Clip and member mounting structure with same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291180-B2
Application number	US-201214376833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2012
Priority date	Feb 10, 2012
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A member mounting structure joins together a first member which has a first mounting hole and a second member which has a second mounting hole. The member mounting structure is configured in such a manner that a pin has a shaft section and a radial protrusion section which protrudes in the radial direction from the shaft section. A clip, which is formed by punching and press-forming a metallic plate and which is used to grip the first member, has: a first plate section which has formed therein a first insertion hole into which the shaft section of the pin is inserted; a second plate section which faces the first plate section; and a connection section which connects the first plate section and the second plate section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mounting structure for connecting a first member comprising a first mounting hole and a second member comprising a second mounting hole, the mounting structure comprising:
a pin comprising a shaft portion and a radially-protruding portion that protrudes from the shaft portion in a radial direction; and
a clip that is stamped out of one metallic plate and that is arranged to pinch the first member,
wherein the clip comprises:
a first plate portion comprising a first insertion hole into which the shaft portion of the pin is inserted;
a second plate portion facing the first plate portion; and
a connecting portion connecting the first plate portion and the second plate portion,

wherein the second plate portion comprises a pin-locking portion comprising a second insertion hole into which the radially-protruding portion is insertable so that the radially-protruding portion can be locked,
wherein the pin-locking portion comprises:
a rising portion that is inclined so as to be away from the first plate portion;
a concave portion that is provided at an end of the rising portion and that is dented toward the first plate portion, and is flexible; and
a downward-inclined portion that is connected to an end of the concave portion opposite the end of the rising portion and is declined towards the first plate portion,

wherein, in a state where the radially-protruding portion has been inserted into the second insertion hole but the pin has not yet been rotated, a locked surface of the radially-protruding portion is located closer to the first plate portion as compared with a bottom surface of the concave portion,
wherein, when the pin is rotated to thereby rotate and lock the radially-protruding portion to the concave portion, the radially-protruding portion presses down an upper end of the concave portion toward the first plate portion to thereby climb over the upper end,
wherein, in a mounting state, the radially-protruding portion is locked by being accommodated into the concave portion,
wherein the second plate portion further comprises:
a pair of outer frames having first ends connected to the connecting portion; and
an expansion portion connected to second ends of the pair of outer frames, and

wherein a center portion of the expansion portion is connected to another end of the rising portion and is inclined away from the rising portion.

2. The mounting structure of claim 1 ,
wherein the second plate portion comprises a pair of outer frames having first ends connected to the connecting portion, and
wherein the downward-inclined portion comprises a cantilever piece extending from a side of the other ends of the outer frames toward the connecting portion, and disposed between the pair of outer frames via slits.

3. The mounting structure of claim 1 ,
wherein the second insertion hole has a long hole shape, and
wherein the concave portion is disposed close to facing long sides of the second insertion hole.

4. The mounting structure of claim 1 , wherein an end of the second plate portion is inclined away from the first plate portion.

5. The mounting structure of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the downward-inclined portion has a different slope from that of the downward-inclined portion.

6. The mounting structure of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the downward-inclined portion is below a bottom surface of the second plate portion.

7. A mounting structure for connecting a first member comprising a first mounting hole and a second member comprising a second mounting hole, the mounting structure comprising:
a pin comprising a shaft portion and a radially-protruding portion that protrudes from the shaft portion in a radial direction; and
a clip that is stamped out of one metallic plate and that is arranged to pinch the first member,
wherein the clip comprises:
a first plate portion comprising a first insertion hole into which the shaft portion of the pin is inserted;
a second plate portion facing the first plate portion; and
a connecting portion connecting the first plate portion and the second plate portion,

wherein the second plate portion comprises a pin-locking portion comprising a second insertion hole into which the radially-protruding portion is insertable so that the radially-protruding portion can be locked,
wherein the pin-locking portion comprises a rising portion that is inclined so as to be away from the first plate portion and a concave portion that is provided at a top of the pin-locking portion and that is dented toward the first plate portion,
wherein, in a mounting state, the radially-protruding portion is locked by being accommodated into the concave portion,
wherein the pin comprises:
a head portion having a flange shape at one end of the shaft portion; and
a projection portion protruding from at least one of a back surface of the head portion and a periphery of the shaft portion on a side of the head portion, and

wherein the first insertion hole of the first plate portion comprises a limiting portion having a first surface perpendicular to the shaft portion so as to contact a surface of the projection portion to stop a rotation of the projection portion.

8. The mounting structure of claim 7 , further comprising:
a C-shaped ring that is mounted to surround the periphery of the shaft portion at a position between the projection portion and the head portion,
wherein the projection portion is provided on the periphery of the shaft portion apart from the head portion, and
wherein the pin is mounted to the second member such that the second member is held between the head portion and the C-shaped ring.

9. The clip of claim 7 , wherein the pin further comprises a second projection portion protruding from the shaft portion.

10. A clip that is stamped out of one metallic plate, that is to be mounted to an edge of a first member and that can lock a pin to which a second member is mounted, the clip comprising:
a first plate portion comprising a first insertion hole into which a shaft portion of the pin is inserted;
a second plate portion facing the first plate portion; and
a connecting portion connecting the first plate portion and the second plate portion,
wherein the second plate portion comprises a pin-locking portion comprising a second insertion hole into which a radially-protruding portion provided to the shaft portion of the pin is inserted so that the radially-protruding portion can be locked,
wherein the pin-locking portion comprises:
a rising portion that is inclined so as to be away from the first plate portion;
a concave portion that is provided at an end of the rising portion and that is dented toward the first plate portion, and is flexible; and
a downward-inclined portion that is connected to an end of the concave portion opposite the end of the rising portion and is declined towards the first plate portion,

wherein, in a state where the radially-protruding portion has been inserted into the second insertion hole but the pin has not yet been rotated, a bottom surface of the concave portion is located far away from the first plate portion as compared with a locked surface of the radially-protruding portion,
wherein, when the pin is rotated to thereby rotate and lock the radially-protruding portion to the concave portion, the upper end of the concave portion is pressed down by the radially-protruding portion toward the first plate portion,
wherein, in a mounting state, the radially-protruding portion is locked by being accommodated into the concave portion,
wherein the second plate portion further comprises:
a pair of outer frames having first ends connected to the connecting portion; and
an expansion p

Assignees

• Piolax Inc

Inventors

• Nakazato Hiroshi
• Shinozaki Nobuya

Classifications

• F16B5/10 Primary

  by means of bayonet connections ({F16B5/0092 takes precedence}; fastening devices locking by rotation F16B21/02) · CPC title

• Y10T24/346

  and pin · CPC title

• F16B21/04

  with bayonet catch · CPC title

• F16B2/20 Primary

  Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening · CPC title

• F16B5/0635

  fastened over the edges of the sheets or plates · CPC title