Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a blind snap mounted clip fastener for inserting into a mounting aperture and an anti-rotate aperture of a work piece to secure a component work piece to the fastener. <CIT> discloses a part mounting grommet that supports a part provided with a mounting member on a vehicle main body. <CIT> discloses an elastic lock drive nut.

This document is directed to a translating retention clip (hereinafter referred to as a retention clip). The retention clip may be configured for a vehicle environment (e.g., to mount a component to a vehicle).

The present invention provides a retention clip according to claim <NUM>. The following discussion is provided for understanding the claims, but the scope of protection is only defined by the claims.

A retention clip is described with reference to the following drawings that use some of the same numbers throughout to reference like or examples of like features and components.

Modern vehicles incorporate many components (e.g., body pieces, trim, modules, computers, or sensors such as cameras, radar, lidar, laser, and sonar sensors). For efficient production, such components are often located (e.g., staged) prior to subsequent fastening. For example, components often have retention clips to locate the components. Fasteners (e.g., screws or bolts) can then secure the components to the vehicles. One problem with using such techniques is that multiple fastening means are required (e.g., retention clips and separate screws). Furthermore, the components and the vehicles require attachment features for both types of hardware, thus, contributing to complexity and cost.

A retention clip is described herein. The retention clip has a first portion configured to temporarily deform upon insertion into a slot of a mounting location and prevent the retention clip from retracting through the slot once inserted. The retention clip also has a second portion configured to attach the retention clip to a component via a first torque of a fastener interfacing with the second portion. The retention clip further has a third portion configured to abut against a surface of the component and deform under s second torque of the fastener such that the first portion and the second portion are translated along an attachment axis toward the component. The described retention clip allows for locating and securing the component with a single fastener via two stages. Accordingly, component mounting is generally cheaper, less complex, and quicker.

<FIG> illustrates an example of a retention clip <NUM> in accordance with systems and techniques of this disclosure. <FIG> illustrates two views of the retention clip <NUM>. The retention clip may be made of metal (e.g., formed of sheet metal, bent, and/or stamped) or plastic (e.g., molded, printed, formed). In some implementations, the retention clip <NUM> may be an assembly and/or made of a combination of materials (e.g., plastic and metal pieces). The retention clip <NUM> may vary in design, size, and/or shape compared to that illustrated without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, the features described below may be implemented in other designs of the retention clip <NUM> without changing the operation of the retention clip <NUM>.

A coordinate system <NUM> is illustrated with an attachment axis <NUM>, a left/right axis <NUM>, and a front/back axis <NUM>. The attachment axis <NUM> corresponds to an axis on which the retention clip <NUM> is inserted into a mounting location. In the illustrated example, the retention clip is symmetrical about two planes (e.g., a plane parallel to a plane formed by the attachment axis <NUM> and the left/right axis <NUM> and a plane parallel to a plane formed by the attachment axis <NUM> and the front/back axis <NUM>). The retention clip <NUM> may be asymmetrical about either or both of those planes without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the left/right axis <NUM> and the front/back axis <NUM> may be switched without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

The retention clip <NUM> contains a first portion <NUM>, a second portion <NUM>, and a third portion <NUM>. The first portion <NUM> is configured to temporarily deform upon insertion of the retention clip <NUM> into an opening of the mounting location along the attachment axis <NUM>. For example, the first portion <NUM> may comprise front and back deformable wings that deform in the plane parallel to the attachment axis <NUM> and the front/back axis <NUM> upon insertion into a slot of the mounting location. The wings may have lead in surfaces that facilitate the deformation and may be connected to each other at an end opposite the third portion. Furthermore, the wings may be connected to each other at an end opposite the third portion <NUM>. The first portion <NUM> may take shapes other than that illustrated without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

The second portion <NUM> is configured to attach the retention clip <NUM> to a component to be mounted to the mounting location. The second portion <NUM> may comprise a threaded hole, a clip configured to receive a threaded fastener, a thru hole configured to receive a self-tapping/self-threading fastener, a threaded rod, or the like.

The third portion <NUM> is configured to abut against the component in a first stage of the retention clip <NUM> and deform in a second stage of the retention clip <NUM> such that the first portion <NUM> and the second portion <NUM> are translated along the attachment axis <NUM> toward the component. The third portion <NUM> may comprise left and right deformable wings that deform in the plane parallel to the attachment axis <NUM> and the left/right axis <NUM>. The deformation of the third portion <NUM> is described further below. The third portion <NUM> may take shapes other than that illustrated without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

To keep the retention clip <NUM> (and thus, the component) from pulling through mounting location upon translation, the first portion <NUM> contains one or more holding surfaces <NUM>. The holding surfaces <NUM> are configured to abut against a backside surface of the mounting location and provide a supporting surface against the translation, thereby allowing the component and the mounting location to be drawn together as the third portion <NUM> is deformed.

Accordingly, the retention clip <NUM> allows for locating and temporarily holding a component relative to a mounting location in a first stage and fastening the component to the mounting location in a second stage. In doing so, parts may be eliminated from an assembly, and fabrication of the component and mounting location may be simplified, thus improving cost, ease of assembly, and assembly times.

<FIG> illustrate example phases the retention clip <NUM> may go through upon attachment of the component to the mounting location. <FIG> illustrates, at <NUM>, the retention clip <NUM> attached to a component <NUM> to be attached to a mounting location <NUM>. Although this disclosure is directed towards automotive applications, the component <NUM> and the mounting location <NUM> may be in any application or environment without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The component <NUM> may be a body piece, trim piece, module, computer, electrical component, fuse box, camera, radar sensor or radar module, lidar sensor or lidar module, sonar sensor or sonar module, laser sensor or laser module, other sensor or sensor module, or the like. The mounting location <NUM> may be a body panel, frame member, portion of a unibody, structural member, piece of sheet metal, another component, or the like.

The retention clip <NUM> is attached to the component <NUM> via a first torque of a fastener <NUM>. The fastener <NUM> interfaces with the second portion <NUM> of the retention clip <NUM>. The first torque draws the retention clip <NUM> toward the component <NUM> such that the third portion <NUM> abuts against the component without substantially deflecting or deforming. An offset <NUM> or gap exists between the second portion <NUM> and the component <NUM> in this stage.

The component <NUM> has an opening configured to receive the retention clip <NUM>. The opening may be any shape or size depending on a configuration of the retention clip <NUM>. In the illustrated example, the opening is a rectangular opening. The rectangular opening has a dimension that is smaller than a front/back width of the retention clip. The dimension causes edges of the opening to abut against the lead-in surfaces of the first portion <NUM>, such that further insertion causes the first portion <NUM> to temporarily deform. <FIG> illustrates the retention clip <NUM> once it has been inserted through the opening.

<FIG> illustrates, at <NUM>, the retention clip <NUM> inserted into the mounting location <NUM> (while attached to the component <NUM>). The insertion is not illustrated, however, one of ordinary skill can appreciate a deformation of the first portion <NUM> upon entry through the mounting location <NUM>. Once inserted, the first portion <NUM> may stay partially deformed based on a lead-out surface. The partial deformation may cause a weak clamping force between the mounting location <NUM> and the component <NUM>. When inserted, there exists a gap <NUM> between the holding surfaces <NUM> and a backside <NUM> of the mounting location <NUM>. The offset <NUM> may correspond to a maximum size of the gap <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates, at <NUM>, the retention clip <NUM> after a second torque is applied to the fastener <NUM> (once inserted into the mounting location <NUM> per <FIG>). The third portion <NUM> is configured to deform, thus allowing for the second portion <NUM> to be drawn up the fastener <NUM>. Because the first portion <NUM> is connected to the second portion <NUM>, the translation of the second portion <NUM> also causes the first portion <NUM> to be drawn up toward the mounting location <NUM>. The first portion <NUM> may be drawn up toward the backside <NUM> of the mounting location <NUM> until the holding surfaces <NUM> are in contact with the backside <NUM>. From there, building to the second torque causes the component <NUM> to be forced together with (e.g., clamped to) the mounting location <NUM>. The retention clip <NUM> may allow for up to 1500N or more of clamping force between the mounting location <NUM> and the component <NUM>.

Accordingly, the retention clip <NUM> provides for a staging operation where the component <NUM> is located relative to the mounting location <NUM> and for a clamping operation that removes the gap <NUM> and secures the component <NUM> to the mounting location <NUM> with a high clamping force. In doing so, a number of parts may be reduced (in type and/or number), thus allowing for reduced cost, complexity, and assembly time. Furthermore, designs of the component <NUM> and the mounting location <NUM> may be revised based on not requiring separate clips and fasteners.

<FIG> illustrates an example method of assembly using a retention clip in accordance with this disclosure. At <NUM>, a retention clip is attached to a component via a first torque of a fastener interfacing with a second portion of the retention clip. For example, the retention clip <NUM> may be attached to the component <NUM> via the first torque of the fastener <NUM> interfacing with the second portion <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the component is located relative to a mounting location via an insertion of the retention clip into the mounting location. For example, the component <NUM> may be located relative to the mounting location <NUM> via an insertion of the retention clip <NUM> (that is attached to the component <NUM>) into the mounting location <NUM> (e.g., the slot). The insertion may cause the first portion <NUM> to compress upon entry into the mounting location <NUM>. After insertion, the first portion <NUM> may exert a weak force that holds the component <NUM> to the mounting location <NUM>. The weak force may be due to a spring action of the retention clip <NUM> trying to return to its uninserted shape.

At <NUM>, the component is secured to the mounting location via a second torque of the fastener. The second torque of the fastener causes a first portion of the retention clip to be translated such that a holding surface of the first portion abuts against a backside of the mounting location during the translation. As part of the operation, the first portion may be partially pulled back through the mounting location until the holding surface of the first portion abuts against the backside of the mounting location. Once the holding surface is abutted against the backside of the mounting location, the second torque may then cause a clamping force between the mounting location and the component. For example, the component <NUM> may be secured to the mounting location <NUM> via the second torque of the fastener <NUM>. The second torque of the fastener <NUM> may cause the first portion <NUM> of the retention clip <NUM> to be translated such that the holding surfaces <NUM> of the first portion <NUM> abut against a backside <NUM> of the mounting location <NUM>. The second torque may then cause a clamping force between the mounting location <NUM> and the component <NUM>.

While various embodiments of the disclosure are described in the foregoing description and shown in the drawings, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.

Claim 1:
A retention clip (<NUM>) comprising:
a first portion (<NUM>) configured to temporarily deform upon insertion into a slot of a mounting location (<NUM>) and prevent the retention clip (<NUM>) from retracting through the slot once inserted;
a second portion (<NUM>) configured to attach the retention clip (<NUM>) to a component (<NUM>); and
a third portion (<NUM>) configured to:
abut against a surface of the component (<NUM>); and
deform such that the first portion (<NUM>) and the second portion (<NUM>) are translated along an attachment axis (<NUM>) toward the component (<NUM>), the attachment axis (<NUM>) being approximately perpendicular to the surface of the component (<NUM>), wherein the translation of the first portion (<NUM>) along the attachment axis can cause a holding surface (<NUM>) of the first portion (<NUM>) to abut against a surface of the mounting location (<NUM>) that is opposite the component (<NUM>), wherein the holding surface (<NUM>) spans a width of the second portion (<NUM>).