Patent ID: 7140079

Claim:
A clip for securing a trim strip to a vehicle body, comprising: a first portion having, first and second spaced apart laterally extending grooves running from a first side to a second side of the first portion, each of the first and second grooves having teeth substantially along their length, an opening running from the first side to the second side of the first portion parallel to the first and second grooves and between the first and second grooves, a tongue device that is configured to interact with the vehicle body, and a flange device configured to mate with a corresponding flange device attached to the trim strip; and a second portion having, a body portion having a central opening, the opening configured to mate with a T-stud of the vehicle, and first and second spaced apart extensions extending from first and second sides of the body portion, the first and second extensions substantially corresponding in size to the first and second grooves, the first and second extensions having teeth substantially along their length that are complementary and corresponding to the teeth of the first and second grooves, wherein the body portion is received through the opening in the side of the first portion such that the first and second extensions are received into corresponding ones of the first and second grooves and the second portion is slidably coupled within the first portion to allow relative movement between the first and second portions, and wherein the teeth of the first and second extensions are configured to ratchet with respect to the teeth of the first and second grooves, such that the relative movement is only in one direction to allow adjustment of, and thereafter maintain, a position of the tongue device with respect to the T-stud so that the tongue device is brought into contact against the vehicle body after (a) the second portion is secured to the T-stud and (b) the first portion is moved relative to the second portion to position the tongue device against the vehicle body.