Co-molded snap-on support base, and support system and method of using the same

A support system using a co-molded snap-on support base, to reduce a time of installation of apparatuses for routing elongate elements, the support system comprising:

• an elongate bar structure comprising a spanner bar;
• a snap-on assembly comprising the co-molded snap-on support base coupled to one of the apparatuses, the co-molded snap-on support base comprising:
• a top portion coupled to one of the apparatuses;
• a bottom portion co-molded with the top portion, the bottom portion comprising:
• an attachment clip designed for a one-step snap-on attachment to the elongate bar structure, the attachment clip comprising:
• a first side attachment arm and a second side attachment arm, to secure the co-molded snap-on support base to a portion of the elongate bar structure, the first side attachment arm and the second side attachment arm each having a sloped surface portion with a first end adjacent a bottommost end of the bottom portion and with a second end;
• and
• a lateral retaining strip formed on each of the first side attachment arm and the second side attachment arm, to clamp against bottom ends of the portion of the elongate bar structure, each lateral retaining strip having a first side surface adjacent the second end of the sloped surface portion, and each lateral retaining strip having a square shaped profile or a rectangular shaped profile;
• and
• at least one secondary retaining clip projecting from an interior surface of the bottom portion of the co-molded snap-on support base into a channel formed between the first side attachment arm and the second side attachment arm, the at least one secondary retaining clip designed to mate with at least one hole in the elongate bar structure, to align and to further secure the co-molded snap-on support base to the elongate bar structure, and the at least one secondary retaining clip consisting of two clip portions, including a first clip portion with a flat side opposite a flat side of a second clip portion and with a gap between the flat side of the first clip portion and the flat side of the second clip portion, each of the first clip portion and the second clip portion having a stem portion extending downwardly from the interior surface of the bottom portion, and having a head portion integral with, and extending downwardly from the stem portion, and a top end of the head portion having a greater width than the stem portion, and each of the first clip portion and the second clip portion having a one-half truncated cone shape profile;
• and
• one or more of the elongate elements attached to the snap-on assembly,
• wherein the co-molded snap-on support base is used to reduce the time of installation of the apparatuses for routing the elongate elements in a vehicle.

A method of using a co-molded snap-on support base, to reduce a time of installation of apparatuses for routing elongate elements in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a snap-on assembly comprising the co-molded snap-on support base coupled to one of the apparatuses, the co-molded snap-on support base comprising:
• a top portion coupled to one of the apparatuses;
• a bottom portion co-molded with the top portion, the bottom portion comprising:
• an attachment clip with a first side attachment arm, a second side attachment arm, and a lateral retaining strip formed on each of the first side attachment arm and the second side attachment arm, the first side attachment arm and the second side attachment arm each having a sloped surface portion with a first end adjacent a bottommost end of the bottom portion and with a second end, and each lateral retaining strip having a first side surface adjacent the second end of the sloped surface portion, and each lateral retaining strip having a square shaped profile or a rectangular shaped profile;
• and
• at least one secondary retaining clip projecting from an interior surface of the bottom portion of the co-molded snap-on support base into a channel formed between the first side attachment arm and the second side attachment arm, and the at least one secondary retaining clip consisting of two clip portions, including a first clip portion with a flat side opposite a flat side of a second clip portion and with a gap between the flat side of the first clip portion and the flat side of the second clip portion, each of the first clip portion and the second clip portion having a stem portion extending downwardly from the interior surface of the bottom portion, and having a head portion integral with, and extending downwardly from the stem portion, and a top end of the head portion having a greater width than the stem portion, and each of the first clip portion and the second clip portion having a one-half truncated cone shape profile;
• installing the snap-on assembly on an elongate bar structure, with sub-steps of:
• attaching the first side attachment arm and the second side attachment arm of the attachment clip of the co-molded snap-on support base, in a one-step snap-on attachment, to a portion of the elongate bar structure, so that the lateral retaining strips of the first side attachment arm and the second side attachment arm clamp against bottom ends of the portion of the elongate bar structure, to secure the co-molded snap-on support base to the elongate bar structure, and
• mating the at least one secondary retaining clip of the co-molded snap-on support base, with at least one hole in the elongate bar structure, to align and to further secure the co-molded snap-on support base to the elongate bar structure;
• and
• attaching one or more of the elongate elements to the snap-on assembly installed on the elongate bar structure in the vehicle.