Patent ID: 8616507

Claim:
A clamp for connecting a panel to a vehicle, said clamp comprising: a longitudinally extending strap portion including a first end portion and a second end portion, the first and second end portions disposed at opposite longitudinal extents of the strap portion; the first end portion including a projection having a distal end and a lateral element disposed on the projection between the distal end and the strap portion, wherein a first extent is defined along the projection from the distal end to the lateral element; and the second end portion including a receptacle defined by an interior wall having a single deflectable element disposed adjacent an opening of the receptacle and a shoulder defined by the interior wall disposed within the receptacle spaced at a distance from the deflectable element, wherein the interior wall along the distance is continuously non-stepped and has a second extent greater than the first extent, wherein the lateral element defines an effective outer diameter that is greater than an effective inner diameter defined by the deflectable element such that; (a) when the distal end is inserted into the receptacle and the lateral element is passed over the deflectable element the first and second end portions are disposed in an initially loosely coupled configuration defined by: (1) the lateral element disposed immediately adjacent the deflectable element, and (2) the lateral element freely longitudinally movable along the distance without impediment; and (b) when the distal end is further inserted the distance into the receptacle the first and second end portions are disposed in a finally tightly coupled, and (2) the distal end firmly retained in the receptacle below the shoulder configuration defined by the lateral element disposed contiguous with the shoulder.