FIGS. 9(a) and (b) show two examples of article-attaching devices previously proposed by the applicant. The device (clip) 50 shown in FIG. 9(a) in the two examples has been disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below and is formed of a casing (outer casing) 51 mounted to an object to mount an article thereto, such as a panel, and a holding member (core member) 55 assembled to the casing 51 in order to be brought into elastic engagement with an article-side hook F. The casing 51 has a flange portion 52 formed on a top edge thereof, slots 53 formed in a peripheral portion thereof under the flange portion 52, an engageable flange portion 54 formed in a peripheral portion thereof under the slots 53, and unshown engageable pawls formed in opposed parts of an outer peripheral portion thereof under the engageable flange portion 54, the engageable flange portion serving to cover an outer surface of the object around a mounting hole formed in the object when the hole has received a counterpart of the casing, and the unshown engageable pawls serving to ensure a certain distance in connection with the engageable flange portion 54. The holding member 55 is formed of such a flat cylindrical member as to be housed in the casing 51. The holding member has projections 56 formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof, bulged portions 57 formed on an inner peripheral surface to confront each other, elastic engageable portions 58 formed on the inner surface under the bulged portions 57, the bulged portions 57 being configured to be connected to the cylindrical member at top and bottom ends and to have an upper portion constricted toward the bottom end and the remaining portion expanded, and the engageable portions serving to clamp the hook F in a detachable manner. The holding member is assembled to the casing 51 through the projections 56 and the slots 53. In this arrangement, when the hook F is pressed into between the bulged portions 57, the hook passes through between both bulged portions 57 since the respective engageable portions 58 are pressed from sides thereof close to the respective bulged portions 57 to be flexed in a symmetrical shape. After the hook has passed, both bulged portions 57 are elastically returned to the original positions to prevent the hook from coming off.
The device (holder) 60 shown in FIG. 9(b) has been disclosed in Patent Document 2 listed below and is formed of a casing 61 mounted to an object to mount an article thereto, such as a panel, and a holding member 66 assembled to the casing 61 in order to be brought into elastic engagement with an article-side hook F. The casing 61 has a flange portion 62 formed on a top edge thereof, rectangular slots 63a formed in a peripheral portion thereof under the flange portion 62, an engageable flange portion 64 formed in a peripheral portion thereof under the rectangular slots 63a, rectangular slots 63b formed in a peripheral portion thereof under the engageable flange portion 64, and unshown engageable pawls formed in a peripheral portion thereof close to the respective rectangular slots 63b, the engageable flange portion serving to cover an outer surface of the object around a mounting hole formed in the object when the hole has received a counterpart of the casing, and the unshown engageable pawls serving to ensure a certain distance in connection with the engageable flange portion 64. The casing 61 includes a wide space 65a and a narrow space 65b formed at upper and lower positions therein, respectively. The holding member 66 is formed in a substantially U-character shape in vertical section. The holding member has projections 67 formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof, elastic engageable portions 68 formed in an outer peripheral portion thereof so as to confront each other, and projections 69 formed on an inner surface thereof under the respective engageable portions 68. The holding member is switched from a temporary engaged state shown in this figure to an fully engaged state, the projections 67 of the holding member being brought into engagement with the upper rectangular slots 63a in the temporary engaged state and being brought into engagement with the lower rectangular slots 63b in the fully engaged state by a downward depressing force. In this arrangement, when the hook F is inserted into the holing member 66 in the temporary engaged state, the hook F elastically spreads the elastic engageable portions 68 and passes through between both projections 69 so as to be prevented from coming off. When the hook is further depressed, the hook F presses a bottom wall of the holding member 66 and moves to a deeper position in the casing 61 after the holding member 66 brings the projections 67 out of engagement with the rectangular slots 63a. Thus, the hook is set in the fully engaged state with the projections 67 being brought into engagement with the lower rectangular slots 63b. In the fully engaged state, the elastic engageable portions 68 have outer walls restrained at the narrow space 65b in the casing 61 to firmly hold the hook F.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3686444
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2002-39132