Abstract:
A device for retaining an attached part on a carrier part, including a clip part and an unlocking part displaceably supported in the clip part. In a release position of the unlocking part, latching legs of the clip part engage behind the carrier part while, in a dismantling position of the unlocking part, the latching legs are not engaged with the carrier part so that the attached part can be removed from the carrier part.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a U.S. National Phase Patent Application based on International Application No. PCT/EP2011/061876 filed Jul. 12, 2011, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2010 035 011.7 filed Aug. 20, 2010, the entire disclosures of which are hereby explicitly incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a device for retaining an add-on part on a support part. The invention further concerns an arrangement having such a device and having an add-on part. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    One known device is disclosed in EP 2 090 475 A1. The prior device for retaining an add-on part on a support part in a mounted position and in a protracted position comprises a clip part provided, at a foot end, with snap arms for engaging with a support part. The clip part is further equipped with a fixing assembly formed at a distance from the foot end and operative to engage with an add-on part, and comprises a stop device that retains the add-on part in a protracted position that is farther from the support part than the mounted position. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides a device and an arrangement for retaining an add-on part on a support part, which enable the clip part to be removed relatively easily from the support part if an add-on part is in a protracted position that is farther from the support part than a mounted position. 
         [0007]    Owing to the presence of an unlocking part that is displaceably mounted in the clip part and comprises a demounting device which, with said unlocking part in a demounting position, serves to cancel an engagement of the snap arms of the clip part with the support part, the clip part can be very easily removed from the support part when the unlocking part is shifted from a release position to a demounting position after cancellation of the engagement of the snap arms with the support part. 
         [0008]    In one form thereof, the present invention provides a device for retaining an add-on part on a support part in a mounted position and in a protracted position, including a clip part, which includes snap arms configured at a foot end and operative to engage with a support part equipped with a fixing arrangement configured at a distance from the foot end and operative to engage with an add-on part, and which is provided with an abutment device that retains the add-on part in the protracted position which is farther from the support part than the mounted position, characterized in that an unlocking part is present, which is displaceably mounted in the clip part and includes a demounting device by means of which, in a demounting position of the unlocking part, an engagement of the snap arms with the support part can be cancelled. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention comprising a clip part and an unlocking part; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  with the unlocking part in a release position in which it is pushed into in the clip part; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  with the unlocking part in the release position according to  FIG. 2 , retaining an add-on part in a mounted position on a support part; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the arrangement according to  FIG. 3  with the add-on part in a protracted position in which the add-on part is farther from the support part than it is in the mounted position of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the arrangement according to  FIG. 4  with the unlocking part in a demounting position; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the arrangement according to  FIG. 5  with a clip part extracted from the support part. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, in several forms, the embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention, which is preferably equipped with an elongated clip part  1  made as a stamped and bent part from a strip of sheet metal. The clip part  1  is configured as substantially U-shaped and has a first side wall  2 , a second side wall  3 , which side walls  2 ,  3  are aligned parallel to each other, and a foot-end transverse wall  4  and a head-end transverse wall  5 , which connect the side walls  2 ,  3  to each other respectively in the region of a foot end  6  and in the region of a head end  7 . 
         [0018]    Formed on each side wall  2 ,  3  in the region of the foot end  6  is a foot tongue  8  that extends away from the head end  7 , the two tongues being oriented so that they point toward each other at an angle. Each side wall  2 ,  3  also has in the region of the foot end  6  a respective approximately rectangular clearance  9 , which extends by its long side in the longitudinal direction of the clip part  1  and in which a respective snap arm  10  engages. Each snap arm  10  is connected to the particular side wall  2 ,  3  by a connecting portion  11  disposed on the side of the clearance  9  proximate the particular foot tongue  8  and extends from the particular side wall  2 ,  3  obliquely outward away from that side wall  2 ,  3 . Each snap arm  10  is also configured with an abutment portion  12  that extends from the end of the connecting portion  11  proximate the head end  7  toward the particular side wall  2 ,  3  and is oriented approximately at right angles to the respective connecting portion  11 . At the end of the abutment portion  12  remote from connecting portion  11 , each snap arm  10  has an unlocking portion  13 , which in a relaxed position of the snap arm  10 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 , extends by a bend through the respective clearance and into an interior space  14  of the clip part  1 , such that an end portion of each unlocking portion  13  is disposed on the opposite side of the particular side wall  2 ,  3  from the respective connecting portion  11  of a snap arm  10 . 
         [0019]    Formed on the side walls  2 ,  3  between the snap arms  10  and the head end  7  and oriented at right angles to the side walls  2 ,  3  are counter-tongues  15  extending outwardly away from the side walls  2 ,  3 . Also configured in each side wall  2 ,  3 , on the opposite side of each counter-tongue  15  from the snap arm  10 , is a respective convex portion  16  that protrudes outward from the particular side wall  2 ,  3  and has one steeper flank facing the respective counter-tongue  15  and one shallower flank facing the head end  7 . 
         [0020]    On the side of each convex portion  16  facing the head end  7 , each side wall  2 ,  3  has a guide slot  17  extending toward the head end  7  at a given distance from the particular convex portion  16 . The guide slots  17  terminate in head plates  18  that are disposed at the head end  7  and are turned outward at right angles. Finally, the clip part  1  is configured at the head end  7  with stiffening tabs  19 , which are disposed on the opposite edge side of each side wall  2 ,  3  from the head-end transverse wall  5  and extend inwardly toward each other, to stiffen the clip part  1  in the region of the guide slots  17 . 
         [0021]    The exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention as depicted in  FIG. 1  also comprises an unlocking part  20 , which is preferably made from a hard-elastic synthetic material and in this exemplary embodiment is essentially in the form of a mechanically very stable, square-shaped, internally hollow sleeve. The unlocking part  20  has two mutually parallel, smooth-walled transverse walls  21 ,  22 , at whose edge sides are disposed two edge walls  23 ,  24 . At a foot end  25  of the unlocking part  20 , which end faces toward the head end  7  of the clip part  1  in the depiction of  FIG. 1 , snap-in bases  26  are formed at the edge walls  23 ,  24 , each protruding laterally outward beyond the respective edge wall  23 ,  24 . 
         [0022]    At a head end  27  of the unlocking part  20  disposed oppositely from the foot end  25  of the unlocking part  20 , the edge walls  23 ,  24  comprise, formed on a first spring arm  28 , an insertion stop lug  29 , which on its side facing the foot end  25  of the unlocking part  20  is beveled with a ramp surface  30  and on its end facing away from the foot end  25  of the unlocking part  20  has an actuating surface  31  oriented at right angles to the respective edge wall  23 ,  24 . 
         [0023]    Between the snap-in bases  26  and the insertion stop lugs  29 , the unlocking part  20  has at each edge wall  23 ,  24  a second spring arm  32 , which extends away from the first spring arm  28  and at its opposite end from the particular snap-in base  26  is configured with an extraction stop lug  33 , which, like the insertion stop lug  29 , extends outwardly beyond the particular edge wall  23 ,  24 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  with the unlocking part  20  in an arrangement in which it is inserted as intended in the clip part  1 . In the representation of  FIG. 2 , the unlocking part  20  is in a release position in which the foot end  25  of the unlocking part  20  is spaced apart from the unlocking portions  13  of the snap arms  10 . In the release position of the unlocking part  20 , the extraction stop lugs  33  are disposed in the convex portions  16 , while the snap-in bases  26  are in the region of the ends of the clearances  9  proximate the convex portions  16  and the insertion stop lugs  29  are disposed in the guide slots  17  in the region of their ends directed toward the head plates  18 . It is evident from  FIG. 2  that the outer contour of the unlocking part  20  is so adapted to the shape of the interior space  14  of the clip part  1  that the unlocking part  20  is arranged so that it can slide in the interior space  14  essentially without play and is additionally guided by the stiffening tabs  19 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention as depicted in  FIG. 1  with the unlocking part  20  in the release position according to  FIG. 2 , in which the clip part  1  is in engagement with a support part  34  and with an add-on part  35 . The engagement with the support part  34  is effected by means of the snap arms  10 , whose abutment portions  12  engage behind the rim of a support part opening  36  provided in the support part  34  and through which the clip part  1  has been inserted in advance, compressing the snap arms  10 . The engagement with the add-on part  35  is effected by means of, as fixing means, fixing webs  37  formed on the add-on part  35 , which are configured to point toward each other on outer walls  38 ,  39  of the add-on part  35  and against which the counter-tongues  15  and the convex portions  16 , as a fixing arrangement, abut externally. 
         [0026]    It can be understood from the representation of  FIG. 3  that disposed between the ends of the outer walls  38 ,  39  directed toward the support part  34  and the side facing toward the add-on part  35  are a flexible fabric layer  40 , for example an air bag, and a flexurally rigid backing layer  41 , which in the mounted position of the add-on part  35  are fastened on the support part  34  and through which the clip part  1  also engages. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  shows the arrangement according to  FIG. 3  with the add-on part  35  in a protracted position at a distance from the support part  34 , a position that is typically assumed after the inflation of an air bag with corresponding movement of the fabric layer  40  away from the support part  34 , cancelling the engagement of the fixing webs  37  with the counter-tongues  15  and the convex portions  16 . In the protracted position, the fixing webs  37  are in abutment with the head plates  18  acting as an abutment device, with the result that the add-on part  35  continues to be connected to the support part  34  and is retained thereon at a greater distance from it than in the mounted position. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows the arrangement according to  FIG. 4  after movement of the add-on part  35  toward the support part  34  and the accompanying abutment of the fixing webs  37  against the actuating surfaces  31 , with the result that the unlocking part  20 , upon release of the engagement of the extraction stop lugs  33  with the convex portions  16 , is pushed in toward the foot end  6  of the clip part  1  so far that the extraction stop lugs  33  are disposed in the clearances  9 . During this movement into a demounting position, the snap arms  10  are moved so far radially inward by the abutment of the unlocking portions  13  against inclined ramp walls  42  of an unlocking dome  43 , which are disposed as a demounting device at the foot end  25  of the unlocking part  20  and which extend obliquely from the ends of the edge walls  23 ,  24  located at the foot end  25  of the unlocking part  20  toward the head end  27  of the unlocking part  20 , that the connecting portions  11  lie substantially flush with the side walls  2 ,  3  and are retained in that position. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the arrangement according to  FIG. 5  after the extraction of the clip part  1  from the support part  34 . The extraction of the clip part  1  from the support part  34  takes place as follows: starting with the arrangement shown in  FIG. 5 , the add-on part  35  is removed from the support part  34 , thus bringing the fixing webs  37  into abutment against the head plates  18 , the snap arms  10  being held fixed by the unlocking part  20  in a retracted position, and the clip  1  can then be extracted from the support part opening  36  with essentially no resistance. 
         [0030]    After the cancellation of the engagement of the extraction stop lugs  33  from the clearances  9 , the unlocking part  20  can be shifted from the demounting position shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  back to the release position according to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , and the add-on part  35  can thus be returned to the mounted position according to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0031]    While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.