Fastener provided with a snapping-in foot to be pushed in through a hole in a panel
AssigneeITW de France
InventorDominique Castro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The snapping-in foot (3) of this fastener (1) has a flat rigid web (10) and two curved flexible flanges (11A, 11B) each connected to the web (10) and having, opposite a plane face (14A) of the web, an internal surface bordered by this plane face of the web, by a longitudinal edge (16A) of this flange and by a transverse edge of this flange, with the internal surface of each flange (11A) being concave and with the longitudinal edge (16A) of each flange having, seen by an observer disposed parallel to the plane face (14A) of the web (10) opposite this internal surface, a V shape whose apex, directed outwards, is situated at the level of a change-of-direction plane (18) on each side of which the external surface of the foot (3) tapers.
Claims15
A fastener, comprising a snapping-in foot (3) adapted to be pushed in through a hole (22) in a panel (23), with said snapping-in foot (3) having a flat rigid web (10) extending in an axial direction and two curved flexible flanges (11A, 11B), said flat rigid web (10) having two longitudinal edges (12A, 12B) converging towards a pointed end (13) of said web while an other end of said web (10) is connected to a remainder (2) of the fastener,
- each of said curved flexible flanges (11A, 11B) being connected to said web (10) along a respective one of said longitudinal edges (12A, 12B) and having, opposite a respective flat face (14A, 14B) of said web, an internal surface (15A, 15B) bordered by said flat face of the web, by a longitudinal edge (16A, 16B) of said flange and by a transverse edge (17A, 17B) of said flange;
- each of said flanges (11A, 11B) further having an external surface tapering respectively towards the pointed end (13) and towards the respective transverse edge (17A, 17B) of said flange, on each side of a change-of-direction plane (18) oriented transversely to the axial direction of the web, said external surfaces of both said flanges, at a level of said change-of-direction plane, extend in an ellipse-shaped contour one axis of which is in a median axial plane substantially parallel with and substantially evenly spaced from said flat faces (14A, 14B) of said web;
- each of said flanges (11A, 11B) being elastically flexible towards the corresponding flat face (14A, 14B) of the web (10) thereby enabling said foot (3) to snap into the hole (22);
- wherein the respective internal surface (15A, 15B) of each of said flanges (11A, 11B) is concave, and the respective longitudinal edge (16A, 16B) of each of said flanges has, as seen by an observer disposed parallel to the flat face (14A, 14B) of the web (10) facing its internal surface (15A, 15B), a V shape whose apex is directed outwards and situated at the level of said change-of-direction plane (18).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.