Clip
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorAdriaan Broodryk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clip for securing a substrate to a support is disclosed. The substrate includes a hole, and the support carries a stud. The clip includes a top side, a bottom side, and a main body formed by a plurality of separated sectors. Each sector includes a gripping arm that collectively define a cylindrical conduit configured to retain the stud when the stud is inserted from the bottom side of the clip. The sectors are separated by radial spacings and are interconnected by resilient portions. The radial spacings and resilient portions resiliently bind the sectors together and permit elastic deformation of the gripping arms such that, when the cylindrical conduit is inserted into the hole from the top side of the substrate, the gripping arms engage and secure the clip to the substrate.
Claims20
A clip (102) for securing a substrate (104) having a hole (106) to a support (304) supporting a stud (302), the clip (102) comprising:
- a top side (116);
- a bottom side (118);
- and
- a main body (108) comprising a plurality of separated sectors (502), each sector including a gripping arm (110), the gripping arms (110) collectively forming a cylindrical conduit (114) configured to retain the stud (302) when the stud (302) is inserted into the cylindrical conduit (114) from the bottom side (118),
- wherein the sectors (502) are separated from one another by radial spacings (508) and are joined to one another by resilient portions (512a), and
- wherein the radial spacings (508) and the resilient portions (512a) resiliently bind the sectors (502) and permit the gripping arms (110) to engage the substrate (104) when the cylindrical conduit (114) is inserted into the hole (106) from the top side (116).
A fastening assembly comprising:
- a support (304) including a stud (302);
- a substrate (104) defining a hole (106);
- and
- a clip (102) inserted through the hole (106) to secure the substrate (104) to the support (304),
- wherein the clip (102) includes a deformable cylindrical conduit (114) configured to receive and retain the stud (302), and
- wherein the clip (102) includes a plurality of resiliently interconnected sectors (502) that expand during insertion into the hole (106) and contract to grip the substrate (104).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.