FLOATINGLY MOUNTED CLIP

Abstract

The invention relates to a clip for fastening a first element to a second element, in particular for the assembly of components for vehicles. The clip has a head with two wings extending from each other in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip and a tip. The clip also has a first side and a second side, wherein the first side and the second side extend from the head towards the tip in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the clip, and the first and the second side are interconnected through the tip and can be compressed such that they can be moved towards each other around the tip. At least one side has a section that is farther away from the longitudinal axis than another section, wherein at least one wing at the wing end has a supporting surface that extends at least in sections at an angle of less than 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the clip.

Claims

1. A clip for fastening a first element to a second element, wherein the clip comprises: a head having two wings extending from each other in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip and a tip, and a first side and a second side, wherein the first side and the second side extend from the head towards the tip in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the clip, wherein the first side and the second side are interconnected through the tip and can be compressed such that they can be pivoted towards each other around the tip wherein at least one of the first and second sides has a section that is farther away from the longitudinal axis than another section of that side, and wherein at least one wing at a wing end has a supporting surface that extends at least in sections at an angle of less than 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the clip.

2. The clip according to claim 1, wherein at least one side has a side wall, wherein the side wall has one or more profiles and/or punched holes and/or reinforcements in an area adjacent to the head.

3. The clip according to claim 1, further comprising a band section connected to the side on a head side.

4. The clip according to claim 3, wherein a section with at least one arch is connected to the band section in a transition area to the wing.

5. The clip according to claim 1, wherein the clip is mirror-symmetrical with respect to a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the clip.

6. The clip according to claim 1, wherein the head and the first side and the second side are part of a one-piece element produced by the bending of sections of a metal section.

7. A device having a first element and a second element fastened to the first element, wherein the first element has an opening and the second element is fastened to the first element via the clip according to claim 1, wherein the clip is disposed through the opening in such a manner that the head of the clip is arranged on one side of the opening and the tip of the clip is arranged on the opposite side of the opening.

8. The device having a clip according to claim 7, wherein the opening of the first element is followed by a blind hole.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the blind hole is at least partially bounded by a boundary surface having a profile made of recesses and/or projections along a displacement direction of the clip, wherein the displacement direction runs at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the clip.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the profile of the blind hole along the displacement direction curved.

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein the recesses and/or projections of the blind hole are designed in such a manner that they work together with projections and/or recesses at the head of the clip, such that the clip is automatically centered in the blind hole.

12. The device according to claim 7, wherein the section of the side that is farther away from the longitudinal axis than another section of such side is arranged closer to the tip than the other section, and wherein the side between the section that is farther from the longitudinal axis than another section of such side and such other section has a transition section, in which the side progressively moves away from the longitudinal axis as it approaches the section farther from the longitudinal axis than another section of this side.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the second element has a second opening and a part of the wall bounding the second opening or an edge forming the transition of the wall of the second opening to a differently aligned surface of the second element is in contact with the transition section of the side.

14. The device according to claim 8, wherein the wing has a middle section between the support surface provided at the wing end and a starting point of the wing, wherein the middle section is formed by sections of the clip, the extension of which has a component in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip and a component parallel to the longitudinal axis of the clip, and wherein the middle section of the wing extends from the starting point to a contact line or a contact surface of the wing and thus of the head provided at the transition from the middle section to the supporting surface, wherein the contact line or the contact surface is in contact with a surface of the blind hole, and the starting point of the wing is arranged in a manner spaced from the contact line or contact surface of the wing and farther away from the tip of the clip than the contact line or contact surface, and at the starting point of the wing, an additional contact line or contact surface, which is in contact with another surface of the blind hole, is provided.

15. The device according to claim 7, wherein the extension of the supporting surface in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the clip is more than 0.1 mm smaller than the height of the blind hole measured in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis in the area in which the supporting surface is located.

16. A method of forming the device of claim 7, said method comprising disposing the clip through the opening in such a manner that the head of the clip is arranged on the one side of the opening and the tip of the clip is arranged on the opposite side of the opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying figure, in which:

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a side view perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a clip according to the invention;

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a side view perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip according to the invention with the clip rotated 90 degrees (or 270 degrees) about the longitudinal axis compared to FIG. 1;

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a side view perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip according to the invention with compressed sides and/or compressed wings;

[0061] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a device according to the invention perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip according to the invention with an assembled first element and an assembled second element;

[0062] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the device according to the invention perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip according to the invention in the assembled state with the force load of the second element pointing away from the first element; and

[0063] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the device according to the invention perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip according to the invention in the assembled state with the force load of the second element perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] Referring to FIGS. 1-6, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a clip is illustrated and generally designated 1. In particular, in accordance with certain embodiments, the clip 1 shown in FIG. 1 in side views perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 5 for fastening a first element to a second element has a head 4 and a tip 7. Sides 8,9 composed of several, in particular bent, partial sections, which form a shaft, extend between the head 4 and the tip 7.

[0065] The shaft has a first side 8 and a second side arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner opposite to the first side, in relation to a plane containing the longitudinal axis 5 of the clip. With the embodiment shown, the tip 7, together with parts of the tip, has a design tapered in pyramidal or conical or truncated pyramidal or truncated conical or wedge-shaped form. Both the first side 8 and the second side 9 extend from the head 4 in the direction of the tip 7, which connects the two sides 8,9. The tip 7 has an arch-shaped bending section that is bent inwards starting from the first side 8. The vertex of the arch of such bending section forms in particular the essential part of the tip 7. This is also followed by the second side 9. On the head side, the second side 9 along with the first side 8 ends in a partly arch-shaped bending section, which is bent outwards before the respective sides 8 and 9 merge into the band section 14. The band section 14 is essentially flat in cross-section and is formed to be straight or slightly curved in particular.

[0066] The band section 14 is followed by another arch section with an arch 15, which points outwards from the longitudinal axis of the clip and in particular represents the starting point of the wing 6. The wing 6 extends in a particularly curved section (middle part) up to the wing end 10, at which a supporting surface 11 is located. Here, the term wing end 10 is used to refer in particular to the flat end area that has an essentially straight-line course and adjoins an arch section that forms the transition between the middle section of the wing and the supporting surface and forms a contact line for making contact with one of the two components to be connected.

[0067] In particular, the supporting surface 11 is essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis 5 of the clip or has an angle of less than 45 to the longitudinal axis 5. The angle position is particularly dependent on the load condition of the clip. With the clip shown, for example, the angle to the longitudinal axis 5 is reduced upon the application of force pointing away from the head 4 and parallel to the longitudinal axis 5. In particular, the wing end 10 is also designed to be curved. In the area of the head 4, there are at least sections of profiles and or punched holes 13 and/or reinforcements, with which a specific bending strength can be achieved. Furthermore, the recess tongues 13 reduce friction on contact surfaces during and after mounting. The punched holes on the clip in FIG. 1 are in particular provided on the head-side area of the sides 8,9, on the belt section 14, on the arch 15 and on the middle part of the wing 6.

[0068] The clip according to the invention in the embodiment shown in the figures is a one-piece element and was produced by the bending of sections of a metal section, especially a sheet metal band.

[0069] In the specific embodiment shown in the Figs., each of the first side 8 and the second side 9 has a flat base body. FIGS. 1 and 2 show that the otherwise flat base body has elevations, particularly through punched holes. This makes it clear that, within the framework of this description, the term flat base body is used only in one embodiment to describe a geometrically exact flat base body, but in other design forms such as here such base bodies that deviate from a geometrically exact flat form due to small projections are also referred to as flat base bodies.

[0070] FIG. 2 shows a side view perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip according to the invention with the clip rotated 90 degrees or 270 degrees about the longitudinal axis compared to FIG. 1. The flat base body or side wall tapers in the direction of the tip 7. The punched holes 13 are visible on the head side.

[0071] FIG. 3 shows a side view perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip according to the invention with compressed sides and/or compressed wings. External forces typically bring the band sections 14 into contact and then insert them into the opening of element 2.

[0072] FIG. 4 shows a device according to the invention in a sectional view of the clip comprising the first element 2 and a second element 3 fastened to the first element 2, wherein the first element 2 has an opening and the second element 3 is fastened to the first element 2 via the clip. The clip passes through opening 16 in such a manner that the head 4 of the clip is arranged on one side of the opening 16 and the tip 7 of the clip is arranged on the opposite side of the opening 16 of the first element 2. The sides 8,9 are in contact with the second element, which is held in particular with clamping force. The clip is in a state that is mostly, but not yet finally, assembled state. The band sections 14 approach each other and the clip is centered in the opening 16, which connects to a blind hole 21. Furthermore, a step profile 17 can be seen on the lower bearing surface 18 for the clip in the blind hole 21; this is centered at the opening 16 and holds the clip in a typically fixed position in the assembled state. In the edge areas of the elongated blind hole 21, the device has more degrees of freedom for the movement of the head of the clip, such that the wing end experiences 10 less friction and can perform lateral translational movements, in particular during assembly.

[0073] In particular, the elastically compressible wing ends 10 have a bevel which, if the clip is inserted into a hole of a first element 2, causes it to come into contact with the edge of the hole and, through the further insertion of the clip, is pressed inwards against a spring force, but, after passing through the opening 16 in the first element, springs out again due to the spring force, and thereby engages behind the material of the first element 2 surrounding the opening 16.

[0074] A similar mechanism is provided for the attachment of the second element, wherein the truncated conical sides 8,9 are automatically compressed to the longitudinal axis 5 of the clip through the sliding open of a second element 3 with an additional opening 19.

[0075] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clip according to the invention in the assembled state, with a force load of the second element 3 pointing away from the first element 2. A spreading of the wings can be seen, wherein the supporting surfaces 11 abut against the side surface 20 of the blind hole 21. Furthermore, the two band sections at the head 4 are further apart from each other than in the unloaded state. The deformations of the clip induced by the external force stabilize and center the clip automatically, in particular by the restoring force of the wing ends 10 and/or the sides partially or completely in contact with the elements 2,3.

[0076] FIG. 6 also shows a sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 5 of the clip according to the invention in the assembled state, but with the lateral force load of the second element 3 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 5 of the clip. It can be seen here that a supporting surface 11 limits the translation of the clip in blind hole 21 on one side, and that the supporting surface 11 is in contact with the side surface 20 of the blind hole 21; it is especially flush with it. The band sections 14 approach each other and second element 3 is shifted laterally along the plotted force vector relative to the element 2. The device thus allows a limited, reversible translational movement of both elements relative to each other, particularly under the application of force perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 5.

DESIGNATIONS

[0077] 1. Clip

[0078] 2. First element

[0079] 3. Second element

[0080] 4. Head

[0081] 5. Longitudinal axis

[0082] 6. Wing

[0083] 7. Tip

[0084] 8. First side

[0085] 9. Second side

[0086] 10. Wing end

[0087] 11. Supporting surface

[0088] 12. Side wall

[0089] 13. Punched holes

[0090] 14. Belt section

[0091] 15. Arch

[0092] 16. Opening

[0093] 17. Profile

[0094] 18. Bearing surface

[0095] 19. Second opening

[0096] 20. Side surface

[0097] 21. Blind hole

[0098] 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.

[0099] 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.

[0100] 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.

[0101] 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.

[0102] 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.