Fastener including elastic legs for retaining the fastener in a mounting hole
US5573362A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 7, 1995 |
| Grant date | Nov 12, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 7, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S411/913
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A clip comprised of a head portion retained to a panel, and a leg portion inserted and retained in a mounting hole. The leg portion has a leg plate, elastic legs which project out from the longitudinally-extending transverse direction sides of the leg plate so as to form curved surfaces which face each other, and pawl portions protruded from the elastic legs. Curved outer surfaces of the pawl portions are disposed on a circular locus around central points on side surfaces of the leg plate, and have a greater curvature than the curvature of the mounting hole. As a result, when the leg portion is inserted into the mounting hole, the entire peripheral surfaces of the pawl portions do not contact the peripheral wall of the mounting hole, but only point-contact the peripheral wall of the mounting hole at points. Therefore, frictional force between the mounting hole and the leg portion is small, and insertion force is reduced. Although the clip requires little insertion force, a large retaining force for retaining the clip in the mounting hole is obtained.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.