Fastener Clip Assembly With Spring Legs for Rattle-Free Panel Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fasteners fail to provide adequate attachment of body panels to vehicle chassis with varying curvature or thickness, leading to issues like buzzing, rattling, and poor resistance to vibrations, while also failing to accommodate production tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A fastener clip assembly with offset legs and projections that engage with corresponding depressions and projections on the blade, allowing for secure attachment and enhanced resistance to vibrations, and incorporating a spring action for easy insertion and secure fitting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fasteners with stepped arms are used, then engagement with chassis slots is achieved, but the fastener allows movement within step size range causing wear and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional stepped (angular) arm structure with a curved arm that has a continuous radius of curvature. This curved geometry allows the fastener to engage the chassis slot at multiple points along the arc, eliminating the discrete step positions that cause movement and noise. The continuous curvature provides smooth engagement without the jumping between steps that generates buzzing and rattling.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastener incorporates a spring mechanism that provides dynamic adjustment capability. The spring allows the fastener to adapt to variations in chassis slot position and panel thickness while maintaining constant contact pressure. This dynamic adjustment prevents the panel from shifting within fixed step positions, eliminating the source of vibration-induced noise.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional fasteners with fixed step positions are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but the fastener cannot accommodate variations in sheet metal thickness and production tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The curved arm geometry with continuous radius of curvature naturally accommodates variations in chassis slot position and panel thickness. Unlike fixed stepped arms that require precise manufacturing to match specific slot positions, the continuous curve provides a range of engagement points that adapt to manufacturing tolerances and thickness variations without requiring remanufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism changes the physical state of the fastener from rigid to elastic, allowing it to deform and adapt to varying installation conditions. The spring constant and deflection characteristics are selected to accommodate the expected range of thickness variations and tolerance stacks while maintaining secure engagement.
3Device complexity
If conventional fasteners provide equal insertion and extraction force, then structural simplicity is maintained, but panel attachment requires excessive insertion force
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism transforms the fastener from a static, rigid structure to a dynamic system that can store and release elastic energy. During insertion, the spring compresses and stores energy, reducing the peak insertion force required. During extraction, the spring expands and provides additional force, maintaining secure attachment. This dynamic behavior is achieved through careful selection of spring parameters rather than complex structural modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism creates a periodic force-displacement relationship during engagement and disengagement. The elastic deformation and recovery of the spring creates a cyclical energy storage and release pattern that reduces insertion force while maintaining extraction force, achieving asymmetric force characteristics through a simple periodic mechanical element.
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 ensures stable and noise-free attachment of panels to the chassis, accommodating variations in curvature and thickness, and providing enhanced resistance to vibrations and production tolerances.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating a spring action for easy insertion and secure fitting
Implementation Method 2
provide suitable frictional engagement
Data Source
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AI summary
A fastener clip comprising: a pair of laterally offset legs (60) joined at a head portion (70), wherein the legs (60) form a clip opening (80) at an opposite end of the head portion (70), wherein the pair of legs (60) are configured to spring back to an original position based at least in part on the pair of legs (60) being pushed together; a pair of outward projections (90) extending outward from the pair of legs (60); a pair of inward projections (65) correspondingly extending inward from the pair of legs (60), wherein the fastener clip (100) attaches to a slot in structure based at least upon: the fastener clip (100) being pushed into the slot, the pair of legs (60) compressing for the outward projections (90) to clear the slot, the pair of legs (60) decompressing, the pair of outward projections (90) engaging an inner part of the slot, contact forces generated between the pair of outward projections and the inner part of the slot.