Patent Publication Number: US-9841041-B1

Title: W-shaped winged spring clip with integral 4-way locator

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This document relates generally to the fastener field and, more particularly, to a new and improved W-shaped winged spring clip with an integral 4-way locator that is particularly useful in automotive applications to connect plastic parts to sheet metal. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various types of fasteners including, for example, bolts/nuts, metal clips, plastic clips or the like may be utilized to secure a plastic part to a substrate such as a sheet metal part. Significantly, every added fastener increases the part cost and weight of the assembly. More specifically, fastener usage requires additional operations at the assembly plant or at the plastic part manufacturer and every additional operation increases the required manpower, process cost and production time. In addition, each fastener has a risk of producing squeaks and rattles. Further, added, separate fasteners have the risk of being missing or mismatched during assembly. 
     This document relates to a new and improved W-shaped winged spring clip with an integral 4-way locator. Advantageously, the spring clip includes doubled blocked lateral wings or cantilever bars structured to dissipate stress concentrations. The spring clip eliminates the need for additional, separate fasteners thereby reducing the weight and cost of the assembly. It also provides a robust and stronger, more durable joint clamping between a plastic part and a sheet metal part while maintaining proper position and alignment through assembly and vehicle operation and substantially eliminating the risk of squeaks and rattles. 
     The spring clip also includes reinforcing ribs or gussets that add extra strength. Further, the spring clip has a low insertion effort and functions to locate, lock and retain parts together in a single snapping action. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a spring clip is provided. That spring clip comprises a body having (a) a base, (b) a support post carried on the base, (c) a first cantilever bar carried on the support post, (d) a second cantilever bar carried on the support post and (e) a 4-way locator fixed to the base on one side of the support post. 
     The 4-way locator may include a first beveled sidewall. Further, the 4-way locator may include a second beveled sidewall. In addition, the 4-way locator may include a first tunable rib between the first beveled sidewall and the second beveled sidewall. That first tunable rib may project outwardly from the first beveled sidewall and the second beveled sidewall. 
     More specifically, the first beveled sidewall may have a first edge bevel while the second beveled sidewall may have a second edge bevel. The first edge bevel may be aligned with the second edge bevel. Further, the first tunable rib may have a first support edge wherein the first support edge is spaced a first distance D 1  from the base and the first edge bevel and the second edge bevel are both spaced a second distance D 2  from the base wherein D 1 &lt;D 2 . 
     In addition the base may include a second tunable rib carried on the base adjacent a first distal end of the first cantilever bar and a third tunable rib carried on the base adjacent a second distal end of the second cantilever bar. The second tunable rib has a second support edge and the third tunable rib has a third support edge wherein the second support edge and the third support edge are both spaced the first distance D 1  from the base. 
     Still further, the first distal end may include a first double blocked notch and the second distal end may include a second double blocked notch. More specifically, the first double blocked notch may include a first midpoint angle and a first radiused face. Similarly, the second double blocked notch may include a second midpoint angle and a second radiused face. The first radiused face and the second radiused face are both spaced a third distance D 3  from the base where D 1 &lt;D 2 &lt;D 3 . 
     The first cantilever bar may also include a first bend adjacent the post. Further, the first cantilever bar may form a first neck with the support post. In addition, a first gusset may extend inside the first bend inside the first neck. 
     Similarly, the second cantilever bar may include a second bend adjacent the post. The second cantilever bar may also form a second neck with the support post. Further, a second gusset may extend inside the second bend inside the second neck. 
     Still further, the spring clip may include a third gusset extending outside the first bend and the second bend between the first cantilever bar, the second cantilever bar and the support post. The three gussets function together to strengthen the spring clip. 
     In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the spring clip. As it should be realized, the spring clip is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the spring clip as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the spring clip and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the W-shaped winged spring clip incorporating an integral 4-way locator. 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed perspective view of the 4-way locator of the spring clip illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed side elevational view illustrating the three gussets that are used to strengthen and reinforce the first cantilever bar and second cantilever bar of the spring clip body. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view providing a relative comparison of the cross-sectional area of the third gusset versus the first and second cantilever bars and the support post. 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are perspective views illustrating how the spring clip, illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is utilized to secure a plastic part to a workpiece such as a sheet metal body component.  FIG. 5  illustrates how the spring clip on the plastic part is aligned with a receiving aperture in the sheet metal body component.  FIG. 6  clearly shows the plastic part secured to the sheet metal body component by the spring clip. 
     
    
    
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the spring clip, illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrating the spring clip  10 . The spring clip  10  includes a body  12  having a base  14  and a support post  16  carried on the base. A first cantilever bar  18  is carried on the support post  16 . A second cantilever bar  20  is also carried on the support post  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first cantilever bar  18  is oriented so as to be opposed to the second cantilever bar  20 . 
     In addition, the body  12  includes a 4-way locator  22  which is fixed to the base  14  on one side of the support post  16 . The body  12  may be molded from a single piece of plastic or composite material so that the base  14 , support post  16 , first cantilever bar  18 , second cantilever bar  20  and 4-way locator  22  are integral with one another. 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the 4-way locator  22  includes a first beveled sidewall  24 , a second beveled sidewall  26  and a first tunable rib  28  between the first beveled sidewall and the second beveled sidewall. More specifically, the first tunable rib  28  projects outwardly, away from the support post  16 , the first beveled sidewall  24  and the second beveled sidewall  26 . 
     As clearly illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the first beveled sidewall  24  has a first edge bevel  30  and the second beveled sidewall  26  has a second edge bevel  32 . In the illustrated embodiment the first edge bevel  30  and the second edge bevel  32  are aligned. 
     The first tunable rib  28  has a first support edge  34 . The first support edge  34  is spaced a first distance D 1  from the base  14 . In contrast, the first edge bevel  30  and the second edge bevel  32  are both spaced a second distance D 2  from the base  14 . The distance D 1 &lt;D 2 . 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the base  14  also includes a second tunable rib  36  that is carried on the base adjacent a first distal end  38  of the first cantilever bar  18  and a third tunable rib  40  carried on the base adjacent a second distal end  42  of the second cantilever bar  20 . As shown, the second tunable rib  36  has a second support edge  44  and the third tunable rib  40  has a third support edge  46 . The second edge  44  and the third support edge  46  are both spaced the first distance D 1  from the base  14 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the first distal end  38  of the first cantilever bar  18  includes a first double blocked notch  48 . Similarly, the second distal end  42  of the second cantilever bar  20  includes a second double blocked notch  50 . The first double blocked notch  48  includes a first midpoint angle  52  and a first radiused face  54  so that the first double blocked notch  48  has a substantially V-shape. Similarly, the second double blocked notch  50  includes a second midpoint angle  56  and a second radiused face  58  so that the second double blocked notch  50  is a substantially V-shaped configuration. The first radiused face  54  and the second radiused face  58  are spaced a third distance D 3  from the base  14  where D 1 &lt;D 2 &lt;D 3 . The difference in the third distance D 3  and the second distance D 2  is approximately equal to the thickness of the workpiece or sheet metal body component W 2  to which the spring clip  10  is to be connected. 
     As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the first cantilever bar  18  includes a first bend  60  adjacent the support post  16 . As clearly illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the first cantilever bar  18  forms a first neck  62  with the support post  16 . A first gusset  64  extends inside the first bend  60  between the support post  16  and the first cantilever bar  18  inside the first neck  62 . 
     Similarly, the second cantilever bar  20  includes a second bend  66  adjacent the support post  16 . Further, the second cantilever bar  20  forms a second neck  68  with the support post  16 . A second gusset  70  extends inside the second bend  66  between the support post  16  and the second cantilever bar  20  inside the second neck  68 . 
     As further illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a third gusset  72  extends outside the first bend  62  and the second bend  66  between the first cantilever bar  18 , the second cantilever bar  20  and the support post  16 . As should be appreciated, the first gusset  64 , the second gusset  70  and the third gusset  72  are not as thick as the first cantilever bar  18 , the second cantilever bar  20  and the support post  16  and, therefore, have a smaller cross-sectional area. As a result, while the first gusset  64  and third gusset  72  increase the strength of the first cantilever bar  18  and the second gusset  70  and the third gusset  72  increase the strength of the second cantilever bar  20 , the gussets still allow for the necessary bending and flexing of the first and second cantilever bars to allow the spring clip  10  to be used as a resilient connector or fastener between a workpiece W 1  and a sheet metal body component W 2  (See  FIGS. 5-6 ). 
     More specifically, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the spring clip  10  is integrally molded as a part of the plastic workpiece W 1 . When one wishes to connect the plastic workpiece W 1  to the sheet metal component W 2 , one aligns the top of the body  12  with the mounting aperture A in the sheet metal component. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the mounting aperture A is substantially T-shaped. As the spring clip  10  is inserted into the mounting aperture A the 4-way locator  22  ensures proper alignment and orientation of the plastic workpiece W 1  with the sheet metal component W 2 . More specifically, the first beveled sidewall  24  and the second beveled sidewall  26  engage the edges E 1 , E 2  of the aperture A ensuring proper orientation along the X axis. At the same time, first edge bevel  30  and the second edge bevel  32  of the first beveled sidewall  24  and second beveled sidewall  26  engage the edge E 3  of the aperture A and the face  74  of the support post  16  opposite the 4-way connector  22  (see  FIG. 3 ) engages the edge E 4  of the aperture to ensure proper orientation along the Y axis thereby providing full 4-way locator function. 
     As the spring clip  10  is further inserted into the aperture A, the cam surface  76  of the first cantilever bar  18  engages the edge E 5  of the aperture A while the cam surface  78  on the second cantilever bar  20  engages the edge E 6  of the aperture A. This causes the resilient first cantilever bar  18  and resilient second cantilever bar  20  to flex about the respective first bend  60  and second bend  66  and pivot inwardly toward the support post  16 . Just as the first support edge  34  of the first tunable rib  28 , the second support edge  44  of the second tunable rib  37  and the third support edge  46  of the third tunable rib  40  come into contact with the face of the sheet metal component W 2 , the cam faces of  74 ,  76  clear the sheet metal component W 2  and the first and second cantilever bars  18 ,  20  spring outwardly away from the support post  16  about the first and second bends  60 ,  66  with the sheet metal component W 2  being now received and fully seated in the first and second double blocked notches  48 ,  50 . 
     As should be appreciated, in this fully seated position, the margin of the sheet metal component W 2  provided around the aperture A is effectively captured between the first cantilever bar  18  and second cantilever bar  20  on one side and the first, second and third support edges  34 ,  44 ,  46  on the other. As noted earlier the distance gap between D 2  and D 3  substantially corresponds to the thickness of the sheet metal component W 2  so as to accommodate the connection between the parts W 1  and W 2  with the spring clip  10 . Thus, it should be appreciated that the height of the ribs  28 ,  36  and  40  may be adjusted or tuned in order to provide a good, rattle free connection between the workpiece W 1  and the sheet metal component W 2 . 
     Should it ever become necessary to disconnect the workpiece W 1  from the sheet metal component W 2  for service or any other reason, it is possible to pry the workpiece W 1  away from the sheet metal component and overcome the resilient holding power of the spring clip  10 . When this is done, the ends E 3 , E 4  of the mounting aperture A slide up the radiused faces  54 ,  58  of the notches  48 ,  50  causing the two cantilever bars  18 ,  20  to bend slightly inward toward the support post  16  until the aperture is free of the notches to allow easy separation. 
     The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.