Stud Clip Insert for Panel Hole

A motor vehicle, comprising:

• a vehicle body with vehicle structure including a panel, the panel having first and second opposing surfaces and an aperture extending through the panel;
• a threaded fastener with threads;
• a component attached to the threaded fastener;
• and
• a fastening clip including:
• a clip body inserted into the aperture of the panel, the clip body defining an internal cavity receiving therein the threaded fastener along a screw axis of the cavity, the clip body having a flange seated on the first surface of the panel;
• one or more flexible retaining clips coupled to the clip body and projecting outwardly therefrom, the one or more flexible retaining clips being seated adjacent the second surface and, in cooperation with the flange, attaching the clip body to the panel;
• and
• a plurality of flexible ratchet fingers coupled to the clip body and extending into the internal cavity to attach the threaded fastener to the fastening clip, the plurality of ratchet fingers including first and second ratchet fingers located on first and second opposing sides of the internal cavity, respectively, and axially spaced to extend to first and second distinct axial positions relative to the screw axis, respectively, the locations and axial spacing being configured such that only one of the first and second ratchet fingers is seated proximal a root of an adjacent pair of the threads with the threaded fastener inserted into the internal cavity.

A method of using a fastening clip to attach a component to a panel using a threaded fastener, the threaded fastener being attachable to the component, and the panel having opposing first and second surfaces and an aperture extending from the first surface to the second surface, the method comprising:

• aligning the fastening clip with the aperture of the panel, the fastening clip having a clip body with a flange and one or more flexible retaining clips coupled to and projecting outwardly from the clip body, the clip body defining an internal cavity with a screw axis;
• inserting the clip body of the fastening clip into the aperture such that the flange seats against the first surface of the panel and the one or more flexible retaining clips pass through the aperture and seat against the second surface of the panel, the flange and one or more flexible retaining clips, once seated, cooperatively attaching the clip body to the panel;
• and
• passing the threaded fastener along the screw axis into the internal cavity of the clip body, the fastening clip including a plurality of flexible ratchet fingers coupled to the clip body and extending into the internal cavity, the plurality of ratchet fingers including first and second ratchet fingers located on first and second sides of the internal cavity, respectively, and axially spaced to extend to first and second axial positions relative to the screw axis, respectively, the locating and axial spacing being configured such that only one of the first and second ratchet fingers, at a given time, seats within a root of an adjacent pair of the threads when the threaded fastener is passed into the internal cavity.