Fixing element for securing a retaining element on a support and system comprising a fixing element and a retaining element

Abstract

Disclosed is a fastener for securing a retaining element on a support, wherein the fastener is formed like a retaining clip and has at least one leg and at least one engaging section, wherein the engaging section extends outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the fastener and is designed to engage with the retaining element. The leg has at least one latching section for retaining the retaining element on the support at an opening of the support, wherein the fastener has a channel for a section of the retaining element, wherein the fastener has at least one contact region for the retaining element that is positioned at least partially within the channel, and the contact region is functionally connected to the engaging section via a connecting section, wherein the contact region has an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° to the longitudinal axis of the channel.

Claims

1. A fastener for securing a retaining element on a support, wherein the fastener is formed like a retaining clip and has at least one leg and at least one engaging section, wherein the engaging section extends outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the fastener and is capable of engaging the retaining element, wherein the leg has at least one latching section for retaining the retaining element on the support, wherein the fastener has a channel for receiving a section of the retaining element, wherein the fastener has at least one contact region for contact with the retaining element that is positioned at least partially within the channel, wherein the contact region is connected to the engaging section via a connecting section, wherein the contact region extends at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° to the longitudinal axis of the channel, wherein the fastener has at least one outwardly extending further engaging section that adjoins the contact region, and wherein the further engaging section is connected to the contact region via a further connecting section extending through a window defined by the leg of the fastener.

2. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the engaging section encloses an angle of less than or equal to 90° with the longitudinal axis of the fastener.

3. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the contact region has a deflecting section, or a deflecting section adjoins the contact region, wherein the deflecting section is arranged in the region of the channel.

4. The fastener according to claim 3, wherein the contact region forms, with the connecting section and the deflecting section in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the fastener, a part of a V-shaped, U-shaped, diamond-shaped, partially circular or partially elliptical section.

5. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the window is defined in a section of a leg which has an angle not equal to 0° to the longitudinal axis of the fastener.

6. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the distance of the engaging section from a central axis of the fastener is greater than the distance of the further engaging section from the central axis of the fastener.

7. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the fastener has a groove-shaped recess, or bead, or detent lug extending into the channel.

8. A system comprising a fastener according to claim 1 and a retaining element, wherein a distance between the engaging section and the contact region in the longitudinal direction of the fastener is adapted to a distance between a contact surface of the retaining element against which the engaging section can rest, and a latching element which is provided on a section of the retaining element to be received by the channel and against which the contact region rests.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the section of the retaining element located in the channel is adapted to the fastener in such a way that both a contact of the section on the contact region and on a region of the leg facing the contact region in the section of the fastener is made possible.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the latching section is formed by a latching ramp which extends at an angle to the longitudinal axis, and is located on the other side of the contact region in comparison with the engaging section and has a surface facing the surface of the engaging section coming into contact with the contact surface of the retaining element.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising a catch section having a surface which faces the surface of the engaging section coming into contact with the contact surface of the retaining element, wherein the catch section is arranged farther along the longitudinal axis from the engaging section in comparison to the latching section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying figure, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of one embodiment of a fastener;

(3) FIG. 2 shows another side view of the fastener according to FIG. 1 in a view rotated by 90°;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of the fastener according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a partial sectional view of a fastener according to FIGS. 1 to 3 with a retaining element and a support in a first operating state;

(6) FIG. 5 shows the fastener, the support and the retaining element according to FIG. 4 in a further operating state;

(7) FIG. 6 shows the fastener, the support and the retaining element according to FIG. 4 in an isometric representation;

(8) FIG. 7 shows the fastener, the support and the retaining element according to another embodiment in a first operating state; and

(9) FIG. 8 shows the fastener, the support and the retaining element according to FIG. 7 in a further operating state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) Referring to FIGS. 1-8, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a fastener is illustrated and generally designated 1. In particular, in accordance with certain embodiments, FIG. 1 shows a side view of a fastener 1 for securing a retaining element 2 on a support 3 (see FIGS. 4 to 6). The fastener 1 comprises a foot section 4, a neck section 5 and a head section 6, wherein the clear rectilinear separation shown in FIG. 1 is indicated only schematically. The sections smoothly transition into each other.

(11) The fastener 1 is designed like a retaining clip and has two legs 7, 8 that are connected to each other by a base 9.

(12) In the region of the foot section 4, a latching section 10 and a catch section 11 are provided for each of the two legs 7, 8. The latching section 10 and the catch section 11 are arranged at a distance from each other with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the fastener 1. The latching section 10 has a latching ramp 10a and a back ramp 10b with which the fastener 1 can be locked in an opening 24 designed as an elongated hole. The latching section 10 is provided for retaining the retaining element 2 on the support 3, as shown in FIG. 4 for a first operating state. In the first operating state, the fastener 1 is locked on the support 3 by the latching ramp 10a of the legs 7, 8.

(13) In order to fasten the retaining element 2, the fastener 1 has for each of the legs 7, 8 an engaging section 12 which extends outwardly from the longitudinal axis L of the fastener 1 at an angle α of about 85° to the longitudinal axis L and is designed to engage with the retaining element 2. For this purpose, the retaining element 2 has recesses 13 in which the engaging section 12 of the fastener 1 can engage by contacting a contact surface forming part of the recess in the first operating state, as can be seen in FIG. 4.

(14) The retaining element 2 has a section 14 which is adapted to a channel 15 in the fastener 1. The channel 15 in the fastener 1 is at least partially bordered by the legs 7, 8. As part of the fastener 1, a contact region 16 is always provided in the channel 15. The contact region 16 extends at an angle β of about 45° to the longitudinal axis (L) of the fastener. The contact region 16 can come into contact with a region of the section 14 of the retaining element 2 in order to secure the retaining element 2. The contact region 16 of the fastener 1 acts against a movement of the retaining element 2 in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the fastener 1 away from the support 3.

(15) A deflecting section 17 which projects into the channel 15 is provided in the contact region 16 of the fastener 1. The deflecting section 17 is connected to the engaging section 12 via a connecting section 18. An outwardly extending further engaging section 23 for the retaining element 2 adjoins the contact region 16. A further connecting section 19, which is part of the contact region 16 for the section 14 of the retaining element 2, adjoins the deflecting section 17 in the direction of the foot section 4 of the fastener 1. The further connecting section 19 is bent back onto the connecting section 18. The connecting section 19 extends through a connecting window 20 in the fastener 1 formed in the legs 7, 8. The further engaging section 23 is connected to the contact region 16 via the further connecting section 19 extending through the window 20. The connecting section 18, the deflecting section 17 and the further connecting section 19 form part of a diamond-shaped structure, as can be seen in the side view in FIG. 1.

(16) The window 20 is formed in a section 21 of the legs 7, 8 which has an angle not equal to 0° relative to the longitudinal axis L of the fastener 1.

(17) In the neck section 5 of the fastener 1 which has substantially rectilinear sections 25 that enclose a small angle close to 0° with the longitudinal axis L of the fastener 1, a groove-shaped recess 22 that protrudes into the channel 15 is respectively formed for reinforcing the sections 25 and as a stop for the section 14 of the retaining element 2 in the direction of the support 3.

(18) FIG. 4 shows that the section 14 of the retaining element 2 is adapted to the fastener 1. The distance between the engaging section 12 and the contact region 16 in the longitudinal direction of the fastener 1 is adapted to a distance of the retaining element 2 between the recess 13 positioned at the proximal end of the retaining element 2 and a latching element 26 for resting against the contact region 16, positioned substantially along the centerline of the retaining element 2. The latching element 26 of the retaining element 2 is adapted to the geometric shape of the fastener 1 in that the region provided for resting against the contact region 16 substantially replicates this shape. A surface formed on the latching element and facing the support 3 substantially replicates the shape of the section 21 which comes into contact with the corresponding surface of the latching element.

(19) A bar 27 which presses the two legs 7, 8 apart in the neck section 5 of the fastener 1 adjoins the latching element 26 of the retaining element 2 in the section 14 of the retaining element 2.

(20) FIG. 5 shows the other operating state which, for example, exists after an airbag is triggered if the retaining element 2 is designed as a retainer of an airbag system. The retaining element 2 is secured to the support 3, wherein the retaining element 2 has moved with respect to the support 3. The fastener 1 has moved relatively to the support 3, and the retaining element 2 has moved relatively to the fastener 1. In particular, the section 14 of the retaining element 2 has disengaged from the contact region 16 of the fastener 1. The retaining element 2 is secured in relation to the support 3 in the longitudinal axial direction of the fastener 1, since the fastener 1 is in a form fit in this direction. In view of the latching section 11, the fastener 1 is held captive in the opening 24 of the support 3.

(21) Lugs 28 which are designed for resting against the support 3 on an outer wall of the retaining element 2 are exposed.

(22) FIG. 6 shows the first operating state according to FIG. 4 in an isometric view.

(23) FIG. 7 shows one fastener 1, one support 3 and one retaining element 2 according to another embodiment in a first operating state. The difference between the retaining element 2 of the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6 is essentially that the latching element 26 is designed with a round cross-section and essentially approximates an elliptical or spherical shape. The retaining element 2 according to FIGS. 7 and 8 can be used or combined with the fastener 1 according to FIGS. 1 to 6.

(24) The difference between the fastener 1 according to FIGS. 7 and 8 and the fastener 1 according to FIGS. 1 to 6 is essentially that the recess 22 is formed on the leg 8. While the recess 22 on the leg 7 projects far into the channel 15, the recess 22 on the leg 8 projects slightly into the channel 15.

(25) The terms “comprising” or “comprise” are used herein in their broadest sense to mean and encompass the notions of “including,” “include,” “consist(ing) essentially of,” and “consist(ing) of. The use of “for example,” “e.g.,” “such as,” and “including” to list illustrative examples does not limit to only the listed examples. Thus, “for example” or “such as” means “for example, but not limited to” or “such as, but not limited to” and encompasses other similar or equivalent examples. The term “about” as used herein serves to reasonably encompass or describe minor variations in numerical values measured by instrumental analysis or as a result of sample handling. Such minor variations may be in the order of ±0-25, ±0-10, ±0-5, or ±0-2.5, % of the numerical values. Further, The term “about” applies to both numerical values when associated with a range of values. Moreover, the term “about” may apply to numerical values even when not explicitly stated.

(26) Generally, as used herein a hyphen “-” or dash “-” in a range of values is “to” or “through”; a “>” is “above” or “greater-than”; a “≥” is “at least” or “greater-than or equal to”; a “<” is “below” or “less-than”; and a “≤” is “at most” or “less-than or equal to.” On an individual basis, each of the aforementioned applications for patent, patents, and/or patent application publications, is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety in one or more non-limiting embodiments.

(27) It is to be understood that the appended claims are not limited to express and particular compounds, compositions, or methods described in the detailed description, which may vary between particular embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims. With respect to any Markush groups relied upon herein for describing particular features or aspects of various embodiments, it is to be appreciated that different, special, and/or unexpected results may be obtained from each member of the respective Markush group independent from all other Markush members. Each member of a Markush group may be relied upon individually and or in combination and provides adequate support for specific embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

(28) The present invention has been described herein in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described within the scope of the appended claims. The subject matter of all combinations of independent and dependent claims, both single and multiple dependent, is herein expressly contemplated.