Two Stage Serviceable Safety Clip
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorYun Shin Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A serviceable safety clip for retaining an automotive trim panel to an inner panel. The serviceable safety clip includes a pin secured to the trim panel, wherein the pin includes a plurality of blades that each include a low retention detent and a high retention detent. The serviceable safety clip also includes a receiver that is secured to the inner panel, wherein the receiver includes an angled face to facilitate insertion of the pin detents and a holding face that retains the pin detents.
Claims20
A serviceable safety clip for retaining an automotive trim panel to an inner panel comprising:
- a pin secured to the trim panel, wherein the pin comprises a plurality of blades that each include a low retention detent and a high retention detent;
- and
- a receiver that is secured to the inner panel, wherein the receiver includes an angled face to facilitate insertion of the pin detents and a holding face that retains the pin detents.
A serviceable safety clip for retaining an automotive trim panel to an inner panel comprising:
- a pin secured to the trim panel, wherein the pin includes at least one blade further comprising:
- a first end and a second end;
- a high retention detent that includes a first angled face portion located proximate the first end of the at least one blade and a first dropoff face proximate an end point of the first angled face portion;
- a low retention detent that includes a second angled face portion and a second dropoff face, wherein the low retention detent is located between the first dropoff face and the second end of the at least one blade;
- and
- a receiver secured to the inner panel, wherein the receiver includes an angled face to facilitate insertion of the pin detents and a holding face that retains the first and second dropoff faces of the pin detents.
A method for retaining an automotive trim panel to an inner panel comprising:
- providing a pin secured to the trim panel, wherein the pin includes a plurality of blades comprising a first end and a second end;
- a high retention detent that includes a first angled face portion located proximate the first end of the blades and a first dropoff face proximate an end point of the first angled face portion;
- a low retention detent that includes a second angled face portion and a second dropoff face, wherein the low retention detent is located between the first dropoff face and the second end of the blades;
- and a receiver secured to the inner panel, wherein the receiver includes an angled face and a holding face;
- inserting the first end of the blades into the receiver, wherein the first angled face portion of the high retention detent slides along the angled face of the receiver and over the holding face of the receiver;
- and
- pushing the pin into the receiver further, wherein the second angled face portion of the low retention detent slides along the angled face of the receiver and over the holding face of the receiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.