Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Clasp – clip – support-clamp – or required component thereof – Dissociable gripping members
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-04-17
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Clasp, clip, support-clamp, or required component thereof
Dissociable gripping members
C248S217300, C248S231810, C439S575000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216321
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to edge clips for attaching an article to a planar edge, most notably an electrical connector to a flat planar metallic or plastic edge of a support member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIG. 1
a first configuration of a prior art edge clip
10
is depicted, having an S-shaped configuration characterized by an attachment appendage
12
in the form of a serrated male component
12
a
and a U-shaped clip component
14
having a pair of barbs
16
. The prior art edge clip
10
is manufactured from bare mild steel using a three step process. The first step involves a multi-slide press at 200 strokes or less per minute, the second step involves heat treating, and the third step involves barrel plating. These three steps each having inherent variability and have over the years caused problems.
FIG. 2
shows a second configuration of a prior art edge clip
10
′ having the aforesaid U-shaped clip component
14
, but now having an attachment appendage
12
′ in the form of a platform
18
with a projecting tongue
20
, the tongue being displaced vertically from the platform and having a slot
22
and an upturned leading edge.
Operation with respect to a prior art electrical connector
24
shown at
FIGS. 3 and 3A
, by way of example, will now be briefly discussed. With respect to the first configuration of the prior art edge clip
10
, the male component
12
is machine thrust into a dual-slotted seat
26
of the connector
24
. Thereafter, the clip component
14
is slipped onto the edge of a planar edged article, as for example a metal or plastic support member, so as to thereby supportably affix the electrical connector
24
with respect to the support member. With respect to the second configuration of the prior art edge clip
10
′, the platform
18
is manually slipped into a dual-slotted seat
26
of the connector and the slot
22
of the tongue
20
rides over a ramped locking nib
28
whereupon the nib is received by the slot. Thereafter, the clip component
14
is slipped onto the edge of a planar edged article, as for example a metal or plastic support member, so as to thereby supportably affix the electrical connector
24
with respect to the support member.
However, due to the manufacturing processes involved in making the prior art edge clip
10
,
10
′ which result in quality assurance problems and unacceptable production cost, there remains needed in the art an edge clip of superior configuration which has none of the aforesaid detractions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an edge clip which uses precoated sheet metal stock, is stamped in a standard progressive die at a rate of 1,000 or more strokes per minute, and is not subject to the quality and cost problems associated with the prior art edge clip configurations.
The edge clip according to the present invention has a robustly configured triangularly shaped body formed from precoated sheet metal blank stock (for example HSLA sheet stock). A solid blank of the sheet stock is die cut into a patterned blank including a base, a projection forward of the base, and first and second wings located at either side of the base. Each of the first and second wings has an outboard member and an inboard member, wherein the outboard member includes a barb. A pointed flange projects from the rear edge of the patterned blank at each of the first and second wings.
The projection is stamped to form an attachment appendage having a platform and a slotted tongue, and the first and second wings are folded into a triangular shape, wherein at an apex thereof is formed an overlapped spring arm provided by an overlap of the outboard members of the wings such that the barbs point toward the platform. A tab of the second wing secures the overlap of the outboard members, thereby unifying the overlapped spring arm. The folding of the first and second wings further provides, respectively, first and second rails, wherein each provides a basal corner of the triangular configuration. Each of the first and second rails project in parallel with the overlapped spring arm, are separated therefrom, respectively, by radiused first and second upper slots, and are separated from the platform, respectively, by first and second lower slots. Each of the pointed flanges are folded into mutual abutment rearwardly of the first and second upper slots, in spaced relation to the base.
The edge clip according to the present invention is designed to be a high speed progressive die manufactured part. The overlap feature of the overlapped spring arm, wherein load and stress are shared by the overlapped left and right outboard members, via the tab, insure that the overlapped spring arm moves in unison. The radial shape of the overlapped spring arm, as well as the radial shape of the first and second rails provide a robust and strong edge clip structure. All surfaces of the edge clip have generous radii so as to be ergonomically friendly to the touch. Radii at the base of the overlapped spring arm provides distribution of the stress during deflection when the edge clip receives a planar edge of a support surface. The symmetrical shape of the triangular configuration provides good capability for forming and dimensional control of the gap at the first and second upper slots. The material used for the edge clip allows for the elimination of the heat treat process used in the conventional edge clip designs, which in those prior art edge clip was subject of dimensional variation and less capable performance. The superior features and performance of the edge clip according to the present invention is accomplished through the unique triangular geometry, which facilitates the high speed manufacturing process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an edge clip which is of a triangular configuration which is formable from a solid sheet blank via a high speed progressive die.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an edge clip of a triangular configuration having an overlapped spring arm at an apex of the triangular configuration, and a pair of rails which form the basal corners of the triangular configuration, wherein a planar edge is clippable therebetween.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a triangularly configured edge clip which is robust and has superior performance, lower manufacturing cost, and fewer processing steps than that of prior art edge clips.
These, and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.
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Bakker John H.
Flask William G.
Reed Vickey E.
Browne Lynne H.
Cottingham John R.
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Jones Richard A.
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