Supports – Brackets – Specially mounted or attached
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-25
2002-11-19
Wood, Kimberly (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Specially mounted or attached
C248S544000, C248S073000, C248S027300, C024S458000, C024S297000, C403S329000, C411S508000, C411S509000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06481682
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The present invention relates to a mounting structure for a plate member which is mounted to an opening formed in a panel of a vehicle.
As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, an instrument panel
102
is mounted to a body panel
100
of a vehicle. Insertion portions
102
A,
102
B are formed at the distal end portion of the instrument panel
102
. A mounting hole
104
is formed in the insertion portion
102
A.
A rectangular hole
106
is formed in the body panel
100
. The insertion portions
102
A,
102
B of the instrument panel
102
can be inserted through the rectangular hole
106
, and an abutment
15
surface
102
C abuts against the body panel
100
. A metal clip
108
can be mounted to the instrument panel
102
. The clip
108
is folded over in two, and opposing anchor pieces
110
A,
110
B thereof are elastically deformable. Central portions of the anchor pieces
110
A,
110
B project outwardly, and the space between the anchor piece
110
A and the anchor piece
110
B narrows toward the distal end side.
A U-shaped cut-out
112
is formed without cutting one transverse side in the central portion of the anchor piece
110
B, and a projection piece
114
is made to project inwardly. The projection piece
114
is elastically deformable. When the insertion portion
102
A of the instrument panel
102
passes through the space between the anchor pieces
110
A,
110
B, the projection piece
114
is pushed outwardly, and returns to its original state at the mounting hole
104
of the instrument panel
102
, and is anchored on the edge portion of the mounting hole
104
.
In this way, the clip
108
is mounted to the instrument panel
102
. The distance between peak portions
116
A,
116
B of the anchor pieces
110
A,
110
B is wider than the width of the rectangular hole
106
formed in the body panel
100
.
Because the anchor pieces
110
A,
110
B are elastically deformable, when the anchor pieces
110
A,
110
B are inserted through the rectangular hole
106
, they are pressed and contracted. Upon passing through the rectangular hole
106
, the anchor pieces
110
A,
110
B return to their original states, and are anchored at the edges of the rectangular hole
106
.
In this way, the clip
108
to be mounted to the instrument panel
102
can be connected to the body panel
100
, and the instrument panel
102
can be mounted to the body panel
100
via the clip
108
.
However, in order to mount the clip
108
to the instrument panel
102
, the mounting hole
104
must be formed in the insertion portion
102
A of the instrument panel
102
. Generally, when a molded product in which a hole is formed is molded, because the material moves or flows around the hole, a weld W is formed at the portion where the material is joined at the periphery of the hole.
Because the joining of the material is insufficient at this weld portion, the strength of this portion is less than that at the other portions. Further, there is a strong possibility that cracking may occur at the weld portion due to changes over time. In this case, the instrument panel
102
may separate from the clip
108
. Also, because the clip
108
is made of metal, when the clip
108
is mounted to the body panel
100
, an abnormal sound arises. Further, rusting of the clip
108
is also problematic.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a plate member mounting structure which enables mounting to a body panel without forming a hole in a plate member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the first aspect of the invention, an opening is formed in a panel of a vehicle, and a clip is mounted to the opening. A plate member is engaged with the clip and is mounted to the panel via the clip. An insertion portion, at whose outer peripheral portion an engagement portion is formed convexly, is formed at the plate member, and is inserted into an accommodating portion of the clip.
An engagement piece, with which the engagement portion engages, is formed at the accommodating portion. An anchor piece, which is pushed so as to contract at a time of passing through the opening and which returns to its original state after having passed through the opening, is formed at the clip. After the anchor piece passes through the opening, a positioning piece formed at a head portion of the clip abuts against the panel such that the panel is nipped between the positioning piece and the anchor piece.
In this way, by forming the engagement portion convexly at the outer peripheral portion of the plate member and by forming the engagement piece, which is engageable with the engagement portion, at the clip, the plate member and the clip can engage even if no mounting hole is formed in the plate member. Thus, problems such as welds or cracks arising due to formation of a mounting hole in the plate member, do not arise.
Further, in a state in which the clip is mounted to the panel, the panel is nipped between the positioning piece and the anchor piece formed at the clip. Thus, the clip does not rattle.
In the second aspect of the invention, a cut-out, which makes a distal end of the insertion portion into a hook portion, is provided. In this way, since the engagement piece can be engaged merely by providing the cut-out, the cost of the plate member does not increase.
In the third aspect of the invention, the cut-out is formed by a horizontal surface and an inclined surface. The horizontal surface is formed parallel to a direction orthogonal to a direction of insertion of the insertion portion. The inclined portion is positioned at a base portion side of the insertion portion, and is formed so as to be inclined with respect to the horizontal surface.
In this way, by forming the inclined surface, the opening of the cut-out is made wide. Also, the engagement piece can easily engage, and workability is thus good. Further, by forming the horizontal surface, even if the insertion portion is likely to come out from the accommodating portion, the engagement piece is not pushed so as to spread, as would be the case with an inclined surface whose distal end was wide. Thus, the insertion portion does not come out from the accommodating portion.
In the fourth aspect of the invention, the engagement piece has elasticity, and has a tapered surface which can planarly contact the inclined surface. In this way, due to the inclined surface planarly contacting the taper surface of the engagement piece, rattling at the time the plate member is mounted to the clip can be prevented.
In the fifth aspect of the invention, the distal end of the hook portion is tapered. In this way, the clip can be easily inserted into the accommodating portion. As a result, workability is good.
In the sixth aspect of the invention, a stopper is formed at a lower portion of the accommodating portion of the clip. The stopper limits the movement of the insertion portion at a time of insertion of the insertion portion. Thus, the insertion portion is positioned not only by the positioning due to engagement of the anchor piece and the cut-out of the insertion portion, but also by the stopper. Further, by providing the stopper, the clip can be reinforced.
In the seventh aspect of the invention, the clip is molded from a synthetic resin. In this way, when the clip is mounted to the panel, there is no fear that an abnormal sound will arise. Further, the problem of rusting of the clip does not arise. Moreover, the cost of the clip can be reduced.
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patent: 6317937 (2001-11-01)
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
Nifco Inc.
Wood Kimberly
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