Patent ID: 8474214

Claim:
A panel structure for an automobile, comprising: a first panel having a first edge; a first connecting part positioned adjacent to the first edge of the first panel, the first connecting part having a clip and a stabilizer flange that is spaced apart from the clip, wherein the stabilizer flange includes a first portion and a second portion that are situated on opposite sides of the clip in a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to both an insertion direction and an elevational direction; a second panel having a second edge; and a second connecting part positioned adjacent to the second edge of the second panel, the second connecting part having a first engagement structure that is engageable with the clip of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second panel with respect to the first panel in the insertion direction, and a second engagement structure that is engageable with the first portion of the stabilizer flange and the second portion of the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second panel with respect to the first panel in the elevational direction, wherein each of the first portion of the stabilizer flange and the second portion of the stabilizer flange includes an extension portion and a plurality of discrete protrusions, each protrusion from the plurality of discrete protrusions extending upward from the extension portion in the elevational direction, each protrusion from the plurality of discrete protrusions directly contacting the second engagement structure, and the protrusions from the plurality of discrete protrusions being spaced apart with respect to one another in the lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to both the insertion direction and the elevational direction, and wherein the second connecting part includes a base portion and the first engagement structure extends outward from the base portion in a direction opposite of the elevational direction, a portion of the second engagement structure of the second connecting part is interposed between the stabilizer flange and the clip of the first connecting part such that the second engagement structure contacts the stabilizer flange and is spaced apart from the clip, and the portion of the second engagement structure of the second connecting part is spaced apart from the base portion to define a channel within which the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part is receivable.