Abstract:
A connecting pin with a cross-section comprising vertical and horizontal wing portions. For better connection, opposite surfaces of the pin are changed to form projections. Due to this configuration, the pin can connect two articles with a certain play in one or more directions. The pin can be formed integrally with one of the articles.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connecting pin for connecting one article to another, for example, for connecting an instrument panel to an automobile body. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Pins are ordinarily formed with a circular cross-section. In general, such circular cross-sectional pins are adapted to connect two articles together in a fixed relationship. In some cases, however, it is desirable to connect two articles with a certain play in one or more directions. For example, this is true when pins are used together with bolts to connect one relatively large article to another. In such cases, the pins are inserted first, and the assembly is bolted together later. The bolts, of course, must be able to be passed through holes at that time. Conventional circular pins are not adapted for such use. 
     When connecting one article to another by means of pins, in most cases, pins are first rigidly secured to one article at one end, then are connected to the other article at the other ends. The first ends of pins are usually secured to an article by driving the pins into bosses provided in the article. This pin-driving work, however, sometimes results in pin damage and, if at all possible, should desirably be eliminated. 
     Toward this end, it is desirable to form pins integrally with articles. Such pins, however, project from articles and require what is called in the molding art an &#34;undercut&#34; configuration for anchoring to other articles. This necessitates numerous split dies. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a connecting pin which allow a certain play in one or more directions after connecting two articles and which is preferably adapted to be formed integrally with an article to be connected. 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a connecting pin which is adapted to be rigidly secured to one article at one end and to be connected to another at the other end. The pin comprises, in its cross-section, vertical wing portions and horizontal wing portions. A means is provided on at least one of the outer surfaces of one of the vertical and horizontal wing portions, by the change of the surface profile of the outer surfaces, for securing the pin to the other article. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a preferred embodiment in connection with the attached drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an instrument panel assembly of an automobile, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the clip of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the safety pad, taken along the line III--III in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the pin of FIG. 1 in an enlarged scale; 
     FIG. 5 is a section of the pin, taken along the line V--V in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a section of the pin in the engaged condition with the clip; and 
     FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a die for molding the pin and the safety pad. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring first to FIG. 1, an instrument panel assembly of an automobile is shown in an exploded perspective manner. Reference number 1 generally indicates an instrument panel safety pad, and reference number 2 generally indicates a cowl panel. The visible surface of the safety pad 1 is exposed to the cabin space and is sloped from an upper edge to a lower edge. The safety pad 1 and the cowl panel 2 are attached to a reinforcement 4 which extends traversely between pillars 3 (only left side one shown) of the automobile body. The reinforcement 4 comprises a reinforcement pipe 5 and stays 6 welded to the pipe 5. For the purpose of attaching the safety pad 1 and the cowl panel 2 to the reinforcement 4 by means of bolts (not shown), holes are provided. The safety pad 1 has holes 1a to 1f, the cowl panel 2 has holes 2b to 2e, 2g,  and 2h, and the reinforcement 4 has holes 4a and 4f to 4h. The bolts are passed through holes having the same letter. 
     The stays 6 of the reinforcement 4 have slots in addition to holes 4g or 4h to receive clips 7, one of which is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. The clips 7 have clip members 8 on their outer surfaces. The clips 7 are inserted in the slots of the stays 6 and clipped thereto by those members 8. The clips 7 also have recesses 9 on whose inner surfaces are provided clip members 10 (see also FIG. 6). The clip members 8 and 10 can be integral portions of the clip 7 wall separated by a partially surrounding slot. Two pins 11 are rigidly secured to the safety pad 1 on the sloped back surface at the upper positions, directed toward the recesses 9 of the clips 7 attached to the stays 6. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the safety pad 1 comprises safety pad base 12, an optional safety cover 13 over the base 12, and a cushion 14 disposed between the base 12 and the cover 13. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, each pin 11 has a generally cross-like cross-section comprising vertical wing portions 16 and 17 and horizontal wing portions 18 and 19. The horizontal wing portion 18 has a generally rectangular cross-section and becomes thinner and narrower, as shown in FIG. 4, in the axial direction toward the pin end. The horizontal wing portion 19 has a trapezoidal cross-section narrower toward the outer end thereof, as shown in FIG. 5. The vertical wing portions 16 and 17 are parallel to each other and generally plane in the outer ends of their cross-sections and become suddenly wider and then suddenly narrower in the axial direction near the pin end so as to form projections 20 and 21. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, a section of the pin 11 as inserted in the clip 7 is shown. The section corresponds to the line V--V of FIG. 4. The inside clip members 10 are spaced opposite to each other and project inward (see FIG. 2). The section shown in FIG. 6 is the innermost projecting area, with which the neck of the projection 20 and 21 engages. The clip members 10 are elastic due to the characteristics of their material, so the projections 20 and 21 of the pin 11 can easily pass through the innermost projecting area of the clip for anchoring. 
     It is to be understood that this pin-and-clip connection allows the pin to move in the horizontal direction, but not in the vertical direction or in the direction of the pin axis. This pin configuration allows the clips 7 to be of a simple design. It is also advantageous in that the instrument panel assembly work can be smoothly and steadily completed using a pin connection and bolt connection. 
     A further advantage of the present invention is that the pins 11 can be formed integrally with the safety pad base 12 by molding, as hatched in FIG. 3. This is because the pin configuration according to the present invention does not require any difficult die designs. In other words, the two oppositing die halves can be moved in the directions shown by the arrows A and B in FIG. 3 to remove the integrally formed pins and pad at the last stage of the molding process. To deal with the &#34;undercut&#34; of the projection of the pins, only one minor die 24 is necessary in addition to the major dies 23, as shown in FIG. 7. The major dies 23 can be moved in the pin axis direction, which is perpendicular to the sheet of FIG. 7, i.e., the direction A of FIG. 3. The third die 24 can be moved to the right in FIG. 7. The advantage of forming the pins integrally with the safety pad is clear from the foregoing description. 
     A still further advantage of the pin configuration, i.e., the generally cross-like cross-section, resides in the saving of material with no significant decrease in strength. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with an instrument panel assembly, it is not intended to be restricted in such an application. The pin configuration according to the invention can be widely applied for other uses without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.