Patent Publication Number: US-2015076304-A1

Title: Clip and clip device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a clip for clamping a mounting-subject member, and a clip device including the mounting-subject member and the clip. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A garnish clip is used for mounting a mounting-subject member such as a decoration part on a mount-base member provided to a vehicle body in an automobile (see Patent Document 1). The clip for mounting a component includes a pair of faced pieces that is made by folding back a spring leaf in a V shape and includes an open end and a folded end. A retaining member engageable into a mounting hole is provided to a portion closer to the open end of the pair of faced pieces of the clip. A locking portion configured to lock a resin protruding portion of the mounting-subject member is provided to a portion closer to the folded end of the pair of faced pieces. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Document 1 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problem that the Invention is to Solve 
     In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the resin protruding portion is inserted between the pair of faced pieces, the clip can freely move in the width direction until the resin protruding portion is brought into contact with the locking portion positioned close to the folded end of the clip. Thus, the clip could be mounted inclined to a predetermined insertion direction of the resin protruding portion depending on a mounting manner. 
     The present invention is made in view of the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for preventing a clip from being mounted with inclining to a mounting-subject member. 
     Means for Solving the Problem 
     In order to solve the problem described above, an aspect of the present invention provides a clip device including a clip and a mounting-subject member to be clamped by the clip. The clip device being configured to mount the mounting-subject member on a mount-base member by locking the clip in a state of clamping the mounting-subject member on a rim of a hole portion of the mount-base member. The clip includes: a first member having a free end; a second member faced to the first member and having a free end; clamping hooks respectively provided to the first member and the second member and configured to clamp the mounting-subject member; and an extending portion provided to at least one of the first member and the second member at a position closer to the free ends than the clamping hooks, so as to extend between the first member and the second member. The mounting-subject member includes: a guide wall that is disposed along a predetermined clip insertion direction so as to face a lateral side of the extending portion, thereby limiting a movement of the extending portion in a width direction when the clip clamps the mounting-subject member. 
     According to the present embodiment, because the movement of the extending portion in the width direction is limited by the guide wall when the clip clamps the mounting-subject member, the clip can be prevented from being mounted to the mounting-subject member while inclined to the predetermined clip insertion direction. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, the clip can be prevented from being mounted inclined to a mounting-subject member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a clip device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a clip seen from above, and  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the clip seen from below. 
         FIG. 3A  is a side view of the clip,  FIG. 3B  is a front view of the clip, and  FIG. 3C  is a top view of the clip. 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a mounting-subject member, and  FIG. 4B  is a view of the mounting-subject member seen from the insertion side. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the clip device taken along the line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of a clip of a modified example. 
     
    
    
     MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a clip device  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Shown in  FIG. 1  is a state where a clip  20  clamps a mounting-subject member  10 . The clip device  1  includes the clip  20  and the mounting-subject member  10  that the clip  20  clamps. The mounting-subject member  10  defines a decoration part made from resin such as a decorative laminate, a control panel, and a package trim to be mounted inside an automobile. In  FIG. 1 , a part of the mounting-subject member  10  is shown where a protruding portion  12  to be inserted into a hole portion of a mount-base member is shown. It is also possible that a plurality of protruding portions  12  are provided to the mounting-subject member  10 , and clips  20  each clamp the protruding portions  20 . 
     The mounting-subject member  10  is mounted on the mount-base member (not illustrated) by making the clip  20  lock a rim of a hole portion of the mount-base member in a state where the clip  20  clamps the mounting-subject member  10 . The clip  20  is made by subjecting a single metallic plate to punching and press working. A detailed description of the clip  20  will be provided with reference to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the clip  20  seen from above, and  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the clip  20  seen from below.  FIG. 3A  is a side view of the clip  20 ,  FIG. 3B  is a front view of the clip  20 , and  FIG. 3C  is a top view of the clip  20 . In the drawings, same or equivalent components are denoted with same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions of the same or equivalent components are omitted as appropriate. 
     The X-axis direction shown in  FIG. 1  defines a direction along the board width of a first member  22   a  shown in  FIG. 3B , and is referred to as a width direction of the clip  20 . In addition, the Y-axis direction shown in  FIG. 1  defines a direction in which the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  shown in  FIG. 3A  are faced to each other, and is referred to as a lateral direction of the clip  20 . The Z-axis direction shown in  FIG. 1  defines an up/down direction of the clip  20  shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
     The clip  20  includes the first member  22   a,  the second member  22   b  faced to the first member  22   a,  and a connecting portion  24  configured to connect the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b.  One ends of the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  are free ends while the other ends are connected with the connecting portion  24 . The connecting portion  24  has a planar shape, and is easy to push when the clip  20  is inserted into the mounting-subject member  10 . 
     The free ends of the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  define a slot  36  to be inserted into the mounting-subject member  10  as shown in  FIG. 2A . The first member  22   a  includes a lower planar potion  40   a  standing on the connecting portion  24 , bent portions  42   a  that are bent outward from the lower planar potion  40   a,  a locking portion  44   a  that is bent inward from the bent portions  42   a  and capable of locking the hole rim of the mount-base member, an upper planar portion  46   a,  and a widening portion  30   a  that is widened outward, which are arranged in this order from the side of the connecting portion  24 . As like the first member  22   a,  the second member  22   b  includes a lower planar potion  40   b,  bent portions  42   b,  a locking portion  44   b,  an upper planar portion  46   b,  and a widening portion  30   b,  which are arranged in this order from the side of the connecting portion  24 . That is, the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  have symmetrical shapes. The locking portion  44   a  and the locking portion  44   b  (referred to as “the locking portions  44 ” when they are not distinguished from each other) are configured to retain the clip device  1  by locking the rim of a hole portion of the mount-base member when the clip device  1  is mounted on the mount-base member. 
     The first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  include a first clamping hook  26   a,  a second clamping hook  26   b,  a third clamping hook  26   c,  and a fourth clamping hook  26   d  (referred to as “the clamping hooks  26 ” when they are not distinguished from one another) configured to clamp the mounting-subject member  10 . The first clamping hook  26   a  is faced to the third clamping hook  26   c  while the second clamping hook  26   b  is faced to the fourth clamping hook  26   d,  and each pair of faced clamping hooks  26  is configured to clamp the mounting-subject member  10 . The tip ends of the metallic clamping hooks  26  may dig into the resin mounting-subject member  10 . 
     The first member  22   a  includes a first extending portion  28   a  extending between the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b.  The second member  22   b  includes a second extending portion  28   b  extending between the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b.  The first extending portion  28   a  and the second extending portion  28   b  (referred to as “the extending portions  28 ” when they are not distinguished from each other) are disposed at positions closer to the free ends than the clamping hooks  26 . The extending portions  28  extend from the position closer to the free ends than the locking portions  44  while the clamping hooks  26  extend inward from the position closer to the connecting portion  24  than the locking portions  44  as shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . Voids  32   a,    32   b  are provided around the extending portions  28  of the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b.    
     There are a space between the first clamping hook  26   a  and the third clamping hook  26   c  and a space between the second clamping hook  26   b  and the fourth clamping hook  26   d,  and they are slightly apart as shown in  FIG. 3C  so that the mounting-subject member  10  is easy to be inserted thereinto. Thus, a plate of another clip  20  may stuck into the spaces or may get into the spaces, and an entanglement of the clips  20  with each other may occur. After being subjected to press working, clips  20  are sometimes transported in a group during surface processing, heat treatment, transport before mounting, and the like. If the clips  20  are entangled with each other, mounting operation becomes complicated to require time. Thus, the first extending portion  28   a  and the second extending portion  28   b  extend so as to approach each other, and the tip end portions thereof extend so as to cross each other when seen from the lateral side. Thus, the slot  36  of the clip  20  is almost closed by the first extending portion  28   a  and the second extending portion  28   b,  which can reduce the possibility that the clips  20  are entangled with each other. 
     The first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  are flexible for the sake of its elasticity. Disposing the clamping hooks  26  so as to extend inward from the side lower than the centers in the longitudinal directions of the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  allows the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  to be more flexible on the free end sides than the sides of the clamping hooks  26  when the clip device  1  is inserted into the hole portion of the mount-base member. A detailed description of the mounting-subject member  10  will be provided with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the mounting-subject member  10 , and FIG.  4 B is a view of the mounting-subject member  10  seen from the insertion side. In  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a protruding portion  12  that the clip  20  clamps is illustrated, and the other components are omitted. The protruding portion  12  protrudes to have an approximately planar shape. 
     When being clamped by the clip  20 , a first surface  12   a  of the protruding portion  12  abuts against the first clamping hook  26   a  and the second clamping hook  26   b  while a second surface  12   b  that is the back surface to the first surface  12   a  abuts against the third clamping hook  26   c  and the fourth clamping hook  26   d.    
     A slit  17  is provided to the protruding portion  12  of the mounting-subject member  10  in the center in the width direction. The slit  17  is made by notching the mounting-subject member  10  from the tip end of the protruding portion  12  that defines the side where the clip  20  is inserted. 
     Guide walls  14  define a pair of wall surfaces forming the slit  17 , and are disposed along a predetermined clip insertion direction. The predetermined clip insertion direction defines, for example, a direction extending vertically from the tip end of the protruding portion  12 , and a direction orthogonal to the width direction of the protruding portion  12 . The guide walls  14  are configured to limit movement of the extending portions  28  in the width direction when the clip  20  clamps the mounting-subject member  10 . Thus, the clip  20  can be prevented from clamping the mounting-subject member  10  while inclined in the width direction to the mounting-subject member  10 . 
     Side end wall portions  18  are provided to the protruding portion  12  at both the ends in the width direction and formed in accordance with the board width of the clip  20 . In addition, ribs  16  that extend along the guide walls  14  and form a part of the guide walls  14  are provided. The ribs  16  and the side end wall portions  18  protrude from the first surface  12   a  and the second surface  12   b  of the protruding portion  12 . Providing the ribs  16  allows the extending portions  28  to be easily brought into contact with the guide walls  14 . 
     The spaces between the ribs  16  and the side end wall portions  18  are formed in accordance with the widths of the clamping hooks  26 . Thus, movement of the clamping hooks  26  in width direction can be limited between the ribs  16  and the side end wall portions  18  protruding from the first surface  12   a  and the second surface  12   b  of the protruding portion  12 . 
     The extending portions  28  are each disposed in the centers in the width directions of the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Two pairs of clamping hooks  26  are disposed at outer positions in the width directions than the extending portions  28 . For example, the first extending portion  28   a  is disposed between the first clamping hook  26   a  and the second clamping hook  26   b  in the width direction of the clip  20 . Thus, the clamping can be stabilized by the two pairs of clamping hooks  26  while the size in the width direction of the clip  20  can be minimized. 
     In addition, in inserting the clip  20 , since the movement of the extending portions  28  is limited by the guide walls  14  prior to clamping hooks  26 , the hooks  26  can be prevented from biting into the resin mounting-subject member  10  while the clip  20  is inclined to the predetermined clip insertion direction. 
     While the pair of extending portions  28  extends so as to cross each other in the direction seen from the lateral side, the tip end portions are disposed apart from each other as shown in  FIG. 3C . In addition, an inclined side  29   a  of the first extending portion  28   a  is inclined to the faced second member  22   b  while an inclined side  29   b  of the second extending portion  28   b  is inclined to the faced first member  22   a . Thus, when the bent portions  42   a  and the bent portions  42   b  abut against the rim of the hole portion of the mount-base member in inserting the clip device  1  into the hole portion of the mount-base member, the extending portions  28  are brought into contact with each other, which allows the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  from warping inward. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the clip device  1  taken along the line A-A of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 5  is a view of the clip device  1  seen from the lower surface side. The tip end portions of the first extending portion  28   a  and the second extending portion  28   b  are inserted between the pair of guide walls  14 . 
     A lateral side  27   a  of the first extending portion  28   a  and a lateral side  27   b  of the second extending portion  28   b  extend along the lateral direction. The lateral side  27   a  of the first extending portion  28   a  and the lateral side  27   b  of the second extending portion  28   b  are faced to the guide walls  14  therearound, so that movement of the first extending portion  28   a  and the second extending portion  28   b  in the width direction can be limited. Thus, the clip  20  can be prevented from being inserted while inclined in the width direction to the mounting-subject member  10 . 
     Meanwhile, the widening portions  30   a,    30   b  and the bent portions  42   a,    42   b  are apart in the lateral direction from the protruding portion  12 , and the first extending portion  28   a  and the second extending portion  28   b  are apart in the lateral direction from each other, too. In addition, the faced inclined sides  29   a,    29   b  of the first extending portion  28   a  and the second extending portion  28   b  are apart in the width direction from each other while being parallel to each other when seen from the lower surface side. Thus, the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  of the clip  20  can warp in the lateral direction. In addition, providing the inclined side  29   a  and the inclined side  29   b  can ensure the board widths of the extending portions  28  at the base portions, which can secure the rigidity of the extending portions  28 . 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of a clip  200  of a modified example. Compared with the clip  20  shown in  FIG. 3B , the clip  20  of the modified example is different in that notches  25   a  are provided to the widening portion  30   a  and the upper planar portion  46   a  at both the ends in the width direction. That is, the notches  25   a  are disposed on the corner portions on the free end side of the first member  22   a.  For example, each length in the width direction of the notches  25   a  may be as long as or longer than the length in the width direction of each band-shaped bent portion  42   a.  While shown in  FIG. 6  is only the first member  22   a,  notches are provided also to the second member  22   b  in a similar manner. Thus, even if the clip  200  of the modified example is mounted to the mounting-subject member  10  while inclined to the predetermined insertion direction, the free end side of the clip  200  can be prevented from protruding to the outside in the width direction of the side end wall portions  18 . 
     The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and it is also possible to add modifications such as various kinds of design changes to the embodiments based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Embodiments to which such modifications are added can also be included within the scope of the present invention. 
     Described above is the embodiment that the pair of extending portions  28  is provided to the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b;  however, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the extending portion  28  may be provided to the first member  22   a,  and may be extended to the second member  22   b  so as to cross the second member  22   b.    
     Described above is the embodiment that the slit  17  is provided to the mounting-subject member  10 ; however, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, instead of the slit  17 , a guide groove may be provided to the protruding portion  12  of the mounting-subject member  10  along the predetermined clip insertion direction. Movement of the extending portions  28  in the width direction is limited by the guide groove. 
     Described above is the embodiment that the pair of extending portions  28  includes the inclined sides at the faced tip end portions; however, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, a pair of extending portions each having a band shape may be provided and disposed side by side in the width direction while being apart in the width direction from each other. This pair of extending portions is inserted into the slit, and movement of this pair of extending portions in the width direction is limited by the guide walls  14 . In addition, the opening on the free end side of the clip  20  is almost closed by the pair of extending portions, which can prevent the clips  20  from being entangled with each other. In addition, because the pair of extending portions is disposed side by side in the width direction, inhibiting warping in the lateral direction of the first member  22   a  and the second member  22   b  can be prevented. 
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS 
       1  Clip device,  10  Mounting-subject member,  12  Protruding portion,  12   a  First surface,  12   b  Second surface,  14  Guide wall,  16  Rib,  17  Slit,  18  Side end wall portion,  20  Clip,  22   a  First member,  22   b  Second member,  24  Connecting portion,  26   a  First clamping hook,  26   b  Second clamping hook,  26   c  Third clamping hook,  26   d  Fourth clamping hook,  28   a  First extending portion,  28   b  Second extending portion 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present invention relates to a clip for clamping a mounting-subject member, and a clip device including the mounting-subject member and the clip.