Abstract:
A device for securing an add-on to a support comprises a back wall ( 3 ) and a front wall arrangement ( 14 ) which is resilient with respect to the back wall ( 3 ) and which, when the device is arranged as intended, comes into engagement with an insertion opening provided in an edge region of the support. The device according to the invention comprises a manipulation structure ( 15, 16, 21 ) by which, to release the engagement, the front wall arrangement ( 14 ) can be moved toward the back wall ( 3 ) with the aid of a tool that is introduced through a tool channel ( 22 ).

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a U.S. National Phase Patent Application based on International Application Serial No. PCT/EP2008/006493 filed Aug. 7, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby explicitly incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to a device for securing an add-on to a support. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     One type of such a device is known from DE 102 08 505 A1. The prior device has a head part provided to rest on the support and comprising laterally protruding bearing portions that rest on the support in the intended arrangement. Also present is a foot part that is provided to be inserted in an insertion opening formed in the support and has a back wall which, in the arrangement where the foot part is inserted in the insertion opening, is disposed opposite the edge of the insertion opening. The foot part is further configured with a front wall which is connected via a bent-back portion to the back wall and extends in angular relation away from the back wall and toward the head part, and which, in the arrangement where the foot part is inserted in the insertion opening, engages, by its free end proximate the head part, behind the edge region of the support that rims the insertion opening. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a device for securing an add-on to a support, which, while providing secure retention in an insertion opening provided in a support, can be removed again with relative ease. 
     By virtue of the fact that the inventive device comprises a tool channel which, for example, allows access to the front wall by means of a tool, and the fact that configured on the front wall is a manipulation structure which, in cooperation with a tool, allows the front wall to be moved toward the back wall and thus the rear engagement to be released, the device according to the invention can be detached from the support without compromising the solidity of the original connection. 
     In one form thereof, the present invention provides a device for securing an add-on to a support, including a head part provided to rest on the add-on or on the support and having laterally protruding bearing portions; and including a foot part which is provided for insertion in an insertion opening formed in the support and has a back wall that is disposed opposite the edge of the insertion opening in the arrangement where the foot part is inserted in the insertion opening, and which is configured with a front wall arrangement that is connected via a bent-back portion to the back wall and is resilient with respect to the back wall and extends away from the back wall toward the head part and, in the arrangement where the foot part is inserted in the insertion opening, engages by its free end proximate the head part in an edge region of the support that rims the insertion opening on the side facing away from the head part ( 1 ), characterized in that the head part includes a tool channel in prolongation of the front wall arrangement and in that configured on the front wall arrangement is a manipulation structure that comes into engagement with a tool which is passed through the tool channel to move the front wall arrangement toward the back wall in order to release the rear engagement of the front wall arrangement with the edge regions of the support that border upon the insertion opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention, configured with a manipulation structure; 
         FIG. 2  shows in section the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  in an installed situation; 
         FIG. 3  shows in section the arrangement of the exemplary embodiment of the invention according to  FIG. 2  with a tool engaged with the manipulation structure; and 
         FIG. 4  shows in section the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  after being removed from the arrangement according to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, in several forms, the embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention, fabricated from sheet-metal strips by a stamping and bending process. The exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  comprises a head part  1  and a foot part  2  that is disposed oppositely from the head part  1 . 
     The foot part  2  has a rectangular, flat back wall  3  with a respective side wing  4 ,  5  formed onto each of its long sides, in the end region of that side proximate the head part  1 . Each side wing  4 ,  5  juts out approximately perpendicularly to the back wall  3 , in the same direction in each case, and has in its region proximate the head part  1  a fixing tongue  6  that extends, angled outward, away from the back wall  3 . 
     Formed onto the side wings  4 ,  5 , flush with the short edge side of back wall  3  that adjoins head part  1 , are edge webs  7 ,  8 , each of which is connected to a respective side wing  4 ,  5  via a bent joining portion  9  that extends outward away from said respective side wing  4 ,  5 . Each edge web  7 ,  8  is provided with a planar deck portion  10  which is connected to the respective joining portion  9  and extends over the length of the respective side wing  4 ,  5 , and each of which has, formed onto its outer end via an oblique portion  11  inclined toward foot part  2 , an approximately square bearing portion  12 . The bearing portions  12  lie in a plane that is disposed between the fixing tongues  6  and the edge sides of the side wings  4 ,  5  that are proximate the head part  1 . This lends a certain elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the inventive device. 
     On the short edge side of back wall  3  that is remote from head part  1 , foot part  2  comprises a roundly bent-back portion  13  that extends away from this short edge side of back wall  3  toward head part  1  on the side of back wall  3  on which the side wings  4 ,  5  are disposed. 
     Joined to bent-back portion  13 , at the end having a short edge side and located remote from back wall  3 , is a rectangularly configured front wall  14 , as part of a front wall arrangement, which extends from bent-back portion  13  at an oblique angle to back wall  3  and directed away therefrom and toward head part  1 . In this exemplary embodiment, joined to the long edge sides of front wall  14 , as functional parts of a manipulation structure and as physical elements of the front wall arrangement, are stop wings  15 ,  16 , which are oriented approximately perpendicularly to front wall  14  and extend outward away from back wall  3 . 
     Each stop wing  15 ,  16  is configured with a respective ramp  17 , which slopes upward away from bent-back portion  13 , and with a respective latching step  18 , formed on the side proximate to head part  1 . Each latching step  18  has a contact side  19 , which is aligned approximately parallel to front wall  14  and spacedly therefrom, and a rear engagement side  20 , which is oriented approximately perpendicular to front wall  14  and which at its end remote from front wall  14  unites with the ramp  17 . 
     In addition, joined to the opposite short edge side of front wall  14  from bent-back portion  13 , as another part of the manipulation structure, is a rectangular guide tongue  21 , which is set at an oblique angle to front wall  14  and extends toward back wall  3 . The free end of guide tongue  21 , i.e., the end remote from front wall  14 , terminates approximately in the plane of those edge sides of back wall  3  and of side wings  4 ,  5  which are remote from bent-back portion  13 . 
     It can be seen from  FIG. 1  that the parts of the manipulation structure, i.e., in the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1 , stop wings  15 ,  16  and guide tongue  21 , lie in a tool channel  22  that is disposed between those bearing portions  12  of edge webs  7 ,  8  which are adjacent the front wall  14 . 
       FIG. 2  shows the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  in longitudinal section in an intended arrangement in which foot part  2  has been inserted in an insertion opening  24 , provided in a support  23 , the ramp  17  being slid against the edge of the insertion opening  24  and the front wall  14  being deflected toward the back wall  3  during the insertion process, while the bearing portions  12  rest on an add-on  25 , which is to be connected to the support  23  and here takes the form of a so-called “retainer” for securing an airbag apparatus, and thereby connect the add-on  25  to the support  23 . 
     In this arrangement, front wall  14  is bent toward back wall  3  compared to the relaxed arrangement depicted in  FIG. 1 , it being the case that due to the restoring force exerted by bent-back portion  13 , the contact sides  19  of the stop wings  15 ,  16  are in contact with the edge of insertion opening  24 , while the rear engagement sides  20  of the stop wings  15 ,  16  engage behind the edge region of support  23  that borders insertion opening  24  on the side facing away from add-on  25 , and back wall  3  is in contact with the edge of insertion opening  24 . The device according to the invention is thereby anchored in the insertion opening  24  with a very high pull-out force, such that the add-on  25  is very stably connected to the support  23 . 
       FIG. 3  shows, in a sectional view corresponding to the representation of  FIG. 2 , the arrangement according to  FIG. 2  with a partially illustrated screwdriver whose screwdriver blade  26 , as a tool for releasing the connection between the inventive device and the support  23 , has been inserted all the way through a pass-through opening  27  in the add-on  25  and on into the tool channel  22 . During this operation, the screwdriver blade  26  is guided by the obliquely positioned guide tongue  21  toward the side of front wall  14  that faces away from back wall  3 , passing between the stop wings  15 ,  16  and between front wall  14  and the edge of the insertion opening  24 . In this arrangement, front wall  14  is bent toward back wall  3  compared to the arrangement of  FIG. 2 , although under some circumstances the rear engagement of rear engagement sides  20  with the edge region of support  23  adjacent the insertion opening  24  may not be cancelled yet, it still being necessary to turn the screwdriver blade  26  in a direction of rotation  28  indicated by an arrow to achieve this purpose. 
       FIG. 4  is a representation according to  FIGS. 2 and 3  of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1  after the screwdriver blade  26  has been turned in direction of rotation  28  to arrive at an orientation that is approximately perpendicular to the arrangement of  FIG. 3 , and in which, due to the width of the screwdriver blade  26 , front wall  14  is, in the region of tool channel  22 , shifted still farther in the direction of back wall  3  compared to the arrangement of  FIG. 3 , and the rear engagement of rear engagement sides  20  with the edge region of support  23  that borders upon insertion opening  24  is released completely. In this arrangement, the device according to the invention can now be removed without hindrance from the insertion opening  24 , and the add-on  25  can thus be removed from the support  23 . Meanwhile, the fixing tongues  6  secure the inventive device against accidentally dropping out of the add-on  25 . 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention 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 this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.