Connecting structure for automotive trim panels

• US 8,474,214 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2011
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dawe, Douglas, Spitler, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Katcheves, Basil
• Assistant Examiner(s): MINTZ, RODNEY K
• Application Number:
  US13/014,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20120187722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 527/168, 527/165, 527/166, 527/170.1, 527/180.1, 527/180.4, 522/08, 525/11, 525/822, 528/34, 528/44, 528/45, 527/851.2, 527/861.2, 527/871.2, 527/921, 527/921.1, 296/191, 296/146.6, 296/204, 296/202, 296/205, 296/39.1, 296/39.3, 296/1.08, 296/24.34, 296/70, 296/37.8, 242/89, 242/93, 242/94
• US Class Current: 52/716.6
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0664 at least one of the sheets or plates having integrally formed or integrally connected snap-in-features
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/30 Trim molding fastener

Abstract

A connecting structure includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part. The first connecting part has a clip and a stabilizer flange that is spaced apart from the clip. The second connecting part has a first engagement structure that is engageable with the clip of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second connecting part with respect to the first connecting part in an insertion direction. The second connecting part also has a second engagement structure that is engageable with the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second connecting part with respect to the first connecting part in an elevational direction.

Claims

1. A panel structure for an automobile, comprising:

a first panel having a first edge;

a first connecting part positioned adjacent to the first edge of the first panel, the first connecting part having a clip and a stabilizer flange that is spaced apart from the clip, wherein the stabilizer flange includes a first portion and a second portion that are situated on opposite sides of the clip in a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to both an insertion direction and an elevational direction;

a second panel having a second edge; and

a second connecting part positioned adjacent to the second edge of the second panel, the second connecting part having a first engagement structure that is engageable with the clip of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second panel with respect to the first panel in the insertion direction, and a second engagement structure that is engageable with the first portion of the stabilizer flange and the second portion of the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second panel with respect to the first panel in the elevational direction, wherein each of the first portion of the stabilizer flange and the second portion of the stabilizer flange includes an extension portion and a plurality of discrete protrusions, each protrusion from the plurality of discrete protrusions extending upward from the extension portion in the elevational direction, each protrusion from the plurality of discrete protrusions directly contacting the second engagement structure, and the protrusions from the plurality of discrete protrusions being spaced apart with respect to one another in the lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to both the insertion direction and the elevational direction, and

wherein the second connecting part includes a base portion and the first engagement structure extends outward from the base portion in a direction opposite of the elevational direction, a portion of the second engagement structure of the second connecting part is interposed between the stabilizer flange and the clip of the first connecting part such that the second engagement structure contacts the stabilizer flange and is spaced apart from the clip, and the portion of the second engagement structure of the second connecting part is spaced apart from the base portion to define a channel within which the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part is receivable.

2. A panel structure for an automobile, comprising:

a first panel having a first edge;

a first connecting part positioned adjacent to the first edge of the first panel, the first connecting part having a clip and a stabilizer flange that is spaced apart from the clip, wherein the stabilizer flange includes a first portion and a second portion that are situated on opposite sides of the clip in a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to both an insertion direction and an elevational direction;

a second panel having a second edge; and

a second connecting part positioned adjacent to the second edge of the second panel, the second connecting part having a first engagement structure that is engageable with the clip of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second panel with respect to the first panel in the insertion direction, and a second engagement structure that is engageable with the first portion of the stabilizer flange and the second portion of the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second panel with respect to the first panel in the elevational direction, wherein each of the first portion of the stabilizer flange and the second portion of the stabilizer flange includes an extension portion and a plurality of discrete protrusions, each protrusion from the plurality of discrete protrusions extending upward from the extension portion in the elevational direction, each protrusion from the plurality of discrete protrusions directly contacting the second engagement structure, and the protrusions from the plurality of discrete protrusions being spaced apart with respect to one another in the lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to both the insertion direction and the elevational direction, and

wherein the clip of the first connecting part includes a shoulder that is formed on a first side of the clip for engagement with the first engagement structure of the second connecting part, wherein the second connecting part is disposed entirely on the first side of the clip, such that a second side of the clip that is opposite the first side of the clip faces away from the second connecting part.

3. The panel structure of claim 2, wherein the elevational direction is substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction, the first panel and the second panel are moveable with respect to one another between an engaged position and a disengaged position, engagement of the first engagement structure with the clip restrains movement of the first panel with respect to the second panel toward the disengaged position in a direction opposite of the insertion direction, engagement of the second engagement structure with the stabilizer flange restrains movement of the first panel with respect to the second panel in a direction opposite of the elevational direction, and the clip is configured to restrain movement of the first panel with respect to the second panel from the engaged position toward the disengaged position solely along an axis that is parallel to the insertion direction.

4. The panel structure of claim 2, wherein the first connecting part includes a base portion, the clip extends outward from the base portion in the insertion direction, the stabilizer flange extends outward form the base portion in the insertion direction, the second engagement structure is spaced apart from the first engagement structure in the lateral direction, and the stabilizer flange is spaced apart from the clip in the elevational direction.

5. The panel structure of claim 2, wherein the second connecting part includes a base portion and the first engagement structure extends outward from the base portion in a direction opposite of the elevational direction, a portion of the second engagement structure of the second connecting part is interposed between the stabilizer flange and the clip of the first connecting part such that the second engagement structure contacts the stabilizer flange and is spaced apart from the clip, and the portion of the second engagement structure of the second connecting part is spaced apart from the base portion to define a channel within which the stabilizer flange of the first is receivable.

6. The panel structure of claim 2, wherein the clip is a one-sided clip.

7. A connecting structure, comprising:

a first connecting part having a clip and a stabilizer flange that is spaced apart from the clip; and

a second connecting part having a first engagement structure that is engageable with the clip of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second connecting part with respect to the first connecting part in an insertion direction, and a second engagement structure that is engageable with the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part to restrain movement of the second connecting part with respect to the first connecting part in an elevational direction, wherein the stabilizer flange includes an extension portion and a plurality of discrete protrusions, each protrusion from the plurality of discrete protrusions extending upward from the extension portion in the elevational direction, each protrusion from the plurality of discrete protrusions directly contacting the second engagement structure, and the protrusions from the plurality of discrete protrusions being spaced apart with respect to one another in a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to both the insertion direction and the elevational direction, and

wherein the second engagement structure defines a channel that is configured to receive the stabilizer flange such that the second engagement structure is engageable with the plurality of discrete protrusions of the stabilizer flange and the second engagement structure is further engageable with a surface of the stabilizer flange that is opposite the plurality of protrusions in the elevational direction to restrain elevational movement of the first connecting part with respect to the second connecting part.

8. The connecting structure of claim 7, wherein the elevational direction is substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction.

9. The connecting structure of claim 7, wherein the first connecting part includes a base portion, the clip extends outward from the base portion in the insertion direction, and the stabilizer flange extends outward form the base portion in the insertion direction.

10. The connecting structure of claim 7, wherein the second engagement structure of the second connecting part is spaced apart from the first engagement structure of the second connecting part in the lateral direction.

11. The connecting structure of claim 7, wherein the stabilizer flange is spaced from the clip in the elevational direction.

12. The connecting structure of claim 7, wherein a portion the second engagement structure of the second connecting part is interposed between the stabilizer flange and the clip of the first connecting part such that the second engagement structure contacts the stabilizer flange and is spaced apart from the clip.

13. The connecting structure of claim 7, wherein the clip is a one-sided clip.

14. The connecting structure of claim 7, wherein the second connecting part includes a base portion and the first engagement structure extends outward from the base portion in a direction opposite of the elevational direction.

15. The connecting structure of claim 14, wherein a portion of the second engagement structure of the second connecting part is spaced apart from the base portion to define the channel in which the stabilizer flange of the first connecting part is receivable.

16. The connecting structure of claim 7, wherein the first connecting part and the second connecting part are moveable with respect to one another between an engaged position and a disengaged position.

17. The connecting structure of claim 16, wherein engagement of the first engagement structure of the second connecting part with the clip restrains movement of the first connecting part with respect to the second connecting part toward the disengaged position in a direction opposite of the insertion direction.

18. The connecting structure of claim 16, wherein the clip is configured to restrain movement of the first connecting part with respect to the second connecting part from the engaged position toward the disengaged position solely along an axis that is parallel to the insertion direction.