Patent Publication Number: US-2019176722-A1

Title: Bi-stable flat spring clipping device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Embodiments described herein generally relate to an apparatus and method for attaching wiring harnesses, air lines, hoses, tubes, cables, fuel lines, and the like to the frame or body of a vehicle or other machine using a bi-stable flat spring having a mounting feature. 
     RELATED ART 
     Ground traveling vehicles possess a large number of wiring harnesses, air lines, hoses, tubes, cables, fuel lines, and the like, which must be carefully clipped and routed from one component to another, in order to avoid chaffing, interference with vehicle componentry, or exposure to adverse environmental factors, such as high temperatures. In order to accomplish this, vehicle manufacturers utilize a tremendous number and variety of plastic and metal clips, plastic tie straps, strap-locks, retainers, brackets, standoffs, plastic saddles, and/or fasteners in order to ensure that the wires, lines, hoses, tubes, and/or cables remain in their proper designed routing positions. Commonly, these clips, plastic tie straps, retainers, saddles, brackets, and etcetera are attached to a vehicle component such as a frame or body part in a time consuming process requiring several manual steps. 
     For example, a P-clip must be chosen to match the size of the bundle of wires, lines, hoses, tubes, and/or cables. Then the P-clip must be positioned around the bundle at a location matching a mounting hole or stud. The P-clip mounting hole must then be positioned over the mounting stud, or a fastener placed through the P-clip mounting hole and into the mounting hole on the vehicle. A fastener must then be threaded through the hole, or over the stud, and tightened to a proper torque. Each of these steps requires dexterity, repetitive and possibly injurious motion, and costly assembly time. Similarly, the use of plastic tie straps also requires potentially injurious repetitive motion, and commonly requires the use of plastic saddles to keep lines and wires from chaffing on sharp metal edges and brackets. The necessity for plastic saddles further adds to vehicle cost and assembly time. Furthermore, if the wrong P-clip or other clip, plastic tie strap, retainer, bracket, and etcetera is chosen, or if the P-clip or plastic tie strap is improperly tightened, the clip or tie strap may dig into, pinch, or otherwise improperly restrict the wires, lines, hoses, tubes, and/or cables. Avoiding this requires that a plethora of clips, plastic tie straps, retainers, brackets, and etcetera be provided, which adds to the cost of the vehicle. P-clips in particular have the disadvantage of being a fixed diameter, so that one part cannot accommodate variations in bundle size. Also, P-clips often are not as mechanically robust as plastic tie straps. In order to be flexible enough to be easy to assemble, they are generally of a very thin gauge material, so in some cases are lacking in sufficient strength. 
     Accordingly, there is an unmet need for an apparatus and method of clipping and routing wiring harnesses, air lines, hoses, tubes, cables, fuel lines, and the like while minimizing the number and variety of plastic and metal clips, plastic tie straps, strap-locks, retainers, brackets, standoffs, plastic saddles, and/or fasteners, and while further minimizing the number of manual, time-consuming, and repetitive steps involved in assembly. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one embodiment, a system for attaching linear elements to a vehicle includes at least one bi-stable flat spring clipping device. The at least one bi-stable flat spring clipping device includes at least one bi-stable flat spring characterized by being metastable in a flat state and stable in a coiled state. The at least one bi-stable flat spring has at least one mounting feature. 
     According to another embodiment, a method for attaching at least one linear element to a vehicle comprises the steps of: providing at least one bi-stable flat spring clipping device having at least one bi-stable flat spring characterized by being metastable in a flat state and stable in a coiled state, and having at least one mounting feature. The at least one bi-stable flat spring clipping device is attached to the vehicle using the at least one mounting feature with the at least one bi-stable flat spring in the metastable flat state. A threshold force is applied to the at least one bi-stable flat spring causing the at least one bi-stable flat spring to transition from the metastable flat state to the stable coiled state while encircling the at least one linear element. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device in a flat state, as described herein; 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of an embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device in a coiled state, as described herein; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are top views of embodiments of Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Devices in the flat state, as described herein; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of an embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the flat state, with a bundle of linear elements to be attached thereto, as described herein; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of an embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the coiled state, engaging a bundle of linear elements, as described herein; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of an embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the coiled state, engaging a bundle of linear elements, as described herein; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the coiled state, engaging a bundle of linear elements, as described herein; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the coiled state, engaging a bundle of linear elements, as described herein; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device in the flat state, as described herein; 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of the embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device of  FIG. 10  in the coiled state, as described herein; 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device in the flat state, as described herein; 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of the embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device of  FIG. 12  in the coiled state, as described herein; 
         FIG. 14  is a top view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device in the flat state, as described herein; 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device of  FIG. 14  in the coiled state, as described herein; 
         FIG. 16  is a top view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device in the flat state, as described herein; 
         FIG. 17  is a side view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the flat state, with a bundle of linear elements to be attached thereto, as described herein; 
         FIG. 18  is a side view of the embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device of  FIG. 17  attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the coiled state, engaging a bundle of linear elements, as described herein; 
         FIG. 19  is a side view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the flat state, with a bundle of linear elements to be attached thereto, as described herein; 
         FIG. 20  is a side view of the embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device of  FIG. 19  attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the coiled state, engaging a bundle of linear elements, as described herein; 
         FIG. 21  is a side view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the flat state, with a bundle of linear elements to be attached thereto, as described herein; 
         FIG. 22  is a side view of the embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device of  FIG. 21  attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the coiled state, engaging a bundle of linear elements, as described herein; 
         FIG. 23  is a side view of another embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the flat state, with a bundle of linear elements to be attached thereto, as described herein; 
         FIG. 24  is a side view of the embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device of  FIG. 23  attached to the frame of a vehicle and in the coiled state, engaging a bundle of linear elements, as described herein; and 
         FIG. 25  is a section view of the embodiment of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device of  FIG. 1  taken at plane “a”, as described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments described herein relate to a bi-stable flat spring clipping device having a mounting feature that is used to attach wiring harnesses, air lines, hoses, tubes, cables, fuel lines, and the like to the frame or body of a vehicle or other machine, in order to provide positive retention and routing, and to avoid chaffing, interference with vehicle or machine componentry, or exposure to adverse environmental factors, such as high temperatures. The bi-stable flat spring is a spring device that has two states, a metastable flat state and a stable coiled state. Such bi-stable flat springs are sometimes used as the basis for body ornamentation, in which trivial application they may be referred to as “slap bracelets.” When a bi-stable flat spring is partially bent from the flat state, which is in fact a metastable state, it releases stored energy by continuing to transition completely from the flat state to the coiled state. The Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device employs this characteristic of bi-stable flat springs to reduce part complexity and variation, and to minimize assembly time and repetitive motion in attaching wiring harnesses, air lines, hoses, tubes, cables, fuel lines, and the like to the frame or body of a vehicle or other machine. 
     The Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device is preassembled to the frame or body of the vehicle or other machine in its flat metastable state using the mounting feature. The mounting feature may simply be one or more threaded or non-threaded holes to be placed over a stud or bolt, or may be any other kind of fastener, including but not limited to push-nuts, speed nuts, rivets, snaps, pins, clips, clasps, fir tree clips, bonding such as glues, epoxies, and other adhesives, magnets, and hook and loop. Once the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device is preassembled to the frame or body, directly or by way of another component such as a bracket, a bundle of wiring harnesses, air lines, hoses, tubes, cables, fuel lines, and the like may simply be pushed against the bi-stable flat spring, which then coils itself around the bundle. No tie straps need to be threaded or tightened, as the bi-stable flat spring adjusts itself to the diameter of the bundle, and provides a continuous tightening force due to the spring bias towards a tighter coil. Therefore, repetitive motion and manual production steps are minimized, and assembly speed is increased. 
     Because tension of the coil around the bundle is controlled by the spring rate of the bi-stable flat spring, the amount of clamp load on the bundle of wiring harnesses, air lines, hoses, tubes, cables, fuel lines, and the like is not dependent upon the tool operator, and can be designed into the bi-stable flat spring in order to avoid compromising the integrity of the bundle being held in position by the coil. Also, once coiled around the bundle, the extra width of the bi-stable flat spring helps to protect the bundle from chaffing against itself and any fasteners used to hold it in place. The bi-stable flat spring of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device is designed to resist uncoiling and to be sufficiently strong to support the weight of the bundle without risk of relaxing or moving under all operating conditions. At the same time, the bi-stable flat spring is designed not to exceed the amount of compression that the bundle can withstand without deforming, pinching off, or otherwise improperly restricting the wires, lines, hoses, tubes, and/or cables. Furthermore, the bi-stable flat spring is designed to be releasable by hand for service, and to have a sufficient amount of threshold force necessary to transition the bi-stable flat spring from the flat state to the coiled state so that the bi-stable flat spring remains in the flat state until the bundle is pressed against it during assembly, yet does not require excessive force by the assembler in order to trip the bi-stable flat spring from the flat state to the coiled state. Additionally, the bi-stable flat spring is designed so that an amount of energy released in the transition from the flat state to the coiled state is not sufficient to unduly risk injury to the assembler. 
     In cases where the coiled spring force of the bi-stable flat spring is insufficient to support the weight of the bundle of wires, lines, hoses, tubes, and/or cables, a secondary locking feature may be employed to lock the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device in the desired coiled position. The secondary locking feature may be a tab or clip that folds over to lock the coiled bi-stable flat spring, which tab or clip may itself be a bi-stable spring element. Alternately, the secondary locking feature may be interlocking edges, saw-tooth edges, a friction element molded into the spring, one or more patches of hook and loop fastener, another such mechanism. In this way, the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device is not permanently locking, so it can be undone and reused in service. 
     In cases in which sufficient stability in the flat state cannot be achieved without requiring excessive force to trip the bi-stable flat spring from the flat state to the coiled state, or without releasing an excessive amount of potential energy in doing so, a flat state retaining feature may be employed to maintain the bi-stable flat spring in the flat state until it needs to be coiled. An exemplary non-limiting embodiment may utilize a release pin to keep the bi-stable flat spring in the flat state. The release pin would be pulled out by the assembler in order to coil the bi-stable flat spring, and the release pin is then discarded. Another exemplary non-limiting embodiment uses an over molded plastic or other material feature that holds the bi-stable flat spring in the flat state, but is easily broken when an operator deforms the bi-stable flat spring into the coiled state, or can be easily peeled off to release the bi-stable flat spring into the coiled state. 
     The Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device may be manufactured from steel, or stainless steel for corrosion resistance, or from any other material having the proper spring characteristics. Because some hoses and wires are sensitive to abrasion by sharp edges, or are sensitive to contact with electrically conductive materials, in such applications the edges or entire surface of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device are coated with a plastic over mold, rubber coating, sleeve, or other such protective barrier. 
     Embodiments of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device are able to provide positive retention and routing while reducing part complexity and variation and minimizing assembly time and repetitive motion, at least in part by utilizing a bi-stable flat spring that automatically coils itself around a bundle of wiring harnesses, air lines, hoses, tubes, cables, fuel lines, and the like with a minimum of required dexterous motion by the assembly line operator. The bi-stable flat spring of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device resists uncoiling without exceeding the amount of compression that the bundle can withstand without deforming, pinching off, or otherwise improperly restricting the wires, lines, hoses, tubes, and/or cables. The bi-stable flat spring clipping device is reusable in service. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , isometric views of embodiments of a bi-stable flat spring  52  of a bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  are shown. In  FIG. 1 , the bi-stable flat spring  52  is shown in the flat state, which is in fact a metastable state. In other words, when the bi-stable flat spring  52  is bent at any point along its length, the internal tension forces keeping the bi-stable flat spring  52  flat are overcome by the internal tension forces that pull the bi-stable flat spring  52  into a coil, so that the bi-stable flat spring  52  rapidly and progressively assumes the coiled state, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Stated more accurately, the bi-stable flat spring  52  assumes a flatter cross section, reducing the moment of inertia about the neutral axis, so that the bi-stable flat spring  52  undergoes a progressive buckling driven by its own internal tensile forces, which are in turn relieved by the bi-stable flat spring  52  assuming the coiled state. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , top views of additional embodiments of bi-stable flat spring clipping devices  50  are shown. The bi-stable flat spring clipping devices  50  are each made of a bi-stable flat spring  52  having a mounting feature  60 . The mounting feature  60  of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  in  FIG. 3  is a simple hole  60 A to be used with a mounting stud, nut and bolt fastener, rivet, fir tree push-in type fastener, or other type of fastener. The mounting feature  60  of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  in  FIG. 4  is an interference hole  60 B, which is designed to be pushed over a stud (not shown) and to remain in position due to the interference fit of the star or asterisk shape of the hole  60 B. Other types of fasteners contemplated to be used include but are not limited to push-nuts, speed nuts, rivets, snaps, pins, clips, clasps, fir tree clips, bonding such as glues, epoxies, and other adhesives, magnets, and hook and loop. 
       FIGS. 5, 6, and 7  show another embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  in use. The bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  again is made of a bi-stable flat spring  52  having a mounting feature  60 , in this case a simple hole used with a conventional nut and bolt type fastener. The embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  shown in  FIGS. 5, 6, and 7  may have a coiling section  54  and a non-coiling section  56 . The coiling section  54  is characterized by being bi-stable between the flat state and the coiled state, whereas the non-coiling section  56  is characterized by being stable only in the flat state. The bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  is shown attached to a vehicle chassis or frame  10 , which is shown in an end view in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , and in a side view in  FIG. 7 . In  FIG. 5 , a bundle of linear elements  12 , such as wiring harnesses, air lines, hoses, tubes, cables, fuel lines, and the like, are prepared to be attached to the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50 . In  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , the linear element bundle  12  has been pressed against the bi-stable flat spring  52  of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50 , which has, as a result of the pressure and slight bending from the pressure of the linear element bundle  12  being pressed against it, assumed the coiled position and thereby positively retained the linear element bundle within the coil. 
       FIG. 8  shows an alternate embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50 , which again is provided with a bi-stable flat spring  52  having a mounting feature  60 . The bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  is again shown attached to a vehicle chassis or frame  10  using a conventional nut and bolt fastener. The alternate embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  shown in  FIG. 8  has two coiling section  54  at either end, with the non-coiling section  56  having the mounting feature  60  in between. In this way, the alternate embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  can hold two separate linear element bundles  12 . 
       FIG. 9  shows another embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50 , which again is provided with a bi-stable flat spring  52  having a mounting feature  60 . The bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  is again shown attached to a vehicle chassis or frame  10  using a conventional nut and bolt fastener. The alternate embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  shown in  FIG. 9  has a coiling section  54 , a non-coiling section  56 , and a formed section  58 . In this way, the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  holds the linear element bundle  12  at a convenient position within the coiling section  54  for assembly and routing. 
       FIGS. 10 through 16  show a series of embodiments of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  having a secondary locking feature or features  62 . The bi-stable flat spring clipping devices  50  are again made of bi-stable flat springs  52  having coiling sections  54 , non-coiling sections  56 , and mounting features  60 . The secondary locking feature or features  62  are provided for situations where the coiling force of the bi-stable flat spring  52  is insufficient to support the weight of the linear element bundle  12 . In  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the secondary locking features  62  are tabs or clips  62 A. Once the coiling section  54  of the bi-stable flat spring  52  has coiled around the linear element bundle  12  (not shown), the tabs or clips  62 A are folded over the coils of the bi-stable flat spring  52 , thereby preventing it from uncoiling. Further, the tabs or clips  62 A may themselves be bi-stable, so that they transition from a metastable open state to a stable closed state. Alternately, the tabs or clips  62 A may simply be bendable, so that they are bent or crimped into the proper closed position. A similar embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  is shown in  FIG. 16 , wherein the tabs are provided with tab connections  62 D, such as snaps or other interlocking features. 
     In  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the secondary locking features  62  are interlocking edges  62 B. Once the coiling section  54  of the bi-stable flat spring  52  has coiled around the linear element bundle  12  (not shown), a sufficient number of the interlocking edges  62 B are pressed into an interlocking position, where the approximately mushroom shape of the interlocking edges  62 B prevents them from readily disengaging. In  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the secondary locking features  62  are saw-tooth edges  62 C, which are twisted slightly out of the plane of the bi-stable flat spring  52 . In this way, when the coiling section  54  coils around the linear element bundle  12  (not shown), the saw-tooth edges  62 C slide over one another in the coiling direction, but catch on one another in the uncoiling direction, thereby preventing the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  from disengaging from the linear element bundle  12 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 17 through 20 , further embodiments of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  are shown having flat state maintaining features  64 . The bi-stable flat spring clipping devices  50  are again each provided with a bi-stable flat spring  52  having a coiling section  54 , a non-coiling section  56 , and a mounting feature  60 . The flat state maintaining feature  64  holds the coiling section  54  of the bi-stable flat spring  52  in the flat state while the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  is attached to the vehicle chassis or frame  10 , and until such time the linear element bundle  12  is placed in the proper position. This may be necessary when sufficient stability in the flat state cannot be achieved without requiring excessive force to trip the bi-stable flat spring  52  from the flat state to the coiled state, or without releasing an excessive amount of potential energy in doing so. 
     In  FIGS. 17 and 18 , the flat state maintaining feature  64  is embodied as a release pin  64 A, which pierces the bi-stable flat spring  52  in two places within or near the coiling section  54 . When the linear element bundle  12  is in the proper position, the release pin  64 A is withdrawn from the bi-stable flat spring  52 , and the coiling section  54  coils around the linear element bundle  12 . In  FIGS. 19 and 20 , the flat state maintaining feature  64  is embodied as an overmolded frangible feature  64 B or peel-away feature  64 C. The overmolded frangible feature  64 B functions by providing a relatively stiff series of connected segments adjacent to the coiling section  54  that holds the coiling section  54  in the flat state until the linear element bundle  12  is in the proper position. At that point, frangible connections between the series of connected segments are broken by the assembly operator pushing the coiling section  54  towards the coiled state. Alternately, the peel-away feature  64 C is peeled off of the surface of the series of connected segments, thereby releasing the series of connected segments from their connected condition, and allowing the coiling section  54  to assume the coiled state. 
       FIGS. 21 through 24  show additional embodiments of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  having a secondary locking feature or features  62 . The bi-stable flat spring clipping devices  50  are again made of bi-stable flat springs  52  having coiling sections  54 , non-coiling sections  56 , and mounting features  60 . The secondary locking feature or features  62  are again provided for situations where the coiling force of the bi-stable flat spring  52  alone is insufficient to support the weight of the linear element bundle  12 . In  FIGS. 21 and 22 , the secondary locking features  62  are embodied as interlocking surface features  62 F on both surfaces of the coiling section  54 , which are arranged to slide over each other in the coiling direction, but to resist sliding in the uncoiling direction, after the fashion of a ratchet mechanism. In  FIGS. 23 and 24 , the secondary locking features  62  are embodied as hook and loop patches  62 G, and are positioned to engage one another when the coiling section  54  is in the coiled state, and to thereby resist uncoiling of the coiling section  54 . In another embodiment, the secondary locking features  62  may be embodied as friction elements in place of the hook and loop patches  62 G. 
       FIG. 25  shows an embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring clipping device  50  in an end view, thereby showing the cross section view of the bi-stable flat spring  52  as taken at plane “a” in  FIG. 1 . The embodiment of the bi-stable flat spring  52  in  FIG. 25  is further provided with at least one protective barrier, which may further include a plastic overmold  66 A, a rubber coating  66 B, a sleeve  66 C, and/or edge coverings  66 D. 
     While the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as demonstrated previously. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the Bi-Stable Flat Spring Clipping Device using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the disclosure pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims. 
     REFERENCE NUMBER LISTING 
       
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 10 
                 Vehicle chassis or frame 
               
               
                   
                 12 
                 Linear element bundle 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 Tie straps 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 P-clips 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 Metal brackets 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 Plastic saddles 
               
               
                   
                 22 
                 Mounting fasteners 
               
               
                   
                 50 
                 Bi-stable flat spring clipping device 
               
               
                   
                 52 
                 Bi-stable flat spring 
               
               
                   
                 54 
                 Coiling section 
               
               
                   
                 56 
                 Non-coiling section 
               
               
                   
                 58 
                 Formed section 
               
               
                   
                 60 
                 Mounting feature 
               
               
                   
                 60A 
                 Hole 
               
               
                   
                 60B 
                 Interference hole 
               
               
                   
                 60C 
                 Fir tree 
               
               
                   
                 60D 
                 Stud 
               
               
                   
                 62 
                 Secondary locking feature 
               
               
                   
                 62A 
                 Tab or clip 
               
               
                   
                 62B 
                 Interlocking edges 
               
               
                   
                 62C 
                 Saw-tooth edges 
               
               
                   
                 62D 
                 Tab connections 
               
               
                   
                 62E 
                 Friction element 
               
               
                   
                 62F 
                 Interlocking surface feature 
               
               
                   
                 62G 
                 Hook and loop patches 
               
               
                   
                 64 
                 Flat state maintaining feature 
               
               
                   
                 64A 
                 Release pin 
               
               
                   
                 64B 
                 Overmolded frangible feature 
               
               
                   
                 64C 
                 Peel-away feature 
               
               
                   
                 66 
                 Protective barrier 
               
               
                   
                 66A 
                 Plastic overmold 
               
               
                   
                 66B 
                 Rubber coating 
               
               
                   
                 66C 
                 Sleeve 
               
               
                   
                 66D 
                 Edge covering