Composite anchor attaching arrangement for vehicle seat

Claim 1

In combination with a vehicle floor panel, a composite anchor assembly for securing a seat cushion frame to the vehicle floor panel, a U-shaped striker depending vertically downwardly from said frame and terminating in a transverse bight portion, said floor panel having an oval-shaped aperture therethrough defined by a downturned rolled edge bounding said aperture for receiving said anchor member, said anchor member in the form of an improved composite two-part anchor assembly comprising: a lower shell part molded of synthetic resin flexible plastic formed with an open upper end and a closed lower end, said socket portion normally being elongated oval-shaped in horizontal section defining parallel planar opposed side wall portions interconnected by arcuate end wall portions, said shell part formed symmetrical about a vertically disposed longitudinally extending plane of symmetry, said shell part further comprising an integral flexible inverted U-section arcuate collar portion extending continuously around said socket portion open upper end, said collar portion terminating in an outer V-section spring flange having an upwardly directed continuous outer terminal flange portion positioned vertically below the apex of said collar portion; a molded rubber sealing part having a right-angle section extending around the periphery of said floor panel aperture, said right-angle section comprising a horizontal resilient lip flange portion having its downwardly facing surface in sealing contact with the upper surface said floor panel; said right-angle section further comprising a vertical neck portion having its outer surface formed with an outwardly diverging resilient shoulder lockingly engaging said aperture rolled edge, said neck portion terminating in an integral thin film portion confirming with and bonded to the upper surface of said V-section spring flange and said inverted U-section collar portion; said thin film portion molded with a transverse U-shaped loop portion bonded to shell part socket portion associated side walls and bottom wall contiguous inner surfaces, said U-shaped loop portion molded with vertically disposed wedge-shaped ribs having transversely opposed ramp faces that slope downwardly providing a lead-in V-shaped notch defining a longitudinally extending gap having a predetermined transverse dimension normally preventing the passage of said striker bight portion therethrough, each said rib having its undersurface sloped upwardly toward said gap defining a shallow inverted V-shaped locking catch adapted to capture said bight portion; whereby upon said striker bight portion being received in said lead-in V-shaped notch and being forcefully pushed downwardly resulting in a wedging action cauding said socket portion sidewalls to deform outwardly from said plane of symmetry by virtue of their associated collar portions flexing outwardly about their associated collar portions flexing outwardly about their respective spring flanges, such that said gap allows said bight portion to snappingly pass therethrough so as to be captured in said inverted V-shaped locking catch.