US20010004434A1 - Self-tightening clip - Google Patents
Self-tightening clip Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20010004434A1 US20010004434A1 US09/770,981 US77098101A US2001004434A1 US 20010004434 A1 US20010004434 A1 US 20010004434A1 US 77098101 A US77098101 A US 77098101A US 2001004434 A1 US2001004434 A1 US 2001004434A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- planar
- clip
- retention members
- central axis
- hook portion
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 79
- 230000001154 acute effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 claims description 25
- 239000003351 stiffener Substances 0.000 claims description 24
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 14
- 238000004080 punching Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000006185 dispersion Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
- F16B2/00—Friction-grip releasable fastenings
- F16B2/20—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening
- F16B2/22—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material
- F16B2/24—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material of metal
- F16B2/241—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material of metal of sheet metal
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining
- Y10T29/4984—Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining
- Y10T29/49863—Assembling or joining with prestressing of part
- Y10T29/49876—Assembling or joining with prestressing of part by snap fit
Definitions
- This invention relates to a device that secures a first housing to a second housing.
- the present invention relates to a unitary sheet metal clip that self-tightens on a retained housing when the retained housing is displaced.
- the present invention provides a clip having a planar member and at least one retention member attached to the planar member.
- the planar member includes an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and defines a central axis.
- the least one retention member including a planar leg portion and a planar hook portion. The arrangement of the leg portion and the hook portion of the retention member create the self-tightening feature of the inventive clip.
- the leg portion extends from the inner perimeter in a first direction along the central axis.
- the hook portion projects from the leg portion toward the central axis in a second direction, which is opposite the first direction along the central axis.
- the hook portion is acute to the central axis and has a free end located on an imaginary perimeter concentric to the inner perimeter of the planar member.
- the central axis and a plane passing through the hook portion of the at least one retention member form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°. Preferably, the angle comprises approximately 24°.
- the planar member comprises an annulus
- the imaginary perimeter comprises a circle
- the at least one retention member comprises a plurality of retention members. Particularly, five retention members uniformly disposed about the inner perimeter of the planar annulus.
- the preferred embodiment further comprises a plurality of stiffeners. At least one of the plurality of stiffeners is disposed on the inner perimeter between two of the plurality of retention members. Each of the plurality of stiffeners comprises a lip extending in the engaging direction.
- the present invention also provides a sheet metal clip for securing a first generally cylindrical housing member to a second generally cylindrical housing.
- the clip comprises a planar annulus, a plurality of retention members and a plurality of stiffeners.
- the planar annulus includes an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and defines a central axis.
- the plurality of retention members are uniformly disposed about the inner perimeter of the planar annulus.
- the plurality of stiffeners are arranged so that at least one of the plurality of stiffeners is disposed on the inner perimeter between two adjacent retention members of the plurality of retention members.
- Each of the plurality of retention members includes a leg portion, a hook portion, and an arcuate portion disposed between the leg portion and the hook portion.
- the leg portion extends in an engaging direction and is substantially parallel to the central axis.
- the hook portion projects from the leg portion so that the central axis and a plane that passes through the hook portion form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°.
- the hook portion has a free end positioned on an imaginary circle concentric to the inner perimeter of the planar annulus.
- the present invention also provides a method of retaining a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing while allowing for relative rotation between the cylindrical housings.
- the method comprises: (1) providing a sheet metal clip having an annulus and a plurality of retention members, each of the plurality of retention members including a leg portion and a hook portion, the leg portion extending from an inner perimeter of the annulus, the hook portion projecting from the leg portion toward a central axis of the annulus, the hook portion being acute to the central axis; (2) positioning the annulus of the clip within a retaining portion of the first housing member; and (3) locating the first housing member proximate the second housing member so that a free end of the hook portion of each of the retention members engages a protrusion on the second housing.
- the present invention further provides a method of stamping a clip, which retains a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing.
- the method of stamping comprises: (1) punching a sheet metal circular configuration, the circular configuration having an interior cutout so that a plurality of substantially trapezoidal sheet metal members extending toward the central axis of the circular configuration; and (2) forming each of the plurality of substantially trapezoidal sheet metal members into a retention members having a planar leg portion and a planar hook portion, the planar leg portion extending from an inner perimeter of an planar annulus created from the circular configuration, the planar hook portion projecting from the planar leg portion toward the central axis of the circular configuration, the planar hook portion being acute to the central axis.
- FIG. 1 is a partial cross sectional perspective view of the clip of the present invention securing a first housing to a second housing;
- FIG. 2 is a top view of the clip of the present invention
- FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the clip shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line 3 - 3 in FIG. 2;
- FIG. 4 is a top view of the sheet metal configuration use to form the clip of the present invention.
- FIG. 1 shows the sheet metal clip 10 for securing a first housing 12 to a second housing 14 of the preferred embodiment.
- the first housing 12 and the second housing 14 are, preferably, generally cylindrical housing members, however, it is to be understood that other configurations could be employed depending on the particular intended application.
- the clip 10 of the present invention comprises a planar member 16 and at least one retention member 18 attached to the planar member 16 .
- the planar member 16 is held in place by the first housing 12 so that the retention member 18 can engage a portion of the second housing 14 to secure the housings together.
- the planar member 16 includes an inner perimeter 20 , an outer perimeter 22 , and defines a central axis 24 .
- the planar member 16 is preferably a planar annulus with a geometric configuration, such as, for example, square, rectangle, oval, circle, which is selected to correspond to the employed housing configuration.
- planar member 16 comprises a planar annulus with a circle configuration.
- the circular annulus 16 a has an inner circular perimeter 20 a concentric to an outer circular perimeter 22 a .
- a planar support surface 26 is disposed between the inner and outer perimeters 20 , 22 .
- the at least one retention member 18 attached to the planar annulus 16 preferably, comprises a plurality of retention members 18 uniformly disposed about the inner perimeter 20 of the planar annulus, more particularly, five retention members 18 .
- the clip 10 of the preferred embodiment further includes a plurality of stiffeners 28 attached to the planar member 16 with at least one stiffener between two of the plurality of retention members 18 .
- planar member 16 , the plurality of retention members 18 , and the plurality of stiffeners 28 comprise a unitary sheet of metal. That is, the clip 10 of the present invention is, preferably, made from sheet metal.
- Each of the plurality of retention members includes a leg portion 30 , a hook portion 32 , and an arcuate portion 34 disposed between the leg portion 30 and hook portion 32 .
- the leg portion 30 and the hook portion 32 are, preferably, also planar and are formed from a bent substantially trapezoidal configuration, as discussed below in reference to FIG. 4.
- the leg portion 30 extends from the inner perimeter 20 of the annulus in a first direction 36 along the central axis 24 .
- the leg portion 30 is substantially parallel to the central axis 24 .
- the first direction 36 defines an engaging direction. That is, the direction the retention members 18 are moved so that the clip 10 of the present invention, which is supported by the first housing, engages the second housing 14 .
- the hook portion 32 projects from the leg portion 30 toward the central axis 24 in a second direction 38 .
- the second direction 38 is generally opposite the first direction 36 along the central axis 24 .
- the hook portion 32 projects from the leg portion 30 so that the central axis 24 and a plane (P shown in FIG. 3) passing through the hook portion 32 form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°.
- the angle comprises approximately 24°.
- the hook portion 32 of each of the plurality of retention members includes a free end 40 located on an imaginary perimeter 42 concentric to the inner perimeter 20 of the planar member 16 . Because in the preferred embodiment of the invention the planar member 16 comprises an annulus with a circular inner perimeter 20 a , the imaginary perimeter 42 of the preferred embodiment also comprises a circle. The free end 40 of the hook portion 32 is positioned to provide face 44 . The face 44 provides a bearing surface that engages the protrusion 46 of the second housing 14 member.
- the clip 10 is self-tightening once installed in a housing-retaining position. More particularly, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the free ends 40 of the respective hook portions 32 of the plurality of the retaining members are uniformly disposed about the imaginary perimeter 42 . This uniform dispersion of the free ends 40 about the imaginary perimeter 42 applies a balanced retaining force to the engaged (second) housing that increases as the annulus of the clip 10 is axially displaced in the non-engaging direction or the annulus of the clip 10 is maintained in a stationary location while the engaged housing is axially moved in the engaging direction. The applied force is also believed to increase because of the unique relationship between the hook portion 32 and the leg portion 30 of each of the retention members.
- the self-tightening feature of the preferred embodiment is best achieved by having a plurality of retention members uniformly dispersed about the planar annulus
- the self-tightening feature of the clip 10 could also be achieved with a single retention member.
- a single retention member allows for the first housing 12 to be removed from the second housing 14 by rocking the second housing 14 about the central axis 24 so that the single retention member disengages from the second housing 14 .
- two retention members disposed at approximately opposite positions on the inner perimeter 20 could be employed.
- a clip 10 with three uniformly disposed retention members could be employed.
- the free end 40 of the hook portion 32 is disposed at approximately a third of the distance the leg portion 30 extends from the planar annulus in the engaging direction.
- each of the leg portions 30 and the hook portions 32 is, preferably, substantially planar members. Because of the dimensioning and configuration of the hook portion 32 , it is believed that during loading of the retention member along the central axis 24 opposite the engaging direction, the hook portion 32 acts as a short column that pushes the hook supporting end of the leg portion 30 away from the central axis 24 .
- a cut-out 48 is provided on the inner perimeter 20 of the planar annulus between each of the plurality of retention members and each stiffener.
- the cut-out 48 relieves stress created in the support surface of the planar annulus.
- the cut-out 48 preferably, is a semicircle formed in the support surface 26 between the leg of the retention member and the lip 28 a , which serves as the stiffener.
- the present invention also includes a method of retaining a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing while allowing for relative rotation between the housings.
- the method is achieved by providing a sheet metal clip 10 having an annulus and a plurality of retention members.
- the preferred sheet metal clip 10 includes five retention members uniformly disposed about the inner perimeter 20 of the annulus, each of the retention members having at least a portion of the free end 40 of their respective hook portion 32 located on an imaginary circle that is concentric to the inner perimeter 20 of the annulus.
- the annulus of the clip 10 is positioned within a retaining portion of the first housing 12 . Then, the first housing 12 is located proximate the second housing 14 so that the free end 40 of the hook portion 32 of each of the retention members engages a protrusion 46 on the second housing 14 .
- the present invention also provides a method of stamping a clip 10 for retaining a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing.
- the steps of stamping include punching and forming a single sheet of metal in a uniform sequence of steps.
- a particular configuration is punched from a metal sheet.
- the preferred configuration is a circular configuration having an open interior so that a plurality of substantially trapezoidal sheet metal members 50 extends toward the central axis 24 of the circular configuration.
- each of the plurality of substantially trapezoidal sheet metal members 50 is formed into a retention members having a planar leg portion 30 and a planar hook portion 32 .
- the planar leg portion 30 is formed to extend from an inner perimeter 20 of a planar member 16 , preferably, a circular annulus 16 a , created from the particular configuration, while the planar hook portion 32 is formed to project from the planar leg portion 30 toward the central axis 24 of the particular configuration.
- the preferred embodiment of the punched configuration before forming provides the interior as a centrally located pentagon 52 with a generally triangular members 54 extending from each corner of the pentagon.
- the geometric configuration is formed so that the planar hook portion 32 is acute to the central axis 24 so that the central axis 24 and a plane passing through the hook portion 32 form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°, and a stiffener is located on the inner perimeter 20 between each of the plurality of retention members 18 .
Abstract
A self-tightening clip having a planar member and at least one retention member attached to the planar member. The planar member includes an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and defines a central axis. The least one retention member including a planar leg portion and a planar hook portion. The leg portion extends from the inner perimeter in a first direction along the central axis. The hook portion projects from the leg portion toward the central axis in a second direction, which is opposite the first direction along the central axis. The hook portion is acute to the central axis and has a free end located on an imaginary perimeter concentric to the inner perimeter of the planar member. The central axis and a plane passing through the hook portion of the at least one retention member form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°.
Description
- This invention relates to a device that secures a first housing to a second housing. In particular, the present invention relates to a unitary sheet metal clip that self-tightens on a retained housing when the retained housing is displaced.
- The present invention provides a clip having a planar member and at least one retention member attached to the planar member. The planar member includes an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and defines a central axis. The least one retention member including a planar leg portion and a planar hook portion. The arrangement of the leg portion and the hook portion of the retention member create the self-tightening feature of the inventive clip.
- The leg portion extends from the inner perimeter in a first direction along the central axis. The hook portion projects from the leg portion toward the central axis in a second direction, which is opposite the first direction along the central axis. The hook portion is acute to the central axis and has a free end located on an imaginary perimeter concentric to the inner perimeter of the planar member. The central axis and a plane passing through the hook portion of the at least one retention member form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°. Preferably, the angle comprises approximately 24°.
- In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the planar member comprises an annulus, the imaginary perimeter comprises a circle, and the at least one retention member comprises a plurality of retention members. Particularly, five retention members uniformly disposed about the inner perimeter of the planar annulus.
- The preferred embodiment further comprises a plurality of stiffeners. At least one of the plurality of stiffeners is disposed on the inner perimeter between two of the plurality of retention members. Each of the plurality of stiffeners comprises a lip extending in the engaging direction.
- The present invention also provides a sheet metal clip for securing a first generally cylindrical housing member to a second generally cylindrical housing. The clip comprises a planar annulus, a plurality of retention members and a plurality of stiffeners.
- The planar annulus includes an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and defines a central axis. The plurality of retention members are uniformly disposed about the inner perimeter of the planar annulus. The plurality of stiffeners are arranged so that at least one of the plurality of stiffeners is disposed on the inner perimeter between two adjacent retention members of the plurality of retention members.
- Each of the plurality of retention members includes a leg portion, a hook portion, and an arcuate portion disposed between the leg portion and the hook portion. The leg portion extends in an engaging direction and is substantially parallel to the central axis. The hook portion projects from the leg portion so that the central axis and a plane that passes through the hook portion form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°. The hook portion has a free end positioned on an imaginary circle concentric to the inner perimeter of the planar annulus.
- The present invention also provides a method of retaining a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing while allowing for relative rotation between the cylindrical housings. The method comprises: (1) providing a sheet metal clip having an annulus and a plurality of retention members, each of the plurality of retention members including a leg portion and a hook portion, the leg portion extending from an inner perimeter of the annulus, the hook portion projecting from the leg portion toward a central axis of the annulus, the hook portion being acute to the central axis; (2) positioning the annulus of the clip within a retaining portion of the first housing member; and (3) locating the first housing member proximate the second housing member so that a free end of the hook portion of each of the retention members engages a protrusion on the second housing.
- The present invention further provides a method of stamping a clip, which retains a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing. The method of stamping comprises: (1) punching a sheet metal circular configuration, the circular configuration having an interior cutout so that a plurality of substantially trapezoidal sheet metal members extending toward the central axis of the circular configuration; and (2) forming each of the plurality of substantially trapezoidal sheet metal members into a retention members having a planar leg portion and a planar hook portion, the planar leg portion extending from an inner perimeter of an planar annulus created from the circular configuration, the planar hook portion projecting from the planar leg portion toward the central axis of the circular configuration, the planar hook portion being acute to the central axis.
- The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and, together with a general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
- FIG. 1 is a partial cross sectional perspective view of the clip of the present invention securing a first housing to a second housing;
- FIG. 2 is a top view of the clip of the present invention;
- FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the clip shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line3-3 in FIG. 2;
- FIG. 4 is a top view of the sheet metal configuration use to form the clip of the present invention.
- FIG. 1 shows the
sheet metal clip 10 for securing afirst housing 12 to asecond housing 14 of the preferred embodiment. Thefirst housing 12 and thesecond housing 14 are, preferably, generally cylindrical housing members, however, it is to be understood that other configurations could be employed depending on the particular intended application. - As shown in FIGS.1-3, the
clip 10 of the present invention comprises aplanar member 16 and at least oneretention member 18 attached to theplanar member 16. Theplanar member 16 is held in place by thefirst housing 12 so that theretention member 18 can engage a portion of thesecond housing 14 to secure the housings together. - The
planar member 16 includes aninner perimeter 20, anouter perimeter 22, and defines acentral axis 24. Theplanar member 16 is preferably a planar annulus with a geometric configuration, such as, for example, square, rectangle, oval, circle, which is selected to correspond to the employed housing configuration. In the preferredembodiment planar member 16 comprises a planar annulus with a circle configuration. - The
circular annulus 16 a has an innercircular perimeter 20 a concentric to an outercircular perimeter 22 a. A planar support surface 26 is disposed between the inner andouter perimeters - The at least one
retention member 18 attached to theplanar annulus 16, preferably, comprises a plurality ofretention members 18 uniformly disposed about theinner perimeter 20 of the planar annulus, more particularly, fiveretention members 18. Theclip 10 of the preferred embodiment further includes a plurality ofstiffeners 28 attached to theplanar member 16 with at least one stiffener between two of the plurality ofretention members 18. - In the preferred embodiment the
planar member 16, the plurality ofretention members 18, and the plurality ofstiffeners 28 comprise a unitary sheet of metal. That is, theclip 10 of the present invention is, preferably, made from sheet metal. - Each of the plurality of retention members includes a
leg portion 30, ahook portion 32, and anarcuate portion 34 disposed between theleg portion 30 andhook portion 32. Theleg portion 30 and thehook portion 32 are, preferably, also planar and are formed from a bent substantially trapezoidal configuration, as discussed below in reference to FIG. 4. - The
leg portion 30 extends from theinner perimeter 20 of the annulus in afirst direction 36 along thecentral axis 24. Theleg portion 30 is substantially parallel to thecentral axis 24. Thefirst direction 36 defines an engaging direction. That is, the direction theretention members 18 are moved so that theclip 10 of the present invention, which is supported by the first housing, engages thesecond housing 14. - The
hook portion 32 projects from theleg portion 30 toward thecentral axis 24 in asecond direction 38. Thesecond direction 38 is generally opposite thefirst direction 36 along thecentral axis 24. Thehook portion 32 projects from theleg portion 30 so that thecentral axis 24 and a plane (P shown in FIG. 3) passing through thehook portion 32 form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°. Preferably, the angle comprises approximately 24°. - The
hook portion 32 of each of the plurality of retention members includes afree end 40 located on animaginary perimeter 42 concentric to theinner perimeter 20 of theplanar member 16. Because in the preferred embodiment of the invention theplanar member 16 comprises an annulus with a circularinner perimeter 20 a, theimaginary perimeter 42 of the preferred embodiment also comprises a circle. Thefree end 40 of thehook portion 32 is positioned to provideface 44. Theface 44 provides a bearing surface that engages the protrusion 46 of thesecond housing 14 member. - By providing each of the free ends40 of each of the
hook portions 32 on theimaginary perimeter 42 that corresponds to the selectedinner perimeter 20 of theplanar member 16, theclip 10 is self-tightening once installed in a housing-retaining position. More particularly, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the free ends 40 of therespective hook portions 32 of the plurality of the retaining members are uniformly disposed about theimaginary perimeter 42. This uniform dispersion of the free ends 40 about theimaginary perimeter 42 applies a balanced retaining force to the engaged (second) housing that increases as the annulus of theclip 10 is axially displaced in the non-engaging direction or the annulus of theclip 10 is maintained in a stationary location while the engaged housing is axially moved in the engaging direction. The applied force is also believed to increase because of the unique relationship between thehook portion 32 and theleg portion 30 of each of the retention members. - Even though it is believed that the self-tightening feature of the preferred embodiment is best achieved by having a plurality of retention members uniformly dispersed about the planar annulus, the self-tightening feature of the
clip 10 could also be achieved with a single retention member. A single retention member, however, allows for thefirst housing 12 to be removed from thesecond housing 14 by rocking thesecond housing 14 about thecentral axis 24 so that the single retention member disengages from thesecond housing 14. To overcome the removablilty of the first housing from thesecond housing 14 when a single retention member is employed, two retention members disposed at approximately opposite positions on theinner perimeter 20 could be employed. In order to ensure that thefirst housing 12 is secured to thesecond housing 14 so that removal by rocking thefirst housing 12 is prevented, aclip 10 with three uniformly disposed retention members could be employed. - As shown in FIGS.1-3, the
free end 40 of thehook portion 32 is disposed at approximately a third of the distance theleg portion 30 extends from the planar annulus in the engaging direction. Also, each of theleg portions 30 and thehook portions 32 is, preferably, substantially planar members. Because of the dimensioning and configuration of thehook portion 32, it is believed that during loading of the retention member along thecentral axis 24 opposite the engaging direction, thehook portion 32 acts as a short column that pushes the hook supporting end of theleg portion 30 away from thecentral axis 24. While the hook supporting end of theleg portion 30 of the retaining member is pushed away from thecentral axis 24, due to the elastic quality of the sheet metal used to form the preferredclip 10, it is believed that the loading force is substantially applied to thehook portion 32 of the retaining member until plastic or sheering deformation of theleg portion 30 of the retaining member or the protrusion 46 on thesecond housing 14. Instron pull testing of the preferred embodiment of the invention (inner perimeter 20 approximately 21 mm,outer perimeter 22 approximately 27 mm,leg portion 30 approximately 4.25 mm, andhook portion 32 approximately 2.8 mm) has confirmed that the retention ability of theclip 10 of the preferred embodiment continues to increase until catastrophic failure of theleg portion 30 or thesecond housing 14 occurs at approximately 700 psi. - The plurality of
stiffeners 28 attached to theinner perimeter 20 of theplanar member 16, annulus, increase the structural rigidity of the unitarysheet metal clip 10 of the present invention. At least one of the plurality ofstiffeners 28 is disposed on theinner perimeter 20 between two adjacent retention members of the plurality ofretention members 18. Preferably, each of the plurality ofstiffeners 28 comprises alip 28 a extending in the engaging direction from theinner perimeter 20 of the planar annulus. - A cut-out48 is provided on the
inner perimeter 20 of the planar annulus between each of the plurality of retention members and each stiffener. The cut-out 48 relieves stress created in the support surface of the planar annulus. The cut-out 48, preferably, is a semicircle formed in the support surface 26 between the leg of the retention member and thelip 28 a, which serves as the stiffener. - The present invention also includes a method of retaining a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing while allowing for relative rotation between the housings. The method is achieved by providing a
sheet metal clip 10 having an annulus and a plurality of retention members. As discussed above, the preferredsheet metal clip 10 includes five retention members uniformly disposed about theinner perimeter 20 of the annulus, each of the retention members having at least a portion of thefree end 40 of theirrespective hook portion 32 located on an imaginary circle that is concentric to theinner perimeter 20 of the annulus. - After the
clip 10 has been provided, the annulus of theclip 10 is positioned within a retaining portion of thefirst housing 12. Then, thefirst housing 12 is located proximate thesecond housing 14 so that thefree end 40 of thehook portion 32 of each of the retention members engages a protrusion 46 on thesecond housing 14. - The present invention also provides a method of stamping a
clip 10 for retaining a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing. The steps of stamping include punching and forming a single sheet of metal in a uniform sequence of steps. First, a particular configuration is punched from a metal sheet. The preferred configuration is a circular configuration having an open interior so that a plurality of substantially trapezoidalsheet metal members 50 extends toward thecentral axis 24 of the circular configuration. Once the particular configuration is punched, each of the plurality of substantially trapezoidalsheet metal members 50 is formed into a retention members having aplanar leg portion 30 and aplanar hook portion 32. Theplanar leg portion 30 is formed to extend from aninner perimeter 20 of aplanar member 16, preferably, acircular annulus 16 a, created from the particular configuration, while theplanar hook portion 32 is formed to project from theplanar leg portion 30 toward thecentral axis 24 of the particular configuration. - As shown in FIG. 4, the preferred embodiment of the punched configuration before forming provides the interior as a centrally located
pentagon 52 with a generallytriangular members 54 extending from each corner of the pentagon. After the preferred embodiment is punched, the geometric configuration is formed so that theplanar hook portion 32 is acute to thecentral axis 24 so that thecentral axis 24 and a plane passing through thehook portion 32 form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°, and a stiffener is located on theinner perimeter 20 between each of the plurality ofretention members 18. - While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Claims (26)
1. A self-tightening clip comprising:
an planar member including an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and defining a central axis; and
at least one retention member attached to the planar annulus, the at least one retention member including a planar leg portion and a planar hook portion, the leg portion extending from the inner perimeter in a first direction along the central axis, the hook portion projecting from the leg portion toward the central axis in a second direction, opposite the first direction, along the central axis, the hook portion being acute to the central axis and having a free end located on an imaginary perimeter concentric to the inner perimeter of the planar member.
2. The self-tightening clip of , wherein the planar member comprises an annulus and the imaginary perimeter comprise a circle.
claim 1
3. The self-tightening clip of , wherein the at least one retention member comprises a plurality of retention members, each of the plurality of retention members having a leg portion extending in the first direction.
claim 2
4. The self-tightening clip of , wherein the leg portion of each of the plurality of retention members is substantially parallel to the central axis.
claim 3
5. The self-tightening clip of , wherein each of the plurality of retention members comprises an arcuate portion disposed between the leg portion and the hook portion.
claim 3
6. The self-tightening clip of , wherein the plurality of retention members comprises five retention members.
claim 3
7. The self-tightening clip of , wherein the five retention members are uniformly disposed about the inner perimeter of the planar annulus.
claim 6
8. The self-tightening clip of , further comprising a plurality of stiffeners, at least one of the plurality of stiffeners being disposed on the inner perimeter between two of the plurality of retention members.
claim 3
9. The self-tightening clip of , wherein each of the plurality of stiffeners comprises a lip extending in the engaging direction.
claim 8
10. The self-tightening clip of , wherein the annulus, the plurality of retention members, and the plurality of stiffeners comprise a unitary sheet of metal.
claim 8
11. The self-tightening clip of , wherein the central axis and a plane passing through the hook portion of the at least one retention member form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°.
claim 1
12. The self-tightening clip of , wherein the angle comprises approximately 24°.
claim 11
13. A sheet metal clip for securing a first generally cylindrical housing member to a second generally cylindrical housing, the clip comprising:
a planar annulus including an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and defining a central axis;
a plurality of retention members uniformly disposed about the inner perimeter of the planar annulus, each of the plurality of retention members including a leg portion, a hook portion, and an arcuate portion disposed between the leg portion and hook portion, the leg portion extending in an engaging direction and being substantially parallel to the central axis, the hook portion projecting from the leg portion so that the central axis and a plane passing through the hook portion form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°, the hook portion having a free end positioned on an imaginary circle concentric to the inner perimeter of the planar annulus; and
a plurality of stiffeners, at least one of the plurality of stiffeners being disposed on the inner perimeter between two adjacent retention members of the plurality of retention members.
14. The clip of , wherein each of the plurality of stiffeners comprises a lip extending in the engaging direction.
claim 13
15. The clip of , wherein each of the plurality of retention members comprise a bent substantially trapezoidal configuration.
claim 13
16. The clip of , further comprising a cut-out on the inner perimeter of the planar annulus between each of the plurality of retention members and each stiffener.
claim 13
17. The clip of , wherein the cut-out comprises a semicircle.
claim 16
18. The clip of , wherein the plurality of retention members comprises five retention members uniformly disposed on the inner perimeter.
claim 13
19. The clip of , wherein the angle comprises approximately 24°.
claim 13
20. A method of retaining a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing while allowing for relative rotation between the housings, comprising:
providing a sheet metal clip having an annulus and a plurality of retention members, each of the plurality of retention members including a leg portion and a hook portion, the leg portion extending from an inner perimeter of the annulus, the hook portion projecting from the leg portion toward a central axis of the annulus, the hook portion being acute to the central axis;
positioning the annulus of the clip within a retaining portion of the first housing member; and
locating the first housing member proximate the second housing member so that a free end of the hook portion of each of the retention members engages a protrusion on the second housing.
21. The method of , the step of providing further comprises:
claim 20
providing the sheet metal clip with five retention members uniformly disposed about the inner perimeter of the annulus, each of the retention members having at least a portion of the free end of their respective hook portions located on an imaginary circle that is concentric to the inner perimeter of the annulus.
22. A method of stamping a clip for retaining a first generally cylindrical housing to a second generally cylindrical housing, comprising:
punching a particular sheet of metal configuration, the configuration having an interior cutout so that a plurality of substantially trapezoidal sheet metal members extending toward the central axis of the configuration; and
forming each of the plurality of substantially trapezoidal sheet metal members into a retention members having a planar leg portion and a planar hook portion, the planar leg portion extending from an inner perimeter of a planar annulus created from the circular configuration, the planar hook portion projecting from the planar leg portion toward the central axis of the circular configuration, the planar hook portion being acute to the central axis.
23. The method of , wherein the step of punching further comprises punching circular configuration; and the step of forming further comprises forming each retention members to have the planar leg portion extending from an inner perimeter of a planar annulus created from the circular configuration.
claim 22
24. The method of , wherein the step of punching further comprises providing the interior cutout as a centrally located pentagon with a generally triangular members extending from each corner of the pentagon.
claim 23
25. The method of forming a clip of , wherein the step of forming further comprises locating the planar hook portion acute to the central axis so that the central axis and a plane passing through the planar hook portion form an angle in the range of approximately 20°-30°.
claim 24
26. The method of , further comprising forming a stiffener on the inner perimeter between each of the plurality of retention members.
claim 22
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/770,981 US6446320B2 (en) | 1999-06-29 | 2001-01-26 | Method of retaining a first housing to a second housing using a self-tightening clip |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/342,589 US6227785B1 (en) | 1999-06-29 | 1999-06-29 | Self-tightening clip |
US09/770,981 US6446320B2 (en) | 1999-06-29 | 2001-01-26 | Method of retaining a first housing to a second housing using a self-tightening clip |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/342,589 Division US6227785B1 (en) | 1999-06-29 | 1999-06-29 | Self-tightening clip |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20010004434A1 true US20010004434A1 (en) | 2001-06-21 |
US6446320B2 US6446320B2 (en) | 2002-09-10 |
Family
ID=23342462
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/342,589 Expired - Fee Related US6227785B1 (en) | 1999-06-29 | 1999-06-29 | Self-tightening clip |
US09/770,981 Expired - Fee Related US6446320B2 (en) | 1999-06-29 | 2001-01-26 | Method of retaining a first housing to a second housing using a self-tightening clip |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/342,589 Expired - Fee Related US6227785B1 (en) | 1999-06-29 | 1999-06-29 | Self-tightening clip |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (2) | US6227785B1 (en) |
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US20130017649A1 (en) * | 2009-11-25 | 2013-01-17 | Stmicroelectronics (Tours) Sas | Packaging for clip-assembled electronic components |
US8920089B1 (en) * | 2011-06-20 | 2014-12-30 | Alpha Stamping Company | Device for securing a panel to a mounting stud |
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Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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DE10238101A1 (en) * | 2002-08-21 | 2004-03-11 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Safety ring for positioning ball bearing in electric motor is C- shaped and has flat side bearing against flat end of ball-bearing race, and has chamfered side bearing against hub for cooling fan |
DE10238101B4 (en) * | 2002-08-21 | 2005-09-22 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | circlip |
US20130017649A1 (en) * | 2009-11-25 | 2013-01-17 | Stmicroelectronics (Tours) Sas | Packaging for clip-assembled electronic components |
US8920089B1 (en) * | 2011-06-20 | 2014-12-30 | Alpha Stamping Company | Device for securing a panel to a mounting stud |
US9435363B2 (en) | 2011-06-20 | 2016-09-06 | Alpha Stamping Compay | Device for securing a panel to a mounting stud |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US6227785B1 (en) | 2001-05-08 |
US6446320B2 (en) | 2002-09-10 |
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Legal Events
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REMI | Maintenance fee reminder mailed | ||
LAPS | Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees | ||
STCH | Information on status: patent discontinuation |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362 |
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Effective date: 20060910 |