Patent Publication Number: US-6216321-B1

Title: Edge clip

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to edge clips for attaching an article to a planar edge, most notably an electrical connector to a flat planar metallic or plastic edge of a support member. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1 a first configuration of a prior art edge clip  10  is depicted, having an S-shaped configuration characterized by an attachment appendage  12  in the form of a serrated male component  12   a  and a U-shaped clip component  14  having a pair of barbs  16 . The prior art edge clip  10  is manufactured from bare mild steel using a three step process. The first step involves a multi-slide press at 200 strokes or less per minute, the second step involves heat treating, and the third step involves barrel plating. These three steps each having inherent variability and have over the years caused problems. 
     FIG. 2 shows a second configuration of a prior art edge clip  10 ′ having the aforesaid U-shaped clip component  14 , but now having an attachment appendage  12 ′ in the form of a platform  18  with a projecting tongue  20 , the tongue being displaced vertically from the platform and having a slot  22  and an upturned leading edge. 
     Operation with respect to a prior art electrical connector  24  shown at FIGS. 3 and 3A, by way of example, will now be briefly discussed. With respect to the first configuration of the prior art edge clip  10 , the male component  12  is machine thrust into a dual-slotted seat  26  of the connector  24 . Thereafter, the clip component  14  is slipped onto the edge of a planar edged article, as for example a metal or plastic support member, so as to thereby supportably affix the electrical connector  24  with respect to the support member. With respect to the second configuration of the prior art edge clip  10 ′, the platform  18  is manually slipped into a dual-slotted seat  26  of the connector and the slot  22  of the tongue  20  rides over a ramped locking nib  28  whereupon the nib is received by the slot. Thereafter, the clip component  14  is slipped onto the edge of a planar edged article, as for example a metal or plastic support member, so as to thereby supportably affix the electrical connector  24  with respect to the support member. 
     However, due to the manufacturing processes involved in making the prior art edge clip  10 ,  10 ′ which result in quality assurance problems and unacceptable production cost, there remains needed in the art an edge clip of superior configuration which has none of the aforesaid detractions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an edge clip which uses precoated sheet metal stock, is stamped in a standard progressive die at a rate of 1,000 or more strokes per minute, and is not subject to the quality and cost problems associated with the prior art edge clip configurations. 
     The edge clip according to the present invention has a robustly configured triangularly shaped body formed from precoated sheet metal blank stock (for example HSLA sheet stock). A solid blank of the sheet stock is die cut into a patterned blank including a base, a projection forward of the base, and first and second wings located at either side of the base. Each of the first and second wings has an outboard member and an inboard member, wherein the outboard member includes a barb. A pointed flange projects from the rear edge of the patterned blank at each of the first and second wings. 
     The projection is stamped to form an attachment appendage having a platform and a slotted tongue, and the first and second wings are folded into a triangular shape, wherein at an apex thereof is formed an overlapped spring arm provided by an overlap of the outboard members of the wings such that the barbs point toward the platform. A tab of the second wing secures the overlap of the outboard members, thereby unifying the overlapped spring arm. The folding of the first and second wings further provides, respectively, first and second rails, wherein each provides a basal corner of the triangular configuration. Each of the first and second rails project in parallel with the overlapped spring arm, are separated therefrom, respectively, by radiused first and second upper slots, and are separated from the platform, respectively, by first and second lower slots. Each of the pointed flanges are folded into mutual abutment rearwardly of the first and second upper slots, in spaced relation to the base. 
     The edge clip according to the present invention is designed to be a high speed progressive die manufactured part. The overlap feature of the overlapped spring arm, wherein load and stress are shared by the overlapped left and right outboard members, via the tab, insure that the overlapped spring arm moves in unison. The radial shape of the overlapped spring arm, as well as the radial shape of the first and second rails provide a robust and strong edge clip structure. All surfaces of the edge clip have generous radii so as to be ergonomically friendly to the touch. Radii at the base of the overlapped spring arm provides distribution of the stress during deflection when the edge clip receives a planar edge of a support surface. The symmetrical shape of the triangular configuration provides good capability for forming and dimensional control of the gap at the first and second upper slots. The material used for the edge clip allows for the elimination of the heat treat process used in the conventional edge clip designs, which in those prior art edge clip was subject of dimensional variation and less capable performance. The superior features and performance of the edge clip according to the present invention is accomplished through the unique triangular geometry, which facilitates the high speed manufacturing process. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an edge clip which is of a triangular configuration which is formable from a solid sheet blank via a high speed progressive die. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an edge clip of a triangular configuration having an overlapped spring arm at an apex of the triangular configuration, and a pair of rails which form the basal corners of the triangular configuration, wherein a planar edge is clippable therebetween. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a triangularly configured edge clip which is robust and has superior performance, lower manufacturing cost, and fewer processing steps than that of prior art edge clips. 
     These, and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art edge clip of a first configuration. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a prior art edge clip of a second configuration. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a prior art electrical connector for interfacing with an edge clip. 
     FIG. 3A is an end view of the prior art electrical connector as seen along line  3 A— 3 A of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an edge clip according to the present invention and the prior art electrical connector of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the edge clip according to the present invention mated to the prior art electrical connector and to a planar edge of a support member. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the edge clip according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the edge clip according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a front end view of the edge clip according to the present invention as seen along line  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a partly sectional view of the edge clip according to the present invention as seen along line  9 — 9  of FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 is a side plan view of the edge clip according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 is a partly sectional view of the edge clip according to the present invention as seen along line  11 — 11  of FIG.  10 . 
     FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a patterned blank for foldably forming the edge clip according to the present invention. 
     FIGS. 13A through 13C are a progressive depiction of the die cutting and folding steps in the production of a sheet metal solid blank into a finished edge clip according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the Drawings, FIGS. 4 through 13C generally depict various aspects of the edge clip  100  according to the present invention. As can be seen by reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the edge clip  100  has an attachment appendage  102  including a platform  104  and a projecting tongue  106  having a slot  108  and an upturned leading edge of the kind known in the art for interfacing with articles having a dual-slotted seat  26  and a ramped nib  28 , as for example a prior art electrical connector  24 . In this regard either side of the platform is slid receivably into a respective slot of the dual-slotted seat, and the ramped nib  28  is received into the slot  108  to thereby secure the edge clip to the article  24 . 
     With further reference to FIG. 5, the edge clip  100  is shown clipped to a planar edge  30  of a support member  32 , which may be any for example metal or plastic planar item to which the edge clip, and its associated article  24 , is to be secured. In this regard, it will be noted that the planar edge  30  is trapped between an overlapped spring arm  110  and first and second rails  112 ,  114 , by being received into first and second upper slots  116 ,  118 , respectively (see FIG.  7 ). A pair of barbs  120  (see FIG. 8) engage the planar edge  30  and serve as a retention aid whereby accidental dislodgement is prevented. 
     With reference now being directed to FIGS. 6 through 12, the structural configuration of the edge clip  100  will be further detailed. 
     As shown at FIGS. 6 and 7, the edge clip  100  has a robustly configured triangularly shaped body  100   a  defined by an apex  122 , and left and right basal corners  124 ,  126 . As shown at FIG. 12, a solid blank of sheet stock is die cut into a patterned blank  128  including a base  130 , a projection  132  forward of the base, and first and second wings  134 ,  136  located at either side of the base. Each of the first and second wings  134 ,  136  has a respective first and second outboard member  138 ,  140  and a respective first and second inboard member  142 ,  144 , wherein the first and second outboard members each include a barb  120 . A pointed flange  146 ,  148  projects from the rear edge  150  of the patterned blank  128  at each of the first and second wings  134 ,  136 . 
     The projection  132  is stamped to form the attachment appendage  102 , as structurally recounted hereinabove. The first and second wings are folded into the aforementioned triangular shape, wherein (see FIG. 8) at the apex  122  is formed by radiusing of the overlapped spring arm  110 , and wherein the overlapped spring arm is a result of overlap of the first and second outboard members  138 ,  140 , wherein the barbs  120  point toward the platform  104 . A tab  152  of the second outboard member  140  secures the overlap of the first and second outboard members  138 ,  140 , thereby unifying the overlapped spring arm  110 . 
     The folding of the first and second wings  134 ,  136  also provides, respectively, the first and second rails  112 ,  114 , wherein each of the first and second rails are respectively radiused to provide the first and second basal corners  124 ,  126 . Each of the first and second rails  112 ,  114  project in parallel with the overlapped spring arm  110  and are separated therefrom, respectively, by the first and second upper slots  116 ,  118 . The first and second upper slots  116 ,  118  are rearwardly radiused and respectively separated from the platform  104  by the first and second lower slots  154 ,  156 , which allow for the platform to engage the dual-slotted seat  26 . Each of the pointed flanges  146 ,  148  are folded into mutual abutment rearwardly of the first and second upper slots  116 ,  118 , in spaced relation to the base  130  via a rear slot  158 , wherein the abutment of the pointed flanges serves to enhance robustness of the triangularly shaped body  100   a . 
     FIGS. 13A through 13C depict an example of the progressive the steps to die cut and fold a solid blank  160  into the edge clip  100 . In this regard, a strip  162  provide a fixture for processing the solid blank  160 . At an intermediate stage of die cutting, a patterned blank  128 ′ is formed, which generally shares a resemblance with the patterned blank  128  of FIG.  12 . The patterned blank  128 ′ includes first and second wings  134 ′  136 ′ which are then in succeeding steps folded to form the nearly finished edge clip  100 ′, wherein the finished edge clip  100  is provided upon execution of die cuts  164  (shown as dashed lines). 
     To those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, the above described preferred embodiments may be subject to change or modification. Such change or modification can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.