Patent ID: 8122578

Claim:
A method of coupling a first member and a second member by a clip and a screw, the method comprising: a preparing step of making the first member to face the second member in a state of attaching a base portion of a clip to the first member, wherein the first member has a first side and a second side, wherein the clip includes a barrel portion, wherein the base portion of the clip is on the first side of the first member and the barrel portion is on the second side of the first member; a clip fitting step of fitting the clip to a clip hole on the second member by a press pad directly pressing the base portion toward the second member with the barrel portion penetrating the clip hole on the second member, wherein the clip includes a spacer element positioned between the first and second members in the clip fitting step; a screw fastening step of connecting the first member to the second member by the screw; detecting a reduction of a press reaction force when the first member is pressed to the second member; comparing an accumulated value of the reduction of the press reaction force with a predetermined range between a lower limit and an upper limit; and determining whether the clip is correctly fitted in dependence upon said comparing.