Clip for Epidermal Retention

Abstract

To provide a skin locking clip with a high degree of freedom for design.SOLUTION: A skin locking clip of the present disclosure comprises: a female clip including a base part held in a foamed body; a pair of wall parts erected so as to face each other at a predetermined distance from the surface of the base part, and a locking part provided on an inner wall surface of the pair of wall parts; and a male clip including an attachment part attached to skin, and an insertion part connected to one end of the attachment part and inserted into a housing space provided between the pair of wall parts of the female clip. The insertion part comprises: a contact part that contacts the base part when inserted into the housing space along an insertion direction; a widened part that widens in a direction crossing the insertion direction when the contact part is further inserted along the insertion direction after contacting the base part; and a locked part provided in the widened part and locked to the locking part when the widened part widens.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a clip for fixing an epidermis.

Background Art

[0002] A cushion pad of a seat, for example, a seat for a vehicle, is formed by covering the surface of a foam made of polyurethane foam or the like with an epidermis made of, for example, a knitted fabric or leather. In order to fix the epidermis to the foam, a clip for fixing the epidermis (sometimes called a "hog ring clip") has been conventionally used (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the clips for fixing the epidermis described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above, only the locking piece of the clip material (hereinafter referred to as the "female clip") on the side held by the foam is partially elastically deformed, and the clip material (hereinafter referred to as the "male clip") on the side fixed to the epidermis is hardly deformed. In such a structure, in order to lock the male clip in the female clip, the locked portion of the male clip is completely accommodated in the female clip while elastically deforming the locking piece of the female clip, and then the male clip is further inserted in the insertion direction to eliminate the contact between the locking piece and the male clip and return the locking piece of the female clip to the original locking position. Therefore, in the above-described female clip, it is necessary to secure a space for eliminating the contact between the locking piece and the male clip, and for this purpose, a certain height along the insertion direction of the male clip is required.

[0005] The female clip as described above is disposed in a groove provided in the foam. Therefore, if the height of the female clip is greater than the depth of the groove in which it is disposed, the tip of the female clip may protrude from the surface of the cushion pad, which may cause deterioration of the sitting comfort of the cushion pad. Therefore, when the female clip has a certain height as described above, the female clip cannot be disposed in a portion where the depth of the groove is shallow, which is a factor that reduces the degree of freedom in designing the seat (specifically, the cushion pad).

[0006] In view of the above problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a clip for locking the skin with a high degree of freedom in design.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, a clip for locking the skin according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a female clip including a base portion held by a foam, a pair of wall portions standing upright opposite to each other with a predetermined interval from the surface of the base portion, and locking portions provided on inner wall surfaces of the pair of wall portions, a mounting portion attached to the skin, and an insertion portion connected to one end of the mounting portion and inserted into a housing space provided between the pair of wall portions of the female clip. The insertion portion includes a contact portion that contacts the base portion when inserted into the housing space along the insertion direction, a widening portion that widens in a direction intersecting the insertion direction when further inserted along the insertion direction after the contact portion contacts the base portion, and a portion to be locked provided on the widening portion and locked to the locking portion when the widening portion widens.

[0008] In such a clip for locking the skin, a structure is adopted in which the male clip and the female clip are locked by engaging the locking portion and the locked portion when the widened portion of the male clip widens. Therefore, it is not necessary to secure a space for eliminating contact with the male clip in the conventional manner in the female clip, and the height of the female clip can be kept low. Further, by reducing the height of the female clip, the clip for locking the skin can be disposed even in a relatively shallow groove of the foam, and the degree of freedom in designing the sheet to which the clip for locking the skin is applied is improved.

[0009] The clip for locking the skin according to the second aspect of the present disclosure is the clip for locking the skin according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the widened portion includes a pair of attachment portion side arms having one end connected to one end of the attachment portion, a pair of contact portion side arms having one end connected to the contact portion, and a pair of curved portions that form at least a part of the locked portion and connect the other ends of the pair of attachment portion side arms and the other ends of the pair of contact portion side arms, respectively. The length between the one end portion and the other end portion of the pair of contact portion side arms is longer than the length between the one end portion and the other end portion of the pair of attachment portion side arms.

[0010] In such a clip for locking the skin, the curved portion that forms at least a part of the locked portion can be securely locked to the locking portion.

[0011] The clip for locking the skin according to the third aspect of the present disclosure is the clip for locking the skin according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the widened portion includes a pair of attachment portion side arms having one end connected to one end of the attachment portion, and a pair of contact portion side arms having one end connected to the contact portion and the other end connected to the other ends of the pair of attachment portion side arms. When the male clip is inserted into the accommodation space of the female clip, the clip further includes a holding mechanism for holding a state in which the contact portion contacts the base portion and the pair of attachment portion side arms and the pair of contact portion side arms move in a direction close to each other.

[0012] In such a clip for skin fixation, the widening portion can be held in a widened state by the holding mechanism, and the male clip can be more reliably prevented from coming off.

[0013] The clip for skin fixation according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the clip for skin fixation according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the holding mechanism includes a locking hook provided at one end of the attachment portion and a locking hole provided at the contact portion for locking the locking hook.

[0014] In such a clip for skin fixation, a state in which the widening portion is widened can be held with a simple structure.

[0015] The clip for skin fixation according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the clip for skin fixation according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the holding mechanism includes a fitting portion provided on at least one of the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment portion side arms and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact portion side arms, and a fitted portion provided on at least one of the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment portion side arms and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact portion side arms and capable of fitting into the fitting portion.

[0016] In such a clip for skin fixation, a state in which the widening portion is widened can be held with a simple structure.

[0017] The clip for skin fixation according to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the clip for skin fixation according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the widening portion includes a pair of arms having one end connected to one end of the attachment portion, at least a part of the opposing surfaces of the pair of arms constitutes the contact portion, the engaged portion is provided on the surface opposite to the opposing surfaces of the pair of arms, the pair of wall portions are erected from the base portion with their tip portions inclined in a direction approaching each other, and the base portion includes a ridge including a pair of guide surfaces that contact the contact portion and guide the movement of the pair of arms.

[0018] In such a clip for locking the skin, since a space for eliminating contact with the male clip provided on the female clip can be arranged in a direction intersecting the insertion direction, the height of the female clip can be kept low.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] According to the clip for locking the skin of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a clip for locking the skin with a high degree of design freedom and a low height of the female clip.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the scope necessary for the description to achieve the object of the present disclosure is schematically shown, and mainly the scope necessary for the description of the corresponding part of the present disclosure will be described, and the parts where the description is omitted shall be based on known techniques. Further, when a plurality of members that are the same or corresponding to each other in the drawings are included, in order to make the drawings easy to view, in some of them, reference numerals may be attached only to some of them.

[0022] <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a clip for locking an epidermis according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Further, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which the clip for locking an epidermis shown in FIG. 1 is disposed on the foam of a sheet. Furthermore, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a state before engagement of the clip for locking an epidermis shown in FIG. 2. In the following description, the X direction shown in FIG. 1 is defined as the left-right direction, the Y direction is similarly defined as the front-rear direction, and the Z direction is defined as the up-down direction for the sake of explanation. Also, in FIG. 2, the illustration of the epidermis 3 is omitted so that the surface shape of the foam 2 can be easily understood. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows a state cut along the line A-A shown in FIG. 2.

[0023] The clip 1 for locking an epidermis according to the present embodiment may be used, for example, when fixing the epidermis 3 to the foam 2 constituting the cushion pad of a vehicle seat as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. This clip 1 for locking an epidermis includes a female clip 10 and a male clip 20. In the present embodiment, the case where the clip 1 for locking an epidermis is applied to a vehicle seat is exemplified. However, in addition to vehicle seats, the same can be applied to any member in which a foam is covered with an epidermis.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 2, a plurality (for example, 12 in Fig. 2) of female clips 10 can be arranged at appropriate positions in a groove 2A provided in the foam 2. The female clip 10 can be made of a member having a predetermined elasticity, such as a well-known synthetic resin like polyethylene (PET) or polypropylene (PP), and a well-known resin molding method such as injection molding can be adopted for its molding method. The female clip 10 includes at least a base portion 11 held by the foam 2, a pair of wall portions 12L and 12R erected so as to face each other with a predetermined interval in the left-right direction from the surface of the base portion 11, and locking portions 13L and 13R provided on the inner wall surfaces of the pair of wall portions 12L and 12R.

[0025] This female clip 10 can be held by the foam 2 by inserting it into the mold of the foam 2 so as to be disposed at the bottom of the groove 2A, for example, when the foam 2 is foam-molded. At this time, the position where the female clip 10 can be disposed in the groove 2A is a position where its depth is set to be larger than the height of the female clip 10. Further, the female clip 10 held by the foam 2 by the method described above is preferably held in a state where at least a pair of locking portions 13L and 13R and a housing space 15 described later are exposed to the outside of the foam 2. Note that the method of holding the female clip 10 to the foam 2 is not limited to the above method, and it may be held by, for example, an adhesive or welding.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the base 11 can be composed of a plate body having a predetermined thickness and formed in a substantially rectangular shape. Further, the pair of wall portions 12L and 12R may extend upward substantially orthogonally from both end portions in the left-right direction of the base 11. The locking portions 13L and 13R can be formed so as to extend in a direction approaching each other from the inside of the tip portions of the pair of wall portions 12L and 12R, and in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the left-right direction such that their tip portions face the base 11. A gap formed between the tip portions of the locking portions 13L and 13R may define an insertion port into which the male clip 20 is inserted. In addition, a pair of tapered surfaces 14L and 14R for guiding the insertion of the male clip 20 may be formed on the left and right sides of the insertion port. Since the tapered surfaces 14L and 14R are widened upward, a part of the male clip 20 in contact with the tapered surfaces 14L and 14R can be elastically deformed when moving toward the insertion port.

[0027] The region surrounded by the base 11, the pair of wall portions 12L and 12R, and the locking portions 13L and 13R can function as a housing space 15 for housing the insertion portion 22 of the male clip 20. Among this housing space 15, a region surrounded by the base 11, one wall portion 12L, and one locking portion 13L, and a region surrounded by the base 11, the other wall portion 12R, and the other locking portion 13R may be a pair of locking spaces 16L and 16R for locking the male clip 20 in the inserted state.

[0028] The male clip 20 may be a member capable of fixing the skin 3 to the foam 2 by inserting and fixing a part thereof into the housing space 15 of the female clip 10 described above. Further, the male clip 20 can be composed of a well-known synthetic resin, similar to the female clip 10, and a well-known resin molding method can be adopted for its molding method. The male clip 20 is composed of a member having elasticity, similar to the female clip, but is preferably a more flexible member than the female clip 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the male clip 20 includes at least an attachment portion 21 to which one end portion of the skin 3 can be attached, and an insertion portion 22 connected to one end located downward of the attachment portion 21 and insertable into the housing space 15 of the female clip 10.

[0029] The attachment part 21 can be formed of a plate-like body, and the end of the skin 3 can be directly or indirectly attached to one or both surfaces thereof. As a method of attaching the skin 3 to the attachment part 21, for example, sewing can be adopted, but it is not limited thereto, and other attachment methods such as using an adhesive, a rivet, or welding can also be adopted.

[0030] The insertion part 22 is connected to one end of the attachment part 21, specifically, the end on the insertion direction side of the male clip 20 (for example, the direction corresponding to the arrow M shown in FIG. 3. Hereinafter, also referred to as "insertion direction M"), and by being inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 10, it may connect the female clip 10 and the male clip 20. As shown in FIG. 1, this insertion part 22 has a contact part 23 that can contact the base part 11 when the male clip 20 is inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 10 from above along the insertion direction M, and when the male clip 20 is further inserted along the insertion direction M after the contact part 23 contacts the base part 11, it has a widening part 24 that widens in a direction intersecting the insertion direction M, for example, the left-right direction, and a locked part 25 that is provided on the widening part 24 and is locked to the locking parts 13L, 13R when the widening part 24 widens. In the present embodiment, the insertion direction M of the male clip 20 is exemplified as the downward direction (-Z direction) in FIGS. 1 and 3, but the insertion direction M is not limited thereto.

[0031] The contact portion 23 may constitute the tip portion of the male clip 20 in the insertion direction M. When the contact portion 23 is inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 10, it can contact the surface of the base portion 11. Further, the widening portion 24 may widen in the left - right direction within the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 10 in the process of inserting the male clip 20 into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 10. The widening portion 24 according to the present embodiment includes a pair of attachment - portion - side arms 26L and 26R whose one ends are connected to one end of the attachment portion 21, a pair of contact - portion - side arms 27L and 27R whose one ends are connected to the contact portion 23, and a pair of curved portions 28L and 28R that constitute at least a part of the above - described locked portion 25 and connect the respective other ends of the pair of attachment - portion - side arms 26L and 26R and the respective other ends of the pair of contact - portion - side arms 27L and 27R.

[0032] The pair of attachment - portion - side arms 26L and 26R can be constituted by thin - plate - shaped members whose proximal ends are connected to the attachment portion 21 and extend in a direction away from each other toward the distal ends. Also, the pair of contact - portion - side arms 27L and 27R can be constituted by thin - plate - shaped members whose proximal ends are connected to the contact portion 23 and extend in a direction away from each other toward the distal ends. Further, the lengths from the proximal ends to the distal ends of the pair of attachment - portion - side arms 26L and 26R, in other words, their extension - direction lengths, are preferably adjusted such that the pair of contact - portion - side arms 27L and 27R are longer than the pair of attachment - portion - side arms 26L and 26R. In this way, making the pair of contact - portion - side arms 27L and 27R longer than the pair of attachment - portion - side arms 26L and 26R is effective for reliably engaging the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R and the pair of locking portions 13L and 13R that constitute the locked portion 25 when the male clip 20 is inserted into the female clip 10.

[0033] The pair of curved portions 28L and 28R are configured to connect the respective tips of the pair of attachment portion side arms 26L and 26R and the respective tips of the pair of contact portion side arms 27L and 27R, and may be formed to be arcuately curved so as to be convex in a direction away from each other. The outer dimensions of the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R are preferably adjusted so that they can be respectively inserted into the locking spaces 16L and 16R of the female clip when the male clip 20 is inserted into the female clip 10. The thicknesses of the pair of attachment portion side arms 26L and 26R, the pair of contact portion side arms 27L and 27R, and the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R described above may all be adjusted to such an extent that desired elastic deformation is possible. Further, the widened portion 24 including the pair of attachment portion side arms 26L and 26R, the pair of contact portion side arms 27L and 27R, and the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R described above may be configured as a substantially rectangular frame having a space inside, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

[0034] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the state after engagement of the skin locking clip shown in FIG. 2. Hereinafter, a method of attaching the skin 3 to the foam 2 using the skin locking clip 1 including the above-described configuration will be briefly described mainly with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. In order to attach the skin 3 to the foam 2, first, the base portion 11 of the female clip 10 is held in an arbitrary position in the groove 2A of the foam 2 in advance, and the skin 3 is attached to the attachment portion 21 of the male clip 20. Next, the male clip 20 to which the skin 3 is attached is moved along the insertion direction M, and the insertion into the female clip 10 is started.

[0035] As the male clip 20 moves in the insertion direction M, first, a pair of curved portions 28L and 28R come into contact with the tapered surfaces 14L and 14R. Then, as the movement of the male clip 20 further progresses, the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R are pressed against the tapered surfaces 14L and 14R, causing them to elastically deform so that the width of the insertion portion 22 in the left - right direction becomes smaller. In particular, the progress of the contact portion 23 into the accommodation space 15 is promoted. When the contact portion 23 contacts the surface of the base portion 11, the widening operation of the widening portion 24 is started. Specifically, the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment - side arms 26L and 26R and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact - side arms 27L and 27R move in a direction approaching each other. Along with this, the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R are pushed and widened in the left - right direction.

[0036] When the movement of the male clip 20 in the insertion direction M further progresses, the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R that have been pushed and widened in the left - right direction respectively penetrate into the left - right locking spaces 16L and 16R, and a part of them abuts against the locking portions 13L and 13R. Here, as described above, in the male clip 20 according to the present embodiment, since the extending direction lengths of the pair of contact - side arms 27L and 27R are adjusted to be longer than those of the pair of attachment - side arms 26L and 26R, as the internal space of the widening portion 24 is displaced so as to be crushed along with the progress of the movement of the male clip 20 in the insertion direction M, the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R rotate toward the locking portions 13L and 13R. Thereby, the engagement between the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R and the locking portions 13L and 13R can be surely performed.

[0037] Then, as the movement of the male clip 20 in the insertion direction M progresses, when the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment - side arms 26L and 26R and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact - side arms 27L and 27R reach a position where they contact or approach each other, as shown in FIG. 4, the insertion portion 22 of the male clip 20 is held in a state of being accommodated in the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 10. Such a holding state is maintained by restricting the operation of the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R and the locking portions 13L and 13R from elastically returning to the shape before the insertion portion 22 is inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 10 due to their engagement.

[0038] As described above, the clip 1 for skin fixation according to the present embodiment employs an insertable portion 22 that can be elastically deformed in the male clip 20, and when a part of the insertable portion 22 is inserted into the accommodating space 15 of the female clip 10 in the male clip 20, it employs a widened portion 24 that is displaced in a direction intersecting the insertion direction M, specifically, in the left - right direction. As a result, the clip 1 for skin fixation according to the present embodiment stops moving in the insertion direction M while the male clip is advancing in the insertion direction M and instead starts advancing in a direction intersecting the insertion direction M. Therefore, unlike the conventional female clip, there is no need to secure a space for moving the male clip in the height direction in order to return the locking piece to the locking position, so the height of the female clip can be kept low. As a result, the clip 1 for skin fixation according to the present embodiment can be disposed even in a portion where the depth of the groove 2A of the foam 2 is relatively shallow, thereby improving the design freedom of the cushion pad.

[0039] <Second Embodiment> In the above - described first embodiment, a pair of curved portions 28L and 28R are provided between the tips of the pair of attachment - portion - side arms 26L and 26R and the tips of the pair of contact - portion - side arms 27L and 27R, and the insertion state of the male clip 20 is maintained by engaging the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R with the pair of locking portions 13L and 13R. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a structure. Therefore, as a second embodiment of the present disclosure, an example of a clip 1A for skin fixation including a holding mechanism for holding the state in which the male clip is inserted into the accommodating space of the female clip will be described below. Note that the holding mechanism included in the clip 1A for skin fixation shown below is merely an example, and the specific configuration of the holding mechanism can be appropriately changed within the range that can maintain its function.

[0040] The clip 1A for locking the skin according to this embodiment may have the same configuration as the clip 1 for locking the skin according to the first embodiment, except that it has a holding mechanism. Therefore, among the clips 1A for locking the skin shown below, the parts having the same configuration as the clip 1 for locking the skin are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

[0041] FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing an example of the state before engagement of the clip for locking the skin according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. Further, FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the state after engagement of the clip for locking the skin shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6(A) is a view of the clip for locking the skin seen from the front, and FIG. 6(B) is a cross-sectional view of the clip for locking the skin shown in FIG. 6(A) cut at the middle portion in its front-rear direction. Note that FIGS. 5 and 6 are shown corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4, but the illustration of the foam 2 and the skin 3 is omitted for simplicity of the drawing.

[0042] The clip 1A for locking the skin according to this embodiment may include a female clip 30 and a male clip 40. Among these, the female clip 30 may adopt the same structure as the female clip 10 of the first embodiment described above, except that, as shown in FIG. 6(B), a relief hole 31 into which the tip of a locking hook 42 described later can penetrate is provided in the middle portion in its front-rear direction. Also, the male clip 40 may adopt the same structure as the male clip 20 of the first embodiment described above, except that it includes a locking hook 42 provided at one end of the mounting portion 21 that constitutes the holding mechanism, and a locking hole 43 provided in the contact portion 23 and capable of locking the locking hook 42.

[0043] The holding mechanism provided in the male clip 40 can mainly be composed of the above-described locking hook 42 and the locking hole 43. Among these, as shown in FIG. 6(B), the locking hook 42 may be provided in recesses 41L and 41R at the intermediate portion in the front-rear direction on the proximal end side of the pair of mounting portion side arms 26L and 26R so that a part of its proximal end side is accommodated. The locking hook 42 has its proximal end side connected to one end on the insertion direction M side of the mounting portion 21, extends along the insertion direction M of the male clip 40, and hook-shaped protrusions 42A may be formed on the side surfaces, for example, the left and right side surfaces of its tip portion.

[0044] The locking hole 43 can be configured as a hole provided in the intermediate portion in the front-rear direction of the contact portion 23 and penetrating the contact portion 23 along the insertion direction M. The width in the left-right direction of the locking hole 43 may be adjusted according to the width in the left-right direction of the locking hook 42, specifically, the position of the hook-shaped protrusion 42A. In this regard, the ends in the left-right direction of the locking hole 43 may extend to the proximal ends of the contact portion side arms 27L and 27R. In the present embodiment, the case where one locking hook 42 and one locking hole 43 are provided at the intermediate portion in the front-rear direction of the male clip 40 is illustrated, but the number and arrangement of these are not particularly limited.

[0045] The method of attaching the skin 3 to the foam 2 using the skin locking clip 1A including the above-described configuration is generally the same as that of the skin locking clip 1 according to the first embodiment except for the operation of the holding mechanism. Therefore, the operation of the skin locking clip 1A will be briefly described below centering on the operation of the holding mechanism.

[0046] First, the male clip 40 to which the skin 3 is attached is moved along the insertion direction M toward the female clip 30 in which its base portion 11 is held in an arbitrary position in the groove 2A of the foam 2 in advance, and the insertion into the female clip 30 is started.

[0047] As the male clip 40 moves in the insertion direction M, the tip of the male clip 40 is inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 30 while the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R are guided by the tapered surfaces 14L and 14R, and the contact portion 23 contacts the surface of the base portion 11, thereby starting the widening operation of the widening portion 24.

[0048] As the male clip 20 moves in the insertion direction M and the widening operation of the widening portion 24 progresses, the locking hook 42 is inserted into the locking hole 43. The tip of the locking hook 42 inserted into the locking hole 43 enters the escape hole 31 of the female clip 30 after passing through the locking hole 43. Then, at the same timing as when a part of the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R widened in the left - right direction abuts against the locking portions 13L and 13R, the end of the hook - shaped protrusion 42A passes through the locking hole 43 and returns to the state of being opened in the left - right direction, thereby locking the left - right direction ends of the locking hole 43 (see Fig. 6(A)).

[0049] When the locking hook 42 is locked to the locking hole 43, the displacement of the widening portion 24 of the male clip 40, specifically, the relative movement between the pair of attachment - side arms 26L and 26R and the pair of contact - side arms 27L and 27R is restricted. As a result, the displacement of the male clip 40 in the width direction is restricted, so that the engagement state between the locking portions 13L and 13R and the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R is surely maintained.

[0050] As described above, according to the skin - locking clip 1A according to the present embodiment, by adopting the holding mechanism including the locking hook 42 and the locking hole 43, when the male clip 40 is inserted into the female clip 30, the displacement of the male clip 40 in the width direction is restricted by the holding mechanism. Thereby, the engagement state between the female clip 30 and the male clip 40 can be made more stable.

[0051] <The Third Embodiment> In the above-described second embodiment, an example of the holding mechanism for holding the male clip inserted into the housing space of the female clip was described. However, the holding mechanism included in the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described structure. Therefore, hereinafter, as a third embodiment of the present disclosure, the skin locking clip 1B that employs a holding mechanism having a structure different from the above-described holding mechanism will be described.

[0052] The skin locking clip 1B according to the present embodiment is similar in basic structure to the skin locking clip 1 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, among the skin locking clips 1B shown below, the same reference numerals will be given to the parts having the same configuration as the skin locking clip 1, and the description thereof will be omitted, and the description will be centered on the points different from the skin locking clip 1.

[0053] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the state before engagement of the skin locking clip according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. Further, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the state after engagement of the skin locking clip shown in FIG. 7. Note that FIGS. 7 and 8 are shown corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4 in the same manner as FIGS. 5 and 6, but the illustrations of the foam 2 and the skin 3 are omitted in order to simplify the drawings.

[0054] The skin locking clip 1B according to the present embodiment may include a female clip 50 and a male clip 60. Among these, as shown in FIG. 7, the female clip 50 can be considered to include a similar configuration although the shapes of the locking portions 13L and 13R are slightly different from those of the female clip 10 according to the above-described first embodiment. Note that the locking portions 13L and 13R of the female clip 50 are preferably adjusted so that the interval between the locking portions 13L and 13R is smaller than the widthwise length of the widened portion 24 in a state where the displacement in the width direction of the widened portion 24A is restricted by the operation of the holding mechanism of the male clip 60 described later.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 7, the male clip 60 may include, as the widened portion 24A, a pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R having one end connected to one end of the attachment portion 21, and a pair of second contact portion side arms 62L and 62R having one end connected to the contact portion 23 and the other end connected to the pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R. And on the inner surfaces of the pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R and the pair of second contact portion side arms 62L and 62R, fitting protrusions 63L and 63R as an example of a fitting portion and fitting recesses 64L and 64R as an example of a fitted portion may be provided. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the male clip 60 according to the present embodiment does not have the pair of curved portions 28L and 28R described above, and the tips of the pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R and the tips of the pair of second contact portion side arms 62L and 62R are directly connected.

[0056] The fitting protrusions 63L and 63R may be provided on the inner side surfaces of the pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R or the inner side surfaces of the pair of second contact portion side arms 62L and 62R. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which one fitting protrusion 63L and 63R is disposed on one second attachment portion side arm 61L and the other second contact portion side arm 62R, respectively.

[0057] The fitting recesses 64L and 64R may be provided on the inner side surfaces of the pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R or the inner side surfaces of the pair of second contact portion side arms 62L and 62R, and may be disposed at positions where they can be fitted to the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R described above. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which one fitting recess 64L and 64R is disposed at a position facing the fitting protrusion 63L of one second contact portion side arm 62L and a position facing the fitting protrusion 63R of the other second attachment portion side arm 61R, respectively. Note that the arrangement and number of the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R and the fitting recesses 64L and 64R are not limited to those described above.

[0058] The fitting protrusions 63L and 63R can be formed on the inner surface of the second attachment part side arm 61L or the inner surface of the second contact part side arm 62R, and the outer peripheral surface thereof can be formed by protrusions that are arcuately curved. Further, the fitting recesses 64L and 64R can be formed on the inner surface of the second contact part side arm 62L or the second attachment part side arm 61R, and a depression capable of accommodating the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R can be formed at the center thereof. The diameter of the opening of the fitting recesses 64L and 64R may be adjusted to be smaller than the maximum diameter of the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R. Thereby, the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R accommodated in the fitting recesses 64L and 64R are held within the fitting recesses 64L and 64R without easily detaching from within the fitting recesses 64L and 64R. Note that the shapes of the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R and the fitting recesses 64L and 64R are not limited to those described above.

[0059] A method of attaching the skin 3 to the foam 2 using the skin locking clip 1B including the above-described configuration is substantially the same as that of the skin locking clip 1 according to the first embodiment except for the operation of the holding mechanism. Therefore, the operation of the skin locking clip 1B will be briefly described below centering on the operation of the holding mechanism.

[0060] First, the male clip 60 to which the skin 3 is attached is moved along the insertion direction M toward the female clip 50 in which the base portion 11 is held in an arbitrary position within the groove 2A of the foam 2 in advance, and the insertion into the female clip 50 is started.

[0061] As the movement of the male clip 40 in the insertion direction M proceeds, the tip of the male clip 60 is inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 50, the contact portion 23 contacts the surface of the base portion 11, and the widening operation of the widening portion 24A is started.

[0062] As the movement of the male clip 20 in the insertion direction M progresses and the widening operation of the widened portion 24A progresses, the inner surfaces of the pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R and the inner surfaces of the pair of second contact portion side arms 62L and 62R move in a direction approaching each other. Along with this, the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R and the fitting recesses 64L and 64R provided on the inner surfaces of the pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R and the inner surfaces of the pair of second contact portion side arms 62L and 62R also move in a direction approaching each other. And at the same timing as the timing when the tips of the pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R that have moved in the left-right direction and the tips of the pair of second contact portion side arms 62L and 62R enter the locking spaces 16L and 16R, the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R are completely accommodated in the fitting recesses 64L and 64R, and the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R are held within the fitting recesses 64L and 64R (see FIG. 8).

[0063] When the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R are held within the fitting recesses 64L and 64R, the displacement of the widened portion 24A of the male clip 40, specifically, the relative movement between the pair of attachment portion side arms 26L and 26R and the pair of contact portion side arms 27L and 27R is restricted. As a result, the male clip 40 is prevented from being displaced in the width direction, and the engagement state between the locking portions 13L and 13R and the tips of the pair of second attachment portion side arms 61L and 61R and the tips of the pair of second contact portion side arms 62L and 62R that constitute the locked portion 25A is surely maintained.

[0064] As described above, according to the skin locking clip 1B according to the present embodiment, by adopting the holding mechanism including the fitting protrusions 63L and 63R and the fitting recesses 64L and 64R, when the male clip 60 is inserted into the female clip 50, the displacement of the male clip 60 in the width direction is restricted by the holding mechanism. Thereby, the engagement state between the female clip 50 and the male clip 60 can be made more stable.

[0065] <Fourth Embodiment> In the skin fastening clips 1, 1A, and 1B according to the first to third embodiments described above, a member having a substantially U-shaped cross-section when viewed from the front is adopted as the female clip 10, 30, 50, and a substantially rectangular frame is adopted as the widened portions 24, 24A of the male clips 20, 40, 60. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a structure. Therefore, hereinafter, as a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, a skin fastening clip 1C having a structure different from the above-described one will be described.

[0066] FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing an example of a state before engagement of a skin fastening clip according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state after engagement of the skin fastening clip shown in FIG. 9. Note that FIGS. 9 and 10 are shown corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4 in the same manner as FIGS. 5 to 8, but the illustrations of the foam 2 and the skin 3 are omitted for simplicity. The skin fastening clip 1C according to the present embodiment may include a female clip 70 and a male clip 80 as shown in FIG. 9.

[0067] Similar to the female clips 10, 30, and 50 according to the first to third embodiments described above, a plurality of the female clips 70 can be arranged at appropriate positions in the groove 2A provided in the foam 2, and can be formed by injection molding a member having a predetermined elasticity such as a well-known synthetic resin. The female clip 70 includes a base portion 11A held by the foam 2, a pair of wall portions 72L and 72R erected so as to face each other with a predetermined interval in the left-right direction from the surface of the base portion 11A, and female clip side locking hooks 73L and 73R as an example of locking portions provided on the inner wall surfaces of the pair of wall portions 72L and 72R.

[0068] As shown in Fig. 9, the base 11A may have a shape in which the central portion in the left - right direction of a plate body having a predetermined thickness is raised upward. The central portion of this base 11A may be a ridge 75 with a pair of guide surfaces 76L and 76R for guiding the widened portions 24B of the male clip 80 arranged on the left and right thereof. The pair of guide surfaces 76L and 76R can be composed of curved surfaces extending so as to spread in the left - right direction from the top of the ridge 75, and can contact the respective contact surfaces 82L and 82R of the pair of arms 81L and 81R of the male clip 80 described later. Thereby, the pair of guide surfaces 76L and 76R can guide the movement of the pair of arms 81L and 81R.

[0069] The pair of wall portions 72L and 72R may be erected in a state inclined in a direction in which their tip portions approach each other from both end portions in the left - right direction of the base 11A. The pair of wall portions 72L and 72R extend such that their inner surfaces face the pair of guide surfaces 76L and 76R with a predetermined interval therebetween, and the spaces between the pair of wall portions 72L and 72R and the pair of guide surfaces 76L and 76R may define branch accommodation spaces 77L and 77R capable of accommodating the arms 81L and 81R of the male clip 80 described later respectively. As shown in Fig. 9, the branch accommodation spaces 77L and 77R may extend in a direction inclined with respect to the insertion direction M.

[0070] One or more female - clip - side locking hooks 73L and 73R may be provided on the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of wall portions 72L and 72R. The positions and numbers of the female - clip - side locking hooks 73L and 73R can be adjusted as appropriate as long as they can engage with the male - clip - side locking hooks 83L and 83R described later. In Fig. 9, an example is shown in which the female - clip - side locking hooks 73L and 73R are arranged in three rows at predetermined intervals along the extending direction of the pair of wall portions 72L and 72R.

[0071] Here, a part of the branch accommodation spaces 77L and 77R functions as a space for elastically returning the female clip side locking hooks 73L and 73R to the locking positions when the male clip 80 is inserted. However, in the present embodiment, by extending the branch accommodation spaces 77L and 77R in a direction inclined with respect to the insertion direction M, the influence on the height direction of the female clip 70 is minimized.

[0072] The male clip 80 may be a member capable of fixing the foam 2 and the skin 3 by inserting and fixing a part thereof into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 70 described above. Further, the male clip 80 can be formed of the same material and molding method as the female clip 70. The male clip 80 is preferably a member in which its widened portion 24B is more flexible than the female clip 70.

[0073] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the widened portion 24B of the male clip 80 may include a pair of arms 81L and 81R whose one ends are connected to one end of the attachment portion 21. The pair of arms 81L and 81R are formed to be slightly curved so that their tip portions are separated from each other, and the distance between the tip portions is preferably adjusted to be slightly smaller than the distance between the tapered surfaces 14L and 14R of the female clip 70.

[0074] The inner opposing surfaces of the pair of arms 81L and 81R can constitute contact surfaces 82L and 82R that function as contact portions where at least a part thereof contacts the base portion 11A. Further, on the surfaces of the pair of arms 81L and 81R on the opposite side of the contact surfaces 82L and 82R, male clip side locking hooks 83L and 83R, which are an example of the locked portion, may be provided. The positions and numbers of the male clip side locking hooks 83L and 83R can be appropriately adjusted as long as they can engage with the female clip side locking hooks 73L and 73R. In FIG. 9, an example is shown in which the male clip side locking hooks 83L and 83R are arranged in three rows at a predetermined interval along the extending direction of the pair of arms 81L and 81R.

[0075] The following briefly describes a method of attaching the skin 3 to the foam 2 using the skin locking clip 1C including the above-described configuration, mainly with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. To attach the skin 3 to the foam 2 using the skin locking clip 1C, similar to the case of the skin locking clip 1 according to the first embodiment, first, the base portion 11A of the female clip 70 is held in advance at an arbitrary position within the groove 2A of the foam 2, and the skin 3 is attached to the attachment portion 21 of the male clip 80. Next, the male clip 80 to which the skin 3 is attached is moved along the insertion direction M, and the insertion into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 70 is started.

[0076] As the movement of the male clip 80 in the insertion direction M progresses, the pair of arms 81L, 81R come into contact with the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R, and the pair of arms 81L, 81R are guided by the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R and elastically deformed inward while entering the accommodation space 15. Then, the contact surfaces 82L, 82R at positions close to the respective tip portions of the pair of arms 81L, 81R come into contact with the ridge 75 formed on the surface of the base portion 11A or the pair of guide surfaces 76L, 76R formed on the left and right of the ridge 75. When the movement of the male clip 80 further progresses in this state, the pair of arms 81L, 81R are guided by the pair of guide surfaces 76L, 76R, and their tip portions move in a direction away from each other and enter the branch accommodation spaces 77L, 77R, respectively.

[0077] As the movement of the male clip 20 in the insertion direction M further progresses, the plurality of male clip side locking hooks 83L, 83R provided on the pair of arms 81L, 81R guided in the left - right direction sequentially pass through the locking positions of the plurality of female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R. When all the male clip side locking hooks 83L, 83R and the female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R reach positions where they can engage, the movement of the male clip 80 in the insertion direction M is completed.

[0078] As described above, also in the clip 1C for skin fixing according to the present embodiment, similar to the clips 1, 1A, and 1B for skin fixing according to the first to third embodiments described above, when the width portion 24B of the male clip 80 is inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 70, it is displaced in a direction intersecting the insertion direction M, specifically, in the left-right direction. As a result, the clip 1C for skin fixing according to the present embodiment does not need to secure a space for moving the male clip in the height direction in order to return its locking piece to the locking position, unlike a conventional female clip. Therefore, the height of the female clip 70 can be kept low. As a result, the clip 1C for skin fixing according to the present embodiment can also be disposed in a portion where the depth of the groove 2A of the foam 2 is relatively shallow, so that the degree of freedom in the design of the cushion pad can be improved.

[0079] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made and implemented without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. And all of them are included in the technical idea of the present disclosure.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0080] 1 Clip for skin fixing 2 Foam 3 Skin 10, 30, 50, 70 Female clips 11, 11A Base portions 12L, 12R, 72L, 72R Wall portions 13L, 13R Locking portions 15 Accommodation space 73L, 73R Female clip side locking hooks (an example of a locking portion) 75 Ridge 76L, 76R Guide surfaces 20, 40, 60, 80 Male clips 21 Attachment portion 22 Insertion portion 23 Contact portion 24, 24A, 24B Width portions 25, 25A Portions to be locked 26L, 26R Arms on the attachment portion side 27L and 27R contact part side arms 28L and 28R bending parts 42 locking hooks 43 locking holes 63L and 63R fitting protrusions (an example of a fitting part) 64L and 64R fitting recesses (an example of a fitted part) 81L and 81R arms 82L and 82R contact surfaces (an example of a contact part) 83L and 83R male clip side locking hooks (an example of a locked part)

Claims

1. A female clip comprising a base held by a foam, a pair of wall portions standing upright opposite each other at a predetermined interval from the surface of the base, and locking portions provided on the inner wall surfaces of the pair of wall portions; A male clip comprising an attachment portion attached to the skin, and an insertion portion connected to one end of the attachment portion and inserted into an accommodation space provided between the pair of wall portions of the female clip; The insertion portion includes a contact portion that contacts the base when inserted into the accommodation space along the insertion direction, a widening portion that widens in a direction intersecting the insertion direction when further inserted along the insertion direction after the contact portion contacts the base, and a locked portion provided on the widening portion and locked to the locking portion when the widening portion widens. A clip for locking the skin.

2. The widening portion includes a pair of attachment portion side arms having one end connected to one end of the attachment portion, a pair of contact portion side arms having one end connected to the contact portion, and a pair of curved portions that constitute at least a part of the locked portion and connect the other ends of the pair of attachment portion side arms and the other ends of the pair of contact portion side arms respectively. The length between the one end and the other end of the pair of contact portion side arms is longer than the length between the one end and the other end of the pair of attachment portion side arms. The clip for locking the skin according to Claim 1.

3. The widening portion includes a pair of attachment portion side arms having one end connected to one end of the attachment portion, and a pair of contact portion side arms having one end connected to the contact portion and the other end connected to the other end of the pair of attachment portion side arms. When the male clip is inserted into the accommodation space of the female clip, it further includes a holding mechanism for holding the state in which the contact portion contacts the base and the pair of attachment portion side arms and the pair of contact portion side arms move in a direction approaching each other. The clip for locking the skin according to Claim 1.

4. The holding mechanism includes a locking hook provided at one end of the attachment portion, and a locking hole provided at the contact portion for locking the locking hook. The clip for locking the skin according to Claim 3.

5. The holding mechanism includes a fitting portion provided on at least one of the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment portion side arms and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact portion side arms, and a fitted portion provided on at least one of the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment portion side arms and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact portion side arms and capable of being fitted into the fitting portion. The skin locking clip according to claim 3.

6. The widening portion includes a pair of arms having one end thereof connected to one end of the attachment portion, at least a part of the opposing surfaces of the pair of arms constituting the contact portion, and the locked portion is provided on the surface of the pair of arms opposite to the opposing surfaces. The pair of wall portions are erected from the base portion with their tip portions inclined in a direction approaching each other, and the base portion includes a ridge having a pair of guide surfaces that contact the contact portion and guide the movement of the pair of arms. The skin locking clip according to claim 1.

Images