Assembly and method for attaching insulation material

Abstract

An assembly and method utilizing a clip and pin configuration is provided for attaching insulation material in a building. A clip ( 25 ) having a pair of grabbing members ( 45, 50 ) with an aperture ( 55 ) defined therebetween receives a flange ( 20 ) of a frame member ( 15 ). A pin ( 80 ) is inserted into an opening ( 75 ) in one of the grabbing members ( 50 ), and is used to pierce the insulation material ( 110 ). A set of washers ( 100, 105 ) is connected to the pin ( 80 ) to retain the pin ( 80 ) in the opening ( 80 ) and to retain the insulation material ( 110 ) in the pin ( 80 ).

I claim as my invention:  
     
         1 . An assembly for attaching insulation material in a building or similar structures, the assembly comprising in combination: 
 a frame member providing support to a roof or wall of the building, the frame member having a flange;    a clip having a length dimension extending along a longitudinal axis and a width dimension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the clip having a pair of resilient grabbing members defining an aperture substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis for receiving the flange, one of the grabbing members having at least one opening;    a respective pin having a sharp end, the pin extending through the opening in the grabbing member;    at least one set of washers connected to the pin for retaining the insulation material inserted in the pin and for retaining the pin in the opening in the grabbing member.    
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein one of the grabbing members is configured to have a rounded edge proximate the aperture through which the flange is received, the other grabbing member is configured to have a projection extending at a predetermined angle toward the grabbing member with the rounded edge, the predetermined angle chosen to facilitate entry of the flange through the aperture, and to frictionally impede exit of the flange from the aperture after the flange has been inserted into the aperture.  
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein the set of washers comprises a pair of self-locking washers, one of the self-locking washers being proximate to the sharp end of the pin and providing support against one side of the insulation material, the other of the self-locking washers being opposite the sharp end and providing support against the other side of the insulation material.  
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the self-locking washer proximate to the sharp end of the pin is capped to protect a user from said sharp end.  
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein the clip has a low width to length ratio and the grabbing member with the opening includes additional openings positioned along the longitudinal axis for receiving respective additional pins, and further includes additional washer sets to provide substantially aligned attachment between the insulation material and the frame member along the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         6 . A clip for attaching insulation material in a building, the clip comprising a pair of resilient grabbing members with an aperture therebetween, said aperture being substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis and being sized to receive a flange therein, one of the grabbing members including a rounded edge proximate said aperture and the other grabbing member including a projection extending at a predetermined angle toward the grabbing member with the rounded edge, said predetermined angle being selected to facilitate entry of the flange into said aperture and to frictionally impede exit of the flange from the aperture.  
     
     
         7 . The clip of  claim 6  further comprising a pin extending through an opening in one of the grabbing members.  
     
     
         8 . The clip of  claim 7  further comprising a set of washers connected to said pin for retaining the insulation material in the pin and for retaining the pin in the opening.  
     
     
         9 . A method for attaching insulation material in a building or similar structures, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a frame member with a flange;    grabbing the flange with a clip having a length dimension extending along a longitudinal axis and a width dimension substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the clip having a pair of resilient grabbing members defining an aperture along the longitudinal axis for receiving the flange, one of the grabbing members including at least one opening;    inserting a respective pin through the opening, the pin having a substantially sharp end facing away from the flange;    piercing insulation material through the sharp end of the pin; and    retaining the pin in the opening and further retaining the pierced insulation material in the pin with a set of washers.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing in one of the grabbing members a rounded edge proximate the aperture through which the flange is received; and  
 providing a projection in the other grabbing member, the projection extending at a predetermined angle toward the grabbing member with the rounded edge, the predetermined angle chosen to facilitate entry of the flange through the aperture, and to frictionally impede exit of the flange through the aperture upon the flange being admitted through the aperture.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the clip has a low width to length ratio and the grabbing member with the opening includes additional openings positioned along the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing respective additional pins into the additional openings, each pin having a respective sharp end;  
 piercing the insulation material at multiple points along the length of the material with each respective sharp end of the pins; and  
 retaining the respective additional pins in the additional openings and further retaining the pierced insulation material to the respective additional pins with additional sets of washers.