Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Trim molding fastener – Plastic type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2001-03-27
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Trim molding fastener
Plastic type
C024S336000, C411S258000, C411S171000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205625
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a weld stud which is welded to a workpiece and attaches a component to the workpiece, and an attachment assembly using the weld stud. More specifically, the present invention relates to a weld stud which is effective in being utilized, but not limited, as a synthetic resin weld stud to be welded to a box member made of synthetic resin such as a dashboard or some other structural part of an automobile, or a cowling of a motorcyle.
Conventionally, in a clip assembly commonly used for attaching a component on a box member made of synthetic resin such as a dashboard of an automobile or a cowling of a motorcycle, as shown in
FIG. 1
, the root of a weld stud
1
having an engagement step
1
a
at a longitudinally mid portion is welded to a box panel
2
, and a clip
3
comprises a tubular leg portion
3
a
with an inner diameter enough to receive the stud
1
and a disc-like head
3
b
formed on an upper end of the leg portion. The clip
3
is brought into engagement with the stud
1
, thereby holding another component
4
sandwiched between the head
3
b
and the box-like panel
2
. To make the clip
3
engage with the stud
1
, resilient engagement pawls
3
are provided in the manner that they extend inwardly with respect to the tubular leg portion
3
a
of the clip
3
c
, and the engagement pawls
3
c
are brought into engagement with the engagement step
1
a
of the stud
1
.
For this conventional attachment assembly, different clips have to be prepared correspondingly to components to be attached. Further, forming the engagement pawls in the clip needs complicated metal molds, which should be made for the respective types of clips, resulting in an increase in manufacturing costs. Difficulty in removing the clip after attached is another problem of this type of conventional attachment assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Noting such problems in the conventional component attachment assemblies, the present invention aims to provide an attachment assembly which can be used in common with various components to be attached without being changed depending on the various components and be removed easily after mounted and, further, to provide a weld stud for use with the above attachment assembly.
In order to attain the above object, a weld stud according to the present invention comprises a leg portion having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end, a flat mounting seat adapted to be welded to a workpiece and integrally formed with the leg portion, and a resilient engagement pawl portion integrally formed on at least one side of the leg portion. The resilient engagement pawl portion extends diagonally outwardly from the first end of the leg portion toward the second end to be capable of bending radially inwardly with respect to the leg portion, and an engagement step which is an inward recess formed on an intermediate outside portion of the resilient engagement powl portion. Although a weld stud according to the present invention is not necessarily made of synthetic resin, it is preferred that the weld stud is made of synthetic resin and is molded as a one-piece article since its use is predominantly for synthetic resin members.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the leg portion is formed to have substantially flat surfaces on both sides thereof and engagement pawl portions in a pair are formed respectively along the substantially flat surfaces on both sides of the leg portion.
According to the present invention, there also is provided an attachment assembly comprising a weld stud of any of the above-described types and a clip including an engagement portion to engage with the weld stud. In this case, the clip is formed with a hole having a radius as sized so as to allow the engagement pawl portion or portions of the weld stud to bend and pass therethrough. The clip is provided with a substantially flat engagement surface defining an engagement portion on the upper peripheral surface of the hole.
In the attachment assembly using the weld stud of the present invention, it is not essential to use a clip to engage with the stud. In a case of using no clip, a component to be attached may be formed with an attachment portion having an engagement portion or an engagement surface to engage with the stud. In those attachment assemblies, less kinds of weld studs than the clips can be used and the same type of the clip can be used in different places, so that manufacturing costs can be reduced by providing engagement means in the stud itself Even in another case of using a clip, only a hole should be formed in the clip, so that the manufacture cost of the clip can be reduced. Besides, according to the structure of the engagement pawl portion of the stud of the present invention, after the weld stud is attached, the engagement pawl portion can be bent from outside to allow the component to be removed.
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Emhart Inc.
Murphy Edward D.
Sandy Robert J.
LandOfFree
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