Component retaining legs

Details Component retaining legs Component retaining legs

1999-07-28

2001-03-20

Kim, Harry C. (Department: 3629)

Joints and connections

Rod side to plate or side

Resilient clip

C403S392000, C411S508000, C024S297000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06203240

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to component retaining legs for attaching clamps, clips or like components to panels such as automotive body panels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of prior art component retaining leg is shown in the front view of FIG.
19
. This retaining leg
80
is a molding of a synthetic resin, and comprises a base
81
to be provided on a clamp, a clip or like component, a pillar
82
depending from the base
81
, and a pair of flexible retaining pieces
83
extending from the free end of the pillar
82
in a folded fashion toward the base
81
. The retaining pieces
83
each have their free end formed with a single step or shoulder
83
a
to be engaged with the surface of a panel
84
adjacent a mounting hole
85
formed therein. As the retaining leg
80
is inserted through the mounting hole
85
of the panel
84
, the retaining pieces
83
are caused by the mounting hole
85
to flex toward each other. When the retaining leg
80
is inserted until the base
81
engages the panel
84
, the retaining pieces
83
are elastically restored so that the steps
83
a
are click engaged with the panel surface adjacent the mounting hole
85
. Thus, the retaining leg
80
is attached, i.e., retained against detachment.
The prior art retaining leg
80
can be attached without rattling against a panel
84
which has a thickness t corresponding to, i.e., equal to, the distance between the base
81
and the step
83
a
. When the thickness t of the panel
84
is not fixed, however, the retaining leg
80
may be attached to the panel, such that the retaining leg
80
will rattle against the panel
84
or the retaining leg
80
can not be attached. To cope with variations of the thickness t of the panel
84
, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of different retaining legs
80
each fitted to each panel thickness. In such case, time-consuming component management is required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention seeks to solve the above problem, and it has an object of providing a component retaining leg which can be attached to panels having different thicknesses so that component management can be dispensed with.
The invention features a component retaining leg which comprises a base to be provided on a component such as a clamp and a clip, a pillar depending from the base, and a flexible retaining piece extending from the free end of the pillar in a folded fashion toward the base, the free end of the retaining piece having an engagement step section for engaging a mounting hole of a panel, the engagement step section having a plurality of engagement steps formed at a predetermined interval.
As the component retaining leg according to the invention is inserted through a mounting hole of a panel, the retaining pieces are caused by the mounting hole to flex toward each other, and when the base engages the panel, the retaining pieces are elastically restored so that their engagement step sections engage the mounting hole. Thus, the retaining leg is attached and retained against detachment.
Since each engagement step section has a plurality of engagement steps, it is possible to eliminate rattling or inability to attach the retaining leg irrespective of the panel thickness, and the retaining leg can be adequately attached to the panel.


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