Joints and connections – Biased catch or latch – Leaf spring
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-19
2002-04-09
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Joints and connections
Biased catch or latch
Leaf spring
C403S397000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06368009
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present intention relates to attachment devices, e.g., clamps, clips and other such devices, which can be attached to panels, e.g. vehicle body panels.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8
shows an example of a known attachment device or clamp
101
for securing a wiring harness
100
to a vehicle body panel
111
. The clamp
101
is constructed as one integral piece and is formed by resin molding. The clamp
101
includes a base body or clamp body
103
for holding a wiring harness
100
and an engagement body
102
that can be inserted into a mounting hole
112
formed in the panel
111
. The engagement body
102
includes a central pillar
102
a
, which extends from a base surface
103
a
of the clamp body
103
, and a pair of flexible retaining legs
102
b
. The legs
102
b
extend from the free end of the pillar
102
a
back toward the clamp body
103
in a folded fashion. Each of the retaining legs
102
b
has a step or shoulder
102
c
formed on its distal end. The shoulder
102
c
is adapted to elastically engage the surface of the panel
111
around the mounting hole
112
.
As the engagement body
102
is pressed into the mounting hole
112
of the panel
111
, the retaining legs
102
b
flex inwardly as a result of forced contact with the periphery of the mounting hole
112
. The engagement body
102
is inserted until the base surface
103
a
of the clamp body
103
contacts the outer surface of the panel
111
. At this time, the retaining legs
102
b
widen again, due to the elasticity of the legs
102
b
, so that the shoulders
102
c
engage the opposite surface of the panel
111
around the mounting hole
112
. Thus, the clamp
101
is attached to the panel
111
.
The known clamp
101
can be attached to a panel
111
in one operation, i.e., by simply pushing the engagement body
102
into the mounting hole
112
. However, if the thickness of the panel
111
is different from the ideal thickness T of the panel
111
for the particular dimensions of the clamp
101
, the clamp
101
will not be securely attached to the panel
111
. That is, if the thickness of the panel
111
is less than the ideal thickness T, the shoulders
102
c
will only loosely engage the panel and the clamp
101
cannot be firmly attached to the panel
111
. On the other hand, if the thickness of the panel
111
is greater than the ideal thickness T, the shoulders
102
c
cannot substantially engage the panel surface and the clamp
101
cannot be attached to the panel
111
. As a result, it is necessary to maintain an inventory of clamps having a variety of dimensions in order to utilize the appropriate sized clamps for panels having thicknesses that differ, e.g., as a result of panel manufacturing variations. As a result, manufacturing costs are increased due to the need to maintain such an inventory of attachment devices of different sizes and shapes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, accordingly, an object of the present teachings to teach improved attachment devices that overcome the problems of the known attachment device.
In one aspect of the present teachings, attachment devices are taught that can be reliably and securely attached to panels having different thicknesses.
In another aspect of the present teachings, attachment devices are taught that include at least one compressible leg and at least one non-compressible leg. As the attachment device is pushed into a panel aperture, preferably the non-compressible leg transmits a compression force to the compressible leg. At that time, the compressible leg deforms or compresses and asserts an elastic pressure against the panel. The non-compressible leg also preferably includes a means for fixing the attachment device in position once it is installed, so that the compressible leg continues to push against the panel and securely attaches the attachment device to the panel.
Thus, attachment devices can be attached to a panel in one simple operation by pressing the compressible and non-compressible legs of the attachment device into a mounting hole of the panel while axially deforming or compressing the compressible leg until the means for fixing the attachment device to the panel becomes engaged once the attachment device is fully inserted into the mounting hole. As a result, the attachment device is fixed to the panel by the combined actions of the elastic restoring force of the elastically deformed compressible leg and the means for fixing the attachment device in position once it is installed. Because of this design, the attachment device can be securely attached to the panel, even if the thickness of the panel varies from an ideal thickness.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood after reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings and the claims.
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patent: 9961807 (1999-12-01), None
Browne Lynne H.
Cottingham John R.
Dennison, Scheiner & Schultz
Neo-Ex Lab, Inc.
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