Vehicle Sill Panel Latching Hook and Elastic Clip
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for mounting and demounting sill panels on vehicle sills are complicated and require high forces, making them inefficient and potentially damaging.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring a sill panel with a latching hook and a fastening clip having an elastic holding arm that exerts a counteracting force, allowing for easy mounting and demounting with smaller forces by pivoting the panel, while maintaining high holding forces through a releasable latching mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a holding rail is screwed to the sill and the sill panel is suspended in it, then the sill panel can be fastened to the vehicle body, but the mounting and demounting operations become complicated and require high forces
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is divided into separate functional elements: a fastening clip that attaches to the sill, and a latching mechanism on the sill panel that engages with the clip. This segmentation allows the panel to be quickly attached and removed without complex operations, while still providing reliable holding forces through the specialized latching interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The latching hook is designed with elastic properties, allowing it to flex during the latching and unlatching process. This dynamic behavior enables the hook to engage smoothly with the latching receptacle during mounting, and to be easily released during demounting by overcoming the elastic holding force, simplifying the operations while maintaining secure fastening.
2Reliability
If high holding forces are achieved through the fastening mechanism, then the sill panel remains securely fastened, but demounting requires large forces that may damage components
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic latching hook provides dynamic behavior that allows easy demounting. During normal operation, the elastic deformation maintains high holding forces. During demounting, the elastic nature allows the hook to be flexed back, releasing the latching engagement without requiring forces that would damage the components.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding force parameter is made variable through the elastic holding arm. The arm provides strong holding force during operation, but this force can be easily overcome during demounting by applying a small force in the opposite direction, allowing parameter change from high holding force to easy release without component damage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple mounting and demounting operations are performed, then the sill panel can be repeatedly installed and removed, but the fastening clip and sill panel may become damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic latching hook and holding arm are designed to accommodate repeated engagement and disengagement cycles. The elastic properties allow the components to flex and return to their original shape, enabling multiple mounting and demounting operations without permanent deformation or damage, thus maintaining reliability over repeated use.
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
Simplifies the mounting and demounting process with reduced force requirements while ensuring high holding forces and multiple operations without damaging the components.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic holding arm which, with the latching hook of the sill panel received in the latching receptacle, exerts, on account of its spring preloading, a holding force on the latching hook
Implementation Method 2
an elastic holding arm which, with the latching hook of the sill panel received in the latching receptacle, exerts, on account of its spring preloading, a holding force on the latching hook
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a system composed of a sill panel and a fastening clip for fastening the sill panel to a body part of a vehicle, wherein the sill panel has a latching hook, and wherein the fastening clip has a latching receptacle for receiving the latching hook and holding means for retention on the body part, wherein the latching receptacle also has an elastic holding arm which, with the latching hook of the sill panel received in the latching receptacle, exerts, on account of its spring preloading, a holding force on the latching hook which counteracts a release of the sill panel from the fastening clip, wherein, for demounting purposes, the sill panel can be released from the fastening clip by exerting a tensile force which counteracts the holding force of the elastic holding arm.