Abstract:
A clip assembly for retaining two or more panels together comprising a clip having a first abutment, and second abutment moveable between first and second positions to enable the clip to pass through an opening in the panels and a pin locatable with respect to the clip to cause the second abutment to remain in the second position thereby to enable the tension of two or more panels between first and second abutments.

Description:
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to clips for retaining two or more panels together.  
           [0002]    It is known to provide a variety of co-operating threaded members such as nuts or bushes, and co-operating screws or bolts in order to retain two or more panels together. However, such co-operating threaded elements require relatively complex assembly.  
           [0003]    An object of the invention is to provide means for retaining two or more panels relative to one another which is relatively easy to use and or simple to manufacture. Another object of the invention is to provide retaining means which are capable of handling relatively high loads and or which are accurate and/or positively Locatable with respect to two or more panels.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a clip assembly for retaining two or more panels together comprising a clip having a first abutment and a second abutment moveable between first and second positions to enable the clip to pass through an opening in the panels, and a pin locatable with respect to the clip to cause the second abutment to remain in the second position thereby to enable retention of the two or more panels between the first and second abutments.  
           [0005]    Preferably the second abutment is resiliently biased to the first position; beneficially therefore enabling the clip to be inserted into the panel opening without requiring any positive action on the second abutment.  
           [0006]    Preferably the second abutment is formed proximal a wall of the clip and operably protrudes beyond the wall in the second position. Preferably, the abutment protrudes slightly beyond the wall in the first position; beneficially thereby enabling positive location of the clip with respect to the two or more panels prior to insertion of the pin.  
           [0007]    Preferably, the pin and second abutment comprise co-operating camming means. In one form the second abutment comprises a cam surface such as a heel and or the pin comprises a cam surface such as a tapered portion.  
           [0008]    Preferably the clip comprises means for retaining the pin such as an aperture having peripheral barbs for engaging a portion-of the pin.  
           [0009]    Preferably two or more pairs of first and second abutments are provided on a clip.  
           [0010]    According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a clip assembly for retaining two or more panels together comprising a clip having a first abutment, a resiliently movable second abutment, a moveable element, such as a pin, having means for effecting movement of the second abutment to a retaining position whereby the first and second abutment are operable to maintain two or more panels together. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of an example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a clip assembly according to the invention in a pre formed configuration;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 in a partially formed configuration;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the clip assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a formed configuration;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevation view of the clip shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and  3 ;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a schematic edge view of part of the clip shown in FIGS.  1  to  4  operably gripping two panels; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a pin according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    Referring to FIGS.  1  to  5 , there is shown a clip assembly  10  according to the invention, comprising a clip  12  and a pin  14 . Pin  14  comprises a tapered nose  16 , a first cylindrical portion  18 , a tapered portion  20  and a second cylindrical portion  22 . Pin  14  further comprises an end tab  24  for ease of insertion of the pin into clip assembly  10 . Pin  14  can be formed of glass filled nylon for example. The percentage glass content can be between 30 and 70%. It is noted that tab  24  is not necessarily larger than cylindrical portion  22 . Alternatively the tab can form a much larger panel such that pin  14  can be integrally formed within such a panel.  
         [0019]    Referring to clip  12 , it comprises a U shaped body  30  having a first side  32  comprising a first abutment or lug  34  and two inwardly directed edge flanges  36 . A moveable member  38  is formed in an aperture  40  in first side  32 . Body  30  comprises an end  42  having an aperture  44  for receiving both portions  16  and first cylindrical portion  18  of pin  14 . One or more means for retaining pin  14  relative to the clip are preferably provided proximal aperture  44 . In this example a pair of barbs  46  are disposed on opposite sides of the aperture.  
         [0020]    Body  30  comprises a second side  48  having a pair of inwardly directed edge flanges  50  and providing a further first abutment or lug  52 . Side  48  further comprises a moveable member  54  formed within an aperture  56 .  
         [0021]    Moveable members  54  and  38  are substantially the same and reference is made here to moveable member  54  for further detail as shown in FIG. 4. Moveable member  54  is pivotally attached on a fold or pivot  58 . Moveable member  54  comprises a body portion  60  which extends to a lug or second abutment  62 .  
         [0022]    Clip  12  can be formed from sheet material such as spring steel by first stamping the sheet material to form the correct shape, followed by bending edge flanges  36  and  4   50 , bending barbs  46  downwardly, bending first abutments  34  and  52 , and bending second abutment  62  for each of moveable members  38  and  54 . Preferably the moveable members  38  and  54  are also displaced relative to their respective side walls  32  or  48  for position whereby the end of the second abutment  62  protrudes only slightly beyond the face of the respective side wall. Finally, the U shape body  30  is formed thereby to create the clip shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 example for.  
         [0023]    Accordingly, it should be appreciated that moveable members  38  and  54  each comprise a heel such as heel  64  adjacent second abutment  62 .  
         [0024]    In use, clip  12  is inserted into an aperture or slot formed in one or more panels such as panel P 1  and panel P 2  shown in FIG. 5. Beneficially, the resilient nature of the movable member and the fact that first abutment  62  only marginally protrudes beyond side wall  48  enables the clip  12  to be easily inserted and moreover positively located due to the outward motion of the moveable member due to its own resilience. Once located, pin  14  is inserted as shown from FIGS.  1  to  3 . Accordingly, as nose portion  16  is directed towards aperture  44 , heel  64  of the moveable members  38  and  54  initially abut the first member portion  18  and in turn tapered (or frusto conical) portion  20 . The outwardly tapering nature of portion  20  causes the moveable members  38  and  54  to move outwardly thereby causing the second abutments  62  to protrude further beyond their associated side wall. Eventually, nose portion  16  passes beyond the ends of barbs  46  which operably engage the first cylindrical portion  18  and act to retain pin  14  in position as shown in FIG. 3. In the retained position, the moveable members  38  and  54  are displaced sufficiently outwardly to effect an abutment surface for abutting part of a panel such as panel P 2  shown in FIG. 5 whereby first abutment  52  and second abutment  62  operably provide effective means for retaining panels P 1  and P 2  together.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a second embodiment of a pin according to the invention. Pin  14 A comprises means for enabling separation of first cylindrical portion  18 A from the rest of the pin thereby to assist in removal of the pin  14 A from the clip assembly  10 . The means can for example comprise a circumferential line of weakness around cylindrical portion  18 A for example formed by a series of depressions  66  in portion  18 A. Beneficially therefore, pin  14 A retains a large degree of structural integrity thereby meeting requirements to help retain panels in position but enabling rotational weakness such as a rotational sheer to effect breakage of the pin thereby to remove a large part of the pin from the clip assembly.