Mushroom head clip fastener
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsBrandon A. Rubenstein, Bradley E. Clements, Angela L. Minichiello
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A clip fastener includes a base and a clip head that is distant from the base. The clip head includes a barb having a rounded outer surface including a ramp that increases in diameter towards the base. An elongate clip neck connects the base with the clip head. The clip neck has sufficient resilience under compressive forces exerted on the rounded outer surface of the barb to permit movement of the barb. The clip may be formed as an individual unit for use in fastening operations, or it may be molded into component structures, such as fan carriers for computer fans.
Claims12
A clip fastener for use in connecting objects, comprising:
- a base;
- a clip head including a barb having a ramped outer surface remote from the base,
- the ramped outer surface having a semi-frustoconical shape including a frustoconical ramp section truncating into a first edge, the first edge rising away from the base as the ramp tapers;
- and
- an elongate clip neck connecting the base with the clip head,
- the elongate clip neck having a second edge continuously rising towards the first edge,
- the elongate clip neck having sufficient resilience under compressive forces exerted on the ramped outer surface of the barb to permit bending with corresponding movement of the barb.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.