US20050012010A1

US20050012010A1 - Clip for fastening a component, such as a footrest, to a workpiece

Info

Publication number: US20050012010A1
Application number: US10/918,819
Authority: US
Inventors: Hideki Kanie
Original assignee: Newfrey LLC
Current assignee: Newfrey LLC
Priority date: 2002-02-21
Filing date: 2004-08-13
Publication date: 2005-01-20

Abstract

A clip (1) comprises a shank (6) adapted to be inserted into a mounting hole of a footrest, a flange (7) formed at a first end of the shank, and first engagement means (9) provided at a second opposite end of the shank (6), so as to support the footrest by means of the shank (6), the flange (7) and the first engagement means (9). The clip (1) further comprises an engagement pawl 10 provided in the shank (6) to be engaged with a stud so as to fasten the footrest to a body panel. The first engagement means (9) includes a head (13) connected to the second end of the shank through a column (11), a first flexible arm (14) extending obliquely from the second end of the shank toward the head (13), a second arm (15) having an intermediate portion connected to the top end of the first arm (14) and a first end adjacent to the head (13) and extending obliquely from the first end toward the flange, and an inner space (17) for allowing the first and second arms to be retracted therein. Under a condition that the flange (7) is in contact with one of the surfaces of the footrest, the first end of the second arm is brought into contact with the head (13), and a second end of the second arm is brought into contact with the other surface of the footrest.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of pending international patent application PCT/US03/04736, filed on Feb. 20, 2003 which designates the United States, and which claims priority of Japanese patent application No. 2002-044401, filed Feb. 21, 2002.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a clip for attaching a component such as a footrest to a workpiece such as a car body panel having a fastener such as a stud fixed thereon. In particular, the present invention relates to a clip capable of being attached to a component such as a footrest only by inserting its shank into a mounting hole of the component from one side on the component, and then being engaged, together with the component fixedly attached thereto, with a fastener such as a screw stud standing on the workpiece such as the car body panel, so as to fasten the component to the workpiece.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various methods have been used to fasten a footrest to a floor of an automobile body. In one of the methods, the footrest is fastened using a screw stud or a rod-shaped stud having a peripheral groove, which are fixedly provided on the floor of the body. Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 63-198809 discloses a clip for fastening a footrest using a screw stud fixed on a floor (or a car body panel). It discloses an improvement for allowing the footrest to be adequately fastened to the body panel by using the clip having it length and shape even for a stepped portion of the body panel. The clip can also be attached to the footrest from the backside or one side of the footrest. However, the above clip is adapted to be attached to an engagement-step forming hole of the footrest, and the depth of the engagement-step forming hole is inevitably increased as the height of the footrest is increased in proportion to the step of the body panel. The increased depth of the engagement-step forming hole causes an undesirably increased hole diameter in the top surface of the footrest, because the footrest is formed using a die, and the hole should be tapered to reliably release the die. If the footrest is formed to have a shallower engagement-step forming hole in order to reduce the above adverse affect, the clip will not reach the stud, resulting in improper fastening.
There have also been developed various clips for fastening another component such as a dash insulator other than the footrest. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 8-54010 discloses a clip capable of being attached from one side of and to a component such as an insulator panel and then being engaged with a stud fixed on a body panel to fasten the insulator panel to the body panel so as to facilitate attaching/fastening operations. This clip includes a shank having a hollow portion, and the stud is inserted into the hollow portion to prevent a hook-shaped elastic engagement portion standing on the shank from slanting toward the hollow portion. Thus, before the stud is inserted into the shank, the engagement portion can slant toward the hollow portion of the shank to allow the clip to be readily attached to the insulator panel. Further, when the shank is pushed into the stud to position the stud in the hollow portion in a fastening operation, the stud prevents the engagement portion form slanting inwardly to achieve enhanced connection strength between the engagement portion and the insulator panel.
The clip disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-54010 is suitable for attaching the component such as the insulator panel to the body panel. However, the connection strength between the engagement portion and the component can be highly maintained only if the stud passes through the hollow portion. Thus, if the stud does not reach the region of the engagement portion, high connection strength cannot be expected. For example, when it is desirable to avoid a large hole in the top surface of a footrest, the depth of the hole should be reduced. In that case, it is required to locate the engagement portion of the clip close to the top surface of the footrest. Consequently, even if the stud is received in the hollow portion of the shank of the clip, the stud will not reach the region of the engagement portion. Thus, if the clip disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-54010 is used directly as a clip to be attached to a footrest, high connection strength cannot be always expected.
Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-62711 discloses a clip capable of being attached from one side of and to a dash silencer (as an attachment component) and then being engaged with a fastener fixed on a body panel to fasten the dash silencer to the body panel. This clip includes a shank having one end formed with a pair of openable presser members. The clip is attached to the silencer by opening the presser members and by means of the opened presser members and a flange associated therewith, but the clip is not directed to obtain high connection strength based on the stud inserted into the hollow portion. However, the presser members are configured to restrict the open angle or inner angle between the presser members by contacting them with a shank head which is connected to the presser members through thin hinges, so as to maintain the connection with the silencer. Thus, the deformation of the presser members or the stretching of the thin hinges can cause instability of the connection, and the damage of the thin hinges will break up the connection.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a clip for fastening a component such as a footrest to a workpiece, capable of being pushed from one side of and attached to the component with a highly maintained connection strength therebetween without relying on a stud.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a clip for attaching a component such as a footrest to a workpiece such as a car body panel, comprising: a shank adapted to be inserted into a mounting hole of the component to the workpiece; a flange formed at a first end of the shank; first engagement means provided at a second end of the shank; and second engagement means provided in the shank, wherein the shank, the flange and the first engagement means are cooperable with each other to support the component, and the second engagement means is engaged with a fastener fixed on the workpiece so as to fasten the component to the workpiece. In that clip, the first engagement means includes: a head connected to the second end of the shank; a first flexible arm extending from a position on the shank and spaced apart from the head toward and outward of the head; a second arm having a first end adjacent to the head and an intermediate portion connected to and supported by the top end of the first arm, the second arm extending from the first end toward the flange and away from the shank; and an inner space defined between the root portion of the first arm and the head to allow the first and second arms to be retracted therein when the shank is inserted into the mounting hole of the component, and further, the first end of the second arm is formed to bring it into contact with the head under a condition that the shank is inserted into the mounting hole of the component to bring the flange into contact with one of the surfaces of the component, and a second end of the second arm is formed to bring it into contact with the other surface of the component under the above flange contact condition.
According to the above clip, the clip can be readily attached to the component only by inserting the shank of the clip into the mounting hole of the component from one side of the component. The insertion operation can be smoothly performed without excessive force because both the first and second arms can be retracted into the inner space between the head and the root portion of the first arm. In addition, the flange and the second arm are brought into contact with opposite sides of the components to allow the clip to be attached to the component with a high holding force. Particularly, since the intermediate portion of the second arm is connected to the first arm, and the first end of the second arm on the opposite side of the second end in contact with the component is in contact with the head connected to the second end of the shank, the need for providing a hinge between the second arm and the head is eliminated. Further, a strong pressing force of the second arm against the component is maintained by the respective holding forces of the head and the first arm, to allow the clip to be attached to the component with a high holding force. Thus, by engaging the clip with the fastener such as a stud fixed on the workpiece such as a body panel, the component is fastened to the workpiece with a high connection strength therebetween without wobbling movement after the fastening operation. Furthermore, even if the length of the clip is increased in proportion to the height of the component, the clip is attached to the component with a highly maintained connection strength therebetween. Thus, even if the engagement-step forming hole of the footrest has a shallow depth, the clip can be attached to the footrest with a highly maintained holding force therebetween and a minimized hole diameter in the top surface of the footrest.
In the above clip, the head and the second end of the shank may be connected with one another through a column extending in the axial direction of the shank, and the inner space is formed in the column. Further, two sets of the first and second arms may be provided on opposite sides of the column. According to this structure, the reaction force from the head to the second arm is increased by bringing the two second arms into contact with the head, and thereby the holding force of the second arms against the component can be more highly maintained.
The second arms may be formed of a thick rigid plate member, and the first arm may be formed of a thin elastic plate member. Under the above flange contact condition, the first arm serves to support the second arm to pull the second arm toward the shank so as to bring the first end of the second arm into contact with the head and bring the second end of the second arm into contact with the component. According to this structure, the second end of the second arm stably contacts the component with a strong holding force. The second end of the second arm may be formed in a wide plate for providing an increased contact area against the component. This provides more enhanced holding force. The head may be formed with an engagement concave portion for receiving the first end of the second arm to be brought into contact with the head. This allows the first end of the second arm to be received by the head.
The fastener may be a stud standing on the workpiece. In that case, the shank has a hollow portion for receiving the stud therein, and the second engagement means comprises an engagement pawl formed in the hollow portion and adapted to be engaged with the stud. Further, the head may be formed with a slot for allowing a tool to be engaged therewith, so that the shank having the stud received therein can be axially rotated with the tool in the direction causing the shank to be detached from the stud. In the clip according to either one of claims 1 to 8, the flange is preferably formed with a protrusion to be brought into contact with the surface of the footrest. The protrusion can press the footrest toward the second arm to provide more increased contact force of the second arm against the footrest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a clip according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the clip in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the clip in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the clip taken along the line A-A in FIG. 2.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are sectional views of the clip in FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 5A is a sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the clip taken along the line D-D in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 7A and 7B are views showing a second arm of the clip in FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 7A is a left side view of the second arm, and FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the second arm.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a modified second arm.
FIG. 9 is a view showing the movement of first and second arms during an insertion operation.
FIG. 10 is a view showing the movement of first and second arms at a position where they are in contact with a footrest.
FIGS. 11A and 11B show an operation of attaching the clip in FIG. 1 to the footrest, wherein FIG. 11A is a view showing that the clip is being inserted into a mounting hole of the footrest, and FIG. 11B is a view showing that the clip has been inserted into the mounting hole of the footrest.
FIGS. 12A and 12B show an operation of fastening the footrest with the clip in FIG. 11(B) to a stud on a body panel, Wherein FIG. 12A is a view showing that the footrest having the clip is positioned to the stud on the body panel, and FIG. 12B is a view showing that the footrest has been attached or fastened to the body panel by the clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, an embodiment of the present invention will now be described. FIGS. 1 to 7 show a clip 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 shows a modification of a contact portion of a second arm. FIGS. 9 and 10 show the movement of first engagement means including first and second arms and a head. FIG. 11 shows an operation of attaching the clip 1 to a footrest 2 as an attaching component. FIG. 12 shows an operation of fastening the footrest 2 with the clip 1 to a body panel 5 as a workpiece having a screw stud 3 as a fastener which stands on the workpiece. While this embodiment employs the footrest as the component, the body panel of an automobile as the workpiece, and the screw stud as the fastener, any other suitable component, workpiece and fastener including another type stud may be used.
The clip 1 is intended to be engaged with the fastener such as the stud 3 fixed on the workpiece such as the body panel 5 so as to fasten the component such as the footrest 2 to the workpiece. The clip 1 is composed of an integrally molded plastic product. The clip 1 comprises a shank 6 adapted to be inserted into a mounting hole of the footrest 2 (as the attaching component), a flange 7 formed at a first end of the shank 6, first engagement means 9 provided at a second end (upper end in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) of the shank 6, and a pair of engagement pawls 10 serving as second engagement means. The flange 7 and the first engagement means 9 can press the footrest 2 from opposite surfaces thereof to allow the clip 1 to support the footrest 2. Further, the engagement pawl 10 as the second engagement means provided in the shank 6 can be engaged with the stud 3 (as a fastener) fixed on the body panel 5 (as the workpiece) to fasten the footrest 2 supported by the flange 7 and the first engagement means 9 to the body panel 5.
In the clip 1, the first engagement means 9 includes a head 13 connected to a column 11 extending in the axial direction of the shank 6 from the second end of the shank 6 on the opposite side of the flange 7, a first flexible arm 14 extending obliquely outwardly toward the head in the axial direction from the second end of the shank 6 spaced apart from the head 13, and a second arm 15 which has a first end adjacent to the head 13 and an intermediate portion connected to and supported by the top end of the first arm 14, and extends obliquely from the first end toward the flange 7 while getting away from the shank 6. The second arm 15 has a second end adapted to contact the footrest 2. The column 11 is formed as a plate-shaped column having a width equal to the diameter of the shank 6 and extending in the axial direction of the shank 6 between the head 13 and the root portion of the first arm 14 or the second end of the shank 6, to define an inner space 17 for allowing the first arm 14 and the second arm 15 to be retracted therein when the shank 6 is inserted into the mounting hole of the footrest 2 (see FIG. 1 or 2). Further, under a condition that the shank 6 is inserted into the mounting hole of the footrest 2 to bring the flange 7 into contact with one of the surfaces of the footrest 2, the first end 18 of the second arm 15 adjacent to the head 13 is adapted to contact an engagement concave portion 19 of the head 13. As shown in FIG. 4, while a gap “g” required for molding the clip by a die is formed between the first end 18 of the second arm 15 and the engagement concave portion 19 of the head 13, the gap “g” is preferably minimized to obtain higher holding force. The second end of the second arm 15 is formed as a contact portion 21 to be brought into contact with the other surface of the footrest 2 in the above position.
The shank 6 of the clip 1 is formed in an elongated shape in proportion to the height of the footrest 2. As seen in FIG. 4, the shank 6 is formed with a hole 22 extending up to a predetermined height from the flange 7 to receive the stud 3 therein, and a solid portion more upper than the above predetermined height. The length of the shank 6 is set in conformity to the height of the footrest. As shown in FIG. 5(A), the solid region of the shank is formed to have several axially extending ribs therearound to maintain even strength to facilitate material saving and weight reduction. In the region of the shank having the hole 22, a pair of guide walls 23 are formed opposed to one another in the diametrical direction of the shank to guide the received stud 3 while preventing the shank 6 from slanting with respect to the stud 3. The diameter of the shank 6 is set in conformity with the mounting hole of the footrest 2.
The outer surface of the flange 7 to be brought into contact with the surface of the footrest 2 is formed with four protrusions 25 equally spaced apart from each other. These protrusions 25 are brought into strong contact with the surface of the footrest 2 to push the footrest 2 in an opposite direction to the protrusions. The pushing force of the protrusions 25 is transferred to the opposite surface of the footrest 2 as an elastic force for pushing up the second arm 15 in contact with the opposite surface. Thus, the second arm 15 more strongly or reliably contacts the engagement concave portion 19 of the head 13. The respective upper faces of the protrusions 25 are subjected to rounding processing such as chamfering to allow the clip 1 to be rotated and detached from the stud 3. However, for preventing the rotation of the clip, the rounding processing may be omitted. Further, the bottom surface of the flange 7 is formed with a guide portion 26 to facilitate guiding the top end of the stud 3 into the hole 22.
Two sets of the first and second arms 14, 15 are provided on opposite sides of the column 11. The respective first ends 18 of the two second arms 15 are brought into contact the engagement concave portion 19 of the head 13 to press the head 13 from opposite sides thereof or cancel out the forces laterally acting on the head 13. The reduced lateral forces acting on the read 13 allows the column 11 to adequately support the head 13 even if it is formed as a plate-shaped column. In addition, the two second arms 15 press the head by approximately the same force. Thus, the second arms are applied with a larger reaction force from the head 13, and thereby the pressing force or holding force of the second arms 15 against the footrest 2 can be more highly maintained. The second arm 15 is formed as a thick rigid plate member to allow the contact portion 21 at the second end to be brought into strong contact with the footrest 2. The contact portion 21 may be formed to have a wide width to obtain an increased contact area for providing an enhanced pressing force or holding force, as shown in FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B). FIG. 8 shows a modification of the contact portion of the second arm 15. The contact portion 27 in FIG. 8 is formed to have a wider width to obtain a more increased contact area with the footrest 2 to provide more enhanced holding force. The increased contact area can prevent any wobbling movement of the clip after attached to the footrest 2. The remaining portion of the second arm 15 other than the contact portion 21 has a reduced width and a curved periphery to facilitate smoothly inserting the clip into the mounting hole of the footrest 2, as shown in FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B). The corners of the contact portion 21 (or 27) is subjected to a rounding processing such as chamfering so as not to disturb the operation of axially rotating and detaching the clip 1. For reinforcing an antirotation function, the rounding processing may be omitted.
The first arm 14 is formed as a thin elastic plate member, which can be readily deformed by an external force during the insertion operation or the like, and returned to its initial state as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 when the external force is released. In each of the first arms 14, each of the root portion 29 connected to the second end of the shank 6 and the top end 30 connected to the second arm 15 serves as a hinge point during the operation of inserting the clip into the mounting hole of the footrest. Each of the root portion 29 and the top end 30 also serves as a fulcrum for pulling the second arm 15 to allow the second arm 15 to press the footrest 2 after the clip 1 is attached to the footrest 2. In order to achieve these functions, the first arm 14 is formed to have a high toughness and flexibility.
With reference to FIG. 9, the insertion operation will be described. As shown by the phantom chain line in FIG. 9, during inserting the clip into the mounting hole of the footrest, the inner wall of the mounting hole acts on the second arm 15 to displace it inwardly. Thus, the first and second arms 14, 15 are pivoted about the root portion 29 and the top end 30 as hinge points, respectively, and retracted into the inner space 17 formed around the column 11 so as not to disturb the insertion operation. The displacement S between a pre-retraction and a post-retraction of the contact portion 21 at the second end of the second arm 15 is extremely small because the intermediate portion of the second arm 15 is connected to the first arm 14, and thereby the length of the second arm 15 can be extended up to the length of the space defined by the distance between the head 13 and the second end of the shank 6. Thus, even if the length of the mounting hole is somewhat varied, the pressing force of the second arm 15 against the footrest can be highly maintained.
With reference to FIG. 10, the functions of the first arm 14 and the second arm 15 after the clip 1 is attached to the footrest 2 will be described. The clip 1 is attached to the footrest 2 by inserting the shank 6 into the mounting hole of the footrest until the flange 7 is brought into contact with the surface of the footrest. Under a condition that the flange 7 is into contact with the surface of the footrest 2, the first end 18 of each of the second arms 15 contacts the engagement concave portion 19 of the head 13, and the contact portion 21 at the second end of each of the second arms 15 contacts an engagement step 33 of an engagement-step forming hole 31 formed in the opposite surface of the footrest 2. This contact is maintained by the first arm 14. The first arm 14 having the root portion 29 connected to the shank 6 and the top portion 30 connected to the intermediate portion of the second arm 15 supports the intermediate portion of the second arm 15 to pull it toward the shank 6. The top end 30 of the first arm 14 formed as a thin elastic plate member acts on the second arm 15 to pull it inwardly so as to bring the first end 18 of the second arm into contact with the engagement concave portion 19 of the head 13 and bring the contact portion 21 at the second end into contact with the engagement step 33 of the footrest 2. Thus, the second arm 15 contacts and presses the footrest 2 strongly to provide a strong holding force. Since the first arm 14 is formed as a thin elastic plate member and the second arm 15 can be formed to have an extended length up to the length of the inner space, the second arm 15 can contact the surface of the footrest strongly even if the position of the engagement step 33 is somewhat vertically varied or the size of the footrest is somewhat varied. Thus, this clip can cope with various components including footrests. Further, the flange 7 is formed with the plurality of protrusions 25 to be brought into contact with the surface of the footrest 2, and the protrusions 25 contacts the surface of the footrest 2 strongly to press the footrest in the opposite direction to the protrusions. The footrest 2 is made of soft plastic material. Thus, the pressing force of the protrusions 25 provides an elastic force on the opposite surface of the footrest 2 so as to elastically push up the second arm 15 into contact with the opposite surface to allow the second arm 15 to more strongly or reliably contact the engagement concave portion 19 of the head 13. This can provide more increased contact force of the second arm 15 against the footrest 2.
The shank 6 has the hollow portion or hole 22 for receiving therein the screw stud 3 standing on the body panel 5 as the workpiece. The hole 22 is formed with the pair of engagement pawls 10 to be engaged with the stud 3. As shown in FIG. 6, the top end of one of the engagement pawls 10 may be displaced by a half pitch of the screw with respect to the top end of the other engagement pawl 10 to provide an increased engagement force. In order to detach the clip 1 from the stud 3, the head 13 is formed with a slot 34 for allowing a tool to be engaged therewith so as to rotate the shank 6 around its axis, receiving the stud 3 therein. For example, with a tool such as a screwdriver, the shank 6 can be rotated in a direction causing the clip 1 to be detached from the stud 3.
With reference to FIG. 11, the operation of attaching the clip 1 to the footrest 2 will be described. In FIG. 11(A), the clip 1 is carried by hand to align the head 13 with the mounting hole 35 of the footrest 2, and pushed into the mounting hole. As the head 13 is inserted into the mounting hole 35, the second arm 15 is slanted toward the first arm 14 by the inner wall of the mounting hole 35 and retracted into the inner space 17 together with the first arm 14 to allow the shank 6 of the clip to be smoothly inserted into the mounting hole 35. When the shank 6 of the clip is pushed into the mounting hole 35 until the flange 7 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the footrest 2, the second arm 15 and the first arm 14 start returning to their initial positions while getting away from the column 11 according to the elasticity of the first arm 14. If the second arm 15 gets stuck with the edge of the mounting hole 35 and cannot return to its initial position, the flange 7 is strongly pushed against the footrest 2. Through this operation, the shank 6 is further pushed into the mounting hole 35 to allow the second arm 15 to escape from the edge of the mounting hole 35 and return to its initial position as shown in FIG. 11(B). After returning to the initial position, with the assist of the first arm 14, the first end 18 of the second arm 15 is brought into contact with the engagement concave portion 19 of the head 13, and the contact portion 21 at the second end is brought into strong contact with the engagement step 33 of the engagement-step forming hole 31 in the opposite surface of the footrest 2. In this manner, the clip 1 is firmly attached to the footrest 2 without wobbling movement. Thus, the clip 1 can be attached to the component such as the footrest through a simple operation of inserting the clip from one side of and into the component. During the insertion operation, the first arm 14 and the second arm 15 are retracted, and thereby the inserting operation can be performed without disturbance from the first and second arms and with a reduced insertion force. Under the condition that the flange is in contact with the surface of the footrest after the insertion operation, with the assist of the first arm 14, the second arm 15 is in strong contact with the opposite surface of the footrest 2, and thereby the clip 1 is firmly attached to the footrest 2 without wobbling movement. This connection strength is achieved without relying on the presence of the stud 3. Thus, the second arm 15 can contact the opposite surface of the footrest at a position adjacent to the top surface of the footrest, and thereby the depth of the engagement-step forming hole 31 of the footrest 2 can be minimized.
FIG. 12 shows the operation of fastening the footrest 2 having the attached clip 1 to the body panel 5. The screw stud 3 is fixed at a predetermined position on the body panel 5 with welding or the like. The footrest 2 having the attached clip 1 is aligned with the stud 3 on the body panel 5, and the footrest 2 is moved in the direction of the arrow 37 in FIG. 12(A) while guiding the top end of the stud 3 by the guide portion 26 of the flange 7. After the stud 3 is guided in the hole 22 of the shank 6, the footrest is only pushed so that the engagement pawl 10 as the second engagement means is engaged with the thread of the screw stud 3, and then the guide wall 23 is engaged with the side of the stud 3, as shown in FIG. 12(B), to provide the engagement between the clip 1 and the stud 3. Through the above operation, the footrest 2 is fastened to the body panel 5. For detaching the footrest 1, the tip of a screwdriver or the like is engaged with the tool-engagement slot 34 in the head 13 of the clip 1, and rotated in the direction causing the screw stud to be loosened. In this manner, the clip 1 is detached from the stud 3, and the footrest can be simply pulled up and detached from the body panel 5.
According to the clip of the present invention, the clip can be readily attached to the component only by inserting the shank of the clip into the mounting hole of the component from one side of the component. The insertion operation can be smoothly performed without excessive force because both the first and second arms can be retracted into the inner space between the head and the root portion of the first arm. In addition, the flange and the second arm are brought into contact with opposite surfaces of the components to allow the clip to be attached to the component with a high holding force. The need for providing a hinge between the second arm and the head is eliminated. Further, a strong pressing force of the second arm against the component is maintained by the respective holding forces of the head and the first arm, to allow the clip to be attached to the component with a high holding force. Thus, by engaging the clip with the fastener such as a stud fixed on the workpiece such as a body panel, the component is fastened to the workpiece with a high connection strength therebetween without wobbling movement after the fastening operation. Furthermore, even if the length of the clip is increased in proportion to the height of the component, the clip is attached to the component with a highly maintained connection strength therebetween. Thus, even if the engagement-step forming hole of the footrest has a shallow depth, the clip can be attached to the footrest with a highly maintained holding force therebetween and a minimized hole diameter in the top surface of the footrest.

Claims

1. A clip for attaching a component such as a footrest to a workpiece such as a car body panel, comprising: a shank adapted to be inserted into a mounting hole of the component to the workpiece; a flange formed at a first end of said shank; first engagement means provided at a second end of said shank; and second engagement means provided in said shank, wherein said shank, said flange and said first engagement means are cooperable with each other to support said component, and said second engagement means is engaged with a fastener fixed on said workpiece so as to fasten said component to said workpiece, wherein said first engagement means includes:

a head connected to the second end of said shank;

a first flexible arm extending from a position on said shank and spaced apart from said head toward and outward of said head;

a second arm having a first end adjacent to said head and an intermediate portion connected to and supported by the top end of said first arm, said second arm extending from said first end toward said flange and away from said shank; and

an inner space defined between the root portion of said first arm and said head to allow said first and second arms to be retracted therein when said shank is inserted into said mounting hole of said component, and

wherein said first end of said second arm is formed to bring it into contact with said head under a condition that said shank is inserted into said mounting hole of said component to bring said flange into contact with one of the surfaces of said component, and a second end of said second arm is formed to bring it into contact with the other surface of said component under the above flange contact condition.

2. The clip as defined in claim 1, wherein said head and said second end of said shank are connected with one another by means of a column extending in the axial direction of said shank, and said inner space is formed in said column.

3. The clip as defined in claim 2, wherein two sets of said first and second arms are provided on opposite sides of said column.

4. The clip as defined in claim 3, wherein said second arm is formed of a thick rigid plate member, and said first arm is formed of a thin elastic plate member, wherein under the above flange contact condition, said first arm serves to support said second arm to pull it toward said shank so as to bring said first end of said second arm into contact with said head and bring said second end of said second arm into contact with said component.

5. The clip as defined in claim 4, wherein said second end of said second arm is formed in a wide plate for increasing the contact area thereof with said component.

6. The clip as defined in claim 4, wherein said head is formed with an engagement concave portion for receiving said first end of said second arm to be brought into contact with said head.

7. The clip as defined in claim 5, wherein said head is formed with an engagement concave portion for receiving said first end of said second arm to be brought into contact with said head.

8. The clip as defined in claim 1, wherein said fastener is a stud standing on said workpiece, wherein said shank has a hollow portion for receiving said stud therein, and said second engagement means comprises an engagement pawl formed in said hollow portion and adapted to be engaged with said stud.

9. The clip as defined in claim 8, wherein said head is formed with a slot for allowing a tool to be engaged therewith, so that said shank having said stud received therein can be axially rotated with said tool in the direction causing said shank to be detached from said stud.

10. The clip as defined in claim 2, wherein said fastener is a stud standing on said workpiece, wherein said shank has a hollow portion for receiving said stud therein, and said second engagement means comprises an engagement pawl formed in said hollow portion and adapted to be engaged with said stud.