Precursors for stabilized impaling clips, stabilized impaling clips formed therefrom, and method of mounting an acoustic panel onto a structural component

A precursor for an impaling clip for mounting a panel on a support structure, the panel being formed of a material having a rear surface and a front surface, said precursor comprising:

• a generally planar sheet comprising a base including an undersurface, a peripheral edge, and a center, said base lying in a plane;
• an opening or hole extending through said sheet and configured for receipt of a fastener therethrough;
• a first planar prong portion of said generally planar sheet located at a portion of said base and lying in said plane, a second planar prong portion of said generally planar sheet located at another portion of said base and lying in said plane, a third planar prong portion of said generally planar sheet located at another portion of said base and lying in said plane, and a fourth planar prong portion of said generally planar sheet located at another portion of said base and lying in said plane, each of said planar prong portions comprising a leg portion, a sharp head portion having a free end in the form of sharp main point, and at least one subsidiary point, said at least one subsidiary point being in the form of an undercut barb having an edge extending at an acute angle with respect to a side edge of said leg portion, each of said planar prong portions being configured to be bent out of said plane to an orientation perpendicular to said plane to form a group of prongs comprising respective first, second, third and fourth prongs, said group of prongs being located between said center and said peripheral edge, and with said base being devoid of any other prongs between said group of prongs and said peripheral edge, wherein no two prongs on one side of said center are in a coincident plane and no two prongs on the opposite side of said center are in a coincident plane, wherein two of said first, second, third and fourth prongs are in planes parallel to or coincident with each other, and wherein another two of said first, second, third and fourth prongs are in planes parallel to or coincident with each other.

A method of mounting an acoustic panel on a structural component, said acoustic panel having a front surface and a rear surface, said method comprising:

• (a) providing an impaling clip comprising a base and group of prongs, said group of prongs comprising a first, second, third and fourth prongs, said base including an undersurface configured to be disposed on an outer surface of the support structure and a front surface located opposite said undersurface, said base having a peripheral edge, a center and at least two windows spaced from each other on opposite sides of said center, each of said at least two windows having a central longitudinal axis, said group of prongs being located between said center and said peripheral edge, and with said base being devoid of any other prongs between said group of prongs and said peripheral edge, each of said prongs of said group of prongs being in the form of a planar member lying in a plane projecting outward perpendicularly from said front surface, wherein no two prongs on one side of said center are in a coincident plane and no two prongs on the opposite side of said center are in a coincident plane, wherein each of said prongs a leg portion, a sharp head portion having a free end in the form of sharp main point, and at least one subsidiary point, said at least one subsidiary point of being in the form of an undercut barb having an edge extending at an acute angle with respect to a side edge of said leg portion of said prong, said sharp main point of said prong being configured for penetration of the rear surface of the panel;
• and
• (b) causing said sharp main point of said prongs to penetrate the rear surface of the panel, whereupon said sharp main point of said prongs, said at least one subsidiary point of said prongs and at least a portion of said leg portion of said prongs enter and are fixedly held within the material of the panel between the rear surface and the front surface thereof, with said at least one subsidiary point of said prongs resisting extraction of said prongs from within the material of the panel.