed level is applied thereto. In such a case, once the engagement by the engagement member is released, the bumper may be removed from the vehicle body panel by applying a force of a prescribed level.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Now the present invention is described in the following with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a bumper securing clip embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view showing the bumper securing clip of the first embodiment; Figure 3 is a side view showing the bumper securing clip of the first embodiment; Figure 4 is a bottom view showing the bumper securing clip of the first embodiment; * 10 Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the bumper securing clip of the first embodiment; Figure 6 is a front view of an engagement member of the bumper securing clip of the first embodiment; Figure 7 is a rear view of an engagement member of the bumper securing clip * 15 of the first embodiment; Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along line Vill-Vill of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the attached state of the bumper securing clip of the first embodiment as seen from inside the vehicle body; Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 with the vehicle body panel removed; Figure 11 is a sectional view taken along line XI-XI of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII of Figure 10; Figure 13 is a sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII of Figure 10; Figure 14 is a perspective view of a bumper securing clip of a modified embodiment of the present invention; Figure 15 is a perspective view of a bumper securing clip of another modified embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 16 is a perspective view of a conventional bumper securing clip.

* DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A bumper securing clip for securing a rear bumper to a vehicle embodying the * 5 present invention is described in the following with reference to the appended drawings.

In the illustrated embodiment, a front direction is defined as the traveling direction of * the vehicle.

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an automobile incorporated with a bumper securing clip of a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, an outer panel 1 defining an outer surface of the vehicle body is provided with a rear wheel house portion 11 defining a part of a rear wheel house H receiving a rear wheel therein. A rear part of the rear wheel house portion 11 with respect to the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body is formed with a panel rear end portion 12 to which a side end portion 21 of the rear bumper 2, with respect to the lateral direction of the bumper 2, is attached. The panel rear end portion 12 is separated from the rear wheel house portion 11 via a step portion 13 conforming to the profile of the corresponding edge of the side end portion 21 of the rear bumper 2, and is recessed in the laterally inboard direction with respect to the rear wheel house portion 11. The step portion 13 extends linearly from the rear wheel house portion 11 to a tail lamp portion 14 defining a part of a tail lamp chamber L. The panel rear end portion 12 is formed with a pair of mounting holes (see Figure 9) for mounting a bumper securing clip 3 at positions spaced from the step portion 13 by a prescribed distance.

The side end portion 21 of the rear bumper 2 extends forward along an arcuate path, and is provided with a flange 22 extending in the inboard direction. The flange 22 include sections that face the step portion 13, rear wheel house H and tail lamp chamber L. A part of the flange 22 facing the step portion 13 is formed with a linear section 22a that conforms to the step portion 13 of the outer panel 1. The linear section 22a of the flange 22 is formed with four engagement holes 23 arranged along the length of the linear section 22a. The part of the flange 22 facing the tail lamp chamber L is also formed with an engagement hole 24 for engaging the bumper securing clip 3 (see Figures 9 and 10.).

The bumper securing clip 3 may be made of plastic material, for instance.

Figures 2 to 5 show a bumper securing clip embodying the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view, Figure 3 is a bottom view, Figure 4 is a side view and Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view. The bumper securing clip 3 is substantially rectangular in plan view, and comprises a clip main body 4 which is curved so as to conform to the shapes of the outer panel 1 and rear bumper 2. in the following description, the side of the bumper securing clip 3 facing the viewer in Figure 3 is defined as a front side, and the height thereof is measured in the direction perpendicular to the paper of the drawing.

A large part of the clip main body 4 consists of a skeleton member 41 extending in both the longitudinal and lateral directions and defining a grid structure and a reinforcing plate 42 filling each rectangular opening of the grid structure. A pair of ribs 43 project from one side of the clip main body 4 conforming to the profile of the panel rear end portion 12 to ensure a stable mounting to the panel rear end portion 12.

The clip main body 4 is further provided with a pair of screw grommets 5 formed as leg portions that fit into mounting holes 15 of the outer panel 1, a plurality of engagement claws 6 formed as bumper engagement portions to engage engagement' holes 23 and 24 of the rear bumper 2, an engagement member receiving portion 8 receiving an engagement member 7 serving as a bumper engagement portion and a plurality of guide portions 9 for guiding the flange 22 of the rear bumper 2 to a prescribed position on the bumper securing clip 3.

Each screw grommet 5 comprises a base plate 51 extending both in longitudinal and lateral directions and joined to the skeleton member 41, a through ole 52 passed through the base plate 51 in the height direction and a pair of planar expandable engagement pieces 53 extending from diametrically opposing sides of the through hole 52 in a rearward direction in a mutually parallel relationship. The gap * between the planar expandable engagement pieces 53 narrows progressively toward the tips of the expandable engagement pieces 53, and the gap at the free ends of the * expandable engagement pieces 53 is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 2.

The engagement claws 6 are formed on a side 44 of the clip main body 4 extending in the longitudinal direction and configured to engage the flange 22 of the rear bumper 2. An additional engagement claw 6 is formed on a side 45 extending in the lateral direction of the clip main body 4. Each claw 6 includes a cantilever beam portion 62 extending from a claw base portion 61 that joins the claw 6 to the clip main body 4 in the front side direction of the bumper securing clip 3 and a barb engagement portion 63 formed at the free end of the cantilever beam portion 62. The cantilever beam portion 62 is given with a resiliency so as to be curved or bent around the claw base portion 61. The barb engagement portion 63 defines a slanted face that extends outwardly away from the bumper securing clip 3 from the free end of the cantilever beam portion 62 to the back side of the bumper securing clip 3.

The engagement member receiving portion 8 is provided at one longitudinal end of the clip main body 4, and is given with a box shape including a pair of planar plates 81 disposed on the front side and rear side of the clip main body 4, respectively, and a pair of side plates 82 joining the edges of the planar plates 82, but defines an opening on a side corresponding to the side 44 of the engagement member main body 4 formed with the engagement claws 6. The internal shape of the engagement member receiving portion 8 is substantially conformal to the outer profile of the engagement member 7, and restricts the movement of the engagement member 7 except for in the lateral direction. To firmly retain the engagement member 7 in the engagement member receiving portion 8, the engagement member receiving portion 8 is provided with an engagement member engaging hole 83 for engaging a stopper 71 of the engagement member 7.

Figures 6 and 7 are a front view and a rear view of the engagement member of the bumper securing clip of the illustrated embodiment. Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line Vill-Vill of Figure 6. As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the engagement member. 7 includes an engagement member main body 72 having a rectangular shape, the stopper 71 projecting from a rear face 72c of the engagement member main body 72, a projection 73 formed on an upper face 72a of the engagement member main body 72, a pair of resilient legs 74 formed on a lower face 72b of the engagement member main body 72 and a projecting piece 75 projecting from an upper part of the back face of the engagement member main body 72 serving as an operation input member 75.

The engagement member main body 72 is formed so as to conform to the interior of the engagement member receiving portion 8. The stopper 71 consists of a resilient raised piece extending rearward from the back face 72c of the engagement member main body 72. The height of the stopper 71 progressively increases from the lower part of the engagement member main body 72 to the upper part thereof, and a free end of the stopper 71 is provided with a barb engagement surface configured to engage the engagement member engagement hole 83.

The projection 73 formed on the upper face 72a of the engagement member main body 72 is given with a slanted triangular shape having a progressively increasing -10 -height from the side of the front face 72a to the side of the rear face 72c, and is provided with a barb engagement surface 73a facing toward the rear face 72c. The resilient legs 74 extend obliquely downward from the lower face 72b of the engagement member main body 72, and are slightly curved so as to define a convex profile facing downward.

The two resilient legs 74 cross each other.

Once the engagement member 7 is received in the engagement member receiving portion 8, the barb engagement surface 71 a of the stopper 71 abuts and becomes engaged by a peripheral edge of the engagement member engaging hole 83, and the engagement member 7 is firmly retained in the engagement member receiving portion 8. When the engagement member 7 is received in the engagement member receiving portion 8, the two resilient legs 74 are curved. Therefore, owing to the restoring force of the resilient legs 74, the engagement member 7 is resilient urged out of the engagement member receiving portion 8, and this causes the projection 73 to project out of the engagement member receiving portion 8. The projecting piece 75 serves as a knob for manual operation, and can be used for depressing the engagement member 7 or pushing the engagement member 7 into the engagement member receiving portion 8 by resiliently deflecting the resilient legs 74. When the projection 73 of the engagement 7 is in engagement with the engagement hole 23 of the rear bumper 2, this engagement may be released by pushing the projecting piece 75.

The guide portions 9 are provided on the two sides 44 and 45 of the clip main body 4. Each guide portion 9 extends from a part of the corresponding side 44, 45 adjacent to the back side of the clip main body 4 in the lateral direction, and is bent in the height-wise direction toward the front side in the manner of a cantilever. The part of the cantilever portion of the guide portion 9 is spaced from the clip main body by a prescribed distance. This distance is substantially equal to the thickness of the flange 22.

Each guide portion 9 is provided adjacent to one of the engagement claws 6.

* As shown in Figure 1, the bumper securing clip 3 is attached to the outer panel 1, and is then attached to the rear bumper 2 with the result that the rear bumper 2 is attached to the outer panel 1. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the mounted state of the bumper securing clip embodying the present invention as seen from inside the vehicle body. Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 but with the vehicle body panel * removed. In Figures 9 and 10, the securing structure between the outer panel 1 and rear * bumper 2 using the bumper securing clip 3 is shown as seen from inside the vehicle body. As shown in Figure 9, by fitting the screw grommets 5 into the corresponding mounting holes 15, the bumper securing clip 3 becomes fixedly attached to the panel rear end portion 12 of the outer panel 1. At this time, the bumper securing clip 3 is positioned such that the side 44 of the bumper securing clip 3 faces the step portion 13.

As shown in Figure 10, by causing the engagement claws 6 and engagement member 7 to engage with the corresponding engagement holes 23 and 24 of the rear bumper 2, the * 15 bumper securing clip 3 is fixedly attached to the rear bumper 2.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken along line XI-XI of Figure 10. As shown in * Figure 11, when the bumper securing clip 3 is fixedly attached to the panel rear end portion 12, the two expandable engagement pieces 53 of each screw grommet 5 are passed through the corresponding mounting hole 15. A screw or pin (not shown in the drawings) having a substantially same diameter as the through hole 52 is passed into the * through hole 52 from the front side of the bumper securing clip 3. As the screw or pin advances into the through hole 52, the expandable engagement pieces 53 are pushed away from each other, and becomes fixedly held in the through hole 52. Thereby, the bumper securing clip 3 is fixedly and firmly secured to the panel rear end portion 12.

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII of Figure 10. As shown * in Figure 12, the flange 22 of the rear bumper 2 is inserted in a gap defined between the guide portion 9 and the clip main body 4, and the barb engagement portions 63 of the engagement claws 6 come into engagement with the corresponding engagement holes 23 and 24 of the flange 22. When placing the flange 22 into the final secured position, the flange 22 is pushed in parallel with the cantilever portions 62 of the engagement claws 6, and in turn pushes down the barb engagement portions 63 of the engagement claws 6 so that the cantilever portions 62 are bent inward with respect to the clip main body 4 around the engagement claw base portions 61. By the time the flange 22 is fully inserted in the gap, and the barb engagement portions 63 have reached the engagement holes 23 and 24, the barb engagement portions 63 fit into the engagement holes 23 and 24, and become engaged thereby. In this manner, the rear bumper 2 becomes engaged by the engagement claws 6 of the bumper securing clip 3 by pushing the flange 22 into the prescribed secured position.

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken along line XI1I-XIII of Figure 10. As shown in Figure 13, the rear bumper 2 is engaged by the bumper securing clip 3 also by virtue of the engagement between the projection 73 of the engagement member 22 and the corresponding engagement hole 23 of the flange 22. When the flange 22 is pushed into the final secured position, the projection 73 of the engagement member 7 is pushed down by the flange 22, and this causes the projection 73 to move into the engagement member receiving portion 8 by deflecting the resilient legs 74. Once the insertion of the flange 22 is completed, and the projection 73 has reached the engagement hole 23, the resilient biasing force of the resilient legs 74 causes the projection 73 to protrude out of the engagement hole 23, and become engaged therein. Thus, by pushing the flange 22 into the prescribed secured position, at the same time as achieving an engagement of the rear bumper 2 by using the engagement claws 6, the rear bumper 2 achieves an -13 -engagement using the engagement member 7.

The structure described above enables the bumper securing clip 3 to secure the rear bumper 2 to the outer panel 1. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the engagement member 7 prevents inadvertent detachment of the rear bumper 2 from the bumper securing clip 3.

The engagement member receiving portion 8 restricts the movement of the engagement member 7 such that the engagement member 7 is allowed to move with respect to the flange 22 only in the direction of the height of the bumper securing clip 3 or vertically to the flange 22. Therefore, the attachment and detachment of the rear bumper 2 to and from the bumper securing clip 3 can be effected by a displacement of the engagement member 7 in the direction of the height of the bumper securing clip 3.

When detaching the rear bumper 2, the force transmitted from the flange 22 to the engagement member 7 is directed substantially perpendicularly to the direction of movement permitted to the engagement member 7, and does not contain a component that pushes the engagement member 7 down into the engagement member receiving portion 8. Therefore, during this process, the engagement member 7 is kept stationary, and the engagement between the engagement member 7 and the engagement hole 23 of the flange 22 can be maintained. The engagement between the engagement member 7 and engagement hole 23 can be released only by pushing down the projecting piece 75 of the engagement member 7.

On the other hand, the engagement claws 6 can be disengaged from the corresponding engagement holes 23, 24 when the bumper is pulled out by a force exceeding a prescribed level. The engagement claws 6 are engaged by the engagement holes 23, 24 via barbs, and thereby normally secure the rear bumper 2 to the bumper securing clip 3. However, because the engagement claws 6 are formed by the cantilever -14 - * portions 62 that can bend, when the rear bumper 2 is pulled away from engagement by a * force exceeding a prescribed level, the barb engagement portions 63 receive a force from the engagement holes 23 and 24 so that the cantilever portions 62 are bent and the * barb engagement portions 63 are disengaged from the engagement holes 23 and 24.

* 5 Because the bumper securing clips 3 of the illustrated embodiment is provided with both the engagement member 7 and engagement claws 6 described above, the rear bumper 2 can be kept securely attached to the bumper securing clip 3 and outer panel 1 * such as when the vehicle is traveling owing to the engaging actions of the engagement member 7 and engagement hole 23. Because the engaging action of the engagement member 7 prevents an excessive force to be applied to the engagement between the engagement claws 6 and engagement holes 23 and 24, a secure engagement between the engagement claws 6 and engagement holes 23 and 24 can be maintained at all times.

This also allows the selective detachment of the rear bumper 2 from the bumper securing clip 3 for repair and other maintenance work by pulling the rear bumper 2 away from the vehicle body by a force exceeding a prescribed level while pushing the projecting piece 75 of the engagement member 7 to disengage the engagement member 7 from the engagement hole 23 to disengage the engagement claws 6 from the engagement holes 23 and 24.

The bumper securing clip 3 of the illustrated embodiment can fixedly secure the rear bumper 2 in a highly stable maimer owing to the use of the engagement * member 7, the need for additional reinforcing arrangements such as screws and pins can be eliminated for securing the rear bumper 2 to the bumper securing lip 3. Therefore, * the assembly work can be simplified. Also, because the engagement member 7 and clip main body 4 can be provided as a unitary module, the mounting work on the vehicle production line can be simplified. -15-

* As the bumper engaging clip 3 of the illustrated embodiment does not include any member that protrudes toward the rear wheel house H, the possibility of the bumper engaging clip 3 interfering with the wheel can be minimized, and this increases the freedom in the vehicle body layout design.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment thereof, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that various alterations and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention which is set forth in the appended claims. For instance, the engagement member 7 was provided at a longitudinal end of the bumper securing clip 3 in the illustrated embodiment, but may also be placed in exchange for any one of the engagement claws 6 provided on the two sides 44 and 45. Two or more engagement members 7 may also be used. The engagement member 7 itself may be modified in a number of different ways. For instance, as shown in Figure 14, the resilient legs 7 may be omitted from the engagement member 7, and replaced by a sheet spring 84 received within the engagement member receiving portion 8. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 15, the resilient legs 7 may be omitted from the engagement member 7 and engagement member receiving portion 8, and replaced by a coil spring 85 received within the engagement member receiving portion 8. As a matter of fact, the shape of the bumper securing clip 3 of the illustrated embodiment is merely exemplary, and can be various modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

GLOSSARY

1 outer panel 2 rear bumper 3 bumper securing clip 4 clip main body 5 screw grommet 6 engagement claw -16- 7 engagement member 8 engagement member receiving portion 9 guide portion 12 panel rear end portion 13 step portion 15 mounting hole 22 flange 23, 24 engagement hole 52 through hole 53 expandable engagement piece 61 engagement claw base 62 cantilever portion 71 stopper 72 engagement member main body 73 projection 74 resilient leg 83 engagement member engaging hole -17-

Claims

CLAIMS1. A bumper securing clip for securing a bumper to a vehicle body panel, comprising a leg portion configured to be engaged by a mounting hole formed in the vehicle body panel and a bumper engagement portion configured to engage an engagement hole formed in a flange of the bumper extending toward the vehicle body panel, wherein: * the bumper engagement portion includes at least one engagement member that * is disposed moveable only in a moveable direction different from a detaching/attaching direction for attaching and detaching the bumper to and from the vehicle body panel, and engages the engagement hole so as to be selectively detachable by a movement in the moveable direction thereof.
2. The bumper securing clip according to claim 1, wherein the engagement member is disposed to be moveable only in a direction perpendicular to a detaching/attaching direction of the bumper with respect to the vehicle body panel.
3. The bumper securing clip according to claim 1, wherein the engagement member includes an operation input portion for displacing the engagement member in the moveable direction thereof
4. The bumper securing clip according to claim 1, wherein the engagement is formed as a member separate from a main body of the bumper securing clip.
5. The bumper securing clip according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing member that urges the engagement member into the engagement hole. -18-6. The bumper securing clip according to claim 1, wherein the engagement member includes a barb engagement portion that engages the engagement hole.7. The bumper securing clip according to claim 1, wherein the bumper engagement portion further comprises an engagement claw including a base portion fixedly attached to a main body of the bumper securing clip, a resilient cantilever portion extending from the base portion and an engagement portion provided on a free end of the cantilever portion for engagement with a corresponding engagement hole formed in the flange of the bumper, the engagement claw being configured such that the engagement portion can be detached from the corresponding engagement hole by applying a force to the bumper in a direction to detach the same away from the vehicle body panel and thereby causing the cantilever portion to bend.8. A bumper securing clip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures ito 13 or Figure 14 or Figure 15 of the accompanying drawings.