Holding clip for a rain sensor

• US 20070164188A1
• Filed: 01/18/2007
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Neumann, Andreas, Mordau, Ulf
• Granted Patent: US 8,763,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/503
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0888 characterized by the attachment of the elements in a unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/245 Housings for sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments

Abstract

A holding clip (16) for a sensor (10) includes a plate (22), the plate (22) being able to cover the sensor, at least one holding arm (26) and at least one detent arm (28), the holding arm (26) and the detent arm (28) being constructed such that they can engage on a holding frame (12) for the sensor (10), the holding clip (16) being formed integrally.

Claims

1. A holding clip (16) for a sensor (10), with a plate (22), said plate (22) being able to cover said sensor, at least one holding arm (26) and at least one detent arm (28), said holding arm (26) and said detent arm (28) being constructed such that they can engage on a holding frame (12) for said sensor (10), said holding clip (16) being formed integrally.

2. The holding clip according to claim 1, wherein said holding clip (16) is a bent sheet metal part.

3. The holding clip according to claim 1, wherein at least one spring tongue (38) is provided in said plate (22), said spring tongue being bent out from a plane of said plate (22) towards said sensor (10).

4. The holding clip according to claim 3, wherein two parallel notches (36) are provided in said plate (22) of said holding clip (16), defining said spring tongue (38).

5. The holding clip according to claim 3, wherein an opening (40) for a fixing projection (42) of said sensor (10) is provided in said spring tongue (38).

6. The holding clip according to claim 1, wherein said plate (22) is provided with a bent edge (24), said bent edge (24) serving to fix said sensor (10).

7. The holding clip according to claim 6, wherein one of said holding arm (26) and said detent arm (28) are provided on said bent edge (24) of said plate (22).

8. The holding clip according to claim 6, wherein said bent edge (24) is provided with a recess for a plug connector (43) of said sensor (10).

9. The holding clip according to claim 1, wherein said plate (22) is provided with an installation aid (50) by means of which said holding clip (16) can be connected with said sensor (10).

10. The holding clip according to claim 9, wherein said installation aid (50) is constructed as a lateral tongue (50).

11. The holding clip according to claim 9, wherein said installation aid (50) has a guide link (52) into which a guide projection (54) of said sensor (10) can engage.

12. The holding clip according to claim 1, wherein two holding arms (26) are provided on one side of said plate (22), and two detent arms (28) are provided on an opposite side of said plate (22).

13. The holding clip according to claim 1, wherein said two detent arms (28) are connected with said plate (22) by means of a shared connecting cross-piece (29).

14. An assembly consisting of a holding frame (12) which can be mounted on a pane of a motor vehicle, a sensor (10) which may be a rain sensor in particular, and a holding clip (16) according to claim 1.

15. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein said sensor (10) has a fixing projection (42).

16. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein said holding frame has an abutment (14), said detent arm (28) of said holding clip (16) has a recess (32) and said sensor (10) has a detent nose (44), said detent nose (44) cooperating with said recess (32) in said detent arm (28) of said holding clip (16) such that said detent nose (44) can hold said detent arm (28) in a pre-mounted state in which said detent arm (28) can be inserted into said abutment (14) on said holding frame (12), and can arrest said detent arm (28) in a detent position after said sensor (10) is mounted on said holding frame.

17. The assembly according to claim 14, wherein said sensor (10) has a guide projection (54) and said holding clip (16) has a mounting tongue (50) with a guide link (52), said guide projection (54) engaging into said guide link (52) of said mounting tongue (50).

18. The assembly according to claim 17, wherein said sensor (10) is pre-mounted captively on said holding clip (16) by means of said guide projection (54).