Fastener Clip With Offset Legs And Barbs For Panel Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fastener devices fail to securely attach vehicle body panels to chassis with varying curvature and thickness, leading to noise issues and vibration, and do not accommodate production tolerances, resulting in wear, squeaks, and reduced attachment strength over time.
Innovation Solution
A fastener clip assembly with laterally offset legs and wings featuring engagement regions and a carrier for enhanced flexibility and sealing, designed to provide high extraction force while maintaining low insertion force, adaptable to different sheet metal thicknesses and curvatures, and resistant to environmental changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fasteners are used, then they can attach panels to chassis, but they do not adequately secure panels with sheet metal of different curvature or thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener device features non-uniform tab configurations with varying lengths, widths, and flexibilities at different locations. This local quality variation allows the fastener to adapt to local variations in sheet metal thickness and curvature while maintaining secure attachment across the entire panel-chassis interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener incorporates tabs with different mechanical parameters (length, width, thickness, material composition) to accommodate variations in the sheet metal properties. By changing these parameters locally, the fastener can adapt to different curvatures and thicknesses while maintaining reliable attachment security.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional fasteners are used, then they can fasten panels, but they do not minimize buzzing and rattling caused by vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener device incorporates damping elements and flexible tab designs that anticipate and cushion against vibrational forces before they cause noise or detachment. The flexible tabs act as shock absorbers, reducing the transmission of vibrations that would otherwise cause buzzing and rattling, while maintaining stable attachment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fasteners are used, then they can attach panels, but they do not adequately accommodate production tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener incorporates flexible tabs that can dynamically adjust their position and orientation to accommodate variations in manufacturing tolerances. This flexibility allows the fastener to engage properly even when there are dimensional variations in the panel or chassis features, maintaining engagement precision despite tolerance variations.
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 assembly securely attaches body panels with reduced noise and vibration, accommodating various thicknesses and tolerances, enhancing long-term reliability and safety by providing ergonomic advantages, reduced assembly time, and decreased production costs.
Implementation Method 1
A fastener clip over a carrier secured with barbs
Data Source
AI summary
A fastener clip system including a carrier and a fastener clip configured to fit over the carrier. The fastener clip includes at least one wing, where the at least one wing is configured to engage a slot in a surface, and one or more barbs that are configured to secure the fastener clip to the carrier. The barbs may include gussets that are configured to increase a bending resistance of the barbs.