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US 6,203,240 B1Granted
Component retaining legs
AssigneeDaiwa Kogyo Kabushiki
InventorsKatsuhito Hironaka, Makoto Fukase
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A component retaining leg is disclosed, which comprises a base to be provided on a component such as a clamp and a clip, a pillar depending from the base, and a flexible retaining piece extending from the free end of the pillar in a folded fashion toward the base. The free end of the retaining piece has an engagement step section for engaging a mounting hole of a panel. The engagement step section has a plurality of engagement steps formed at a predetermined interval.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a base having an elastic stabilizer;
- a pillar projecting from the base, comprising a terminal end opposite from the base, and
- at least one flexible retaining leg extending from the terminal end back towards the base at an angle to a center axis of the pillar, the retaining leg comprising at least two engagement steps, each having a first engaging face and a second engaging face, the second engaging faces being disposed along the retaining leg such that when the apparatus is in a free state the second engaging faces are sequentially at increasing angles in relation to the central axis of the pillar, wherein each second engaging face sequentially achieves a substantially orthogonal relation to the central axis of the pillar as the retaining leg is compressed inward towards the pillar.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a base,
- an elastic stabilizer that is adapted to contact a top surface of a panel,
- a pillar projecting from the base comprising:
- a terminal end opposite from the base, and
- at least one flexible retaining leg extending from the terminal end back towards the base at an angle to a central axis of the pillar, the retaining leg comprising means for securely engaging the panel and having:
- at least two engagement steps, each having a first engaging face and a second engaging face, the second engaging faces being disposed along the engaging means such that when the apparatus is in a free state the second engaging faces are sequentially at increasing angles in relation to the central axis of the pillar;
- wherein each second engaging face sequentially achieves a substantially orthogonal relation to the central axis of the pillar as the retaining leg is compressed inward towards the pillar.
4 more elements
In combination:
- a base assembly of predetermined width;
- a pillar projecting from the base assembly and extending to a terminal end remote from the base assembly, a pair of flexibly resilient retaining legs engaged with and extending from the terminal end back towards the base assembly and at an angle to a center axis of the pillar, said legs terminating at outer ends laterally outward of said pillar, said legs being selectively inwardly compressible toward said pillar;
- each of said retaining legs comprising means for securely engaging openings in panels having variations in thickness, the engaging means comprising at least two engagement steps, each engagement step having a first engaging face and a second engaging face, the second engaging faces being disposed along the retaining leg such that, prior to inward compression of said legs, the second engaging faces are sequentially at increasing angles in relation to the central axis of the pillar, wherein each second engaging face sequentially achieves a substantially orthogonal relation to the central axis of the pillar as the retaining lea is compressed inward towards the pillar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.