Plastic clip

• US 8,578,571 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Newfrey Llc (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Thomas, Reindl, Johann
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITTAIN, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US13/021,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20110154623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 245/30, 24545-547, 245/55, 245/56, 24560-564, 245/71, 245/70, 24/675, 244/56, 244/59, 245/02, 245/03, 245/05, 245/13, 245/15, 245/17, 24535-537, 245/42
• US Class Current: 24/536
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/005 Means to increase the friction-coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/185 using levers
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/22 of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material F16B2/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/263 Installation, e.g. suspension, of conduit channels or other supports
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/32 using mounting clamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44017 with specific mounting means for attaching to rigid or semirigid supporting structure or structure-to-be-secured
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44692 Camming or wedging element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44744 with position locking-means for engaging faces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44932 having specific surface material or irregularity on or along engaging face

Abstract

A plastic clip for fastening an article in the region of an end face of a flat workpiece comprises a base section, including a first and a second leg extending from the base section to form a U shape, and a fastening section connected to the base section and operable to fasten the article to the clip. The base section and the legs are made of a relatively hard plastic material and the legs can be elastically expanded relative to one another in order to accommodate the workpiece between their inner sides. An anti-slip section made of a relatively soft plastic material is provided on at least one of the inner sides.

Claims

1. A plastic clip for fastening an article in the region of an end face of a flat workpiece, the clip comprising:

an outer portion including a first base section and a first leg and a second leg, which extend from the first base section and form a U shape with the first base section, and the first leg and the second leg each include a respective first inner side and second inner side, the first inner side including a first latching nose projecting inward at a first distance from the first base section and a second latching nose projecting inward at a second distance from the first base section, the second distance greater than the first distance, and the first leg and the second leg are elastically movable relative to one another;

an inner portion made of a relatively hard plastic material and including a second base section, a third leg and a fourth leg, an outer side of the third leg partially defining a first latching recess at a third distance from the second base section, and the third leg and the fourth leg each include a respective third inner side and a fourth inner side, and the inner portion partially defines a gripping space adapted to accommodate the end face of the workpiece, and the third leg and the fourth leg are elastically movable relative to one another in order to alter the gripping space;

a first anti-slip section, made of a relatively soft plastic material, is arranged on an inner side of the third leg; and

the inner portion is insertable into the outer portion.

2. The plastic clip according claim 1, wherein the outer portion is movable with respect to the inner portion in a clamping direction parallel to the legs so as to bring the plastic clip from a released condition, wherein the second latching nose engages the first latching recess, to a clamped condition, wherein the first latching nose engages the first latching recess, and in the clamped condition the outer portion exerts a pressure force on the inner portion in a compressing direction transverse to the clamping direction from the outside toward the workpiece.

3. The plastic clip according to claim 2, wherein the first latching nose includes a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface closer to the first base section, and the bottom surface further from the first base section and sloping outward and downward in a direction away from the first base section.

4. The plastic clip according to claim 3, wherein the top surface of the first latching nose is an oblique latching surface sloping inward and downward in the direction away from the first base section.

5. The plastic clip according to claim 4, wherein the first latching recess is partially defined by an upper surface and a lower surface on the outer side of the third leg, the upper surface sloping inward and downward in a direction away from the second base section.

6. The plastic clip according to claim 3, wherein the clip defines a longitudinal axis extending through the head and down between the first leg and the second leg, and the top surface slopes inward and downward in the direction away from the first base section, such that an imaginary extension of the top surface defines with the longitudinal axis an upward opening acute first angle less than 90°

.

7. The plastic clip according to claim 6, wherein an imaginary extension of the bottom surface defines with the longitudinal axis a downward opening acute second angle, and the second angle is smaller than the first angle.

8. The plastic clip according to claim 2, wherein the outer portion and the inner portion are coupled to each other by a coupling device before the plastic clip is brought into the clamped condition.

9. The plastic clip according to claim 2, wherein the outer portion and the inner portion are a unitary molded assembly coupled together by a frangible webbing which breaks when the plastic clip is first moved between the released condition and the clamped condition.

10. The plastic clip according to claim 1, wherein a damping section made of a relatively soft plastic material is formed on the fastening section and operable for fastening of the article.

11. The plastic clip according to claim 1, wherein at least one reinforcing rib extends radially outwards from an outer side of at least one of the first leg and the base section.