Metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation and structure using the same

A metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation and a vehicle accessory installation structure using the metal clip, capable of improving a yield ratio of a metal plate required to form the metal clip and capable of reliably performing temporary fixation of accessories to an interior member. A metal clip (10) for vehicle accessory fixation has first V-shaped tabs (33) that are bent into a substantially V shape as seen from a side, an end edge of each of which V-shaped tabs (33) is an installation section (34) for engaging with a base section (12) of an accessory, and in which an engagement section (36a) for engagement with an installation hole of a vehicle panel is provided in the middle of each tab; an extension section (37) extended in a folding line (32) direction from a valley bottom section (31) of the first V-shaped tabs (33); and second V-shaped tabs (38) that extend from both sides of the extension section (37) in the direction crossing the extension section (37), each of which second V-shaped tabs (38) is bent in a V shape with an extension section (37) as the valley bottom section (31), and whose end sections (38a) engage with holes (51) of an interior member (50) to temporarily fix the accessory.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to: a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation, which is used to fix a vehicle accessory such as an assist grip or a sun visor to a vehicle panel through the intermediation of an interior member; and to a vehicle accessory installation structure using the same.

BACKGROUND ART

Vehicle accessories such as an assist grip and a sun visor are installed in the interior of an automobile. An assist grip is installed in the interior of a vehicle, for example, in the following manner. The interior member is put in through a front windshield opening, and is arranged on the vehicle panel, in which a hole in the vehicle panel and a hole in the interior member are aligned with each other. Further, a metal clip is assembled to the assist grip in advance. Then, the metal clip assembled to the assist grip is inserted into the hole of the vehicle panel as well as the hole of the interior member and engages with the inner periphery of the holes by the resilient force of the metal clip, thereby installing the assist grip in the interior of the vehicle.

As an example in which an accessory is installed in the interior of a vehicle by thus using a metal clip, there is disclosed in Patent Document 1 mentioned below an installation structure for an assist grip which is mounted to a body panel by a clip in the interior of a vehicle and which can be pulled out for use from a position where the assist grip is accommodated; at both ends of the assist grip, there are formed connecting portions on which cap formed separately from the assist grip are put; at least one connecting portion is fixed to the body panel through the intermediation of the clip; each of the connecting portions is formed at an end of the assist grip integrally with the main body portion of the assist grip, and is composed of a thin-plate-like sliding portion having an elongated hole so as to allow displacement by a predetermined distance, a base member which is formed separately from the assist grip and which has an inner surface on which the sliding portion is slidably placed and in which there is formed a hole allowing insertion of the clip, and a pressurizing member formed separately from the assist grip and adapted to hold the sliding portion in a pressurized state; the sliding portion is held between the base member and the pressurizing member by the clip; the clip has a pair of leg portions which can be varied in the degree of opening through elastic deformation thereof, and an engagement section locked to the body panel so as not to be detached after the insertion; and they are inserted into three holes of the connecting portions, and are inserted into and fixed to a hole provided at the assist grip installation position of the body panel.

The above-mentioned installation method, in which the assist grip is installed after the arrangement of the interior member on the vehicle panel, involves many steps; further, an installing operation for the assist grip inside a small interior of the vehicle is required, where it is rather difficult to secure the space for the installing operation, resulting in a problem with workability.

In view of this, there is available a known structure in which the assist grip is temporarily fixed to the interior member in advance before effecting the final fixation thereof. For example, Patent Document 2 mentioned below discloses a structure which has four thin resilient spring fingers in total extending from the sides of the lower distal ends of two resilient legs back toward the head liner, situated on the depth side of a head liner and a vehicle body metal plate when they are in a temporarily assembled state, thereby making it possible to effect temporary assembly of the assist grip to the head liner by virtue of those four thin resilient spring fingers.

Further, Patent Document 3 mentioned below discloses a structure in which an accessory to be mounted to a roof panel has a clip member and a temporary fixation boss and in which the temporary fixation boss of the accessory is inserted into a mounting hole of the roof trim from the front side thereof, while a push-on fixer being inserted into the temporary fixation boss from the back side of the roof trim, thereby effecting temporary fixation; in this state, the clip member of the accessory is inserted into the mounting hole of the roof panel, whereby the accessory is mounted to the roof panel.Patent Document 1: JP 2004-155234 APatent Document 2: U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,575Patent Document 3: JP 2004-42701 A

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be solved by the Invention

Of various vehicle accessories, an assist grip, which is to be grasped by hand, is preferably formed of metal, as in the case of the metal clip of Patent Document 1 mentioned above, since a large load is applied thereto. Thus, it is desirable for the member that can be temporarily assembled to the interior member in Patent Document 2 mentioned above to be formed of metal.

When a structure having four thin and narrow resilient spring fingers is to be formed of metal, as in the case of Patent Document 2 mentioned above, a metal plate is shaped through stamping, and then bending is performed thereon. However, when performing stamping on the structure of Patent Document 2 mentioned above, which has four thin and narrow resilient spring fingers, the thin and narrow resilient spring fingers developed in a plane will be radially spread to occupy a wastefully large space, resulting in poor yield rate of the metal plate of material.

In the case of Patent Document 3 mentioned above, temporary fixation of the accessory to the roof trim can not be achieved unless a member like a push-on fixer fixes the temporary fixation boss of the accessory from the back side of the roof trim, where a rather troublesome temporary fixing operation is involved.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to achieve: in a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation enabling a vehicle accessory to be installed on a vehicle panel, an improvement in terms of the yield rate of the requisite metal plate when forming this metal clip; and a temporary fixation of the accessory reliably to an interior member.

Means for solving the Problems

To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation to be mounted to a base section of a vehicle accessory and inserted into a hole of an interior member and thereby to effect temporary fixation of the accessory to the interior member, and to be inserted, in this state, into an installation hole of a vehicle panel and thereby to effect final fixation of the accessory to the vehicle panel. The metal clip includes: a first V-shaped tab bent into a substantially V-shape as seen from a side, the first V-shaped tab including an installation section to engage with the base section of the accessory, wherein the installation section is formed at ending edge of each flap of the first V-shaped tab and including an engagement section to engage with the installation hole of the vehicle panel, wherein the engagement section is provided at halfway portion of each flap of the first V-shaped tab; an extension section extending in a direction along folding line from a valley bottom section of the first V-shaped tab; and a second V-shaped tab extending from both sides of the extension section in directions crossing the extension section and bent into a V-shape with the extension section as a valley bottom section, the second V-shaped tab including end sections thereof to engage with the hole of the interior member and thereby to effect temporary fixation of the accessory.

According to the aspect as described above, the first V-shaped tab for final fixation to engage with the installation hole of the vehicle panel is formed to extend on both sides from the valley bottom section of the first V-shaped tab as a center while the second V-shaped tab for temporary fixation to engage with the hole of the interior member is formed to extend on both sides from the extension section extended in the direction along folding line as a center, therefore the area of the metal clip when in the developed state is relatively small, thus making it possible to achieve an improvement in terms of the yield rate in a metal plate when stamping is performed thereon.

Further, the distance from the second V-shaped tab to the first V-shaped tab is substantially determined by the shape attained at the time of stamping, so it is possible to prevent the position of the end section of the second V-shaped tab from being unreliable, which is otherwise varied depending upon the bending angle of the metal plate.

Moreover, the end section of the second V-shaped tab engages with the hole of the interior member, whereby it is possible to temporarily fix the accessory to the interior member by the metal clip alone, therefore there is no need to provide a member like a push-on fixer as in the case of Patent Document 3 mentioned above, thereby achieving an improvement in terms of workability.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation in which each flap of the first V-shaped tab is connected to the extension section with the width thereof reduced.

According to the aspect as described above, the length of the extension section extended from the valley bottom section of the first V-shaped tab in the direction along folding line can be made as large as possible, therefore, when the second V-shaped tab is inserted into the hole of the interior member and the installation hole of the vehicle panel, the second V-shaped tab can be easily deflected around the extension section.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, there is provided a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation in which: a bending angle of the valley bottom section of the second V-shaped tab is smaller than a bending angle of the valley bottom section of the first V-shaped tab; and whereby, when the second V-shaped tab is deflected so that the extension section bends, the second V-shaped tab enters the inner side of the first V-shaped tab.

According to the aspect as described above, when the second V-shaped tab is deflected in a bending fashion, the second V-shaped tab can be deflected to a sufficient degree without coming into contact with the first V-shaped tab, so the second V-shaped tab can be easily inserted into the hole of the interior member as well as the installation hole of the vehicle panel.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects of the invention, there is provided a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation in which the second V-shaped tab crosses the extension section and is formed to extend obliquely away from the first V-shaped tab.

According to the aspect as described above, it is possible to make the second V-shaped tab stick outward by a large length hereby to reliably engage with the hole of the interior member; further, when the second V-shaped tab is inserted into the hole of the interior member as well as the installation hole of the vehicle panel, the second V-shaped tab can be easily deflected around the extension section.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation in which the second V-shaped tab is formed curvedly so that the second V-shaped tab is largely inclined with respect to a vertical plane perpendicular to the extension section as the second V-shaped tab extending away from the extension section.

According to the aspect as described above, when the second V-shaped tab is inserted into the hole of the interior member and the installation hole of the vehicle panel, the deflection amount increases as the second V-shaped tab is inserted deeper, resulting in the increase in resistance; regardlessly, since the bending moment increases as the pressing point approaches the end section of the second V-shaped tab, the increase in insertion resistance is suppressed, thus facilitating the insertion.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects of the invention, there is provided a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation in which the end section of the second V-shaped tab is provided to abut the inner peripheral portion of the installation hole of the vehicle panel while the first V-shaped tab engaging with the installation hole of the vehicle panel.

According to the aspect as described above, in a state in which the first V-shaped tab engages with the installation hole of the vehicle panel thereby to effect final fixation, the second V-shaped tab in a contracted state abuts the inner peripheral portion of the installation hole, and does not engage with the back side of the installation hole; therefore, when the metal clip is necessitated to detach, it is possible to prevent the second V-shaped tab from engaging with the installation hole of the vehicle panel, thus avoiding failure to remove the same.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation in which the end section of the second V-shaped tab protrudes in a direction away from the first V-shaped tab.

According to the aspect as described above, even in the case in which the metal clip is obliquely inserted into the installation hole of the vehicle panel, for example, it is possible to prevent the end section of the second V-shaped tab from getting out to the backside of the installation hole, thus making it possible, when the metal clip is necessitated to detach, to prevent the end section of the second V-shaped tab from engaging with the back side of the installation hole and avoiding failure to remove the same.

According to a eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle accessory installation structure. The structure includes: a vehicle panel including an installation hole; an interior member including a hole to align with the installation hole; a vehicle accessory to be fixed to the vehicle panel through the intermediation of the interior member; and a metal clip to be engaged with a base section of the vehicle accessory and inserted into the hole of the interior member and the installation hole of the vehicle panel and thereby to effect fixation of the vehicle accessory, in which the metal clip includes: a first V-shaped tab bent into a substantially V-shape as seen from a side, the first V-shaped tab including an installation section to engage with the base section of the accessory, wherein the installation section is formed at ending edge of each flap of the first V-shaped tab and including an engagement section to engage with the installation hole of the vehicle panel, wherein the engagement section is provided at halfway portion of each flap of the first V-shaped tab; an extension section extending in a direction along folding line from a valley bottom section of the first V-shaped tab; and a second V-shaped tab extending from both sides of the extension section in directions crossing the extension section and bent into a V-shape with the extension section as a valley bottom section, the second V-shaped tab including end sections thereof to engage with the hole of the interior member and thereby to effect temporary fixation of the accessory, and in which, once the first V-shaped tab and the second V-shaped tab are inserted into the hole of the interior member while the installation section of the metal clip engaging with the base section of the vehicle accessory thereby to temporarily fix the metal clip to the interior member, further, in this state, the first V-shaped tab and the second V-shaped tab are inserted into the installation hole of the vehicle panel such that the engagement section of the first V-shaped tab engages with the installation hole thereby to fix the vehicle accessory to the vehicle panel through the intermediation of the interior member.

According to the aspect as described above, solely by inserting the metal clip into the hole of the interior member and the hole of the vehicle panel, it is possible to fix the vehicle accessory reliably and with a simple operation to the installation hole through the intermediation of the interior member.

Effects Of The Invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation to be mounted to a base section of a vehicle accessory and inserted into a hole of an interior member and thereby to effect temporary fixation of the accessory to the interior member, and to be inserted, in this state, into an installation hole of a vehicle panel and thereby to effect final fixation of the accessory to the vehicle panel. In the metal clip, it is possible to make its area in a developed state relatively small, thereby achieving an improvement in terms of the yield rate in a metal plate when stamping is performed thereon. Further, the distance from the second V-shaped tab to the first V-shaped tab is substantially determined by the shape attained at the time of stamping, so it is possible to prevent the position of the end section of the second V-shaped tab from being unreliable, which is otherwise varied depending upon the bending angle of the metal plate, thus making it possible to reliably effect the temporary fixation of the accessory to the interior member.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.FIGS. 1 through 7show an embodiment of the present invention.

InFIG. 1, numeral10indicates a vehicle accessory, numeral30indicates metal clips for fixing the vehicle accessory10in position, and numeral50indicates an interior member.

In this embodiment, the vehicle accessory10is composed of a support rod11to which a sun visor (not shown) is mounted, a base section12rotatably supporting the support rod11, and a cap13to be put on the base section12.

Referring to bothFIGS. 2 and 3, the proximal end portion of the support rod11is bent in an L-shape to form a shaft11a, which is rotatably supported by the base section12. A distal portion11bthereof is inserted into the sun visor (not shown) to support the sun visor.

The base section12has at its center a bearing portion12ainto which the shaft11ais inserted. After being inserted into the bearing portion12a, the shaft11ais rotatably supported while protected against detachment by an eyelet14. At both sides of the bearing portion12a, there are formed through-holes15. The metal clips30described below are inserted into the through-holes15and attached thereto. Further, in a side wall at either end of the base section12, there are formed a first engagement groove16and a second engagement groove17arranged side by side in the thickness direction.

The cap13has at its center a cutout-like opening18, into which the support rod11is inserted. At the peripheral edge of the cap13, there is formed a peripheral wall19, which is formed so as to match with the peripheral edge of the base section12.

At a pair of opposing positions on the peripheral wall19, there are provided inwardly protruding engagement projections20. The engagement projections20are to be engaged, with a tactile feel, with the first engagement grooves16as well as the second engagement grooves17of the base section12mentioned above.

At both sides of the opening18, there protrude lock pins21to be inserted into the through-holes15of the base section12. The pair of lock pins21are passed through the through-holes15, and are forced into the metal clips30described below, serving to maintain the metal clips30in a widened state. The lock pin21has a tapered distal portion21aand a proximal portion21benlarged in diameter.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, each metal clip30has a first V-shaped tab33formed in a substantially V-shaped configuration by being bent at two folding lines32provided parallel to each other along a valley bottom section31. Both end sections of the first V-shaped tab33constitute installation sections34, which are formed by being bent outward in a flange-like fashion and are then bent upward at the distal ends thereof. When the metal clip30is inserted into one of the through-holes15of the base section12, the installation sections34are engaged with the peripheral edge of the through-hole15, thus serving to attach the metal clip30to the base section12.

At the center of each flap of the first V-shaped tab33, there is formed an elastically flexible member36by a U-shaped slit35. The elastically flexible member36has an engagement section36aformed by widening outward and then bending inward the same, and an end section36bformed by bending outward its distal end again. The portion between the engagement section36aand the end section36bis formed as an inward projection36c.

On both sides in the width direction of the valley bottom section31of the first V-shaped tab33, there are provided extension sections37extending along the folding lines32. A proximal portion33aof each flap of the first V-shaped tab33is gradually reduced in width to connect to the extension sections37. At each end in the length direction of the extension section37, there is provided second V-shaped tab38extending in a width direction of the extension section37on the side thereof. The second V-shaped tab38is also bent at the folding lines32into a V-shape.

The second V-shaped tab38crosses the extension section37, and extends obliquely away from the first V-shaped tab33. A space39is formed between the first V-shaped tab33and the second V-shaped tab38.

The configuration of the second V-shaped tab38will be described in more detail. The second V-shaped tab38is raised substantially at right angles with respect to the extension sections37, and then extends in an arcuate shape while being curved outward. That is, the second V-shaped tab38is formed curvedly as an arcuate configuration such that its inclination angle with respect to a vertical plane perpendicular to the extension section37gradually increases toward the distal end. Further, end sections38aof the second V-shaped tab38are configured so as to protrude in a direction away from the first V-shaped tab33.

As shown inFIGS. 5(b) and5(c), the bending angle at which the second V-shaped tab38is bent at the folding lines32is larger than the bending angle of the first V-shaped tab33, with the result that the second V-shaped tab38is situated on the inner side of the first V-shaped tab33.

In the case of this embodiment, the valley bottom section31and the extension sections37constitute a flat surface. At the two folding lines32provided on both sides of the flat surface, both the first V-shaped tab33and the second V-shaped tab38are bent to rise. However, with the valley bottom section31and the extension sections37, they may constitute a configuration in which bending is effected at a single folding line or a configuration in which bending is effected in a curved, round shape. In the case of the above-mentioned round shape, the folding line in the present invention means a ridgeline that is connecting the distal ends of the bent portions.

As shown inFIG. 4, in the metal clip30, the second V-shaped tab38extends so as to cross the extension sections37and is configured so as to widen on both sides of the first V-shaped tab33. Thus, in the developed form, it is enclosed in a rectangle A with a relatively small width. This helps to achieve an improvement in terms of the yield rate when forming the metal clip through stamping of a metal plate.

As shown inFIG. 1, the interior member50has holes51into which the metal clips30are inserted. Each hole51is configured so as to engage with the second V-shaped tab38to effect temporary fixation. As shown inFIG. 7, an installation hole53is formed in a vehicle panel52. The installation hole53is configured so as to allow insertion of each metal clip30, which is inserted into the hole51of the interior member50, such that the engagement sections36aof the elastically flexible members36engage to effect final fixation.

Next, a method of installing the vehicle accessory10by using the metal clips30will be described. First, the metal clips30are inserted into the through-holes15of the base section12of the vehicle accessory10from the front side, and the installation sections34are engaged with the peripheral edges of the through-holes15, thereby attaching to the base section12.

In this state, the cap13is put on the base section12, and a pair of lock pins21formed on the cap13is inserted into the pair of through-holes15of the base section12. The lock pins21are inserted into the first V-shaped tabs33of the metal clips30.

In the temporary fixation state, locking is effected through fit-engagement of the engagement projections20of the cap13with the first engagement grooves16of the base section12. At this state, the lock pins21are inserted halfway through the first V-shaped tabs33, which are not in a widened state. The metal clips30in this state are inserted into the holes51of the interior member50as shown inFIG. 6.

The second V-shaped tabs38of the metal clip30are pressurized by the inner periphery of the hole51, and are deflected inward around the extension sections37and displaced to the inner side of the first V-shaped tab33so as to contract. At this state, the second V-shaped tabs38are raised from the extension sections37nearly at right angles with respect to the extension sections37, and are curved so as to be obliquely inclined to a large degree as extending away from the extension sections37, therefore the pressurizing force exerted due to the holes51becomes larger toward the distal ends of the second V-shaped tabs38.

However, as departed from the extension sections37, the force acting on the second V-shaped tabs38results in larger rotational moment and acts to bend the extension sections37, therefore the insertion resistance at the hole51is not increased so much, making it possible for the second V-shaped tabs38to get out of the hole51.

When they have thus got out of the hole51, the second V-shaped tabs38are restored to the former outward widened configuration by the elastic restoring force, and the end sections38aare engaged with the back-side peripheral edge of the hole51of the interior member50, thereby temporarily fixing the vehicle accessory10to the interior member50. Since the metal clip30has the developed configuration as shown inFIG. 4, a width W of the second V-shaped tabs38is determined by the stamping configuration, thus making it possible to improve the dimensional stability of the width W. As a result, when the metal clip are inserted into the hole51of the interior member50, the second V-shaped tabs38can reliably engage with the back-side peripheral edge of the hole51. Further, since the temporary fixation to the interior member50is possible with the metal clips30alone, there is no need to use a member such as a push-on fixer as in the case of Patent Document 3 mentioned above, thus making it possible to achieve an improvement in terms of workability.

After the vehicle accessory10has been thus temporarily fixed to the interior member50, the interior member50is conveyed into the interior of a vehicle body, and fixed through the installation hole53of the vehicle panel52arranged on the inner surface of the vehicle body.

That is, as shown inFIG. 7, the distal end portion of each metal clip30protruding from each hole51of the interior member50is inserted into the installation hole53of the vehicle panel52. At this state, each lock pin21has not been completely inserted into the metal clip30, so the elastically flexible members36of the metal clip30are not in a widened state. Thus, the metal clip30can be inserted into the mounting hole53relatively smoothly.

On the other hand, the second V-shaped tabs38are pressurized by the inner periphery of the installation hole53and are bent inward around the extension sections37in a deflected state such that it enters the inner side of the first V-shaped tab33as inserted. However, the end sections38aof the second V-shaped tabs38, which protrude away from the first V-shaped tab33, do not get out of the installation hole53but are retained in the installation hole53in a contracted state.

After the metal clip30is thus inserted into the installation hole53of the vehicle panel52, the cap13is pushed firmly to force the lock pin21into the metal clip30. Then, as shown inFIG. 7, the lock pin21is inserted deep into the space defined by the elastically flexible members36of the metal clip30, and the proximal portion21bof the lock pin21pressurizes the inward projections36cof the elastically flexible members36to widen the same apart, causing the engagement sections36ato engage with the back-side peripheral edge of the installation hole53.

At this state, the engagement projections20of the cap13are fit-engaged with the second engagement grooves17, retaining the lock pins21in a forced-in state. Since the second V-shaped tabs38of each metal clip30are retained in a contracted state within the installation hole53, the second V-shaped tabs38give a function for centering of the metal clip30. In this way, the vehicle accessory10can be finally fixed to the installation holes53of the vehicle panel52together with the interior member50.

Further, the inward projections36cof the elastically flexible members36of the first V-shaped tab33are curved in a U-shape, therefore, when the lock pin21is inserted as described above and the inward projections36care deformed outward, the curved outer side surfaces of the inward projections36cabut the inner peripheral portion of the installation hole53elastically so as to be pressed against the same, then the metal clip30is fixed to the vehicle panel52. It is thus possible to suppress rattling of the metal clips30even when the thickness of the vehicle panel52differs or when the size of the lock pins21varies, making it possible to reliably effect the final fixation of the vehicle accessory10.

Next, the operation to be performed when there is a need to detach the finally fixed vehicle accessory10from the vehicle panel52, for example, for the replacement of a component, will be described.

In this case, the cap13is pulled backward to shift the engagement projections20from the second engagement grooves17to the first engagement grooves16. As a result, the lock pin21is pulled outward halfway through the space defined by the elastically flexible members36of the metal clip30, and the distal end portion21aof the lock pin21is lodged at the inner side of the elastically flexible members36, so the configuration of the elastically flexible members36are restored inward to the former contracted state. Thus, by pulling the vehicle accessory10, the metal clips30can be easily pulled out of the installation holes53of the vehicle panel52. In this way, it is possible to re-establish the state in which the vehicle accessory10is temporarily fixed to the interior member50. After that, the metal clips30are removed from the relatively soft interior member55through manual operation, thus making it possible to perform operations such as the replacement of a component.

FIG. 8shows another embodiment of the vehicle accessory10of the present invention. Basically, a metal clip30aaccording to this embodiment is of the same configuration and construction as the metal clip30of the above-mentioned embodiment.

This embodiment differs from the above-mentioned embodiment, in which the second V-shaped tab38is provided solely on one side of the first V-shaped tab33. In this embodiment, the second V-shaped tab38is provided solely on one side of the first V-shaped tab33for use in a case, for example, when a pair of holes51provided in the interior member50shown inFIG. 1be replaced by a single and continuous hole51; in such a case, only the portion of the second V-shaped tab38of each metal clip30which is situated on the outer side thereof is engaged with the peripheral edge of the hole51, while the portion of the second V-shaped tab38of each metal clip which is situated on the inner side thereof is not needed for the temporary fixation.

It is noted that, although the above-mentioned embodiment is applied to a fixing device for mounting the support rod, the base section, the cap, and the like of a sun visor, the present invention is not limited to the fixation of a sun visor and is applicable to the fixation of various other vehicle accessories such as an assist grip.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, there are provided a metal clip for vehicle accessory fixation allowing fixation of a vehicle accessory to a vehicle panel while achieving an improvement in terms of the yield rate in the requisite metal plate when forming the metal clip and reliably effecting temporary fixation of the accessory to the interior member, and a vehicle accessory installation structure using the same.