Cable fixing clip for automotive wall paneling

Abstract

The invention relates to a cable fastening clip comprising an anchor portion (20) and a collar (26) integral with said anchor portion, said anchor portion (20) being adapted to be anchored in a paneled wall (10, 14) of a motor vehicle having a face covered with a panel (14) and a face opposite the covered face, while said collar (26) is adapted to secure a cable (18). Said anchor portion (20) comprises a threaded cylindrical body (22) and a retaining piece (24) adapted to cooperate with said threaded cylindrical body. And said threaded cylindrical body (22) is adapted to be successively engaged through said paneled wall (10, 14) and said retaining piece (24) such that said threaded body (22) engages with said retaining piece (24), while said retaining piece bears against said face opposite said covered face. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 3

Description

Title of the invention: Cable fixing clip for a motor vehicle wall

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable fixing clip for a clad wall of a motor vehicle, comprising an anchoring part and a cable receiving collar, integral with the anchoring part.

[0002] One area of ​​application envisaged is in particular, but not exclusively, the fixing of cables in areas of a motor vehicle where the walls are covered with a trim element, for example soundproofing.

[0003] Usually, the body walls of motor vehicles are fitted with studs, in other words welded threaded rods extending out from the walls to hold the fixing clips there.

[0004] These studs are installed on the body by forging using robots. The ready-to-install stud has a fusible pipe at one end and a robot arm holds the stud substantially perpendicular to the wall, the fusible pipe resting on it. The wall is then grounded and the passage of a high-intensity electric current through the stud melts the pipe and thus welds the stud to the wall.

[0005] The installation of studs has a double advantage. Firstly, it allows screws to be installed when the metal of the wall is not very thick. Secondly, it facilitates the implementation of a cable receiving collar at the end of the stud by simple screwing, provided that the collar has a radial or tangential thread.

[0006] Thus, the stud passes through the cladding element applied against the wall and the receiving collar can easily be installed at the free end of the stud projecting from the cladding element.

[0007] However, the process of making the boxes only allows the installation of a limited number of studs on the walls.

[0008] Therefore, the cables extend in a catenary between the fixing clips when they are too far from each other, and they have a relative lack of support along the wall covering.

[0009] Also, a problem which arises and which the present invention aims to solve is to provide a cable fixing clip which allows better maintenance of the cables while avoiding the limited number of studs potentially installed.

[0010] For this purpose, a cable fixing clip is proposed comprising an anchoring part and a receiving collar secured to said anchoring part, said anchoring part being adapted to be anchored in a clad wall of a motor vehicle. having a face covered with a covering and a face opposite the covered face, while said receiving collar is adapted to trap a cable. Said anchoring part comprises a threaded cylindrical body and a retaining piece adapted to cooperate with said threaded cylindrical body; and said threaded cylindrical body is adapted to be successively engaged through said covered wall and said retaining piece so that said threaded body engages in said retaining piece, while said retaining piece bears against said face opposite said covered face.

[0011] Thus, a characteristic of the invention lies in the implementation of two parts for the anchoring part, one, the cylindrical body which extends through the dressed wall, the other, the retaining part in which the cylindrical body also engages to be able to sandwich the dressed wall between the collar on one side, and the retained part on the other. In this way, the collar is integral with the dressed wall.

[0012] In other words, it is necessary to drill holes, step by step, in the clad wall in order to be able to attach fixing clips, and thus, engage the cable through the chain of clip-receiving collars. One is then no longer dependent on the limited number of studs. And it is easy to make, step by step, a plurality of holes in the clad wall.

[0013] Advantageously, the fixing clip further comprises a collar between said threaded body and said collar, said collar being adapted to come into contact with said covered face. In this way, the covered wall is sandwiched between the collar and the retaining part, which constitutes a more homogeneous bearing surface around the orifice on the collar side.

[0014] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said collar comprises a U-shaped section having two branches facing each other and two flexible tabs extending said two branches respectively in return, said two flexible tabs being oriented towards each other. In this way, the cable can be forcibly engaged against the flexible tabs which then withdraw until the cable comes to bear against the bottom of the U-shaped section. And the flexible tabs return to their initial position in order to close the entrance to the U-shaped section. In other words, the cable is trapped inside the U-shaped section. This, of course, is so as long as the cable is not forcibly extracted from the U-shaped section.

[0015] Preferably, said receiving collar is connected to said anchoring part by one of said two branches. In this way, the U-shaped profiled part thus defines a mean plane substantially normal to the dressed wall, and the other of said two branches then extends out from the wall. It is then easy to insert the cable through the U-shaped section, dragging it, overhanging, along the wall.

[0016] According to a first variant embodiment, said retaining part comprises, on the one hand, a circular bearing face and a passage opening opening at the center of said circular bearing face and, on the other hand, a plurality of elastically deformable teeth extending radially around said passage opening. Thus, thanks to the elastically deformable teeth, the threaded cylindrical body is engaged through the dressed wall and then by force through the retaining part, while the teeth move apart and retract sequentially as the threads of the cylindrical body pass through. In other words, the teeth engage in the threads of the cylindrical body and when the retaining part and the receiving collar, or the flange, sandwich the dressed wall, the teeth extending between the threads have a non-return effect. In this way, the cylindrical body and therefore the collar are held in a fixed position through the dressed wall.

[0017] And thanks to the implementation of the threaded cylindrical body, it is easy, conversely, to unscrew the retaining piece to be able to release the threaded body and thus remove it from the clad wall. In other words, the threaded cylindrical body can be forced through the retaining piece to be able to connect them together. Conversely, they can be separated by unscrewing the retaining piece.

[0018] It will be observed that the length of the threaded cylindrical body can be provided, more or less great depending on the thickness of the dressed wall.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, said retaining part has a border extending around said passage light opposite said circular bearing face, and each of the teeth of said plurality of teeth comprises a portion extending axially from said border and a free portion extending back towards the center of said passage light. The free portions advantageously end in transverse edges adapted to engage between the threads of the threaded cylindrical body. Also, when the cylindrical body is axially engaged through the retaining part, the teeth tilt elastically between a position close to the center of the passage light, where they are at rest, and a position radially spaced from the center of the light where they are under stress. In other words, at rest, the teeth engage between two consecutive threads of the cylindrical body to block the latter in translation.

[0020] Advantageously, the teeth extend in an arc, from the edge and around the passage light. For example, they are regularly distributed around the light. According to a particular embodiment, six teeth extend around the passage light, as will be explained in more detail in the remainder of the description.

[0021] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, said retaining part has a plurality of anchoring harpoons extending in projection from said circular bearing face. Thus, when said face opposite the covered face is itself covered with another soundproofing covering for example, the anchoring harpoons can engage in this other covering. In this way, it is possible to pre-install the retaining part against this other covering, while with one hand, the threaded cylindrical body is engaged through the covered wall, then through the retaining part without any other process.

[0022] According to a second variant embodiment, said retaining part comprises, on the one hand, a conical element having a bottom delimited by a small circular edge and an opposite large free circular edge and, on the other hand, a plurality of elastically deformable axial tabs each terminated by radial lugs and extending axially from said bottom along said small circular edge. In this way, as will be explained in more detail below, this second variant embodiment makes it possible to completely mask the end of the threaded cylindrical body on said side opposite the dressed wall.

[0023] Preferably, said retaining part is molded in one piece from a polymer material. In this way, it is easy to obtain flexible and elastically deformable teeth. For example, a polymer material of the polyethylene or polyester type is used.

[0024] Furthermore, said anchoring portion and said receiving collar are advantageously molded together in one piece from a polymeric material as well. For example, they are molded from the same polymeric material as the retaining part; and this for economic reasons.

[0025] Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from reading the description given below of particular embodiments of the invention, given for informational but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0026] [Fig.l] is a schematic perspective view of a plurality of fastening clips in accordance with the invention;

[0027] [Fig.2] is a schematic perspective view of the subject of the invention according to a first variant of execution;

[0028] [Fig.3] is a schematic view in axial section along plane III - III illustrated in the [Fig.l];

[0029] [Fig.4] is a schematic axial sectional view according to another mode of realization; and,

[0030] [Fig.5] is a schematic perspective view of the subject of the invention according to a second execution variant.

[0031] [Fig.l] partially shows the front face 10 of an apron 12 of a motor vehicle. In other words, the front face 10 extends opposite the engine compartment and is covered with a trim 14 intended to soundproof the engine compartment from the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0032] The front face 10 is here equipped with fixing clips 16 making it possible to hold a cable 18 in a fixed position along the front face 10.

[0033] We will now refer to [Fig.2] showing in exploded perspective the single fixing clip 16, according to a first variant embodiment.

[0034] Thus, the fixing clip 16 comprises, on the one hand, a fixing or anchoring part 20 comprising two elements, a threaded cylindrical body 22 and a retaining part 24 in the form of a washer, and on the other hand, a collar 26. The threaded cylindrical body 22 has an axis of symmetry A, common to the retaining part 24 in [Fig.2].

[0035] Between the threaded cylindrical body 22 and the collar 26, a support collar 28 extends.

[0036] Also, the collar 26 comprises a U-shaped profiled part 30 having a bottom 32 and two facing branches 34, 36. One of the branches 34 is connected from the outside to the threaded cylindrical body 22 by means of the support collar 28. Also, the other branch 36 extends opposite and the two branches 34, 36 thus define a mean plane substantially perpendicular to the support collar 28.

[0037] Furthermore, the two branches 34, 36 are extended respectively by two tabs 38 and 40 oriented towards each other. The two tabs 38, 40 extend respectively in return relative to the branches 34, 36 which they extend.

[0038] Thus, the two tabs 38, 40, without being in contact with each other, close the entrance of the collar 26.

[0039] Also, the U-shaped section 30, the support collar 28 and the threaded cylindrical body 22 are molded together in one piece from a polymer material. The material used is, for example, polypropylene. In this way, the two tabs 38, 40 can be driven to a certain extent, in pivoting to allow the passage of cables inside between the two branches 34, 36. In addition, the branch 36 can be easily separated from the other branch 34 to facilitate this passage as will be explained below.

[0040] The threaded cylindrical body 22 forms a tubular sleeve extending axially from the support collar 28 to a free edge 42. And the tubular sleeve has a helical thread 44 extending from the free edge 42 to approximately one third of the length of the sleeve. As indicated above, the length of this sleeve is provided as a function of the thickness of the dressed wall.

[0041] The retaining part 24, in the form of a washer, has a circular bearing face 46, and in the center, a circular passage light 48 having a diameter substantially greater than that of the external diameter of the threaded cylindrical body 22.

[0042] Also, opposite its circular bearing face 46, the retaining part 24 has a rim 50 to increase its rigidity. Towards the center, still opposite the circular bearing face 46, the retaining part 24 has a rim 52 extending around the passage light 48.

[0043] And in this edge 52, there extend, along an axial component then a radial component, six arc-shaped teeth 54. The six arc-shaped teeth 54 are regularly distributed around the passage light 48. And they have an axial part 56 extending from the edge 52 and a radial free part 58 ending in an edge. The radial free part 58 of each of the six teeth 54 extends in an arc. And the radial free parts 58 of the six teeth 54 together form a nut capable of cooperating with the helical thread 44 of the threaded cylindrical body 22.

[0044] Advantageously, the retaining part 24 is molded in a single piece from the polymer material similar to that of the threaded cylindrical body 22.

[0045] Also, it is understood that the threaded cylindrical body 22 and the collar 26 can be held with one hand, while the retaining part 24 is held with the other, and in the position of the two parts as shown in [Fig.2], the threaded cylindrical body 22 can be driven axially in translation by force through the retaining part 24.

[0046] Thus, the teeth 54 are sufficiently flexible to be able to move away elastically from the axis of symmetry A and move closer to it, as the radial free parts 58 encounter the turns of the helical thread 44.

[0047] As illustrated in [Fig.3], this operation could be carried out after having engaged the threaded cylindrical body 22 through an orifice 60 made in the wall 10 and in the cladding 14 which is found here.

[0048] Thus, the support collar 28 is applied against the covering 14, while the circular support face 46 of the retaining part 24 is, on the opposite side, applied against the rear of the wall 10, and the edge of the radial free part 58 of the teeth 54 is engaged between the turns of the helical thread 44.

[0049] Thus, it is understood that the significant pivoting of the teeth 54 aimed at moving them radially away from the center of the passage light 48, is possible when the threaded cylindrical body 22 is engaged in translation through the passage light 48.

[0050] On the other hand, in the opposite direction of translation, the teeth 54 come to block the threaded cylindrical body 22. Furthermore, the helical thread 44 is advantageously inclined towards the support collar 28 so as to facilitate the engagement of the body cylindrical threaded 22 between the teeth 54 and conversely to better block the possibility of return.

[0051] Therefore, the threaded cylindrical body 22 is held in a fixed position through the wall 10 and the covering 14 and consequently, the collar 26 to which it is also attached.

[0052] It is nevertheless possible to dismantle it, in particular if the chosen positioning is not the most suitable. To do this, the retaining part 24 is rotated, while the threaded cylindrical body 22 is held in a fixed position. Consequently, the edges 58 of the teeth 54 of the retaining part 24 slide in the helical thread 44 and the retaining part 24 unscrews. And it can be unscrewed until it completely escapes the reach of the helical thread 44.

[0053] We also find in [Fig.3], the two branches 34, 36 of the collar 16, and the base 32 on which the cable 18 rests. Also, we find the two tabs 38, 40 which close the collar 26 to be able to trap the cable 18.

[0054] [Fig. 4] illustrates another embodiment incorporating the essential elements of the previous embodiment. Therefore, identical elements will bear the same reference accompanied by a prime sign: "'", while new elements will bear a reference in continuity with the sequence of references already adopted.

[0055] In this [Fig.4] we find a retaining piece 24' and opposite, a support collar 28' sandwiching the wall 10' and the cladding 14'.

[0056] The only difference with the previous embodiment relates to the implementation of anchoring harpoons 62, extending in projection from a circular bearing face 46' of the retaining part 24'. These anchoring harpoons 62 are force-fitted through a wall 10', for example in prior drillings or, if it is a fiber covering, through the fibers of said covering.

[0057] Thus, the retaining piece 24' can be previously installed against the wall 10' and be integral with it, the passage light coaxially with the orifice made in the wall and in the cladding. In this way, the threaded body 22' can be engaged through the cladding 14' and the wall 10', then through the pre-installed retaining piece 24'.

[0058] We will now refer to [Fig. 5] illustrating a second variant of execution where the only retaining part is significantly modified. Also, the identical elements of the first variant will bear the same reference accompanied by a double prime sign: “ ” , while the new elements will bear a reference in continuity with the sequence of references already adopted.

[0059] Thus, [Fig.5] shows elements similar to those of the object of [Fig.3], and in particular, a threaded body 22” engaged through a 14” covering and a 10” wall, as well as a retaining part 24” comprising a conical element 64. The latter has a base 66 and a skirt 68. The skirt 68 has a free circular edge 70 bearing against the 10” wall. And the base 66, delimited by a circular line at the junction with the skirt 68, is provided with axial tabs 54”. For example, the bottom 66 is provided with six axial tabs regularly distributed along the circular line of junction with the skirt 68.

[0060] The axial legs 54'' each have at their end, and opposite the skirt 68, a radial lug 58”. And the radial lugs 58” of the axial legs 54” are then engaged between the turns of a helical thread 44” of the threaded body 22”.

[0061] In this way, the conical element 64 completely conceals the end of the threaded cylindrical body 22'' on the side opposite the dressed wall.

[0062] The conical element 64 and the axial legs 54” are molded in one piece from a polymer material. The axial legs 54' are then flexible and elastically deformable.

[0063] In the same way as in the first variant embodiment, the threaded body 22'' can easily be engaged in translation between the axial lugs 54”, while the free circular edge 70 of the skirt 68 comes to bear against the wall 10” and the radial lugs 58” come into engagement in the turns of the helical thread 44”.

[0064] Also, the 24” retaining piece can easily be unscrewed to release the 22” threaded body.

Claims

Claims

1. Cable fixing clip comprising an anchoring part (20) and a receiving collar (26) integral with said anchoring part, said anchoring part (20) being adapted to be anchored in a covered wall (10, 14) of a motor vehicle having a face covered with a covering (14) and a face opposite the covered face, while said receiving collar (26) is adapted to trap a cable (18); characterized in that said anchoring part (20) comprises a threaded cylindrical body (22) and a retaining part (24) capable of cooperating with said threaded cylindrical body, said threaded cylindrical body (22) being adapted to be successively engaged through said covered wall (10, 14) and said retaining part (24) so ​​that said threaded body (22) engages in said retaining part (24), while said retaining part bears against said face opposite said covered face;and in that said receiving collar comprises a U-shaped portion (30) having two branches (34, 36) facing each other and two flexible tabs (38, 40) extending said two branches respectively in return, said flexible tabs (38, 40) being oriented towards each other.;

2. Fixing clip according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a collar (28) between said threaded body (22) and said receiving collar (26), said collar being adapted to come into contact against said covered face.

3. A fixing clip according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said receiving collar (26) is connected to said anchoring part (20) by one (34) of said two branches.

4. Fixing clip according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said retaining part (24) comprises on the one hand, a circular bearing face (46) and a passage light (48) opening at the center of said circular bearing face (46) and on the other hand, a plurality of elastically deformable teeth (54) extending radially around said passage light (48).

5. A fixing clip according to claim 4, characterized in that said retaining part (24) has a border (52) extending around said passage light (48) opposite said face circular support (46), and in that each of the teeth (54) of said plurality of teeth comprises a portion (56) extending axially from said edge (52) and a free portion (58) extending back towards the center of said passage light (48).

6. A fixing clip according to claim 4 or 56, characterized in that said retaining part (24') has a plurality of anchoring harpoons (62) extending projecting from said circular bearing face (46').

7. Fixing clip according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said retaining part (24”) comprises, on the one hand, a conical element (64) having a base (66) delimited by a small circular edge and an opposite large free circular edge (70) and on the other hand, a plurality of elastically deformable axial tabs (54”) each terminated by radial lugs (58”) and extending axially from said base along said small circular edge.

8. A fastening clip according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said retaining part (24, 24', 24”) is molded in one piece from a polymeric material.

9. A fastening clip according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said anchoring portion (20) and said receiving collar (26) are molded together in one piece from a polymeric material.

Images