Fastener

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a fastener capable of maintaining a coupled state between a component and the fastener when removing the component. [Solution] This fastener 2 comprises: a first leg piece 21 and a second leg piece 22 that face each other; and a coupling part 23 that couples base ends 216, 226 of the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22 to each other. The first leg piece 21 has: a first catching part 211, which is inclined at a first angle A11 with respect to a plane 43 of an attachment member when viewed in an intersecting direction A2 that intersects the facing direction A1 in which the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22 face each other, and which catches on the edge of an attachment hole; and a claw part 213, which extends from a tip 215 side of the first leg piece 21 and which is inserted into a hole part formed in a boss part of the component. The second leg piece 22: has a second catching part 221, which is inclined at a second angle A12 with respect to the plane 43 of the attachment member when viewed in the intersecting direction A2, and which catches on the edge of the attachment hole; but does not have a claw part inserted into the hole part. The second angle A12 is greater than the first angle A11.

Description

Fastener

[0001] The present invention relates to a fastener for attaching a component to an attachment member.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a fastener for attaching a component such as an operation panel provided with a switch for opening and closing a window to an attachment member such as a trim panel of a vehicle. The fastener described in Patent Document 1 includes a first leg piece and a second leg piece facing each other, and a connecting portion connecting the proximal ends of the first leg piece and the second leg piece. The first leg piece has a locking portion and a claw portion. The locking portion locks to the edge of the mounting hole of the mounting member. The claw portion is inserted into a hole formed in the boss portion of the component to prevent the fastener from coming off the component. The second leg piece does not have a claw portion that is inserted into a hole formed in the boss portion of the component.

[0003] For example, there may be a case where it is desired to remove the fastener from the mounting hole of the mounting member and remove the component from the mounting member for reasons such as maintenance and replacement of the component. In this case, when an operator or the like pulls out the component from the mounting hole of the mounting member, the claw portion described in Patent Document 1 continues to deform clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 4 of Patent Document 1. When the operator or the like further pulls out the component, the first leg piece also rotates clockwise in联动 with the claw portion. Therefore, there is a possibility that the claw portion may come off from the hole formed in the boss portion of the component. As a result, there is a risk that only the fastener may remain in the mounting hole of the mounting member.

[0004] Japanese Patent No. 7348391

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a fastener capable of maintaining the connection state between a component and the fastener when the component is removed.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a fastener for attaching a component to a mounting hole of a mounting member, comprising: a first leg piece and a second leg piece facing each other; and a connecting portion connecting the base ends of the first leg piece and the second leg piece, wherein the first leg piece is inclined at a first angle with respect to the plane of the mounting member when viewed in an intersecting direction that intersects the opposing directions of the first leg piece and the second leg piece, and has a first locking portion that engages with the edge of the mounting hole; and a claw portion that extends from the tip side of the first leg piece and is inserted into a hole formed in the boss portion of the component, wherein the second leg piece is inclined at a second angle with respect to the plane of the mounting member when viewed in the intersecting direction, and has a second locking portion that engages with the edge of the mounting hole, but does not have a claw portion that is inserted into the hole, and the second angle is greater than the first angle.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, when viewed in the intersecting direction where the first and second leg pieces intersect in opposing directions, the second angle of the second locking portion with respect to the plane of the mounting member is greater than the first angle of the first locking portion with respect to the plane of the mounting member. Therefore, when an operator pulls a part out of the mounting hole of the mounting member, it becomes possible to remove the second leg piece, which does not have a claw, from the mounting hole of the mounting member before the first leg piece. This prevents the concentration of tensile load on the claw and maintains the connection between the part and the fastener when the part is removed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the fastener from remaining in the mounting hole of the mounting member.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fastener that can maintain the connection between a part and the fastener when the part is removed.

[0009] This is a perspective view showing the fastener according to this embodiment. This is a plan view showing the fastener according to this embodiment. This is a perspective view showing a component according to this embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view showing the component attached to the mounting member via the fastener. This is a cross-sectional view showing the fastener according to this embodiment in the process of being pulled out of the mounting hole. This is a cross-sectional view showing the fastener according to this embodiment after it has been pulled out of the mounting hole.

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are preferred examples of the present invention and therefore have various technically preferred limitations. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description. Furthermore, in each drawing, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0011] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the fastener according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a plan view showing the fastener according to this embodiment. Figure 2(a) is a side view of the fastener 2 according to this embodiment, viewed in the direction of intersection A2, which intersects the opposing direction A1 of the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22. Figure 2(b) is a front view of the fastener 2 according to this embodiment, viewed in the direction of arrow A5 shown in Figure 2(a).

[0012] The fastener 2 according to this embodiment is used to attach a component 3 (see Figure 3) to a mounting member 4 (see Figure 6). Component 3 may be an in-vehicle component such as an operation panel with a switch for opening and closing a window, or a decorative component such as a cover. The mounting member 4 may be a trim panel or a vehicle body panel. The material of the fastener 2 is not particularly limited and may be a metal material or a resin material.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 to 2(b), the fastener 2 comprises a first leg piece 21, a second leg piece 22, and a connecting portion 23. The first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22 face each other. The first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22 are flexible in the opposing direction A1 and can bend to move closer to or further apart from each other.

[0014] Herein, in this specification, the direction in which the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22 face each other is referred to as the "opposing direction." The direction that intersects the opposing direction is referred to as the "intersecting direction." The intersecting direction A2 is perpendicular to the opposing direction A1, the insertion direction A3, and the removal direction A4. The insertion direction A3 is the direction in which the fastener 2 is inserted into the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4 (see Figure 6). The removal direction A4 is the direction in which the fastener 2 is removed from the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4.

[0015] The tip 215 of the first leg piece 21 is a free end. The base end 216 of the first leg piece 21 is connected to the connecting portion 23. The tip 225 of the second leg piece 22 is a free end. The base end 226 of the second leg piece 22 is connected to the connecting portion 23. The connecting portion 23 connects the base end 216 of the first leg piece 21 and the base end 226 of the second leg piece 22 to each other.

[0016] The first leg piece 21 has a first locking portion 211, a first connecting portion 212, a claw portion 213, and a first holding portion 214. The first locking portion 211 is formed to bend outward in the opposing direction midway along the first leg piece 21. The first locking portion 211 has an inclined surface that extends outward in the opposing direction. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2(a), when viewed in the intersecting direction A2, the first locking portion 211 has an inclined surface that is inclined at a first angle A11 with respect to the back surface 43 of the mounting member 4 (see Figure 4). The back surface 43 of the mounting member 4 is a flat surface on the back side of the mounting member 4 and is an example of the "flat surface of the mounting member" of the present invention. The inclined surface of the first locking portion 211 locks onto the back edge 411 (see Figure 4) of the mounting hole 41 formed in the mounting member 4.

[0017] Here, "back side" refers to the side on which the mounting member 4 is positioned when viewed from the panel 32 of part 3 (see Figure 3), or the direction from the panel 32 of part 3 toward the mounting member 4 (i.e., the insertion direction A3). On the other hand, "front side" refers to the side on which the panel 32 of part 3 is positioned when viewed from the mounting member 4, or the direction from the mounting member 4 toward the panel 32 of part 3 (i.e., the removal direction A4).

[0018] The first connecting portion 212 connects the first locking portion 211 and the connecting portion 23. Specifically, the tip of the first connecting portion 212 is connected to the base end of the first locking portion 211. The base end of the first connecting portion 212 corresponds to the base end 216 of the first leg piece 21 and is connected to the connecting portion 23.

[0019] The claw portion 213 extends from the tip 215 side of the first leg piece 21 and is formed as a cantilever piece extending from the first leg piece 21. The claw portion 213 is formed by hollowing out the first locking portion 211 and the first connecting portion 212, and flexes in conjunction with the first locking portion 211 and the first connecting portion 212.

[0020] The claw portion 213 has a first extension portion 213a and a second extension portion 213b. The first extension portion 213a extends from the tip 215 side of the first leg piece 21 toward the connecting portion 23. The second extension portion 213b bends from the base end side of the first extension portion 213a and protrudes toward the second leg piece 22. By providing the first extension portion 213a, the overall length of the claw portion 213 can be increased and the claw portion 213 can be made more flexible compared to the case where the claw portion 213 is formed only by the second extension portion 213b.

[0021] The second extension portion 213b is inclined with respect to the opposing direction A1 and extends toward the connecting portion 23, that is, toward the base end. In other words, the second extension portion 213b does not extend parallel to the opposing direction A1, but rather extends so as to droop slightly toward the connecting portion 23.

[0022] The first retaining portion 214 extends from the base end 216 of the first leg piece 21 (i.e., the base end of the first connecting portion 212) toward the tip 215, extends toward the second leg piece 22, bends midway, and extends toward the second leg piece 22. The first retaining portion 214 may extend from the connecting portion 23 instead of the base end 216 of the first leg piece 21.

[0023] The second leg piece 22 has a second locking portion 221, a second connecting portion 222, a guide portion 223, and a second holding portion 224. The second locking portion 221 is formed to bend outward in the opposing direction midway along the second leg piece 22. The second locking portion 221 has an inclined surface that extends outward in the opposing direction. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2(a), when viewed in the intersecting direction A2, the second locking portion 221 has an inclined surface that is inclined at a second angle A12 with respect to the back surface 43 of the mounting member 4 (see Figure 4). The inclined surface of the second locking portion 221 locks onto the back edge 411 (see Figure 4) of the mounting hole 41 formed in the mounting member 4.

[0024] The second angle A12 is different from the first angle A11. That is, the angle of the inclined surface of the first locking part 211 (first angle A11) and the angle of the inclined surface of the second locking part 221 (second angle A12) are asymmetrical with respect to the center line L1 between the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22. Specifically, the second angle A12 is larger than the first angle A11. The first angle A11 is, for example, about 20° or more and 30° or less. The second angle A12 is, for example, about 45° or more and 55° or less. However, the ranges of the first angle A11 and the second angle A12 described above are just examples and are not limited to these ranges.

[0025] The second connecting portion 222 connects the second locking portion 221 and the connecting portion 23. Specifically, the tip of the second connecting portion 222 is connected to the base end of the second locking portion 221. The base end of the second connecting portion 222 corresponds to the base end 226 of the second leg piece 22 and is connected to the connecting portion 23.

[0026] The guide portion 223 is formed by hollowing out the second locking portion 221 and the second connecting portion 222, and guides the insertion of the boss portion 31 (see Figure 3) of the part 3. The guide portion 223 has a guide surface 223a that extends from the tip 225 side to the base end 226 side of the second leg piece 22. The guide surface 223a is a flat surface and extends uniformly from the tip 225 of the second leg piece 22. The guide surface 223a may be a curved surface having a bent shape.

[0027] The second extension 213b of the claw portion 213 extends toward the guide portion 223. The second extension 213b and the guide portion 223 have overlapping regions in the direction from the tips 215, 225 to the base ends 216, 226, and are arranged to face each other.

[0028] The second retaining portion 224 extends from the base end 226 of the second leg piece 22 (i.e., the base end of the second connecting portion 222) toward the tip 225, extends toward the first leg piece 21, bends midway, and extends toward the first leg piece 21. The second retaining portion 224 may extend from the connecting portion 23 instead of the base end 226 of the second leg piece 22.

[0029] The first retaining portion 214 and the second retaining portion 224 extend toward each other, then bend midway and extend toward each other. The first retaining portion 214 and the second retaining portion 224 clamp the boss portion 31 of the part 3. The length of the second retaining portion 224 in the extending direction is longer than the length of the first retaining portion 214 in the extending direction.

[0030] The gap between the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22 serves as the path through which the boss portion 31 of part 3 is inserted. The shortest distance between the tip of the second extension portion 213b and the guide portion 223 is set to a length that allows the boss portion 31 to pass through.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2(a), when viewed in the intersecting direction A2, at least a portion of the tip 224a of the second holding portion 224 overlaps with the second connecting portion 222. Therefore, as shown by arrow A6 in Figure 2(a), when a worker inserts the boss portion 31 of part 3 into the gap between the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22, the tip of the boss portion 31 is prevented from getting caught between the second connecting portion 222 and the second holding portion 224, and the tip of the boss portion 31 can be guided into the gap between the first holding portion 214 and the second holding portion 224. This improves the efficiency (i.e., workability) of inserting the boss portion 31 into the gap between the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22.

[0032] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a component of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, component 3 has a boss portion 31 and a panel 32. The panel 32 may be an operating panel exposed on the surface. The boss portion 31 is provided so as to hang down from the back surface of the panel 32. In component 3 shown in Figure 3, one boss portion 31 is provided. Note that component 3 may have multiple boss portions 31.

[0033] The boss portion 31 has a boss body 311 and a side wall portion 314. The boss body 311 is formed in a flat plate shape and has a hole portion 312 and a tapered portion 313. The hole portion 312 is formed to penetrate the boss body 311 in the thickness direction. The tapered portion 313 is formed to narrow the tip of the boss body 311. A pair of side wall portions 314 are formed on both sides of the boss body 311 and restrict the movement of the fastener 2 in the width direction.

[0034] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the part is attached to the mounting member via a fastener. The fastener 2 is first attached to the boss portion 31 of the part 3, and then attached to the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4. When the fastener 2 is attached to the boss portion 31 of the part 3, the first holding portion 214 and the second holding portion 224 grip the boss body 311 of the boss portion 31. This ensures that the mounting position of the fastener 2 can be stabilized even when an operator or the like transports the part 3 with the fastener 2 attached to it.

[0035] Furthermore, when the fastener 2 is attached to the part 3, the second extension 213b of the claw portion 213 is inserted into the hole 312, preventing the fastener 2 from coming off the part 3. The tip of the second extension 213b is positioned approximately at the center of the hole 312 in the opposing direction A1. As a result, the second extension 213b fits fully into the hole 312. This ensures that the fastener 2 is attached in a way that prevents it from coming off the boss portion 31.

[0036] As shown in Figure 4, when the part 3 is attached to the mounting member 4 via the fastener 2 (hereinafter referred to as the "attached state" for convenience of explanation), the first locking portion 211 and the second locking portion 221 lock onto the back edge 411 of the mounting hole 41 formed in the mounting member 4. Also, in the attached state, the back surface 316 of the side wall portion 314 of the part 3 is in contact with the front surface 42 of the mounting member 4. As a result, the mounting member 4 is sandwiched between the first locking portion 211 and the second locking portion 221 and the back surface 316 of the side wall portion 314. In this way, the part 3 is attached to the mounting member 4 via the fastener 2.

[0037] Furthermore, in the mounted state, the second extension 213b of the claw portion 213 abuts against the bottom surface 315 of the hole portion 312, biasing the boss portion 31 in the insertion direction A3. This prevents the part 3 from moving unintentionally relative to the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4 (i.e., rattling of the part 3) in the mounted state.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, when the fastener 2 is viewed in the intersecting direction A2, the second angle A12 of the inclined surface of the second locking portion 221 with respect to the back surface 43 of the mounting member 4 is different from the first angle A11 of the inclined surface of the first locking portion 211 with respect to the back surface 43 of the mounting member 4. Specifically, the second angle A12 is larger than the first angle A11. This is as described above with respect to Figures 1 to 2(b).

[0039] For example, when removing the fastener 2 from the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4 and removing the part 3 from the mounting member 4 for reasons such as maintenance or replacement of part 3, the worker can pull the fastener 2 out of the mounting hole 41. When part 3 is lifted away from the mounting member 4 with a pulling force greater than a predetermined amount (i.e., in the removal direction A4), the fastener 2 is pulled out of the mounting hole 41 without the need to move the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22 closer together. The operation of the fastener 2 when it is pulled out of the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4 will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0040] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the fastener according to this embodiment in the process of being pulled out of the mounting hole. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the fastener according to this embodiment after it has been pulled out of the mounting hole. Note that for the sake of explanation, Figure 5 shows the mounting member 4 in a significantly deformed state.

[0041] As shown by arrow A7 in Figure 5, when a worker or the like pulls part 3 out of the mounting hole 41 in the removal direction A4, the second extension 213b of the claw portion 213 contacts the bottom surface 315 of the hole portion 312 and receives a pulling load from the boss portion 31 (i.e., a load in the removal direction A4). As a result, as shown by arrow A8 in Figure 5, the claw portion 213 bends in conjunction with the first locking portion 211 and the first connecting portion 212.

[0042] Furthermore, the first locking portion 211 and the second locking portion 221 contact the back edge 411 of the mounting hole 41 and receive an inward force in the opposing direction. As a result, the first leg piece 21 and the second leg piece 22 bend closer to each other. The second extension 213b of the claw portion 213 moves further into the hole 312.

[0043] Here, as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 2(b) and FIG. 4, when the fastener 2 is viewed in the crossing direction A2, the second angle A12 of the inclined surface of the second locking portion 221 with respect to the back surface 43 of the mounting member 4 is different from the first angle A11 of the inclined surface of the first locking portion 211 with respect to the back surface 43 of the mounting member 4. Specifically, the second angle A12 is larger than the first angle A11.

[0044] Therefore, the locking of the second locking portion 221 is released earlier than the locking of the first locking portion 211. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the second leg piece 22 deflects more than the first leg piece 21 and approaches the first leg piece 21, and the second locking portion 221 enters the mounting hole 41 earlier than the first locking portion 211. Then, when the second locking portion 221 passes through the mounting hole 41, the second leg piece 22 is removed from the mounting hole 41 earlier than the first leg piece 21.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5, after the second leg piece 22 is removed from the mounting hole 41, the first locking portion 211 of the first leg piece 21 remains locked to the rear edge 411 of the mounting hole 41.

[0046] When an operator or the like further pulls the component 3 in the removal direction A4 from the mounting hole 41, the claw portion 213 deflects further in the direction of the arrow A8 shown in FIG. 5 in conjunction with the first locking portion 211 and the first connecting portion 212. Also, the first locking portion 211 hits the rear edge 411 of the mounting hole 41 and further receives an inward force in the opposing direction. Therefore, the first leg piece 21 deflects so as to approach the second leg piece 22 further.

[0047] As a result, the locking of the first locking portion 211 is released. That is, the first leg piece 21 deflects and approaches the second leg piece 22 further, and the first locking portion 211 enters the mounting hole 41. Then, when the first locking portion 211 passes through the mounting hole 41, the first leg piece 21 is removed from the mounting hole 41. In this way, as shown in FIG. 6, an operator or the like can pull out the fastener 2 and the component 3 from the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4.

[0048] As described above, according to the fastener 2 according to the present embodiment, when the fastener 2 is viewed in the crossing direction A2, the second angle A12 of the inclined surface of the second locking portion 221 with respect to the back surface 43 of the mounting member 4 is different from the first angle A11 of the inclined surface of the first locking portion 211 with respect to the back surface 43 of the mounting member 4. Specifically, the second angle A12 is larger than the first angle A11. Therefore, when an operator or the like pulls out the component 3 from the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4, it becomes possible to remove the second leg piece 22 having no claw portion 213 from the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4 earlier than the first leg piece 21. As a result, it is possible to suppress the concentration of the tensile load on the claw portion 213 and maintain the connection state between the component 3 and the fastener 2 when the component 3 is removed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the fastener 2 from remaining in the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4.

[0049] Furthermore, when an operator or the like pulls out the component 3 from the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4, it is possible to prevent the first leg piece 21 having the claw portion 213 from being removed from the mounting hole 41 of the mounting member 4 earlier than the second leg piece 22 having no claw portion 213, and to suppress the second locking portion 221 of the second leg piece 22 from being greatly deformed while remaining locked to the rear edge 411 of the mounting hole 41. As a result, the fastener 2 can be repeatedly used, and the durability of the fastener 2 can be improved.

[0050] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. The configurations of the above embodiments can be partially omitted or arbitrarily combined in a different manner from the above.

[0051] 2: Fastener, 3: Part, 4: Mounting member, 21: First leg piece, 22: Second leg piece, 23: Connecting part, 31: Boss part, 32: Panel, 41: Mounting hole, 42: Front surface, 43: Back surface, 211: First locking part, 212: First connecting part, 213: Claw part, 213a: First extension part, 213b: Second extension part, 214: First holding part, 215: Tip, 216: Base end, 221: Second locking part, 222: Second connecting part, 223: Guide part, 223a: Guide surface, 224: Second holding part, 224a: Tip, 225: Tip, 226: Base end, 311: Boss body, 312: Hole part, 313: Tapered section, 314: Side wall section, 315: Bottom surface, 316: Back surface, 411: Edge

Claims

1. A fastener for attaching a component to a mounting hole of a mounting member, comprising: a first leg piece and a second leg piece facing each other; and a connecting portion connecting the base ends of the first leg piece and the second leg piece, wherein the first leg piece has a first locking portion that is inclined at a first angle with respect to the plane of the mounting member when viewed in an intersecting direction that intersects the opposing directions of the first leg piece and the second leg piece, and that engages with the edge of the mounting hole; and a claw portion that extends from the tip side of the first leg piece and is inserted into a hole formed in the boss portion of the component, wherein the second leg piece has a second locking portion that is inclined at a second angle with respect to the plane of the mounting member when viewed in the intersecting direction, and that engages with the edge of the mounting hole, but does not have a claw portion that is inserted into the hole, and the second angle is greater than the first angle.

2. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the first leg piece further comprises a first connecting portion that connects the first locking portion and the connecting portion, and a first holding portion that extends from the base end toward the tip of the first connecting portion, and the second leg piece further comprises a second connecting portion that connects the second locking portion and the connecting portion, and a second holding portion that extends from the base end toward the tip of the second connecting portion and is capable of clamping the boss portion together with the first holding portion, and at least a part of the tip of the second holding portion overlaps with the second connecting portion when viewed in the intersecting direction.

Images