JP7701293B2 - Epidermal retention clip - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a clip for retaining the epidermis.

The cushion pad of a seat, for example a vehicle seat, is formed by covering the surface of a foam body made of polyurethane foam or the like with a skin made of, for example, knitted fabric or leather. To secure the skin to the foam body, a clip for fastening the skin (sometimes called a "hogless clip") has been used (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2 below).

JP 2019-138471 A JP 2020-156629 A

The skin-fastening clips described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 both have a structure in which only the fastening piece of the clip material held by the foam (hereinafter referred to as the "female clip") is partially elastically deformed, while the clip material fixed to the skin (hereinafter referred to as the "male clip") is hardly deformed. In this structure, in order to fasten the male clip within the female clip, the engaged portion of the male clip must be completely accommodated within the female clip while the fastening piece of the female clip is elastically deformed, and then the male clip must be further inserted in the insertion direction to release the contact between the fastening piece and the male clip and return the fastening piece of the female clip to its original fastening position. For this reason, it is necessary to secure a space within the female clip to release the contact between the fastening piece and the male clip, and therefore a certain height along the insertion direction of the male clip is required.

The female clip as described above is disposed in a groove provided in the foam. Therefore, if the height of the female clip is greater than the depth of the groove in which it is disposed, the tip of the female clip will protrude from the surface of the cushion pad, which may cause the cushion pad to be uncomfortable to sit on. Therefore, if the female clip has a certain height as described above, the female clip cannot be disposed in the shallow part of the groove, which is one factor that reduces the design freedom of the seat (specifically the cushion pad).

Taking into consideration the above-mentioned issues, the present disclosure aims to provide a skin-fastening clip with high design freedom.

In order to achieve the above object, the skin-fastening clip according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes a female clip including a base held by a foam, a pair of walls standing opposite each other at a predetermined distance from the surface of the base, and a fastening portion provided on the inner wall surface of the pair of walls, and a male clip including an attachment portion attached to the skin and an insertion portion connected to one end of the attachment portion and inserted into a storage space provided between the pair of walls of the female clip, the insertion portion including a contact portion that contacts the base when inserted into the storage space along the insertion direction, an expansion portion that expands in a direction intersecting the insertion direction when the contact portion contacts the base and is further inserted along the insertion direction, and an engaged portion that is provided in the expansion portion and engages with the fastening portion when the expansion portion expands.

In this type of skin-retaining clip, the widening portion of the male clip is widened to engage the retaining portion with the retained portion, thereby retaining the male clip and the female clip. This eliminates the need to provide space in the female clip to eliminate contact with the male clip as in the past, and allows the height of the female clip to be kept low. Furthermore, by reducing the height of the female clip, the skin-retaining clip can be placed in a relatively shallow groove in the foam, improving the design freedom of the seat to which the skin-retaining clip is applied.

The epidermis-retaining clip according to the second aspect of the present disclosure is an epidermis-retaining clip according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the widening portion includes a pair of attachment-side arms having one end connected to one end of the attachment portion, a pair of contact-side arms having one end connected to the contact portion, and a pair of curved portions that form at least a part of the retained portion and connect the other ends of the pair of attachment-side arms to the other ends of the pair of contact-side arms, respectively, and the length between the one end and the other end of the pair of contact-side arms is longer than the length between the one end and the other end of the pair of attachment-side arms.

In such a skin-fastening clip, the curved portion that constitutes at least a portion of the fastened portion can be securely fastened to the fastening portion.

The epidermis-retaining clip according to the third aspect of the present disclosure is the epidermis-retaining clip according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the widening portion includes a pair of attachment portion-side arms having one end connected to one end of the attachment portion, and a pair of contact portion-side arms having one end connected to the contact portion and the other end connected to the other end of the pair of attachment portion-side arms, and further includes a holding mechanism for holding the contact portion in a state in which the pair of attachment portion-side arms and the pair of contact portion-side arms move in a direction approaching each other when the male clip is inserted into the accommodation space of the female clip, with the contact portion in contact with the base.

In this type of skin-locking clip, the widening portion can be held in an expanded state by the holding mechanism, which more reliably prevents the male clip from coming loose.

The epidermis-retaining clip according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the epidermis-retaining clip according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the retaining mechanism includes a locking hook provided at one end of the attachment portion and a locking hole provided in the contact portion for locking the locking hook.

This type of skin-fastening clip has a simple structure that allows the widening portion to remain widened.

The epidermis-retaining clip according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure is an epidermis-retaining clip according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, in which the holding mechanism includes a fitting portion provided on at least one of the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment side arms and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact side arms, and a fitted portion provided on at least one of the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment side arms and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact side arms and capable of fitting into the fitting portion.

This type of skin-fastening clip has a simple structure that allows the widening portion to remain widened.

The epidermis-retaining clip according to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the epidermis-retaining clip according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the widening portion includes a pair of arms having one end connected to one end of the attachment portion, at least a part of the opposing surfaces of the pair of arms constitutes the contact portion, the engaged portion is provided on the surface of the pair of arms opposite the opposing surfaces, the pair of walls are erected from the base with their tips inclined in a direction approaching each other, and the base includes a protrusion including a pair of guide surfaces that contact the contact portions and guide the movement of the pair of arms.

In this type of skin-locking clip, the space provided in the female clip to eliminate contact with the male clip can be arranged in a direction that intersects with the insertion direction, making it possible to keep the height of the female clip low.

The epidermis-retaining clip disclosed herein can provide an epidermis-retaining clip with high design freedom by keeping the height of the female clip low.

1 is a perspective view showing an example of an epidermis-fastening clip according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which the skin-fastening clip shown in FIG. 1 is disposed on a foam of a seat. FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a state before engagement of the epidermis-fastening clip shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after the epidermis-fastening clip shown in FIG. 2 is engaged; 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an epidermis-fastening clip according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure in a pre-engagement state; FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after the epidermis-fastening clip shown in FIG. 5 is engaged. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an epidermis-locking clip according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure in a pre-engagement state; FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after the epidermis-fastening clip shown in FIG. 7 is engaged. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an epidermis-fastening clip according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure in a pre-engagement state; FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after the epidermis-fastening clip shown in FIG. 9 is engaged. FIG.

Below, an embodiment for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, below, the scope necessary for the explanation to achieve the object of the present disclosure will be shown diagrammatically, and the scope necessary for the explanation of the relevant parts of the present disclosure will be mainly explained, and the parts for which explanation is omitted will be explained based on publicly known technology. Also, when a figure includes multiple identical or equivalent components, in order to make the figure easier to read, only some of them may be labeled with reference symbols.

First Embodiment
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a skin-fastening clip according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which the skin-fastening clip shown in FIG. 1 is disposed on a foam of a sheet. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a state before engagement of the skin-fastening clip shown in FIG. 2. In the following description, the X direction shown in FIG. 1 is provisionally defined as the left-right direction, the Y direction as the front-rear direction, and the Z direction as the up-down direction. In FIG. 2, the skin 3 is omitted so that the surface shape of the foam 2 can be easily understood. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows a state cut along the line A-A shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the skin fastening clip 1 according to this embodiment may be used, for example, when fixing a skin 3 to a foam 2 constituting a cushion pad of a vehicle seat. This skin fastening clip 1 includes a female clip 10 and a male clip 20. Note that, although this embodiment illustrates an example in which the skin fastening clip 1 is applied to a vehicle seat, it can be similarly applied to other components other than vehicle seats, as long as the foam is covered with a skin.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of female clips 10 (for example, 12 in FIG. 2) can be arranged at appropriate positions in a groove 2A provided in the foam 2. The female clip 10 can be made of a material having a certain elasticity, for example, a well-known synthetic resin such as polyethylene (PET) or polypropylene (PP), and a well-known resin molding method such as injection molding can be used as a molding method. The female clip 10 includes at least a base 11 held by the foam 2, a pair of walls 12L, 12R erected so as to face each other with a certain distance between them in the left-right direction from the surface of the base 11, and locking portions 13L, 13R provided on the inner wall surfaces of the pair of walls 12L, 12R.

This female clip 10 can be held in the foam 2 by inserting it into the mold for the foam 2 so that it is placed at the bottom of the groove 2A when the foam 2 is foam-molded. At this time, the position in the groove 2A where the female clip 10 can be placed is a position whose depth is set to be greater than the height of the female clip 10. In addition, the female clip 10 held in the foam 2 by the above-mentioned method is preferably held in a state where at least a pair of locking portions 13L, 13R and a storage space 15 described later are exposed to the outside of the foam 2. Note that the method of holding the female clip 10 in the foam 2 is not limited to the above-mentioned method, and it may be held by, for example, adhesive or welding.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the base 11 may be formed of a plate having a predetermined thickness and formed in a substantially rectangular shape. The pair of walls 12L, 12R may extend upward from both left and right ends of the base 11 in a substantially perpendicular manner. The locking portions 13L, 13R may be formed so as to extend from the inside of the tips of the pair of walls 12L, 12R in a direction approaching each other and in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the left and right direction so that the tips of the locking portions 13L, 13R face the base 11. The gap formed between the tips of the locking portions 13L, 13R may define an insertion opening into which the male clip 20 is inserted. In addition, a pair of tapered surfaces 14L, 14R that guide the insertion of the male clip 20 may be formed on the left and right sides of the insertion opening. Since the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R are widened in the upward direction, a part of the male clip 20 that comes into contact with the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R may be elastically deformed when moving toward the insertion opening.

The area surrounded by the base 11, the pair of walls 12L, 12R, and the locking portions 13L, 13R can function as a storage space 15 that stores the insertion portion 22 of the male clip 20. Of this storage space 15, the area surrounded on three sides by the base 11, one wall 12L, and one locking portion 13L, and the area surrounded on three sides by the base 11, the other wall 12R, and the other locking portion 13R may be a pair of locking spaces 16L, 16R for locking the male clip 20 in the inserted state.

The male clip 20 may be a member capable of fixing the skin 3 to the foam body 2 by inserting a part of it into and fixing it in the storage space 15 of the female clip 10 described above. The male clip 20 may be made of a known synthetic resin, similar to the female clip 10, and a known resin molding method may be adopted as the molding method. The male clip 20 is made of a material having elasticity, similar to the female clip, but it is more preferable that the material is more flexible than the female clip 10. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the male clip 20 includes at least an attachment portion 21 to which one end of the skin 3 can be attached, and an insertion portion 22 that is connected to one end located downward of the attachment portion 21 and can be inserted into the storage space 15 of the female clip 10.

The mounting portion 21 can be formed of a plate-like body, and the end of the skin 3 can be attached directly or indirectly to one or both sides of the plate. The skin 3 can be attached to the mounting portion 21 by sewing, for example, but is not limited to this. Other attachment methods, such as adhesives, rivets, or welding, can also be used.

The insertion portion 22 may be connected to one end of the attachment portion 21, specifically, to the end on the side of the insertion direction of the male clip 20 (for example, the direction corresponding to the arrow M shown in FIG. 3; hereinafter, also referred to as the "insertion direction M"), and may be inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 10 to connect the female clip 10 and the male clip 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the insertion portion 22 may include a contact portion 23 that may come into contact with the base 11 when the male clip 20 is inserted from above into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 10 along the insertion direction M, a widening portion 24 that widens in a direction intersecting the insertion direction M, for example, in the left-right direction, when the male clip 20 is further inserted along the insertion direction M after the contact portion 23 comes into contact with the base 11, and an engaged portion 25 that is provided in the widening portion 24 and engaged with the engaging portions 13L and 13R when the widening portion 24 widens. In this embodiment, the insertion direction M of the male clip 20 is shown as being downward (-Z direction) in Figures 1 and 3, but the insertion direction M is not limited to this.

The contact portion 23 may constitute the tip portion of the male clip 20 in the insertion direction M. When the contact portion 23 is inserted into the storage space 15 of the female clip 10, it may come into contact with the surface of the base portion 11. The widening portion 24 may widen in the left-right direction in the storage space 15 of the female clip 10 during the process of inserting the male clip 20 into the storage space 15 of the female clip 10. The widening portion 24 according to this embodiment may include a pair of mounting portion side arms 26L, 26R, one end of which is connected to one end of the mounting portion 21, a pair of contact portion side arms 27L, 27R, one end of which is connected to the contact portion 23, and a pair of curved portions 28L, 28R, which constitute at least a part of the above-mentioned engaged portion 25 and connect each of the other ends of the pair of mounting portion side arms 26L, 26R to each of the other ends of the pair of contact portion side arms 27L, 27R.

The pair of mounting side arms 26L, 26R may be configured with thin plate-like members whose base ends are connected to the mounting portion 21 and extend in a direction away from each other toward the tip side. The pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R may be configured with thin plate-like members whose base ends are connected to the contact portion 23 and extend in a direction away from each other toward the tip side. The lengths from the base ends to the tip ends of the pair of mounting side arms 26L, 26R and the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R, in other words, their extension lengths, may be adjusted so that the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R are longer than the pair of mounting side arms 26L, 26R. In this way, making the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R longer than the pair of attachment side arms 26L, 26R is effective in ensuring that the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R that make up the locked portion 25 engage with the pair of locking portions 13L, 13R when the male clip 20 is inserted into the female clip 10.

The pair of curved portions 28L, 28R are configured to connect the respective ends of the pair of mounting side arms 26L, 26R and the respective ends of the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R, and may be formed in an arc-shaped curve so as to be convex in the direction away from each other. The outer dimensions of the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R may be adjusted so that they can be inserted into the locking spaces 16L, 16R of the female clip when the male clip 20 is inserted into the female clip 10. The thicknesses of the pair of mounting side arms 26L, 26R, the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R, and the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R described above may all be adjusted to a degree that allows desired elastic deformation. In addition, the widening portion 24 including the pair of mounting side arms 26L, 26R, the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R, and the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R described above may be configured as a substantially rectangular frame having a space inside, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the state after the skin-retaining clip shown in Figure 2 is engaged. Below, a method for attaching the skin 3 to the foam 2 using the skin-retaining clip 1 including the above-mentioned configuration will be briefly described mainly with reference to Figures 3 and 4. In order to attach the skin 3 to the foam 2, first, the base 11 of the female clip 10 is held in advance at an arbitrary position within the groove 2A of the foam 2, and the skin 3 is attached to the attachment part 21 of the male clip 20. Next, the male clip 20 with the skin 3 attached is moved along the insertion direction M to start insertion into the female clip 10.

As the male clip 20 moves in the insertion direction M, first the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R come into contact with the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R. As the male clip 20 moves further, the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R are pressed against the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R, elastically deforming the insertion portion 22 so that the width in the left-right direction is reduced, and in particular, the movement of the contact portion 23 into the storage space 15 is promoted. When the contact portion 23 comes into contact with the surface of the base 11, the widening operation of the widening portion 24 is started. Specifically, the inner surfaces of the pair of mounting portion side arms 26L, 26R and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact portion side arms 27L, 27R move in a direction approaching each other, and the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R are pushed apart in the left-right direction accordingly.

As the male clip 20 continues to move in the insertion direction M, the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R, which have been pushed apart in the left-right direction, enter the left and right locking spaces 16L, 16R, respectively, and a part of them comes into contact with the locking portions 13L, 13R. As described above, in the male clip 20 according to this embodiment, the extension length of the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R is adjusted to be longer than that of the pair of attachment side arms 26L, 26R. As the male clip 20 moves in the insertion direction M, the internal space of the widening portion 24 is displaced so as to be crushed, and the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R rotate toward the locking portions 13L, 13R. This ensures that the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R and the locking portions 13L, 13R can be engaged with each other.

When the male clip 20 moves in the insertion direction M and the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment side arms 26L, 26R and the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R come into contact with or approach each other, the insertion portion 22 of the male clip 20 is held in a state housed within the housing space 15 of the female clip 10, as shown in Figure 4. This holding state is maintained by the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R engaging with the locking portions 13L, 13R, which restricts the insertion portion 22 from elastically returning to the shape it had before being inserted into the housing space 15 of the female clip 10.

As described above, the epidermis-retaining clip 1 according to this embodiment employs an elastically deformable insertion portion 22 in the male clip 20, and employs a widening portion 24 that displaces in a direction intersecting the insertion direction M, specifically in the left-right direction, when a part of the insertion portion 22 is inserted into the storage space 15 of the female clip 10. As a result, in the epidermis-retaining clip 1 according to this embodiment, the movement of the male clip in the insertion direction M stops halfway while the male clip is moving in the insertion direction M, and instead moves in a direction intersecting the insertion direction M. Therefore, unlike the conventional female clip, there is no need to secure a space for moving the male clip in the height direction to return the locking piece to the locking position, so the height of the female clip can be kept low. As a result, the epidermis-retaining clip 1 according to this embodiment can be disposed in a portion where the depth of the groove 2A of the foam 2 is relatively shallow, improving the design freedom of the cushion pad.

Second Embodiment
In the above-mentioned first embodiment, a pair of curved portions 28L, 28R are provided between the tips of the pair of attachment side arms 26L, 26R and the tips of the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R, and the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R are engaged with the pair of locking portions 13L, 13R to maintain the inserted state of the male clip 20, but the present disclosure is not limited to such a structure. Therefore, as a second embodiment of the present disclosure, an example of an epidermal locking clip 1A including a holding mechanism for holding the male clip inserted in the accommodation space of the female clip will be described below. Note that the holding mechanism of the epidermal locking clip 1A shown below is merely an example, and the specific configuration of the holding mechanism can be appropriately changed within a range in which the function can be maintained.

The epidermis-retaining clip 1A according to this embodiment may have the same configuration as the epidermis-retaining clip 1 according to the first embodiment, except that it has a retention mechanism. Therefore, in the epidermis-retaining clip 1A shown below, the parts that have the same configuration as the epidermis-retaining clip 1 are given the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the state before engagement of the epidermis-retaining clip according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. Also, Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the state after engagement of the epidermis-retaining clip shown in Figure 5, where Figure 6(A) is a view of the epidermis-retaining clip from the front, and Figure 6(B) is a cross-sectional view of the epidermis-retaining clip shown in Figure 6(A) cut at its midpoint in the front-rear direction. Note that Figures 5 and 6 correspond to Figures 3 and 4, but to simplify the figures, the foam 2 and epidermis 3 are omitted.

The epidermis-fastening clip 1A according to this embodiment may include a female clip 30 and a male clip 40. Of these, the female clip 30 may adopt a structure similar to that of the female clip 10 of the first embodiment described above, except that, as shown in FIG. 6B, the female clip 30 is provided in its front-rear middle portion with an escape hole 31 through which the tip of the locking hook 42 described later can enter. The male clip 40 may also adopt a structure similar to that of the male clip 20 of the first embodiment described above, except that the male clip 40 includes a locking hook 42 provided at one end of the attachment portion 21, which constitutes a holding mechanism, and a locking hole 43 provided in the contact portion 23, through which the locking hook 42 can be locked.

The retaining mechanism provided on the male clip 40 can be mainly composed of the above-mentioned locking hook 42 and locking hole 43. Of these, the locking hook 42 may be provided so that a part of its base end side is accommodated in recesses 41L, 41R provided in the front-rear direction middle part of the base end side of the pair of mounting part side arms 26L, 26R, as shown in FIG. 6(B). This locking hook 42 has its base end connected to one end on the insertion direction M side of the mounting part 21, extends along the insertion direction M of the male clip 40, and has hook-shaped protrusions 42A formed on the side of its tip, for example, on the left and right side.

The locking hole 43 can be a hole provided in the middle of the contact portion 23 in the front-rear direction and penetrating the contact portion 23 along the insertion direction M. The width of the locking hole 43 in the left-right direction can be adjusted to match the width of the locking hook 42 in the left-right direction, specifically the position of the hook-shaped protrusion 42A, and in this regard, the left-right ends of the locking hole 43 can extend to the base ends of the contact portion side arms 27L and 27R. Note that, in this embodiment, a case has been illustrated in which one locking hook 42 and one locking hole 43 are provided in the middle of the male clip 40 in the front-rear direction, but the number and arrangement of these are not particularly limited.

The method of attaching the epidermis 3 to the foam 2 using the epidermis-retaining clip 1A including the above-mentioned configuration is generally similar to that of the epidermis-retaining clip 1 according to the first embodiment, except for the operation of the holding mechanism. Therefore, the operation of the epidermis-retaining clip 1A will be briefly explained below, focusing on the operation of the holding mechanism.

First, the male clip 40 with the skin 3 attached is moved along the insertion direction M toward the female clip 30, whose base 11 has been previously held at an arbitrary position within the groove 2A of the foam 2, and insertion into the female clip 30 is started.

As the male clip 40 moves in the insertion direction M, the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R are guided by the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R while the tip of the male clip 40 is inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 30, the contact portion 23 comes into contact with the surface of the base portion 11, and the widening operation of the widening portion 24 begins.

As the male clip 20 moves in the insertion direction M and the widening operation of the widening portion 24 progresses, the locking hook 42 is inserted into the locking hole 43. When the tip of the locking hook 42 inserted into the locking hole 43 passes through the locking hole 43, it enters the escape hole 31 of the female clip 30. Then, at the same timing as when a part of the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R that have been pushed open in the left and right direction abuts against the locking portions 13L, 13R, the end of the hook-shaped protrusion 42A passes through the locking hole 43 and returns to a state that is open in the left and right direction, and locks the left and right ends of the locking hole 43 (see FIG. 6 (A)).

When the locking hook 42 is locked in the locking hole 43, the displacement of the widening portion 24 of the male clip 40, specifically the relative movement of the pair of attachment side arms 26L, 26R and the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R, is restricted. This restricts the displacement of the male clip 40 in the width direction, so that the engagement state of the locking portions 13L, 13R and the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R is reliably maintained.

As described above, the epidermis-fastening clip 1A according to this embodiment employs a retention mechanism including a locking hook 42 and a locking hole 43, so that when the male clip 40 is inserted into the female clip 30, the retention mechanism limits the displacement of the male clip 40 in the width direction. This makes it possible to more stably engage the female clip 30 and the male clip 40.

Third Embodiment
In the above-mentioned second embodiment, an example of a holding mechanism for holding the male clip inserted in the accommodation space of the female clip was described, but the holding mechanism included in the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned structure. Therefore, below, as a third embodiment of the present disclosure, a skin-locking clip 1B employing a holding mechanism having a structure different from the above-mentioned holding mechanism will be described.

The epidermis-retaining clip 1B of this embodiment has a basic structure similar to that of the epidermis-retaining clip 1 of the first embodiment. Therefore, in the epidermis-retaining clip 1B shown below, the parts that have the same configuration as the epidermis-retaining clip 1 are given the same reference numerals and their explanation is omitted, and the explanation will focus on the points that are different from the epidermis-retaining clip 1.

Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a state before the epidermis-retaining clip according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure is engaged. Also, Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after the epidermis-retaining clip shown in Figure 7 is engaged. Note that Figures 7 and 8, like Figures 5 and 6, are shown to correspond to Figures 3 and 4, but to simplify the figures, the foam 2 and epidermis 3 are omitted.

The epidermis-fastening clip 1B according to this embodiment may include a female clip 50 and a male clip 60. Of these, the female clip 50 may include a similar configuration to the female clip 10 according to the first embodiment described above, although the shape of the fastening portions 13L and 13R is slightly different as shown in FIG. 7. It is preferable that the spacing between the fastening portions 13L and 13R of this female clip 50 is adjusted so that it is smaller than the widthwise length of the widening portion 24 when the holding mechanism of the male clip 60, which will be described later, operates to restrict the widthwise displacement of the widening portion 24A.

7, the male clip 60 may be configured as the widening portion 24A with a pair of second attachment side arms 61L, 61R, one end of which is connected to one end of the attachment portion 21, and a pair of second contact side arms 62L, 62R, one end of which is connected to the contact portion 23 and the other end of which is connected to the pair of second attachment side arms 61L, 61R. The inner surfaces of the pair of second attachment side arms 61L, 61R and the pair of second contact side arms 62L, 62R may be provided with mating projections 63L, 63R as an example of a mating portion and mating recesses 64L, 64R as an example of a mated portion. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the male clip 60 according to this embodiment does not have the pair of curved portions 28L, 28R described above, and the tips of the pair of second attachment side arms 61L, 61R are directly connected to the tips of the pair of second contact side arms 62L, 62R.

The mating projections 63L, 63R may be provided on the inner surfaces of the pair of second attachment side arms 61L, 61R or the inner surfaces of the pair of second contact side arms 62L, 62R. In this embodiment, the mating projections 63L, 63R are provided on one second attachment side arm 61L and the other second contact side arm 62R, respectively.

The mating recesses 64L, 64R may be provided on the inner surfaces of the pair of second attachment side arms 61L, 61R or the inner surfaces of the pair of second contact side arms 62L, 62R, and may be arranged at positions where they can be mated with the above-mentioned mating protrusions 63L, 63R. In this embodiment, one mating recess 64L, 64R is arranged at a position facing the mating protrusion 63L of one second contact side arm 62L and one at a position facing the mating protrusion 63R of the other second attachment side arm 61R. The arrangement and number of the mating protrusions 63L, 63R and mating recesses 64L, 64R are not limited to those described above.

The fitting protrusions 63L, 63R are formed on the inner surface of the second mounting arm 61L or the inner surface of the second contact arm 62R, and can be configured as protrusions whose outer circumferential surface is curved in an arc shape. The fitting recesses 64L, 64R can be formed on the inner surface of the second contact arm 62L or the second mounting arm 61R, and a recess capable of accommodating the fitting protrusions 63L, 63R can be formed in the center. The diameter of the opening of the fitting recesses 64L, 64R may be adjusted to be smaller than the maximum diameter of the fitting protrusions 63L, 63R, so that the fitting protrusions 63L, 63R accommodated in the fitting recesses 64L, 64R are held in the fitting recesses 64L, 64R without easily coming out of the fitting recesses 64L, 64R. The shapes of the fitting protrusions 63L, 63R and the fitting recesses 64L, 64R are not limited to those described above.

The method of attaching the epidermis 3 to the foam 2 using the epidermis retaining clip 1B including the above-mentioned configuration is generally similar to that of the epidermis retaining clip 1 according to the first embodiment, except for the operation of the holding mechanism. Therefore, the operation of the epidermis retaining clip 1B will be briefly explained below, focusing on the operation of the holding mechanism.

First, the male clip 60 with the skin 3 attached is moved along the insertion direction M toward the female clip 50, whose base 11 has been previously held at an arbitrary position within the groove 2A of the foam 2, and insertion into the female clip 50 is started.

As the male clip 40 moves in the insertion direction M, the tip of the male clip 60 is inserted into the storage space 15 of the female clip 50, the contact portion 23 comes into contact with the surface of the base 11, and the widening operation of the widening portion 24A begins.

As the male clip 20 moves in the insertion direction M and the widening operation of the widening portion 24A progresses, the inner surfaces of the pair of second attachment side arms 61L, 61R and the inner surfaces of the pair of second contact side arms 62L, 62R move in a direction approaching each other. Accordingly, the mating projections 63L, 63R and mating recesses 64L, 64R provided on the inner surfaces of the pair of second attachment side arms 61L, 61R and the inner surfaces of the pair of second contact side arms 62L, 62R also move in a direction approaching each other. Then, at the same timing when the tips of the pair of second attachment side arms 61L, 61R and the tips of the pair of second contact side arms 62L, 62R that have moved left and right enter the locking spaces 16L, 16R, the mating protrusions 63L, 63R are completely housed in the mating recesses 64L, 64R, and the mating protrusions 63L, 63R are held in the mating recesses 64L, 64R (see Figure 8).

When the mating projections 63L, 63R are held in the mating recesses 64L, 64R, the displacement of the widening portion 24A of the male clip 40, specifically the relative movement of the pair of mounting side arms 26L, 26R and the pair of contact side arms 27L, 27R, is restricted. This prevents the male clip 40 from displacing in the width direction, and reliably maintains the engagement between the locking portions 13L, 13R and the tips of the pair of second mounting side arms 61L, 61R and the tips of the pair of second contact side arms 62L, 62R that constitute the locked portion 25A.

As described above, the epidermis-fastening clip 1B according to this embodiment employs a retention mechanism including the mating projections 63L, 63R and mating recesses 64L, 64R, so that when the male clip 60 is inserted into the female clip 50, the retention mechanism limits the displacement of the male clip 60 in the width direction. This makes it possible to more stably engage the female clip 50 and the male clip 60.

<Fourth embodiment>
In the above-mentioned first to third embodiments of the epidermis-fastening clips 1, 1A, and 1B, the female clips 10, 30, and 50 are generally U-shaped in front view, and the male clips 20, 40, and 60 have generally rectangular frames as their widened portions 24 and 24A, but the present disclosure is not limited to such structures. Therefore, the following will describe an epidermis-fastening clip 1C, which has a different structure from the above-mentioned embodiments, as a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a state before engagement of the epidermis-retaining clip according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. Also, Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after engagement of the epidermis-retaining clip shown in Figure 9. Note that Figures 9 and 10 are shown to correspond to Figures 3 and 4, as are Figures 5 to 8, but in order to simplify the figures, the foam body 2 and epidermis 3 are omitted. The epidermis-retaining clip 1C according to this embodiment may include a female clip 70 and a male clip 80, as shown in Figure 9.

The female clip 70 can be arranged in a plurality of appropriate locations in the groove 2A provided in the foam 2, similar to the female clips 10, 30, and 50 according to the first to third embodiments described above, and can be constructed by injection molding or the like of a material having a predetermined elasticity, such as a well-known synthetic resin. This female clip 70 can include at least a base 11A held by the foam 2, a pair of wall portions 72L, 72R erected so as to face each other at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction from the surface of the base 11A, and female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R as an example of a locking portion provided on the inner wall surfaces of the pair of wall portions 72L, 72R.

As shown in FIG. 9, the base 11A may be a plate having a predetermined thickness with the left-right central portion raised upward. The central portion of the base 11A may be a ridge 75 with a pair of guide surfaces 76L, 76R arranged on the left and right sides that guide the widened portion 24B of the male clip 80. The pair of guide surfaces 76L, 76R may be curved surfaces that extend so as to widen in the left-right direction from the top of the ridge 75, and may come into contact with the contact surfaces 82L, 82R of the pair of arms 81L, 81R of the male clip 80, which will be described later. This allows the pair of guide surfaces 76L, 76R to guide the movement of the pair of arms 81L, 81R.

The pair of walls 72L, 72R may be erected from both left and right ends of the base 11A with their tips inclined toward each other. The pair of walls 72L, 72R extend such that their inner surfaces face the pair of guide surfaces 76L, 76R at a predetermined distance, and the space between the pair of walls 72L, 72R and the pair of guide surfaces 76L, 76R may define branched accommodation spaces 77L, 77R capable of accommodating the arms 81L, 81R of the male clip 80, which will be described later. The branched accommodation spaces 77L, 77R may extend in a direction inclined with respect to the insertion direction M, as shown in FIG. 9.

One or more female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the pair of wall portions 72L, 72R. The positions and number of the female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R can be adjusted as appropriate as long as they can engage with the male clip side locking hooks 83L, 83R described below. Note that FIG. 9 shows an example in which the female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R are arranged in three rows at a predetermined interval along the extension direction of the pair of wall portions 72L, 72R.

Here, a portion of the branch accommodation spaces 77L, 77R functions as a space for elastically returning the female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R to the locking position when the male clip 80 is inserted. However, in this embodiment, the branch accommodation spaces 77L, 77R extend in a direction inclined relative to the insertion direction M, thereby minimizing the impact on the height direction of the female clip 70.

The male clip 80 may be a member capable of fixing the foam 2 and the skin 3 by partially inserting and fixing it into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 70 described above. The male clip 80 may be formed from the same material and molding method as the female clip 70. It is preferable that the male clip 80, particularly the widened portion 24B, is made of a material that is more flexible than the female clip 70.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the widened portion 24B of the male clip 80 may include a pair of arms 81L, 81R, one end of which is connected to one end of the attachment portion 21. The pair of arms 81L, 81R are formed with a slight curve so that their tips are spaced apart from each other, and the distance between the tips may be adjusted to be approximately the same as the distance between the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R of the female clip 70, but slightly smaller.

The inner facing surfaces of the pair of arms 81L, 81R may form contact surfaces 82L, 82R, at least a portion of which functions as a contact portion that contacts the base 11A. In addition, male clip side locking hooks 83L, 83R may be provided on the surfaces of the pair of arms 81L, 81R opposite the contact surfaces 82L, 82R as an example of a locked portion. The positions and number of the male clip side locking hooks 83L, 83R can be adjusted as appropriate as long as they can engage with the female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R. Note that FIG. 9 illustrates an example in which the male clip side locking hooks 83L, 83R are arranged in three rows at a predetermined interval along the extension direction of the pair of arms 81L, 81R.

Below, a method for attaching the skin 3 to the foam 2 using the skin retaining clip 1C including the above-mentioned configuration will be briefly described with reference mainly to Figures 9 and 10. In order to attach the skin 3 to the foam 2 using the skin retaining clip 1C, as in the case of the skin retaining clip 1 according to the first embodiment, first, the base 11A of the female clip 70 is held in advance at a desired position within the groove 2A of the foam 2, and the skin 3 is attached to the attachment portion 21 of the male clip 80. Next, the male clip 80 to which the skin 3 is attached is moved along the insertion direction M, and insertion of the female clip 70 into the accommodation space 15 is started.

As the male clip 80 moves in the insertion direction M, the pair of arms 81L, 81R come into contact with the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R, and the pair of arms 81L, 81R are guided by the tapered surfaces 14L, 14R and elastically deform inward while entering the storage space 15. Then, the contact surfaces 82L, 82R located close to the respective tips of the pair of arms 81L, 81R come into contact with the protruding strip 75 formed on the surface of the base 11A or with a pair of guide surfaces 76L, 76R formed on the left and right of the protruding strip 75. As the male clip 80 moves further in this state, the pair of arms 81L, 81R are guided by the pair of guide surfaces 76L, 76R, and their tips move in directions away from each other, entering the branch storage spaces 77L, 77R, respectively.

As the male clip 20 continues to move in the insertion direction M, the multiple male clip side locking hooks 83L, 83R on the pair of arms 81L, 81R guided in the left-right direction pass in sequence through the locking positions of the multiple female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R, and when all of the male clip side locking hooks 83L, 83R and the female clip side locking hooks 73L, 73R reach positions where they can be engaged, the movement of the male clip 80 in the insertion direction M is complete.

As described above, in the epidermis-retaining clip 1C according to this embodiment, like the epidermis-retaining clips 1, 1A, and 1B according to the first to third embodiments described above, when the male clip 80 is inserted into the accommodation space 15 of the female clip 70, the widened portion 24B of the male clip 80 is displaced in a direction intersecting the insertion direction M, specifically in the left-right direction. As a result, unlike the conventional female clip, the epidermis-retaining clip 1C according to this embodiment does not need to secure a space for moving the male clip in the height direction to return the locking piece to the locking position, so the height of the female clip 70 can be kept low. As a result, the epidermis-retaining clip 1C according to this embodiment can also be disposed in a portion where the depth of the groove 2A of the foam 2 is relatively shallow, improving the design freedom of the cushion pad.

This disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. All such modifications are within the technical concept of this disclosure.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Cover fastening clip 2 Foam 3 Cover 10, 30, 50, 70 Female clip 11, 11A Base 12L, 12R, 72L, 72R Wall 13L, 13R Fastening portion 15 Storage space 73L, 73R Female clip side fastening hook (an example of a fastening portion)
75 Convex strip 76L, 76R Guide surface 20, 40, 60, 80 Male clip 21 Mounting portion 22 Inserting portion 23 Contact portion 24, 24A, 24B Widened portion 25, 25A Locked portion 26L, 26R Mounting portion side arm 27L, 27R Contact portion side arm 28L, 28R Curved portion 42 Locking hook 43 Locking hole 63L, 63R Fitting protrusion (an example of a fitting portion)
64L, 64R Fitting recess (an example of a fitted portion)
81L, 81R Arms 82L, 82R Contact surfaces (an example of contact portions)
83L, 83R: Male clip side locking hook (an example of a locked portion)

Claims (6)

A female clip including a base portion held by a foam body, a pair of wall portions standing on a surface of the base portion at a predetermined distance from each other and facing each other, and a locking portion provided on an inner wall surface of the pair of wall portions;
a male clip including an attachment portion attached to a skin and an insertion portion connected to one end of the attachment portion and inserted into an accommodation space provided between the pair of wall portions of the female clip;
The insertion portion includes a contact portion that contacts the base portion when inserted into the accommodation space along an insertion direction, a widening portion that widens in a direction intersecting the insertion direction when the insertion portion is further inserted along the insertion direction after the contact portion contacts the base, and a locked portion that is provided on the widening portion and locked to the locking portion when the widening portion widens.
Clip for retaining the skin. the widening portion includes a pair of mounting portion-side arms having one end connected to one end of the mounting portion, a pair of contact portion-side arms having one end connected to the contact portion, and a pair of curved portions that form at least a part of the engaged portion and connect the other ends of the pair of mounting portion-side arms to the other ends of the pair of contact portion-side arms,
a length between the one end and the other end of the pair of contact portion side arms is longer than a length between the one end and the other end of the pair of attachment portion side arms;
2. The skin-fastening clip according to claim 1. the widening portion includes a pair of mounting portion-side arms having one end connected to one end of the mounting portion, and a pair of contact portion-side arms having one end connected to the contact portion and the other end connected to the other end of the pair of mounting portion-side arms,
a holding mechanism for holding the pair of attachment side arms and the pair of contact side arms in a state in which the contact portion comes into contact with the base portion and the pair of attachment side arms move toward each other when the male clip is inserted into the accommodation space of the female clip,
2. The skin-fastening clip according to claim 1. The holding mechanism includes a locking hook provided at one end of the mounting portion and a locking hole provided in the contact portion for locking the locking hook.
The skin-fastening clip according to claim 3. the holding mechanism includes a fitting portion provided on at least one of the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment side arms and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact side arms, and a fitted portion provided on at least one of the inner surfaces of the pair of attachment side arms and the inner surfaces of the pair of contact side arms and capable of fitting into the fitting portion,
The skin-fastening clip according to claim 3. the widening portion includes a pair of arms having one end connected to one end of the mounting portion, at least a part of the opposing surfaces of the pair of arms constitutes the contact portion, and the engaged portion is provided on a surface of the pair of arms opposite to the opposing surfaces,
The pair of walls are erected from the base with their tip ends inclined in a direction approaching each other, and the base has a protrusion having a pair of guide surfaces that contact the contact portion to guide the movement of the pair of arms.
2. The skin-fastening clip according to claim 1.