Resilient Spring Clip Structure for Low-Force Panel Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spring clips require high installation forces, are complex and costly, and lack versatility for different panel thicknesses, with limited reinstallation capabilities due to potential degradation or breakage, and do not provide adequate retention force to prevent unintentional disengagement.
Innovation Solution
A spring clip design featuring a base portion and body portion with planar wall members and opposing retention elements that are resiliently biased to engage with a panel's orifice, allowing for reduced insertion force, improved retention, and versatility across various panel thicknesses, while being made from a polymer material to reduce wear and corrosion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If additional components or parts are added to facilitate clip attachment, then ease of installation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring clip integrates multiple functions into a single component. The resilient body combines installation facilitation, retention, and positioning functions, eliminating the need for separate installation tools or additional components while maintaining ease of installation and high retention performance.
2Reliability
If additional parts such as screws or fasteners are used, then retention reliability improves, but total weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring clip combines retention and fastening functions into a single integrated component, eliminating the need for separate screws or fasteners. This integration maintains retention reliability while significantly reducing the total weight of the fastening assembly.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional spring clips are designed for specific structure thickness, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring clip is designed with universal applicability through its resilient body that can adapt to various structure thicknesses. The resilient nature allows the same clip design to function across a range of thicknesses, eliminating the need for multiple specialized clip variants while maintaining manufacturing precision.
4Force
If spring clips are used in high impact areas, then retention force is improved, but clips may degrade or break over time
Solution Approach 1:
The spring clip utilizes elastic deformation as a parameter change mechanism to absorb impact forces. By dynamically changing its shape and distributing stresses through elastic recovery, the resilient body reduces stress concentration and prevents degradation or breakage in high impact areas while maintaining retention force.
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 design minimizes installation force, enhances retention performance, and allows for multiple reinstallation cycles with reduced weight and complexity, ensuring secure engagement and adaptability to different panel thicknesses.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient body, having a central axis and comprising a first planar wall member and a second planar wall member, opposingly spaced apart from the first planar wall member with regards to the central axis
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a spring clip for coupling a panel to a vehicle structure having at least one mounting member. The spring clip comprises a base portion, having an upper and lower surface, configured to couplingly engage with the mounting member. The spring clip comprises a body portion, having a central axis extending away from said lower surface of said base portion and comprising a first planar wall member and a second planar wall member, opposingly spaced apart from said first wall member with regards to said central axis, each one of said first and second planar wall members extending away from said lower surface towards and joiningly converging into a distal end on said central axis. The body portion further comprises at least a first pair of opposing retention elements, each one disposed on and extending laterally outwards from a respective one of said first and second planar wall members, configured to fixingly engage when inserted into an orifice of the panel, during use.