Detachable Fastener Clip With Flexible Wings for Misaligned Chassis Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fasteners for attaching vehicle body panels to the chassis face issues such as unequal insertion and extraction forces, misalignment leading to wing breakage, and inability to adapt to variations in slot size, thickness, and curvature, resulting in rattles, buzzing, and corrosion, especially under varying environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A detachable multistage fastener clip with a pin, grommet, and retainer that self-aligns and adapts to misaligned slots, providing balanced forces and high retention, using flexible wings and a flex point to ensure secure engagement, and is made of materials like plastic or metal to withstand heavy-duty applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional fasteners with sharp grooves are used to engage frame slots, then the clips can engage the slot edge, but the sharp edges cut into the softer plastic and prevent reinsertion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the wing engagement surfaces by replacing sharp grooves with rounded leading edges and rounded engagement surfaces. This parameter change allows the wings to engage the slot edge with sufficient strength while preventing the cutting action that occurs with sharp edges, thereby maintaining reusability of the fastener clip.
2Ease of operation
If conventional single piece fasteners are used when misalignment occurs, then the fastener can be forced into the slot, but the high forces on one wing cause the wing to break off
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible wings with flex point enable the fastener to dynamically accommodate misalignment during installation. When forced into a misaligned slot, the wings can bend and flex rather than transmitting concentrated forces that would cause breakage, maintaining both installation capability and wing integrity simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The flex point in the wing structure acts as a pre-designed cushioning element that absorbs and distributes misalignment forces before they can cause wing breakage. This beforehand cushioning allows the fastener to be forced into misaligned slots without compromising wing integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional fasteners are used with variations in slot size and sheet metal thickness, then the fasteners can be manufactured with standard dimensions, but they do not self-align and are prone to wing breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible wings with flex point provide self-alignment capability while maintaining standard fastener dimensions. The dynamic flexibility allows the wings to adapt to variations in slot size and sheet metal thickness, enabling the fastener to self-align during installation without requiring custom manufacturing for different tolerances.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional fasteners are used under varying environmental conditions, then the fasteners can be made from standard materials, but they do not prevent buzzing, rattling or noise
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible wings act as vibration-dampening elements that reduce buzzing and rattling under varying environmental conditions. The flexibility of the wings allows them to absorb vibrations and prevent noise transmission, addressing the harmful effects while maintaining standard material selection for manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fastener clip ensures secure attachment and reattachment with low insertion force, reduces material and assembly costs, minimizes vibrations, and prevents rattles, while adapting to various chassis thicknesses and curvatures, ensuring ergonomic assembly and long-term reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The wings comprising a flex point operative to engage and detach with the chassis slot
Implementation Method 2
engagement of one portion of the hole in the chassis with one of the wings may not provide suitable frictional engagement
Data Source
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AI summary
A detachable multi-stage automotive fastener clip attaches a body panel to a chassis slot. The fastener clip includes a U-shaped upper clip (1230) having at least two wings (1250) laterally spaced apart. The wings include: a wing tip (1252), a bent wing (1256), an inclined plane . A flex point is formed on a lower wing portion (1302) operative to engage and detach with the chassis slot. A U-shaped lower clip (1220) removably attaches to the U-shaped upper clip. At least two walls (1410) are laterally spaced apart at an open wall end. A ramp, a shoulder and a retaining ledge are formed on the at least two walls away from the open wall end operative to engage the inclined plane. A base (1330) at a closed end opposite the open wall end is formed such that the base is formed between a lower wall portion from each of the at least two walls forming a U shape.