JP7668565B1 - clip - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To realize a clip that can maintain a state held by a clip holding part even when a removal force is applied to remove it from a mounting hole. [Solution] A clip 10 is provided in which, when a removal force is applied to remove it from a mounting hole 4 in a state where the clip is inserted into the mounting hole 4 of a second member 2, the inner legs 14 (second inner legs 14B) interfere with the inner wall surface of the mounting hole 4, thereby maintaining the engagement state of the claws 18 with the clip holding part 3 of the first member 1. [Selected Figure] Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a plastic clip, and more specifically to a plastic clip used to detachably attach a first member to a panel-shaped second member.

As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the following Patent Document 1 describes a resin clip 110 used to attach a first member 101 to a panel-shaped second member 102 (to obtain an assembly in which the first member 101 is attached to the second member 102). This clip 110 is held (attached) to a clip holding portion 103 of the first member 101 and inserted into an attachment hole (an attachment hole having a rectangular opening) 104 provided in the second member 102, thereby detachably attaching the first member 101 to the second member 102.

The clip 110 has a head 111 that guides insertion into the mounting hole 104, and a pair of legs 112, 112 that are arranged facing each other across the clip holding portion 103 and are elastically deformable in a direction that expands and contracts the distance between them. Each leg 112 has a set of outer legs 113 that are spaced apart in the long side direction of the mounting hole 104 (the direction perpendicular to the paper in Figures 9-10), and an inner leg 114 that is arranged between the set of outer legs 113 via a slit 115. Each outer leg 113 has a protruding portion 113a that protrudes toward the outside of the mounting hole 104, and each inner leg 114 has a claw portion 116 that protrudes toward the inside of the mounting hole 104.

The clip 110 having the above configuration is attached to the second member 102 by engaging each outer leg 113 with the edge of the mounting hole 104 provided in the second member 102 in the direction (removal direction from the mounting hole 104) B opposite to the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 104, and is held by the clip holding portion 103 by engaging the claw portion 116 of each inner leg 114 with the clip holding portion 103 (the edge of the hole portion 103a provided in the clip holding portion 103) in the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 104 and the opposite direction B. With this configuration, the first member 101 is attached to the second member 102 via the clip 110. When a removal force is applied to the clip 110 inserted into the mounting hole 104 to remove it from the mounting hole 104, each outer leg 113 elastically deforms following the edge of the mounting hole 104, thereby reducing the opposing distance between the pair of outer legs 113. This weakens the engagement force between each outer leg 113 and the second member 102, making it possible to remove the clip 110 from the mounting hole 104 and separate the first member 101 and the second member 102.

The clip 110 described above is used, for example, to detachably attach an automobile interior component as a first member 101 to an automobile instrument panel as a second member 102, also known as an "instrument panel." In this case, for example, it becomes possible to efficiently install navigation equipment or audio equipment in the instrument panel, or to efficiently replace these devices.

JP 2013-44391 A

However, when separating the interior component as the first component 101 from the instrument panel as the second component 102, there are cases where the clip 110 comes off the clip holding portion 103 before being removed from the mounting hole 104, and the clip 110 remains on the second component 102 side. If the clip 110 remains on the second component 102 side, it becomes difficult to reattach the first component 101 to the second component 102 with high accuracy, so it becomes necessary to remove the clip 110 from the second component 102 and reattach the removed clip 110 to the clip holding portion 103 of the first component 101, which reduces work efficiency.

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a resin clip that detachably attaches a first member to a panel-like second member, and that can maintain its state of being held by the first member (its clip holding portion) even when a removal force is applied to remove the clip from an attachment hole provided in the second member.

The first invention of the present application, which has been devised to achieve the above object, is a resin clip that detachably attaches a first member to a second member by being inserted into an attachment hole provided in a panel-like second member while being held by a clip holding portion of a first member,
a head portion for guiding insertion into the mounting hole, and a pair of legs disposed opposite each other across the clip holding portion and elastically deformable in a direction such that the distance between the legs increases and decreases,
each leg portion includes a pair of outer legs engageable with an edge of the mounting hole in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion into the mounting hole, and an inner leg disposed between the pair of outer legs via a slit and having a claw portion engageable with the clip holding portion in the direction of insertion into the mounting hole and in the opposite direction;
When a removal force is applied to remove the clip from the mounting hole while the clip is inserted into the mounting hole, the inner leg interferes with the inner wall of the mounting hole, thereby maintaining the engagement state of the claw portion with the clip holding portion.

When a removal force is applied to the clip according to the first invention having the above configuration, the inner leg having the claw portion interferes with the inner wall of the mounting hole, so that the claw portion can be maintained in an engaged state with the clip holding portion of the first member, i.e., held by the clip holding portion. As a result, when the first member attached to the second member using the clip is separated, the clip is less likely to remain on the second member, so that the first member can be separated from the second member and the first member can be reattached to the second member easily and quickly.

In the conventional clip 110 shown in Figures 8 to 10, the slits 115 are provided over almost the entire length of the leg 113. In such a structure, for example, when a large number of clips 110 are inserted into a parts box or parts feeder, the legs 113 of the clips 110 may enter the slits 115 of the other clips 110, which may cause the clips 110 to become entangled. Therefore, in the clip according to the first invention, the legs are provided with a first connecting portion that connects a set of outer legs at the middle of their length, and the slit is divided into a first slit and a second slit that is located further away from the head than the first slit. With this configuration, the length of each slit can be shortened, thereby reducing the possibility of the clips becoming entangled and improving the ease of obtaining the clips.

The head can have a flat portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction into the mounting hole, and a pair of sides that are inclined relative to the insertion direction into the mounting hole and connect the flat portion to the pair of legs. In this case, the end of the first slit on the head side can be positioned on the boundary between the legs and the above-mentioned sides. This further reduces the possibility of the clips becoming tangled when a large number of clips are inserted into a parts box, parts feeder, etc.

When the slit is divided into a first slit and a second slit, the inner legs constituting the leg section can be a first inner leg that is arranged between a pair of outer legs via the first slit and can accommodate the tip of the clip holding section, and a second inner leg that is arranged between a pair of outer legs via the second slit and has an interference surface with the inner wall surface of the mounting hole and a claw section.

When the legs have a first connecting portion that connects a pair of outer legs midway along their length, a second connecting portion can be further provided that connects the pair of outer legs at the end opposite the head. In this case, a straight line passing through the part of the first connecting portion that is located on the outermost side in the elastic deformation direction of the legs and the part of the second connecting portion that is located on the outermost side in the elastic deformation direction of the legs is made to extend parallel to the center line of the clip. In this way, for example, when a large number of clips are fed into a parts feeder and aligned in the alignment section of the parts feeder, it becomes easier to keep the clips in a constant position, thereby improving the ease of obtaining clips.

The clip according to the first invention can be made such that, while held by the clip holding part, the end of the pair of legs opposite the head is pressed in a direction that reduces the distance between the opposing legs, thereby reducing the engagement allowance of the claws with the clip holding part (the engagement of the claws with the clip holding part is released). This allows the clip to be easily removed from the clip holding part.

A second invention of the present application, which has been devised to achieve the above object, is a resin clip that detachably attaches the first member to the second member by being inserted into an attachment hole provided in a panel-like second member while being held by a clip holding portion of a first member,
a head portion for guiding insertion into the mounting hole, a first leg portion extending in a direction of insertion into the mounting hole, and a second leg portion facing the first leg portion across the clip holding portion and elastically deformable in a direction in which a distance between the first leg portion and the second leg portion increases and decreases,
the second leg portion comprises a pair of outer legs engageable with an edge of the mounting hole in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion into the mounting hole, and an inner leg disposed between the pair of outer legs via a slit and having a claw portion engageable with a clip holding portion in the direction of insertion into the mounting hole and in the opposite direction;
When a removal force is applied to remove the clip from the mounting hole while the clip is inserted into the mounting hole, the inner leg interferes with the inner wall surface of the mounting hole, thereby maintaining the engagement state of the claw portion with the clip holding portion.

According to the clip of the second invention having such a configuration, when a removal force acts on it, like the clip of the first invention, the inner leg having the claw portion interferes with the inner wall of the mounting hole, so that the claw portion can be maintained in an engaged state with the clip holding portion of the first member, i.e., held by the clip holding portion. As a result, when the first member attached to the second member using the clip is separated, the clip is less likely to remain on the second member, so that the first member can be separated from the second member and the first member can be reattached to the second member easily and quickly.

The second leg section can be provided with a first connecting section that connects a set of outer legs midway along their length, and the slit can be divided into a first slit and a second slit that is positioned farther from the head than the first slit. With this configuration, the slit length can be shortened, reducing the possibility of the clips becoming entangled and improving the ease of obtaining the clips.

In the clip according to the second invention, the head can have a flat portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction into the mounting hole, and a side portion that is inclined relative to the insertion direction into the mounting hole and connects the flat portion to the second leg, and in this case, the end of the first slit on the head side can be positioned on the boundary between the second leg and the side portion. In this way, the possibility of the clips becoming entangled when a large number of clips are inserted into a parts box, parts feeder, etc. can be further reduced.

In the clip according to the second invention, when the slit is divided into a first slit and a second slit, the inner legs constituting the legs can be provided with a first inner leg that is disposed between the pair of outer legs via the first slit and can accommodate the tip of the clip holding part in cooperation with the first leg, and a second inner leg that is disposed between the pair of outer legs via the second slit and has an interference surface with the inner wall surface of the mounting hole and a claw portion.

When the second leg has a first connecting portion that connects the pair of outer legs at the midpoint in the longitudinal direction, a second connecting portion can be further provided that connects the pair of outer legs at the end opposite the head. In this case, a straight line passing through the part of the first connecting portion that is located on the outermost side in the elastic deformation direction of the second leg and the part of the second connecting portion that is located on the outermost side in the elastic deformation direction of the second leg is made to extend parallel to the first leg. In this way, for example, it becomes easier to keep the posture of the clips constant when aligning and placing a large number of clips inserted into a parts feeder in the alignment portion of the parts feeder.

The clip according to the second invention can be made such that, while held by the clip holding part, the end of the second leg opposite the head is pressed in a direction that reduces the distance between the first leg and the second leg, thereby reducing the engagement allowance of the claw with the clip holding part (the engagement of the claw with the clip holding part is released). This allows the clip to be easily removed from the clip holding part.

As described above, according to the first and second inventions of the present application, it is possible to realize a clip that can maintain a state of being held by the first member (the clip holding portion) even when a removal force is applied to a resin clip that detachably attaches a first member to a panel-shaped second member through an attachment hole provided in the second member.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an assembly made using a clip according to an embodiment of the first invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the clip shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a front view of the clip shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3 . FIG. 1A shows the state in which the clip shown in FIG. 1 is positioned in the alignment zone of the parts feeder, and FIG. 1B shows the state in which the conventional clip shown in FIG. 9 is positioned in the alignment zone of the parts feeder. FIG. 13 is a front view of a clip according to an embodiment of the second invention. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 6 . FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an assembly made using a conventional clip. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a state in which a first member holding a conventional clip is attached to a second member. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a first member holding a conventional clip is attached to a second member.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an assembly made using a clip according to an embodiment of the first invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the clip shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a front view of the clip shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 3 (enlarged view of the portion circled).

The clip 10 according to the embodiment of the first invention shown in FIG. 1 is a resin member used to attach a first member 1 to a panel-shaped second member 2, similar to the conventional clip 110 described with reference to FIG. 8 and the like. The clip 10 is attached and held by a clip holding portion 3 provided on the first member 1, and is inserted into a mounting hole 4 having a rectangular opening provided on the second member 2, thereby detachably attaching the first member 1 to the second member 2. The first member 1 can be an interior member of an automobile, and the second member 2 can be an instrument panel of an automobile, also abbreviated as "instrument panel." In this case, one or more clip holding portions 3 are provided on the inner surface 1a opposite to the outer surface of the first member 1 (the surface facing the passenger compartment of the automobile, also called the "design surface").

The clip holding portion 3 has a flat rib 3a erected on the inner surface 1b of the first member 1, a hole 3b penetrating the rib 3a in the plate thickness direction, and a pair of guides 3c, 3c provided on both sides of the rib 3a in the plate width direction to guide the attachment of the clip 10 to the rib 3a (clip holding portion 3). The first member 1 including the clip holding portion 3 is integrally formed from a resin material whose base resin is, for example, polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyacetal (POM), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile styrene (AS), etc.

2 and 3, the clip 10 has a head 11 that guides insertion into the mounting hole 4, and a pair of legs 12, 12 that are arranged facing each other across the clip holding portion 3 (rib 3a) and can elastically deform in the direction in which the distance between them increases and decreases (left and right direction on the paper in FIG. 3). Like the first member 1, the clip 10 is made of a resin material whose base resin is, for example, polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyacetal (POM), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene (PE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile styrene (AS), etc.

Each leg 12 has a pair of outer legs 13, 13 spaced apart in the long side direction of the mounting hole 4, and an inner leg 14 provided between the pair of outer legs 13, 13 via a slit 15. Each leg 12 further has a first connecting portion 16 connecting the pair of outer legs 13, 13 at a midpoint in the longitudinal direction, and a second connecting portion 17 connecting the pair of outer legs 13, 13 at an end opposite the head 11. By providing the first connecting portion 16, the slit 15 is divided into a first slit 15A and a second slit 15B provided at a position farther away from the head 11 than the first slit 15A.

In order to engage the edge of the mounting hole 4 in the direction B opposite to the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 4 (the direction of removal from the mounting hole 4) of the clip 10 inserted into the mounting hole 4 and maintain the attachment state of the first member 1 and the second member 2, each leg 12 is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes outward in the short side direction of the mounting hole 4 (here, the same direction as the "elastic deformation direction of the leg 12"). In the clip 10 of this embodiment, the first connecting portion 16 constitutes the protruding portion, and when the insertion of the clip 10 into the mounting hole 4 is completed, the portion of each outer leg 13 that has shifted a predetermined amount toward the second connecting portion 17 side from the first connecting portion 16 engages with the edge of the mounting hole 4. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the insertion of the clip 10 into the mounting hole 4 is completed when the step surface 3d provided on the guide 3c of the clip holding portion 3 abuts against the second member 2.

In this clip 10, the shape of the first connecting portion 16 and/or the second connecting portion 17 is adjusted so that a straight line SL passing through a portion P1 of the first connecting portion 16 located on the outermost side in the elastic deformation direction of the leg portion 12 and a portion P2 of the second connecting portion 17 located on the outermost side in the elastic deformation direction of the leg portion 12 extends parallel to the center line CL of the clip 10 (see FIG. 3).

The head 11 has a flat end 11a extending in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 4, and a pair of side portions 11b that are inclined with respect to the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 4 and connect the flat end 11a to the legs 12, 12. At this time, the end of the slit 15 (first slit 15A) on the head 11 side is positioned on the boundary line between the legs 12 and the side portions 11b of the head 11. In other words, the first slit 15A extends from the boundary line toward the first connecting portion 16.

The slit 15 is divided into a first slit 15A and a second slit 15B, so that the first inner leg 14A is arranged between a pair of outer legs 13 via the first slit 15A, and the second inner leg 14B is arranged between a pair of outer legs 13 via the second slit 15B. The first inner leg 14A extends from the head 11 side to the second connecting part 17 side, and cooperates with the mating first inner leg 14A to form a storage space that stores and restrains the tip of the rib 3a of the clip holding part 3. The first inner leg 14A is arranged so that its entirety is located inside the outer legs 13 in the short side direction of the mounting hole 4.

The second inner leg 14B extends toward the head 11 from the second connecting portion 17 side (the side opposite the head 11) as a base end, and at its tip end, a claw portion 18 is formed that engages with the clip holding portion 3 in the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 4 and in the opposite direction B by fitting into a hole portion 3b provided in the rib 3a of the clip holding portion 3.

3 and 4, when the first member 1 is attached to the second member 2, the outer surface 19a of the second inner leg 14B extending parallel to the center line CL of the clip 10 faces the inner wall surface of the mounting hole 4 through a gap. If the engagement margin between the claw portion 18 and the rib 3a of the clip holding portion 3 is δ1, and the distance between the opposing outer surface 19a of the second inner leg 14B and the inner wall surface of the mounting hole 4 (the gap width of the above gap) is δ2, then δ2 < δ1. Also, when the clip 10 is attached to the clip holding portion 3, the inner surface 19b of the second inner leg 14B facing the rib 3a of the clip holding portion 3 is in contact with the rib 3a. Therefore, in the clip 10 in a free state (not attached to the clip holding portion 3), the distance d between the opposing inner surfaces 19b of the second inner legs 14B is set to be equal to or less than the plate thickness of the rib 3a.

The procedure for attaching the first member 1 to the second member 2 using the clip 10 described above is briefly explained below.

First, the clip 10 is attached to and held by the clip holding portion 3 of the first member 1. Specifically, the rib 3a of the clip holding portion 3 is inserted between the pair of legs 12, 12 through the opening between the pair of opposing second connecting portions 17, 17. When the rib 3a is inserted, the second inner legs 14B of the pair of opposing legs 12, 12 elastically deform in a direction away from each other (a direction in which the opposing distance increases) while the area of the rib 3a on the tip side of the hole 3b passes between the pair of second inner legs 14B, 14B (claw portions 18 provided thereon). When the rib 3a is inserted until the hole 3b faces the claw 18, as shown in FIG. 3, the tip of the rib 3a is accommodated in the accommodation space formed between the pair of first inner legs 14A, 14A, and the pair of legs 12, 12 (second inner legs 14B) elastically deform in a direction that reduces the opposing distance, and the claw 18, 18 fits into the hole 3b of the rib 3a. This causes the clip 10 to be attached and held in the clip holding portion 3 of the first member 1.

Next, the clip 10 attached and held by the clip holding part 3 is inserted from the head 11 side into the mounting hole 4 of the second member 2. At this time, the pair of opposing legs 12, 12 pass through the mounting hole 4 in a state of elastic deformation in the direction approaching each other. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the step surface 3d of the guide 3c provided on the clip holding part 3 abuts against the second member 2, restricting the approaching movement of the first member 1 relative to the second member 2, and the insertion of the clip 10 into the mounting hole 4 is also stopped. At this time, the part of the pair of outer legs 13 constituting the leg part 12 that is located between the first connecting part 16 and the second connecting part 17 abuts against the edge of the long side of the mounting hole 4. As a result, the first member 1 is attached to the second member 2 via the clip 10.

The first member 1 attached to the second member 2 in the above manner can be separated from the second member 2 by applying a removal force to the first member 1 in a direction that pulls the clip 10 out of the mounting hole 4.

When a removal force is applied to the clip 10, the outer surface 19a of the second inner leg 14B functions as an "interference surface" that interferes with the inner wall of the mounting hole 4, thereby maintaining the engagement state of the claw portion 18 with the clip holding portion 3. Specifically, as described with reference to FIG. 4, when the clip 10 is held by the clip holding portion 3, the engagement allowance between the claw portion 18 and the rib 3a of the clip holding portion 3 is δ1, and the distance between the opposing outer surface 19a of the second inner leg 14B and the inner wall surface of the mounting hole 4 is δ2, the relationship δ2<δ1 is established.

In this case, when a removal force is applied to the clip 10, before the engagement between the claw portion 18 and the clip holding portion 3 is released, the outer surface 19a of the second inner leg 14B as an "interference surface" interferes with the inner wall surface of the mounting hole 4, thereby restricting deformation of the second inner leg 14B. This makes it possible to maintain the state in which the claw portion 18 of the second inner leg 14B is engaged with the clip holding portion 3, i.e., the state in which the clip 10 is attached and held by the clip holding portion 3. As a result, when the first member 1 is separated from the second member 2, the clip 10 is less likely to remain on the second member 2 side, so that the separation of the first member 1 from the second member 2 and the reattachment of the first member 1 to the second member 2 can be easily and quickly performed.

However, when replacing the clip 10 attached to the clip attachment portion 3 of the first member 1 with a new one, or when disposing of the first member 1 and the first member 1 is made of a different material from the clip 10 (when separate processing is required), it is necessary to remove the clip 10 attached to the clip holding portion 3. The clip 10 of this embodiment makes it easy to perform such removal work. The reasons for this are as follows.

As described above, when the clip 10 is attached to the clip holder 3, the inner surfaces 19b of the pair of second inner legs 14B are in contact with the rib 3a. Therefore, when the end (second connecting portion 17) of the pair of legs 12 opposite the head 11 is pressed toward the rib 3a of the clip holder 3 (applying pressure in a direction to reduce the opposing distance between the pair of legs 12), the second inner legs 14B are elastically deformed so as to expand the opposing distance between the pair of claws 18, with the end 19c (see FIG. 4) of the inner surface 19b opposite the head 11 as a fulcrum. This elastic deformation can reduce the engagement margin δ1 between the claws 18 and the clip holder 3 (or release the engagement between the claws 18 and the clip holder 3), so that the clip 10 can be easily and smoothly removed by moving the clip 10 toward the tip of the clip holder 3.

The clip 10 of this embodiment can also contribute to improving the attachment of the first member 1 to the second member 2 (improving the productivity of the assembly in which the first member 1 is attached to the second member 2). The reason for this is explained below.

In the manufacturing process of the above assembly, first, a large number of clips 10 are fed into a parts feeder (parts alignment device) 30, as conceptually shown in, for example, Figures 5(a) and (b). This parts feeder 30 includes a storage section 31 that stores the fed parts, and an alignment conveying section 32 that conveys the parts discharged from the storage section 31 in a line toward a parts acquisition machine 33. The parts acquisition machine 33 is for acquiring and holding the parts discharged from the outlet side opening of the alignment conveying section 32, and can employ, for example, a suction gun. Then, for example, an operator (including an automatic machine) attaches the clip 10 to the clip holding section 3 of the first member 1 after adsorbing the clip 10 from the head 11 side to the suction gun. In addition, in this clip 10, the top surface of the head 11, which is the adsorption surface (surface on which the adsorption force acts) by the adsorption gun, does not have a shape that adversely affects adsorption (reducing the adsorption force), such as a slit, and the top surface of the head 11 is composed of a flat section 11a (flat surface). This makes it possible to prevent, as much as possible, the suction gun from picking up the clip 10 and, ultimately, the clip 10 from being attached to the first member 1 incorrectly.

As described above, when a large number of clips are fed into the storage section 31, if the clips are conventional clips 110 in which the slits 115 are provided over the entire longitudinal length of the legs 112 as shown in Figures 8 to 10, the legs 112 of each clip 110 may enter the slits 115 of other clips 110, causing the clips 110 to easily become entangled. If the clips 110 become entangled, there is a possibility that the alignment and transport section 32 may not be able to properly align and transport the clips 110.

In contrast, in the clip 10 of this embodiment, the legs 12 are provided with a first connecting portion 16 that connects a pair of outer legs 13 at the middle of their longitudinal direction, and the slit 15 is divided into a first slit 15A and a second slit 15B in the longitudinal direction of the legs 12, so that the length of each slit is shorter than that of the conventional clip 110. Furthermore, in the clip 10 of this embodiment, the head 11 is integrally provided with a flat portion 11a extending in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 4 and a pair of side portions 11b that are inclined with respect to the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 4 and connect the flat portion 11a and the pair of legs 12, and the end of the first slit 14A on the head 11 side is disposed on the boundary line between the legs 12 and the above-mentioned side portions 11b, so that the length of the first slit 14A can be further shortened. With the above configuration, the possibility of the clips 10 becoming entangled with each other can be reduced, and the ease of obtaining the clip 10 and the productivity of the above-mentioned assembly can be improved.

In addition, in the conventional clip 110 shown in Figures 8 to 10, the end of the outer leg 113 constituting the leg portion 112 opposite the head portion 111 in the longitudinal direction (the portion corresponding to the second connecting portion 17 of the clip 10 of this embodiment) is located outside the protruding portion 113a provided near the longitudinal center of the outer leg 113, which makes it easy for the position to vary within the alignment conveying portion 32 of the parts feeder 30 [see Figure 5(b)]. This may have an adverse effect on the ability of the clip 110 to be acquired by a parts acquisition device 33 such as a suction gun.

In contrast, in the clip 10 of this embodiment, the leg 12 is provided with a first connecting portion 16 that connects a pair of outer legs 13, 13 at the middle of their longitudinal direction, and a second connecting portion 17 that connects the pair of outer legs 13, 13 at the end opposite to the head 11, and a straight line SL passing through a portion P1 of the first connecting portion 16 that is located on the outermost side in the elastic deformation direction of the leg 12 and a portion P2 of the second connecting portion 17 that is located on the outermost side in the elastic deformation direction of the leg 12 extends parallel to the center line CL of the clip 10 (insertion direction A into the mounting hole 4) (see FIG. 3). In this way, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the posture of the clip 10 can be kept constant when a large number of clips 10 fed into the parts feeder 30 are aligned and arranged in the alignment conveying section 32. This improves the ease of retrieving the clip 10 by the part retrieval machine 33, and further improves the accuracy of mounting the clip 10 to the clip holding section 3 of the first member 1.

Combined with the effects described above, the clip 10 of this embodiment also has the characteristic of contributing to improved productivity of the assembly in which the first member 1 is attached to the second member 2.

Next, a clip according to an embodiment of the second invention will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Note that the clip 20 shown in Figures 6 and 7 is a modified version of the clip 10 described above, so that components that are substantially the same as those used in the clip 10 are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

6 and 7, like the clip 10, is a resin part used to detachably attach the first member 1 to the panel-shaped second member 2. The clip 20 has a head 21 that guides insertion into the mounting hole 4, a first leg 22 that extends linearly along the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 4, and a second leg 23 that faces the first leg 22 across the clip holding part 3 and is elastically deformable in a direction in which the opposing distance between the first leg 22 and the second leg 23 is enlarged and reduced. In other words, the clip 20 corresponds to a clip in which one of the pair of legs 12, 12 constituting the clip 10 (the leg 12 on the left side of the paper in FIG. 3) is replaced with the first leg 22 that extends linearly along the insertion direction A into the mounting hole 4, and the second leg 23 has substantially the same configuration as the other of the pair of legs 12, 12 provided on the clip 10 (the leg 12 on the right side of the paper in FIG. 3). Therefore, the second leg 23 of the clip 20 has the various characteristic configurations of the leg 12 of the clip 10 described above. Therefore, the clip 20 according to the second invention can also achieve the same effects as the clip 10 according to the first invention.

The clip 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention and the clip 20 according to the second embodiment of the invention have been described above, but the embodiments of the first and second inventions are not limited to these, and clips 10 and 20 can be modified as appropriate.

For example, as long as the relationship δ2<δ1 holds between the engagement allowance δ1 between the claw portion 18 of the clip 10, 20 and the clip holding portion 3, and the distance δ2 between the outer surface 19 of the second inner leg 14B of the clip 10, 20 and the inner wall surface of the mounting hole 4 of the second member 2, the values of δ1 and δ2 can be set arbitrarily. This allows the insertion force of the clip 10, 20 into the mounting hole 4 of the second member and the removal force of the clip 10, 20 from the mounting hole 4 to be appropriately adjusted. In this case, for example, if the color of the clip 10, 20 is different for each set value of the insertion force and removal force into the mounting hole 4, the clip 10, 20 to be used can be appropriately selected, and problems such as incorrect installation of the clip 10, 20 can be prevented as much as possible.

In the above, we have described the application of the present invention to clips 10, 20 that are attached (inserted) into mounting holes 4 that have rectangular openings, but the present invention can also be applied to clips 10, 20 that are attached to mounting holes 4 that have openings other than rectangular (e.g., elliptical openings).

1 First member 2 Second member 3 Clip holding portion 3b Hole portion 4 Mounting hole 10 Clip 11 Head portion 12 Leg portion 13 Outer leg 14 Inner leg 14A First inner leg 14B Second inner leg 15 Slit 15A First slit 15B Second slit 16 First connecting portion 17 Second connecting portion 20 Clip 21 Head portion 22 First leg portion 23 Second leg portion 30 Parts feeder 32 Alignment and conveyance portion A Insertion direction B Opposite direction (removal direction)

Claims (6)

A resin clip that is inserted into an attachment hole provided in a panel-shaped second member while being held by a clip holding portion of a first member, and that detachably attaches the first member to the second member,
a head portion for guiding insertion into the mounting hole, and a pair of legs disposed opposite each other across the clip holding portion and elastically deformable in a direction such that the distance between the legs increases and decreases,
each leg portion includes a pair of outer legs engageable with an edge of the mounting hole in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion into the mounting hole, and an inner leg disposed between the pair of outer legs via a slit and having a claw portion engageable with the clip holding portion in the direction of insertion into the mounting hole and in the opposite direction;
When a removal force is applied to remove the clip from the mounting hole while the clip is inserted into the mounting hole, the inner legs come into contact with the inner wall surface of the mounting hole, thereby maintaining the engagement state of the claw portions with the clip holding portion ,
a first connecting portion is provided on the leg portion to connect the pair of outer legs at a midpoint in the longitudinal direction, thereby dividing the slit into a first slit and a second slit that is disposed at a position farther from the head than the first slit;
The inner legs include a first inner leg that is disposed between the pair of outer legs via the first slit and is capable of restraining a tip end of the clip holding portion, and a second inner leg that is disposed between the pair of outer legs via the second slit,
the second inner leg has the claw portion, an outer surface serving as an interference surface that interferes with an inner wall surface of the mounting hole when the removal force is applied, and an inner surface that comes into surface contact with the clip holding portion when the clip is held by the clip holding portion,
A clip characterized in that when the inner surface is in face-to-face contact with the clip holding portion and the end portion of the pair of legs opposite the head is pressed in a direction reducing the distance between the opposing legs, the second inner leg elastically deforms with the end portion of the inner surface opposite the head as a fulcrum so that the engagement amount of the claw portion with the clip holding portion is reduced . the head portion integrally includes a flat portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction into the mounting hole, and a pair of side portions inclined with respect to the insertion direction into the mounting hole and connecting the flat portion and the pair of leg portions,
The clip according to claim 1 , wherein an end of the first slit on the head side is disposed on a connection point between the leg portion and the side portion. the legs have a second connector connecting the pair of outer legs at an end opposite the head,
A clip as described in claim 1, wherein a straight line connecting a portion of the first connecting portion that is located outermost in the elastic deformation direction of the leg and a portion of the second connecting portion that is located outermost in the elastic deformation direction of the leg extends parallel to a center line of the clip. A resin clip that is inserted into an attachment hole provided in a panel-shaped second member while being held by a clip holding portion of a first member, and that detachably attaches the first member to the second member,
a head portion for guiding insertion into the mounting hole, a first leg portion extending in a direction of insertion into the mounting hole, and a second leg portion facing the first leg portion across the clip holding portion and elastically deformable in a direction in which a distance between the first leg portion and the second leg portion increases and decreases,
the second leg portion comprises a pair of outer legs engageable with an edge of the mounting hole in a direction opposite to a direction of insertion into the mounting hole, and an inner leg disposed between the pair of outer legs via a slit and having a claw portion engageable with the clip holding portion in the direction of insertion into the mounting hole and in the opposite direction thereto,
When a removal force is applied to remove the clip from the mounting hole while the clip is inserted into the mounting hole, the inner legs come into contact with the inner wall surface of the mounting hole, thereby maintaining the engagement state of the claw portions with the clip holding portion ,
a first connecting portion that connects the pair of outer legs at a midpoint in the longitudinal direction is provided on the second leg portion, thereby dividing the slit into a first slit and a second slit that is disposed at a position farther from the head than the first slit,
The inner legs include a first inner leg that is disposed between the pair of outer legs via the first slit and cooperates with the first leg to restrain a tip end of the clip holding portion, and a second inner leg that is disposed between the pair of outer legs via the second slit,
the second inner leg has the claw portion, an outer surface serving as an interference surface that interferes with an inner wall surface of the mounting hole when the removal force is applied, and an inner surface that comes into surface contact with the clip holding portion when the clip is held by the clip holding portion,
A clip characterized in that when the inner surface is in face-to-face contact with the clip holding portion and the end of the second leg opposite the head is pressed in a direction reducing the distance between the first leg and the second leg, the second inner leg elastically deforms with the end of the inner surface opposite the head as a fulcrum so that the engagement amount of the claw portion with the clip holding portion is reduced . the head portion integrally includes a flat portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction into the mounting hole, and a side portion inclined with respect to the insertion direction into the mounting hole and connecting the flat portion and the second leg portion,
The clip according to claim 4 , wherein an end of the first slit on the head side is disposed on a connection point between the second leg portion and the side portion. the second leg portion has a second connector portion connecting the pair of outer legs at an end opposite the head portion,
A clip as described in claim 4, wherein a straight line connecting a portion of the first connecting portion that is located outermost in the elastic deformation direction of the second leg and a portion of the second connecting portion that is located outermost in the elastic deformation direction of the second leg extends parallel to the first leg.

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