Multi-Leg Fastening Clip for Tilt-Resistant Post Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening systems in the automotive industry face challenges in securely connecting components with varying shapes and sizes, particularly in applications where a reliable and stable connection is crucial, such as between a vehicle wire clamp and body sheet metal.
Innovation Solution
A fastening clamp design featuring a substrate with a mounting hole and resilient retaining legs that extend obliquely to securely engage a connecting post of a second component, allowing for stable retention and rotation relative to the connecting post.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional fastening systems are used to connect components with varying shapes and sizes, then the connection reliability is insufficient, but increasing the complexity of the fastening system is not desirable
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening clamp is divided into multiple functional segments: a substrate providing structural support, multiple first retaining legs for primary retention, and multiple second retaining legs for secondary retention and anti-tilting. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening clamp is designed as a multi-functional device that can accommodate connecting posts with varying shapes and sizes. The resilient retaining legs can deflect to adapt to different post diameters, and the combination of first and second retaining legs provides both retention and anti-tilting functions, making the single device universally applicable to various automotive components.
2Stability of the object's composition
If resilient retaining legs are used to securely engage the connecting post, then the retention stability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining legs are designed with resilient properties that allow them to deflect and adapt to slight variations in connecting post dimensions. This elasticity compensates for manufacturing tolerances in both the fastening clamp and the connecting post, maintaining retention stability without requiring extremely tight manufacturing precision. The resilient nature allows the same leg design to accommodate a range of post sizes.
3Strength
If multiple retaining legs are used to prevent tilting and disengagement, then the connection strength is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The first retaining legs and second retaining legs are integrated into a single fastening clamp structure that can be manufactured as one piece using stamping or injection molding processes. The substrate connects all retaining legs, and the anti-tilting features are formed as integral parts of the second retaining legs. This merging reduces the number of separate components and assembly steps while maintaining the multi-leg configuration needed for strong, tilt-resistant connections.
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 fastening clamp effectively secures the connecting post, providing a stable and reliable connection that resists tilting and disengagement, thus enhancing the structural integrity of automotive components.
Implementation Method 1
the at least two first retaining legs are resilient and configured to deflect about the proximal ends of the at least two first retaining legs
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a fastening clamp, used for connecting a first component to a second component having a connecting post. The fastening clamp includes: a substrate on which a mounting hole is provided; at least two first retaining legs, and at least two second retaining legs, where the mounting hole is used to receive the connecting post of the second component, proximal ends of the at least two first retaining legs are connected to an edge of the mounting hole, proximal ends of the at least two second retaining legs are connected to the edge of the mounting hole, and the at least two first retaining legs and the at least two second retaining legs are on the same side of the substrate; where distal ends of the at least two second retaining legs are closer to the substrate than distal ends of the two first retaining legs, and the at least two first retaining legs and the at least two second retaining legs are configured to be able to collectively retain the connecting post of the second component in the mounting hole. The fastening clamp in the present application can be mounted on a cylindrical connecting post.