The invention relates to a fastener for fastening at least two sheet elements.

The need to attach flexible sheets or sheet elements is especially common in the design of aerodynamic chassis side fairings where flexible parts are often used to extend effective aero surfaces of panels downward. Usually, a variety of through-fasteners such as threaded or riveted fasteners is used for this purpose. However, such an approach adds costs, time, and complexity to the design while increasing the potential for panel damage in the event of a forced displacement of the arrow skirt extension.

US 7 461 436 B2 shows a mounting structure of a vehicle interior material, the mounting structure comprising a boss part protruded from a rear surface of a vehicle interior material. The mounting structure further comprises a clip which has a U-shaped body, a mounting hole punched through the vehicle body via the clip, a first engaging piece to be engaged with an engaging hole provided on the boss part, a second engaging piece that faces the engaging hole provided on the boss part, and an inclined shoulder to be locked by an edge of the mounting hole. The vehicle interior material is mounted on a vehicle body by locking the boss part in the mounting hole. One side wall forming the U-shaped body closely faces one surface of the boss part, and another side wall forming the U- shaped body faces the other surface of the boss part with a space therebetween, the one side wall being formed by a single continuous wall. The first engaging piece is formed on the inner surface of the one side wall. The second engaging piece is formed on the inner surface of the other side wall and the incline shoulder is formed on the upper outer surface of the other side wall.

Moreover, US 5 966 782 shows a fastener used for mounting a mounting object having an insertion rib onto a support body having a mounting aperture, the fastener being previously fitted to the insertion rib of the mounting object and then inserted into the mounting aperture of the support body by pressing the insertion rib thereinto, thereby removably mounting the mounting object of the support body. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fastener by means of which sheet elements, in particular big flexible sheets can be attached in a manner that is inexpensive, fast, and robust.

This object is solved by a fastener having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial developments of the invention are indicated in the other patent claims.

The fastener according to the present invention serves to fasten a first sheet element to at least one second sheet element and comprises at least two U-shaped portions being arranged at a distance from each other. Moreover, the U-shaped portions are connected to one another. Preferably, the U-shaped portions overlap each other. Each portion has two legs arranged at a distance from each other. Moreover, each portion has a web by which the respective legs are connected to one another. The respective legs form a receptacle for the overlapping sheet elements. In other words, the sheet elements overlapping each other can be arranged in the respective receptacle so that the sheet elements can be held together by means of the fastener. Each leg has at least one barb extending angularly to the leg towards the respective web. Thereby, the sheet elements can be fixed in the respective receptacle so that the sheet elements cannot slide out of the respective receptacle.

The fastener according to the present invention has a design that saves time and complexity in relation to through-fastener attachment methods since the fastener according to the present invention can be attached to the overlapping sheet elements in a very time- and, thus, cost-efficient way. The invention improves joint performance and consistency of the joint performance relative to alternative clips for many applications, thus decreasing the failure rate and need for replacement parts. In other words, the fastener according to the present invention is suitable for the attachment of big flexible sheets which can be attached in a manner that is inexpensive, fast and robust by means of the fastener according to the present invention.

Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of a preferred embodiment as well as from the drawing. The features and feature combinations mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respective indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

The drawing shows in:

Fig. 1 a schematic perspective view of a fastener for fastening a first sheet

element to at least one second sheet element, the fastener comprising two U-shaped portions being arranged at a distance from each other and connected to one another, each portion having two legs arranged at a distance from each other and being connected to one another by a web of the respective portion, the respective legs forming a receptacle for the overlapping sheet elements, wherein each leg has at least one barb extending angularly to the leg towards the respective web;

Fig. 2 an attachment assembly of the sheet elements which are held together by the fastener according to Fig. 1 ; and

Fig. 3 a schematic side view of the attachment assembly according to Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows a fastener 10 for fastening a first sheet element 12 (Fig. 2) to at least one second sheet element 14. As can be seen from Fig. 2, in an attachment assembly, at least respective portions of the sheet elements 12 and 14 overlap each other, wherein the sheet elements 12 and 14 are held together in said portions.

For this purpose, the fastener 10 comprises a first U-shaped portion 16 and a second U- shaped portion 18, the portions 16 and 18 being arranged at a distance from each other. The portions 16 and 18 are connected to one another by a web 20 of the fastener 10. Thus, the fastener 10 is U-shaped as viewed in parallel to three faces. The portion 16 has two legs 22 and 24 which are arranged at a distance from each other. The legs 22 and 24 are connected to one another by a web 26 of the portion 16.

The portion 18 has two legs 28 and 30 which are arranged at a distance from each other. The legs 28 and 30 are connected to one another by a web 32 of the portion 18. The fastener 0 is formed in one piece and made of a metallic material. For example, the fastener 10 is made of sheet metal. The legs 22 and 24 are first tines of the fastener 10, wherein said first tines (legs 22 and 24) and the web 26 bound a first receptacle 34 of the fastener 10. The legs 28 and 30 are second tines of the fastener 10, wherein said second tines (legs 28 and 30) and the web 32 bound a second receptacle 36 of the fastener 0.

As can be seen from Figs. 2 and 3, the overlapping sheet elements 12 and 14 can be arranged in the receptacles 34 and 36 at least partially so that the sheet elements 12 and 14 are clamped together by the fastener 10. The leg 24 has at least one barb 38 extending angularly to the leg 24 towards the web 26. Moreover, the leg 22 has a barb 40 which extends angularly to the leg 22 towards the web 26. With respect to the web 26, the legs 22 and 24 extend away from the web 26, wherein the barbs 38 and 40 extend in the opposite direction away from the legs 22 and 24 towards the web 26.

The leg 28 has a barb 42 which extends angularly to the leg 28 towards the web 32. Moreover, the leg 30 has a barb 44 which extends angularly to the leg 30 towards the web 32. With respect to the web 32, the legs 28 and 30 extend away from the web 32, wherein the barbs 42 and 44 extend away from the legs 28 and 30 towards the web 32. The web 20 has a middle portion 46 in which the web 20 is wider than in end portions 48 of the web 20, the end portions 48 adjoining the middle portion 46 which is connected to the portions 6 and 8 via the end portions 48. Moreover, the web 20 has a through opening 50. The middle portion 46 and the through opening 50 are optional features which can improve the manufacturing process of the fastener 10.

The barbs 38, 40, 42 and 44 are orientated such that the adjoined material of the sheet elements 12 and 14 is held tight into the fastener 10 which is designed as a clip. An optional small nub 52 on each leg 22, 24, 28 and 30 may be provided to improve the alignment of the clip (fastener 10) on the adjoined material.

The legs 22, 24, 28 and 30 have a respective end portion 54 so that the legs 22, 24, 28 and 30 are extended past the respective barbs 38, 40, 42 and 44 with respect to the web 20. This helps with installation of the clip (fastener 10). For example, the sheet elements 12 and 14 are big flexible sheets which can be attached in a manner that is inexpensive, fast, and robust by means of the fastener 10. For example, the fastener 10 is suitable for aerodynamic chassis side fairings which can be attached particularly time- and cost- efficient by means of the fastener 10.