Abstract:
A self-engaging rod retaining clip assembly for retaining a rod and a method of retaining the rod to a vehicle closure support component is disclosed. The self-engaging rod retaining clip assembly holds a rod retaining clip in a desired position on a vehicle closure support component until the rod is installed. Installing the rod includes pressing the rod against a rod pivoting flange, which causes clip retention flanges to flex outward around a clip support arm until the rod is sufficiently retained inside a rod channel in the support component. The clip retention flanges then snap towards each other to retain the clip, and hence the rod, in the support component.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to clips for retaining rods associated with vehicle closures. 
     For vehicle closures that open by swinging upward, it is usually desirable to provide some type of mechanical assistance for opening and holding such closures in an open position. For example, a torque rod counterbalance system may be employed since it is a cost-effective and reliable type of counterbalance system, and also because it is not susceptible to temperature variations as are other types of counterbalance systems. 
     One place where such torque rod counterbalance systems may be employed are passenger car deck lids that cover trunk openings. The torque rod engages the deck lid hinge and is pre-loaded with torque to counterbalance the weight of the deck lid and allow for initial lid movement upon release of a latch. One or more torque rods may be employed to engage the pair of deck lid hinges. The nature of torque rod counterbalance systems traditionally require the torque rods to be installed after the vehicle paint process is complete and the vehicle is in a general assembly area for further installation of other components. This is done because, if they are wound up (pre-stressed) in position prior to (and during) the vehicle painting process, the torque rods will lose some of the initial toque pre-stress due to the heat of the paint process. Also, it is undesirable to create stresses in the deck lid prior to (and during) paint processing, which can occur if the torque rods are pre-stressed during paint processing. 
     On the other hand, there are assembly process reasons that make it desirable to mount the torque rods to the vehicle prior to paint operations. Since it is still desirable to assure that the torque rods are not pre-stressed during paint operations, some means to retain the unstressed torque rods in position in the vehicle during paint operations is desired. Preferably, this means is relatively simple, quick, reliable and inexpensive since the torque rods will still have to undergo final assembly steps where they are wound up (pre-stressed) and engaged with the deck lid hinges after the paint operations are completed. 
     Some have attempted to provide such a means by employing a positive retention torque rod retaining clip. These clips typically include tabs that are plastically bent (crimped) to retain the torque rod in position during paint operations. But these devices are undesirable in that they require a relatively high insertion force and have been known to accidentally release the torque rods prior to being assembled to the final vehicle location. Thus, the clips tend to be less reliable as a retention method than is desirable. Also, the clips may be out of position at the time of torque rod insertion, so a two-hand operation (one to hold the clip in the correct position and one to hold the rod) is needed. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     An embodiment contemplates a self-engaging rod retaining clip assembly for retaining a rod. The rod retaining clip assembly comprises a vehicle closure support and a rod retaining clip. The vehicle closure support component includes a main body defining an arcuate-shaped rod channel having a rod channel opening, and a clip support arm extending from the main body adjacent to the rod channel and the rod channel opening, the clip support arm having a first side and an opposed second side and including an arm pivot hole recessed in the first and second sides. The rod retaining clip includes a clip main body having a rod retention flange extending from the clip main body outside of the rod channel when the rod retaining clip is in a pre-rod installation position; a rod pivoting flange extending from the clip main body across a portion of the rod channel opening when the rod retaining clip is in the pre-rod installation position, with the clip main body, the rod retention flange and the rod pivoting flange defining a rod recess that is shaped to receive a rod therein; a pair of clip retention flanges extending from the main body and defining an arm slot therebetween, the clip retention flanges each having a hold-open portion where a width of the arm slot between the hold-open portions is about equal to a width of the support arm, a clip securing portion where the width of the arm slot between the clip securing portions is less than the width of the arm slot between the hold-open portions, and a tapered clip spreading portion extending between the respective hold-open portions and clip securing portions; and a pivot pin pivotally securing the rod retaining clip to the clip support arm. 
     An embodiment contemplates a method of pre-installing a torque rod to a vehicle closure support component, the method comprising the steps of: pivotally supporting a rod retaining clip on a clip support arm of the vehicle closure support component adjacent to a rod channel with a rod pivoting flange of the rod retaining clip extending across a portion of a rod channel opening and a rod retention flange extending outside of the rod channel; maintaining the rod retaining clip in a pre-rod installation position by trapping the clip support arm between a web of the rod retention flange and hold-open portions of a pair of clip retention flanges; pressing the torque rod against the rod pivoting flange to cause the clip retention flanges to flex around the clip support arm and the rod pivoting flange to pivot into the rod channel; and pressing the torque rod further into the rod channel until the clip retention flanges no longer align with the clip support arm, allowing the clip retention flanges to snap toward each other. 
     An advantage of an embodiment is that the self-engaging rod retaining clip assembly minimizes assembly operator installation efforts for insertion, but positively and reliably secures vehicle torque rods during assembly plant processing. This clip is also relatively inexpensive, and quick and easy to use. No crimping (plastically bending tabs) is needed for installation, and the clip is automatically maintained in the correct position for torque rod insertion until the torque rod is actually inserted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a self-engaging rod retaining clip mounted on a vehicle closure support component, with the clip in a pre-rod installation (open) position. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view, on a reduced scale, of the clip and support component of  FIG. 1 , and a rod shown initially contacting the clip in the pre-rod installation position. 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , but illustrating the clip and rod in a partially installed position. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view similar to  FIG. 2 , but illustrating the clip and rod in a fully installed (trapped) position. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the rod retaining clip assembly, in the installed position illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a self-engaging rod retaining clip, according to a second embodiment, mounted on the vehicle closure support component. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the clip of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the clip of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , a vehicle closure support component, indicated generally at  20 , is shown. The component  20  may be, for example, a hinge box or a hinge link (that drives a gooseneck strap) associated with a vehicle deck lid (not shown), or in a tailgate (not shown) or lift gate (not shown) counterbalance system. The component  20  includes a component main body  22  that defines an arcuate-shaped rod channel  24  having a rod channel opening  26 . A clip support arm  28  extends from the main body adjacent to the rod channel  24  and rod opening  26 . The support arm  28  includes an arm pivot hole  30  adjacent to the rod opening  26 , and has a first side  32  and an opposed second side  33 . A self-engaging rod retaining clip  34  is mounted on the support arm  28 . While one support component  20  and one rod retaining clip  34  are shown, there are preferably two (spaced apart) for supporting each torque rod  36  on the vehicle (not shown). However, since the second rod retaining clip  34  can essentially be the same as the first, only one is shown herein. The torque rod  36  may be conventional, if so desired, and so will not be shown in detail herein. 
     The self-engaging rod retaining clip  34  includes a clip main body  40  having a pair of clip pivot holes  42  coaxially aligned with the pivot hole  30 . A pivot pin  38  extends through the holes  30 ,  42 , securing the clip  34  to the support arm  28 , while allowing the clip  34  to rotate relative to the support arm  28 . A rod retention flange  44 , having a central web  46 , extends from the clip main body  40 . An end  52  of the central web  46  defines an initial position retaining flange (discussed below). Also, a pair of rod pivoting flanges  48  extend from the clip main body  40  on opposed sides  32 ,  33  of the support arm  28 . The rod retention flange  44 , pivoting flanges  48  and clip main body  40  define a rod recess  50 . A pair of clip retention flanges  56  also extend from the clip main body  40  on opposed sides  32 ,  33  of the support arm  28 , defining an arm slot  64 . 
     Each clip retention flange  56  includes a rounded hold-open portion  58  on a first end  59 , a clip securing portion  60  extending adjacent to an opposed second end  61 , and a tapered clip spreading portion  62  extending between the hold-open potion  58  and the clip securing portion  60 . These portions  58 ,  60 ,  62  define the arm slot. A width  65  of the arm slot  64  between the hold-open portions  58  is about equal to or slightly smaller than a width  66  of the clip support arm  28  adjacent to the hold-open portion  58  when the clip  34  is in its pre-rod installation position. A width  67  of the arm slot  64  between the clip securing portions  60  is smaller than the width  65 , with a width of the arm slot  64  tapering from the width  65  to the width  67 . A pair of clip support flanges  68  may extend between the second end  61  and the pair of rod pivoting flanges  48 . 
     As an alternative, the tapered clip spreading portion  62  may incorporate the hold-open portion by having the clip spreading portions  62  near the first end  59  spaced apart about equal to or slightly wider than the support arm width  66  and then tapering towards each other as they extend to the clip securing portions  60 . Also, if so desired, the clip securing portions  60  may continue the taper rather than extending generally parallel to each other. This accomplishes a similar result in that the desire is to gradually flex the clip retention flanges  44  apart as the retaining clip  34  is rotated relative to the support arm  28  until the retention flanges  44  snap past the support arm  28  (discussed in more detail below). 
     The initial pre-paint-operations assembly of the torque rod  36 , with reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , will now be described. The rod retaining clip  34  is installed onto the clip support arm  28  in its pre-rod installation position (shown in  FIG. 1 ), with the end  52  of the central web  46  pressed against the clip support arm  28  and the hold-open portions  58  also pressed against the clip support arm  28 . Since the width  65  of the arm slot  64  between the hold-open portions  58  is about equal to or slightly less than the width  66  of the clip support arm  28 , the retaining clip  34  will inherently be held in this position. In the pre-rod installation position, the rod recess  50  faces outward away from the rod channel  24 , allowing for easy alignment of the torque rod  36  with this channel  24 . Positively holding the retaining clip  34  in this position makes assembly easier since the assembler knows what the clip position will be on each vehicle, and one hand will not have to be used to reposition the clip while the other hand moves the torque rod  36  into position in the recess  50 . 
     The initial torque rod installation continues by locating the torque rod  36  in the rod recess  50  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). The assembler then pushes upward on the torque rod  36 . As the assembler pushes upward, the upward force will press the rounded hold-open portions  58  against the sides  32 ,  33  of the support arm  28 , causing the clip retention flanges  56  to elastically flex away from each other. As the torque rod  36  is pushed farther upward, through the rod channel opening  26 , the clip  34  rotates relative to the clip support arm  28 . This causes the tapered clip spreading portions  60  to slide along the sides  32 ,  33 , in turn causing the retention flanges  56  to gradually spread open farther (shown in  FIG. 3 ). As the assembler pushes the torque rod  36  farther into the rod channel  24 , eventually the retaining clip  34  will rotate far enough that the clip securing portions  62  slide past the sides  32 ,  33  of the support arm  28 , allowing the clip retention flanges  56  to spring back towards each other (shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The initial torque rod installation is now complete. 
     With the clip securing portions  62  snapping back towards each other, the clip securing portions  62  self-engage to hold the retaining clip  34  in this fully installed (trapped) position without any further actions on the part of the assembler. Of course, the length of the rod retention flange  44  and the dimensions of the rod channel  24  are determined so that a final gap between the two is less than the diameter of the torque rod  36 . In this way, even though the torque rod  36  is not tightly retained in the rod channel  24 , the retaining clip  34  positively secures both itself and the torque rod  36  in the fully installed positions. Accordingly, this portion of the assembly process is relatively quick, simple, and reliable. Once the torque rod  36  is pushed into its desired position, the torque rod  36  will be positively retained in this desired position on the vehicle as the vehicle proceeds through paint operations—without requiring that the torque rod  36  be wound up during these operations. 
     After paint operations, the torque rod  36  is still positively retained in position, ready to be wound up (pre-stressed) during final assembly operations for the vehicle. After the torque rod  36  is wound up, the retaining clips  34  are no longer needed, but can be left in place since they do not interfere with the operation of the torque rod  36  or the vehicle closure. Thus, the relatively low cost of the retaining clip  34  is desirable since it is only used during a portion of the vehicle assembly process. 
       FIGS. 6-8  illustrate a second embodiment. Since this embodiment is similar to the first, similar element numbers will be used for similar elements, but employing 100-series numbers. 
     The vehicle closure support component  120  still includes a main body  122  defining a rod channel  124  having a rod channel opening  126 . A clip arm support  128  extends out and supports a self-engaging rod retaining clip  134 . 
     The rod retaining clip  134  still includes a clip main body  140  from which a rod retention flange  144 , having a central web  146 , and a pair of rod pivoting flanges  148  extend. The main body  140 , retention flange  144  and pivoting flanges  148  define the rod recess  150 , and the central web  146  has an end  152  for abutting the support arm  128 . A pair of clip retention flanges  156  still extend from the main body  140 , with each including a hold-open portion  158 , clip securing portion  160  and clip spreading portion that together define an arm slot  164 . Again, clip support flanges  168  may extend between the clip retention flanges  156  an the rod pivoting flanges  148 . 
     The rod retaining clip  134  differs from the first embodiment in that it now includes a pair of pivot pin flanges  138 , with each pivot pin flange  138  including a tapered surface. Preferably, the pivot pin flanges  138  are integral with the clip main body  140 . This clip  134 , then, may be molded from plastic, for example. The term integral, as used herein, means that the particular feature (portion) is made from the same piece of material as the area around it, forming a single monolithic part, rather than being formed separately first and then later attached by fasteners, welding, adhesive, etc. An advantage with this embodiment, then, is that no separate pin must be installed and secured in place. The clip  134  is slid over the support arm  128  with the clip oriented so that the thin side of the pivot pin flanges  138  engage the support arm  128  first. As the clip  134  slides further on, the tapered surfaces  170  will cause the clip to gradually flex open until the pivot pin flanges  138  align with and snap into a pivot hole (not shown in the second embodiment) of the support arm  128 . The clip  134  is now secured to and can pivot relative to the support arm  128 . The installation of a torque rod is the same as the first embodiment. 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.