Skin-Material Fixing Clip with Wire Guide for Easy Cushion Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing skin-material fixing clips face difficulties in easily locking onto wires within cushion materials due to lack of guide pieces for elastic deformation, narrow wire insertion ranges, and cumbersome operation requirements, leading to inefficient attachment and detachment processes.

Innovation Solution

A skin-material fixing clip with a hook and wire guide piece configuration, where the hook has an extension portion and a claw-shaped portion, and the wire guide piece is bent to create a triangular lead-in passage, allowing easy wire insertion and locking without requiring precise alignment or strong force, and featuring elastic deformation for improved usability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a conventional hook structure is used without a guide piece, then the structure is simple, but the wire insertion range is narrow and precise alignment is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire insertion easeVSAvoidclip structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide piece acts as an intermediary element between the hook and the wire. It provides a widened lead-in passage that guides the wire into the hook, making the insertion process easier without requiring precise alignment. The guide piece mediates the interaction between the wire and hook, facilitating smooth wire insertion while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the hook is locked on the wire, then the skin material is securely fixed, but the detachment process is cumbersome requiring strong force

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixing reliabilityVSAvoiddetachment ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hook is designed with elastic deformability, allowing it to dynamically adjust during both attachment and detachment. During attachment, the hook elastically deforms to allow wire insertion and then locks securely. During detachment, the elastic property enables the hook to be easily opened with minimal force, making the detachment process simple while maintaining secure fixing during use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the wire insertion opening is narrow, then the locked state is stable, but the insertion process requires precise positioning and strong force

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking stabilityVSAvoidinsertion ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The wire insertion process is segmented into two distinct phases by the lead-in passage structure: first, the wire passes through the wide lead-in passage formed by the guide piece and hook, which does not require precise positioning; then, the wire enters the narrow wire insertion opening where it is securely locked. This segmentation allows the insertion process to be easy initially while maintaining stable locking in the final state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enables simple and reliable attachment of skin materials to cushion surfaces with enhanced work efficiency, allowing for easy locking and unlocking operations without the need for precise positioning or deformation of surrounding materials.

Implementation Method 1

the guide piece is configured to be easily elastically deformed while guiding the wire, and a bent portion is provided in the middle of the wire guide piece

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10618800B2Skin-material fixing clip
Publication Date: 2020.04.14 YKK CORP
  • US10618800B2 patent drawing
  • US10618800B2 patent drawing
  • US10618800B2 patent drawing

AI summary

There is provided a skin-material fixing clip for connecting a skin material with a cushion material and provided with a locking section and a hook. The hook is provided with an extension portion extending downward from the locking section and a claw-shaped portion extending laterally from a distal end of the extension portion. The locking section is provided with a wire guide piece. A groove portion surrounded by the claw-shaped portion and the extension portion defines a wire holding space. Parts of the wire guide piece and the claw-shaped portion facing the wire insertion opening defines guide surfaces. The distal end portion of the wire guide piece and the distal end portion of the claw-shaped portion are provided to be spaced from each other along a direction parallel to an extending direction of the groove portion.