clip

Abstract

To provide an attachable / detachable clip which dispenses with a tool.SOLUTION: A clip 1 comprises a base plate 11, a claw part 13 and an arm part 15. The base plate 11 includes an insertion hole 12 for making a bolt 32 penetrate it. The claw part 13 extends from a side face of the base plate 11, is engaged with an attachment member 2 by rotating the claw part in one direction out of right and left directions with the insertion hole 21 as a center with respect to the attachment member 2 in a state where the claw part 13 is inserted into a through-hole 22 which is formed at the attachment member 2, and releases the engagement with the attachment member 2 by rotating the claw part 13 in a direction opposite to one direction with the insertion hole 21 as a center with respect to the attachment member 2 in an engagement state. The arm part 15 extends from a side face different from a side face of the base plate 11, and the arm part 15 is bent so as to progress toward the insertion hole 12 of the base plate 11, and engaged with a bolt 32 which is inserted into the insertion hole 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a clip, and more particularly to a clip used for attaching a mounting member such as a heat insulator to an attachment member such as an automobile body.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, when attaching a mounting member such as a heat insulator to an attachment member such as an automobile body, it is known to use a fastener. More specifically, as the fastener, it is known to provide a stud bolt on the attachment member side and attach it using a nut or a clip from the mounting member side. Many of these fasteners have been provided conventionally.

[0003] Among these fasteners, there is known a clip having two legs that can be bent, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, and can be held on the attachment member by the clip body and the bent legs. Further, as disclosed in Patent Document 2 below, it is composed of two parts provided with a locking mechanism, arranged so as to sandwich the attachment member between one and the other, and can be held on the attachment member by engaging the locking mechanism from both sides.

[0004] All of the conventional clips found in these patent documents can be pre-attached to the attachment member before attaching the attachment member to the attachment member.

[0005] However, all of these clips have the disadvantage of requiring tools to be used when attaching them to the mounting material. Furthermore, none of these clips are designed to be removed from the mounting material once attached. Therefore, for example, when attempting to remove the mounting material from the mounting material during maintenance, the clip may have already undergone plastic deformation during attachment. Consequently, even if such a clip can be removed using tools, it cannot be reused when reattaching the clip to the mounting material, which is another disadvantage.

[0006] Therefore, there was a need for a clip that could be attached to and removed from mounting components without the need for tools, and that offered good workability. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent Publication 9464657 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent Publication 8920089 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a clip that can be attached to and detached from a mounting member without the need for tools. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and one aspect of the present invention is a clip comprising a base plate, a claw portion, and an arm portion, wherein the base plate includes an insertion hole for inserting a bolt, the claw portion extends from the side surface of the base plate, and when the claw portion is inserted into an insertion hole provided in a mounting member, it engages with the mounting member by rotating the claw portion in either the right or left direction around the insertion hole, and when engaged, the engagement with the mounting member is released by rotating the claw portion in the opposite direction around the insertion hole, and the arm portion extends from a side surface of the base plate other than the side surface, and the arm portion is bent toward the insertion hole of the base plate and is configured to engage with the bolt inserted through the insertion hole. This configuration allows the clip to be attached to the mounting material without tools by rotating the claw portion inserted into the insertion hole in one direction, and the clip can be removed from the mounting material by rotating the claw portion in the opposite direction while it is attached.

[0010] Furthermore, the claw portion comprises a first claw and a second claw, the first claw extending in one direction from the insertion hole, and the second claw extending from the substrate from the side opposite to the side from which the first claw extends, and the second claw extending in one direction from the insertion hole. With this configuration, the clip can be attached to the mounting member without tools by rotating the first claw and the second claw inserted into the insertion hole in one direction, and the clip can be removed from the mounting member by rotating the first claw and the second claw in opposite directions while attached.

[0011] Furthermore, the claw portion is equipped with a clamping portion, and in the engaged state, the clamping portion and the substrate clamp the mounting member. With this configuration, by clamping the mounting member with the clamping portion and the substrate, the clip is less likely to come off the mounting member when it is attached to the mounting member.

[0012] Furthermore, the arm portion includes a stepped portion that is bent to approach the substrate. With this configuration, the arm portion engages with the bolt at a position closer to the substrate, making it possible to engage even when the bolt is short in length. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, a clip can be provided that can be attached to and removed from a mounting member without the need for tools. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a clip from the front, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the clip from the back side, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a front view of a clip according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a rear view of a clip according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a top view of the clip using one embodiment of the same design. [Figure 6] This is a left side view of a clip by AGB. [Figure 7] This is a diagram showing a clip according to one embodiment of the present invention before it is attached to the mounting member. [Figure 8] (a) A diagram showing the operation of attaching a clip according to one embodiment of the present invention to a mounting member, and (b) A diagram showing the operation of removing the clip from the attached state. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view from above of the clip according to one embodiment of the present invention, with the clip attached to the mounting member, before the mounting member is attached to the member to be mounted. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view from below of the clip according to one embodiment of the present invention, with the clip attached to the mounting member, before the mounting member is attached to the member to be mounted. [Figure 11] A side view of the mounting member with the clip according to an embodiment of the present invention attached thereto, in a state where the mounting member is attached to the attached member.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively show a perspective view of the clip 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side and a perspective view as viewed from the back side. FIGS. 3 to 6 respectively show a front view, a back view, a top view, and a left side view of the clip 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that the bottom view and the right side view of the clip 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention are omitted because they are symmetric to the illustrated top view and left side view, respectively.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the clip 1 includes a substrate 11, a claw portion 13, and an arm portion 15. The clip 1 is entirely formed of metal. However, the clip 1 is not limited to metal and may be formed of an appropriate material depending on the intended use, for example, resin or the like.

[0017] The substrate 11 includes an insertion hole 12. The insertion hole 12 is a hole for inserting a bolt 32 described later. Therefore, the insertion hole 12 only needs to be provided so that the bolt 32 can be inserted therethrough.

[0018] The claw portion 13 extends from the side surface of the substrate 11. The claw portion 13 is equipped with claws 13A and claws 13B. Claw 13A extends from one side surface of the substrate 11. Claw 13B extends from the side surface of the substrate 11 opposite to that side surface. Referring to Figure 1, claw 13A extends circumferentially to the right when viewed from the front surface of the clip 1, centered on the insertion hole 12 of the substrate 11. Claw 13B extends circumferentially to the right when viewed from the front surface of the clip 1, centered on the insertion hole 12, similar to claw 13A. In this embodiment, the claw portion 13 is equipped with two claws 13A and 13B, but the number of claws on the claw portion 13 is not limited to two. For example, the claw portion 13 may be equipped with three or four claws. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the claws 13A and 13B extend circumferentially to the right when viewed from the front of the clip 1, centered on the insertion hole 12 of the substrate 11, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, they may extend circumferentially to the left when viewed from the front of the clip 1, opposite to the direction in this embodiment, centered on the insertion hole 12 of the substrate 11. The claws 13A and 13B are used when attaching and detaching the clip 1 to the mounting member 2, as will be described later.

[0019] Preferably, each of the claws 13A and 13B is provided with a clamping portion 14. The clamping portion 14 is mountain-shaped, and as can be clearly seen in Figure 6, it is formed by folding back a part of each claw 13A and 13B so that the peak of the mountain shape faces the substrate 11. As will be described later, when the clip 1 is attached to the mounting member 2, the claw portion 13 of the clip 1 is inserted into the insertion hole 22 of the mounting member 2 while rotating, thereby holding the clip 1 attached to the mounting member 2. The clamping portion 14 is used to hold the mounting member 2 by clamping it between the peak of the mountain shape of the clamping portion 14 and the substrate 11 in order to stably hold the attached state.

[0020] The arm portion 15 extends from a side of the substrate 11 different from the side on which the aforementioned claw portion 13 extends. The arm portion 15 extends in the +z direction from the xy plane of the substrate 11 and is bent towards the insertion hole 12 along the way. As can be clearly seen by referring to Figure 1, one arm portion 15 is bent in the +y direction, and the other arm portion 15 is bent in the -y direction. This allows the arm portion 15 to engage with the bolt 32 inserted through the insertion hole 12 of the substrate 11. Furthermore, by extending the arm portion 15 in the +z direction from the xy plane of the substrate 11, a space in the z direction is created between the substrate 11 and the arm portion 15, making it easier to grasp the arm portion 15 by hand, and as a result, making it easier to grasp the clip 1 by hand. Also, as will be described later, when attaching and detaching the clip 1 to the mounting member 2, the clip 1 is grasped by hand and rotated circumferentially to the right and left. At this time, by providing the arm portion 15 as described above, it becomes easier to rotate the clip 1 while grasping it by hand.

[0021] Due to space constraints at the mounting location, the length of the bolt 32 used may be short. To accommodate such cases, it is preferable that the arm portion 15 is equipped with a stepped portion 16. The stepped portion 16 is bent in the -z direction so as to approach the substrate 11, that is, so as to approach the xy plane of the substrate 11. The arm portion 15 engages with the bolt 32 inserted through the insertion hole 12 of the substrate 11, but as described above, the length of the bolt 32 may be short. In such cases, if the stepped portion 16 as in this embodiment is not provided, the height of the substrate 11 in the +z direction relative to the xy plane may be lower for the bolt 32 than for the arm portion 15, and the arm portion 15 and the bolt 32 may not engage. In contrast, when the arm portion 15 is equipped with a stepped portion 16 as in this embodiment, the position where the arm portion 15 and the bolt 32 engage is closer to the xy plane of the substrate 11. As a result, even if the length of the bolt 32 is short, the arm portion 15 and the bolt 32 can be engaged. Furthermore, as will be described later, when attaching the mounting member 2 with the clip 1 attached to the mounting member 3, the bolt 32 is inserted through the insertion hole 21 of the mounting member 2 and the insertion hole 12 of the clip 1, and the bolt 32 is engaged with the arm portion 15. By providing a stepped portion 16 on the arm portion 15, the arm portion 15 is given some flexibility. As a result, when engaging the bolt 32 with the arm portion 15, the arm portion 15 opens more easily in the +z direction and bends more easily compared to when the arm portion 15 does not have a stepped portion 16. This makes it possible to insert the bolt 32 into the mounting member 2 with the clip 1 attached with less force, and as a result, the mounting member 2 with the clip 1 attached can be attached to the mounting member 3 with less force.

[0022] The mounting member 2 is preferably a material such as a heat insulator. However, it is not limited to this, and the mounting member 2 may also be, for example, an electromagnetic shield for shielding electromagnetic waves or a sound-insulating material for blocking noise. The mounting member 2 includes an insertion hole 21. This insertion hole 21 is for inserting a bolt 32. The mounting member 2 also includes a insertion hole 22. For example, in one embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, it includes two insertion holes 22. However, it is not limited to this, and for example, the insertion hole 21 and the insertion hole 22 may be included as a single hole (not shown).

[0023] The member to be mounted 3 is preferably a component such as the body of an automobile. The member to be mounted 3 includes an insertion hole 31. This insertion hole 31 is a hole for inserting a bolt 32, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, for example.

[0024] The steps of attaching the clip 1 to the mounting member 2 and removing the clip 1 from the mounting member 2 will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 8(b). In the step of attaching the clip 1 to the mounting member 2, as shown in Figure 7, the claws 13A and 13B of the clip 1 are inserted into the insertion holes 22 provided in the mounting member 2, along the surface of the mounting member 2. More specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8(a), the claws 13A and 13B extend circumferentially to the right from the insertion hole 12, and similarly, they are inserted along the surface of the mounting member 2 by rotating them circumferentially to the right from the insertion hole 21. This allows the claws 13A and 13B to engage with the insertion hole 22, and as a result, the clip 1 and the mounting member 2 can be engaged. At this time, due to the structure of the clip 1, the clamping portions 14 of the claws 13A and 13B press against one side of the mounting member 2, while the base plate 11 presses against the other side of the mounting member 2. The clamping portions 14 and the base plate 11 hold the mounting member 2 in a clamping manner, thereby more stably maintaining the engaged state between the claws 13A and 13B and the insertion hole 22. Next, in the step of removing the clip 1 from the mounting member 2, with the claws 13A and 13B engaged with the insertion hole 22 as described above, as shown in Figure 8(b), the claws 13A and 13B are rotated circumferentially towards the left around the insertion hole 21 in the opposite direction to when they were engaged, and are pulled out along the surface of the mounting member 2. This releases the engagement between the claws 13A and 13B and the insertion hole 22, and as a result, the engagement between the clip 1 and the mounting member 2 can be released.

[0025] As described above, in the other embodiment of the clip 1 in which the claws 13A and 13B extend circumferentially to the left around the insertion hole 12, the clip is inserted along the surface of the mounting member 2 by rotating it circumferentially to the left around the insertion hole 21. Next, with the claws 13A and 13B engaged with the insertion hole 22, the clip is removed by rotating it circumferentially to the right around the insertion hole 21, along the surface of the mounting member 2. Thus, the direction of rotation of the clip 1 when inserting and removing it is determined by the circumferential direction in which the claws 13A and 13B extend.

[0026] In this way, the clip 1 can be attached to the mounting member 2 by engaging the claws 13A and 13B with the insertion holes 22. The clip 1 can also be removed from the mounting member 2 by releasing the engagement between the claws 13A and 13B and the insertion holes 22.

[0027] The attachment and removal of the clip 1 to the mounting member 2 as described above can be done manually, but is not limited to this method. For example, the work efficiency can be further improved by mechanizing and automating the attachment and removal process using industrial robots or other means.

[0028] With the clip 1 attached to the mounting member 2 in the previously described step, the process of attaching the mounting member 2 to the member to be mounted 3 will be explained with reference to Figures 9 to 11. Figure 9 is a perspective view from above of the state before attachment. Figure 10 is a perspective view from below of the state before attachment. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the bolt 32 is inserted through the insertion hole 31 of the member to be mounted 3. The bolt 32 inserted through the insertion hole 31 of the member to be mounted 3, the insertion hole 21 of the mounting member 2, and the insertion hole 12 of the clip 1 are arranged coaxially. The mounting member 2 is attached to the member to be mounted 3 by inserting the bolt 32 through the insertion hole 21 from the side of the mounting member 2 that does not have the clip 1 attached.

[0029] Figure 11 is a side view showing the clip 1 attached to the mounting member 2, and the mounting member 2 attached to the member to be mounted 3. The bolt 32 is inserted through the insertion hole 31 of the member to be mounted 3, the insertion hole 21 of the mounting member 2, and the insertion hole 12 of the clip 1. The arm portion 15 is engaged with the bolt 32. By having a stepped portion 16, the arm portion 15 can engage with the bolt 32 at a position close to the plane of the base plate 11, so that it can be engaged even if the length of the bolt 32 is short. In addition, the stepped portion 16 of the arm portion 15 gives the arm portion some flexibility. As a result, the arm portion 15 engaged with the bolt 32 is more likely to open and bend in the direction of insertion of the bolt 32.

[0030] Furthermore, when connecting the mounting member 2 and the member to be mounted 3, it is not necessarily required to use the clips of the present invention at all connection points. For example, some connection points can be attached using the clips of the present invention, while the other connection points can be fastened with nuts. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1 clip 2 Mounting components 3. Member to be mounted 11 circuit boards 12 Through hole 13. Claw part 13A Claw 13B Claw 14 Narrowing section 15 Arm section 16 Stepped section 21 Through hole 22 Insertion hole 31 Through hole 32 volts

Claims

1. A clip comprising a circuit board, a claw portion, and an arm portion, The substrate includes through holes for inserting bolts, The aforementioned claw portion extends from the side surface of the substrate, The aforementioned claw portion comprises a first claw and a second claw, The first claw extends in one direction, either to the right or to the left, from the center of the insertion hole. The second claw extends from the substrate from a side opposite to the side from which the first claw extends, and the second claw extends in one direction from the insertion hole. With the claw portion inserted into the insertion hole provided in the mounting member, the claw portion engages with the mounting member by rotating it in one direction around the insertion hole relative to the mounting member. In the engaged state, the engagement with the mounting member is released by rotating the claw portion in a direction opposite to the one direction around the insertion hole with respect to the mounting member. The arm portion extends from a side of the substrate other than the side surface, and is bent toward the through-hole of the substrate and configured to engage with the bolt inserted through the through-hole. clip.

2. The clip according to claim 1, wherein the claw portion comprises a clamping portion, and in the engaged state, the clamping portion and the substrate clamp the mounting member.

3. The clip according to claim 1, wherein the arm portion is provided with a stepped portion that is bent to approach the substrate.

4. The clip according to claim 2, wherein the arm portion includes a stepped portion that is bent to approach the substrate.

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