Abstract:
A fastening system uses a plurality of clips for fastening a second component, e.g., a loud-speaker, to a first component, e.g., a vehicle door panel. The clips are mounted on the second component at pre-installation positions and are moved collectively from the pre-installation positions to installation positions at which the clips are retained by retaining elements projecting from the first component.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of German Patent Application 10 2006 022 890.1 filed May 15, 2006, incorporated herein by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention concerns a fastening system and method in which clips are used to fasten a second component to a first component. The invention is further concerned with an arrangement in which clips are moved collectively from pre-installation positions to installation positions at which the clips fasten a second component to a first component. 
   Fastening systems using clips to fasten a second component to a first component are generally known. They are often used in place of screw connections in order to permit faster installation of a second component on a first component. However, prior fastening systems of this type have limitations, such as difficulty in accomplishing fastening operations in inaccessible locations and the need for dealing with multiple clips that are fed and installed individually in sequence. 
   BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides improved fastening systems using clips to fasten a second component to a first component, provides easy and fast installation of a second component on a first component even in inaccessible locations, and avoids the need for feeding and installing clips individually in sequence. The invention provides clips that are economical to manufacture and easy to use and provides an installation method in which clips mounted on a second component at pre-installation positions are moved collectively to installation positions at which the clips are effective to fasten the second component to a first component. 
   Briefly stated, in one non-limiting embodiment, clips having a unique construction are mounted on a second component and are held initially at pre-installation positions. Retaining elements projecting from a first component at locations corresponding to the clips become effective to retain the clips when the clips are moved collectively from their pre-installation positions on the second component to their installation positions. The invention can be used, for example, to mount a loudspeaker on a door panel of a vehicle. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred (best mode) embodiment, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a clip according to the invention, 
       FIG. 2  is an end view of the clip from  FIG. 1 , 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the clip from  FIG. 1 , 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the clip from  FIG. 1 , 
       FIG. 5  is a longitudinal section of the clip from  FIG. 1 , 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-section through a fastening system according to the invention, 
       FIG. 7  is a longitudinal section of the fastening system from  FIG. 6 , 
       FIG. 8  is a view of a fastening system according to the invention in its pre-installation condition, and 
       FIG. 9  is a view of the fastening system from  FIG. 8  in the installed condition. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1-5  show a clip according to the invention, which can be manufactured from a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic by an injection molding process using a two-part mold, for example. The clip  1  has the shape of a generally rectangular frame comprising a first longitudinal sidewall  2  and a second longitudinal sidewall  3  spaced a uniformed distance from one another, a transverse end wall  4  connecting walls  2 ,  3  at one end of the frame, and a rib  5  connecting walls  2 ,  3  at the other end. Walls  2 ,  3 , and  4  are oriented perpendicular to an underside or bottom  7  of the clip having a flat contact surface  6 . As used herein, terms such as top and bottom are used merely for ease of description and are not intended to limit the actual orientation of the clip. 
   As described later in conjunction with  FIGS. 6-9 , clips  1  of the invention can be used for installing a second component on a first component will be described later in conjunction with  FIGS. 6-9 . The clips can be mounted on the second component at pre-installation positions. Then the second component, with the clips mounted thereon, can be associated with the first component, so that each clip is associated with a retaining element projecting from the first component. Then the clips can be moved collectively from their pre-installation positions on the second component to installation positions on the second component at which the retaining elements become effective to retain the clips and install the second component on the first component. 
   In the illustrative embodiment, the clips are moved along arcuate paths, and accordingly the sidewalls  2  and  3  of the clip frame are slightly arcuate, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . In addition, the transverse wall  4  and the rib  5  define an angle therebetween whose vertex lies on the common axis of curvature of the walls  2 ,  3 , which is perpendicular to the plane of the contact surface  6 . As will be seen later, the axis of curvature coincides with the axis about which the clips move from the pre-installation positions to the installation positions. In other embodiments, the sidewalls  2 ,  3  of the clip may be straight or have different curvatures, and the transverse end wall  4  and the rib  5  may be arranged at different angles to one another. 
   In the present embodiment, the clip frame is subdivided into a retaining region  9 , open at the top and bottom, and a tool engagement region  10 , open at the top, by a partition  8  that is connected to the sidewalls  2 ,  3 . The retaining region  9  has a U-shaped shoulder  11  with a shoulder surface  12  located between the top and bottom of the clip frame and oriented substantially parallel to the contact surface  6 . The legs of the U-shaped shoulder  11  merge with ramps  13  which extend from the vicinity of a lead-in opening  17  located beneath the rib  5 . The ramps  13  have ramp surfaces  14  that rise from the vicinity of the contact surface  6  to the level of the U-shaped shoulder  11 . 
   A resilient latching finger  15  extends from the rib  5  into the retaining region  9  and has a tapered latch  16  at its free end. As later described, finger  15  can be lifted from an initial position to permit insertion of a T-stud retaining element through the lead-in opening  17  and movement along the ramps  13  to reach the shoulder  11 , whereupon the finger  15  can spring back to its initial position, at which it blocks movement of the T-stud in a direction opposite to the insertion direction. 
   Projecting outwardly from the sidewall  3  are a plurality of hooks  18 ,  19  that serve as mounting elements and guide elements, in a manner to be described. In the form shown, two hooks  18  face downward and a single hook  19  faces upward between hooks  18 . In the embodiment, hooks  18  are spaced apart from one another by a gap whose length is equal to or greater than the length of hook  19 , which is located below the gap. This arrangement facilitates manufacture in a simple mold. 
   Sidewall  2  has a step  20  extending along its bottom edge, forming a downward facing guide surface  21  that is parallel to the contact surface  6 , and forming a guide surface  22  perpendicular to the contact surface  6 . 
   In the embodiment, the tool engagement region  10  is closed by a bottom wall  23 , which prevents a tool used in the tool engagement region  10  from coming into contact with a component on which the contact surface  6  is resting. 
   The clip  1  is particularly useful in a fastening system for installing a second component on a first component.  FIGS. 6-9  show the manner in which a plurality of clips  1  can be used to install a second component  31  on a first component  30 . In the example shown in the figures, the first component  30  can be a door panel of a vehicle, and the second component  31  can be a dish-shaped loudspeaker housing. A sealing element  32  is disposed between the components  30 ,  31 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a retaining element in the form of a T-stud  33  is welded to and projects from the first component  30 , which, in the example, is made of sheet metal. The T-stud  33  has a cylindrical shank  34  and a disk-shaped head  35  with a diameter greater than the shank  34 . The T-stud  33  and the shoulder  11  constitute cooperable retaining elements for retaining an associated clip  1  on the first component  30 . 
   The second component  31  has a generally cylindrical wall  36  from which extends an annular flange  37  outwardly. On its outermost edge, the flange  37  has a guide lip  38  spaced from the wall  36  of the second component  31  and inserted in the step  20  ( FIG. 2 ). The sealing element  32  has an aperture  40  aligned with an aperture  39  in the flange  37 . 
   Projecting outwardly from the wall  36  of the second component  31  is a guide rail  41  that has T-shaped cross-section, as shown in  FIG. 6 , and that includes a head section  42  on a stem section  43  joining the head section to the wall  36 . The head section  42  extends along the wall  36  substantially parallel thereto. Hooks  18  and  19  embrace the head section as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 8 , there is a guide rail  41  located adjacent to each corresponding aperture  39 . It is apparent in  FIG. 6  that movement of a clip  1  in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the figure can be guided by the guide rail  41  in conjunction with the guide lip  38 , which form a type of parallel guide system that guides a clip precisely and without jamming in its motion from a pre-installation position to an installation position. 
   Each clip  1  is initially pushed onto a free end of its corresponding guide rail  41  and along the guide rail to a pre-installation position shown in  FIG. 8 , at which the transverse end wall  4  of the clip is against a stop  44 , which is a radial wall on the flange  37  that also serves to reinforce the flange. The clip can be braced against the stop during motion opposite to the direction of pre-installation. A detent projection  45  on a top edge of each guide rail  41  cooperates with a recess or hook  18  to secure the clip in the pre-installation position. However, little force is required to override the projection  45  and to move the clip back toward the free end of the associated rail  41 . Alternatively, the clip may be provided with a catch that works together with a projection on the second component. Initially, all of the clips can be mounted on a second component  31  that is not yet associated with a first component  30 . 
   To associate the second component  31  with the first component  30 , the second component is moved to a position in alignment with the first component at which each aperture  39  is aligned with a T-stud  33 . The components can then be juxtaposed so that each T-stud is projected through an aperture  39  and is adjacent to an inlet opening  17  in a corresponding clip  1 . When the second component  31  is thus associated with the first component  30 , the component  31  rests on the sealing element  32 , as can be seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , and the T-studs  33  protrude through the apertures  39 . Heads  35  of the T-studs are located directly in front of the lead-in openings  17  of the clips  1 . 
   To install the component  31  on the component  30 , an assembly tool can be used, which has a number of fingers corresponding to the number of clips. Each of these fingers engages in a tool engagement region  10  of a respective clip  1 . Rotating the assembly tool clockwise in  FIG. 8  causes the clips  1  to move along their guide rails  41  and causes the T-studs  33  to enter the lead-in openings  17  of the clips, so that the heads  35  of the T-studs move along the ramps  14  until the heads  35  of the T-studs rest on the shoulders  11  and are trapped there by the latching fingers  15 . Axial compression of the sealing element  32  is brought about at the same time during this process.  FIGS. 6 and 7  show the clips  1  in their installation or fastening positions. 
   The installation process just described is easy and fast to perform and guarantees reliable installation at all fastening regions. Considerable time saving is achieved by the pre-installation of the clips on the second component and the collective movement of the clips from their pre-installation positions to their installation or fastening positions, so separate feeding and adjustment of clips is not necessary. Pre installation of the clips on the second component allows the manufacturer of the second component to supply the second component to an end user in ready-to-install form for assembly. The second component can be easily removed from the first component, when desired, by pressing the latching fingers upward to allow the heads  35  of the T-studs  33  to move down the ramps  14  and out of the lead-in openings  17 . By virtue of its design, the clip can be manufactured from plastic easily and economically, using a simple, two-part mold, for example. 
   While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, changes can be made without departing from the principles and the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the accompanying claims.