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US 7,246,837 B2Granted
Apparatus for attaching vehicle occupant protection member to body panel and assemblies using such apparatus
AssigneeNewfrey LLC
InventorsMasashi Dendo, Takahiro Sano, Junji Adachi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for attaching a sheet-form member for protecting vehicle occupants comprises a clip that is secured in an attachment hole in a body panel. The clip has a flange that covers edge portions of the attachment hole and has a protection member attaching part that receives and retains an engagement part of the protection member, which may be a soft elastic sheet.
Claims18
A clip for attaching a member to a panel having an attachment hole therein, comprising:
- a substantially flat elongated base part with an integral peripheral flange and a peripheral rib depending from the flange and disposed to be inserted in the attachment hole;
- and
- a hollow body projecting from and below the base part with the flange, wherein the flange is constructed to cover an edge of the attachment hole into which the rib and the hollow body of the clip are inserted, at least one pawl adjacent to the rib for engaging an edge portion of the attachment hole to retain the hollow body in the attachment hole, and at least one pawl inside the hollow body for engaging an engagement part of the member inserted in the hollow body.
An apparatus for attaching a sheet-form vehicle occupant protection member to a body panel, comprising:
- a clip to be attached to the body panel through insertion in an attachment hole therein, for holding the protection member, wherein:
- the clip comprises a substantially flat, elongated base part with an integral peripheral flange to cover an outer edge of the attachment hole, a peripheral rib below the flange with at least one first pawl to be inserted into the attachment hole to engage an edge portion of the attachment hole, and a protection member attaching part formed within the flange to receive and hold an engagement part of the protection member, the attaching part being formed as a hollow body that projects from and below the base part and has at least one second pawl therein to prevent the engagement part from pulling out of the attaching part.
An assembly comprising:
- a clip to be attached to a body panel through insertion of the clip in an attachment hole in the body panel;
- and
- a sheet-form vehicle occupant protection member, formed of a soft material that absorbs impact energy, to be attached to the body panel via the clip, wherein
- the clip has a base part with a peripheral flange to cover an outer edge of the attachment hole, at least one first pawl for retaining the clip in the attachment hole after it is inserted therein, and a protection member attaching part formed within the flange to receive and hold an engagement part of the protection member, the protection member attaching part being formed as a hollow body which projects from and below the base part and has at least one second pawl therein for engaging and holding the engagement part inserted in the hollow body, and wherein
- the engagement part is an integral, unitary part of, and protrudes from, a main portion of the protection member and is inserted in the hollow body.
2 more elements
An assembly comprising:
- a clip to be attached to a body panel through insertion of the clip in an attachment hole in the body panel;
- and
- a sheet-form vehicle occupant protection member to be attached to the body panel via the clip, wherein
- the clip has a flange to cover an outer edge of the attachment hole, at least one first pawl for retaining the clip in the attachment hole after it is inserted therein, and a protection member attaching part formed within the flange to receive and hold an engagement part of the protection member, the protection member attaching part being formed as a hollow body which projects from the flange and has at least one second pawl therein for engaging and holding the engagement part inserted in the hollow body,
- wherein the engagement part protrudes from a main portion of the protection member and is inserted in the hollow body, and
- wherein the protection member is formed of a soft material that absorbs impact energy, the engagement part is shaped as a solid truncated pyramid, and the hollow body has an interior shape that complements the shape of the engagement part.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.