SECURING ARRANGEMENT FOR FITTING A FOOT MAT

Abstract

A securing arrangement for fitting a foot mat to the floor of the foot space of a motor vehicle may have at least one securing element, wherein the securing element has an upper portion which is constructed for releasable fitting of the foot mat, and a pin which is connected to the upper portion and which is guided through an opening in the floor. There is further provided a clamping element which is locked to the pin at the side of the floor facing away from the upper portion in order to thus clamp the floor between the upper portion and the clamping element. At least one reinforcement plate is arranged between the clamping element and the floor.

Claims

1. A securing arrangement for fitting a foot mat to a floor of a foot space of a motor vehicle, comprising: at least one securing element having an upper portion which is constructed for releasable fitting of a foot mat to a floor of a vehicle, a pin connected to the upper portion of the at least one securing element, and the pin configured to be received by an opening defined by the floor, a clamping element connected to the pin opposite of the upper portion, and at least one reinforcement plate arranged between the clamping element and the floor to retain the mat on the floor.

2. The securing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement plate has at least one mandrel arranged at a side facing the floor to engage the floor.

3. The securing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement plate defines an opening configured to receive the pin.

4. The securing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the upper portion has a base configured to abut the floor, and the reinforcement plate abuts the floor at an opposite side of the base.

5. The securing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the clamping element is a spring washer defining a clamping opening configured to receive the pin, and the spring washer includes an inner front edge around the opening to engage the pin against the reinforcement plate.

6. The securing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the inner front edge surrounding the clamping opening of the spring washer defines at least two radially extending recesses.

7. The securing arrangement of claim 6, wherein a width of the recesses increases in a direction toward the clamping opening of the spring washer.

8. The securing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the clamping element is a spring washer defining a clamping opening configured to receive the pin.

9. The securing arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a locking element arranged around the pin, wherein the locking element has a larger diameter than the pin.

10. The securing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the pin is a hollow cylinder.

11. A securing arrangement for fitting a foot mat to a floor of a motor vehicle, comprising: at least one securing element having an upper portion and a pin extending from the upper portion; a clamping element connected to the pin opposite of the upper portion; and at least one reinforcement plate arranged between the clamping element and a vehicle floor to retain the mat on the floor.

12. The securing arrangement of claim 11, wherein the reinforcement plate has at least one mandrel arranged at a side facing the floor to engage the floor.

13. The securing arrangement of claim 11, wherein the reinforcement plate defines an opening configured to receive the pin.

14. The securing arrangement of claim 11, wherein the upper portion has a base configured to abut the floor and the reinforcement plate abuts the floor at an opposite side of the base.

15. The securing arrangement of claim 11, wherein the clamping element is a spring washer defining a clamping opening configured to receive the pin, and the spring washer includes an inner front edge around the opening to engage the pin against the reinforcement plate.

16. The securing arrangement of claim 15, wherein the inner front edge surrounding the clamping opening of the spring washer defines at least two radially extending recesses.

17. The securing arrangement of claim 16, wherein a width of the recesses increases in a direction toward the clamping opening of the spring washer.

18. The securing arrangement of claim 11, wherein the clamping element is a spring washer defining a clamping opening configured to receive the pin.

19. The securing arrangement of claim 11 further comprising a locking element arranged around the pin, wherein the locking element has a larger diameter than the pin.

20. The securing arrangement of claim 11, wherein the pin is a hollow cylinder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section through an embodiment of a securing arrangement,

[0027] FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the components of another embodiment of a securing arrangement, and

[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a floor in the foot space of a motor vehicle with a foot mat which is intended to be fitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

[0030] In the different Figures, components which are the same are always given the same reference numerals, for which reason they are also generally only described once.

[0031] The embodiment of a securing arrangement shown in FIG. 1 comprises a securing element which comprises at least three portions. A first portion is formed by an upper portion 30 to which a foot mat 10 can be fitted. To this end, the upper portion 30 such as a push-button may have a head 32 having a narrowed portion 33. A foot mat 10 then has a corresponding opening in which the head 32 can be pressed. In this instance, the inner diameter of the opening in the foot mat 10 is smaller than the outer diameter of the head so that the foot mat 10 is retained in the region of the narrowed portion 33 on the upper portion 30 and a specific manual force is required in order to pull the foot mat 10 from the head 32. However, the upper portion 30 may also be constructed differently in order to be able to fit a foot mat thereto.

[0032] The upper portion 30 further has a type of collar or base 31 with which the upper portion 30 can be brought into abutment on the floor 20 in the foot space of a motor vehicle. To this end, this abutment face is preferably constructed in a planar manner with the exception of the region of a pin 40. The pin 40 protrudes at the side opposite the head 32 from the base 31 and is guided through an opening 21 in the floor 20. The length of the pin 40 is selected in such a manner that it protrudes from the opening 21 at the lower side of the floor 20. In this region, a clamping element in the form of a spring washer 50 is pushed onto the pin 40 as a second component.

[0033] There is located between the spring washer 50 and the floor 20 as a third portion a reinforcement plate 60. This has a plurality of mandrels 61 which are at least partially pressed into the lower side of the floor 20. The spring washer 50 can be connected to the pin 40 or locked to a locking step 41 with the pin 40 (FIG. 2) in such a manner that the floor 20 and the reinforcement plate 60 are clamped between the upper portion 30 and the reinforcement plate 60. In this instance, it can be seen that the reinforcement plate 60 is larger than the abutment face of the base 31 with respect to the floor 20. In the embodiment which can be seen in FIG. 1, it is possible to see another measure in the form of a transport securing device 63 which leads to improved handling during the assembly. It is possible to see a retention projection which is arranged on the reinforcement plate and with which the clamping element 50, that is to say, the spring washer 50, is retained. However, the transport securing device 63 may also be constructed in a point-like, linear or planar manner by means of non-positive-locking or positive-locking connection, wherein embedding in the reinforcement plate, or welding or adhesive-bonding thereto, is also conceivable.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows the connection only schematically, wherein, however, a more precise illustration of a possible embodiment as an engagement with a locking step 41 can be seen in FIG. 2. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the clamping element 50 has such a wall thickness that the inner edge thereof bites into or is embedded in the pin 40. This is brought about by the restoring force of the floor material, that is to say, preferably a soft floor material. During the assembly, the floor material is compressed, whereby the restoring force is produced. This acts on the clamping element 50, that is to say, on the spring washer 50 in such a manner that the inner diameter thereof is reduced so that the free front edge becomes embedded in the pin material, as can be seen in FIG. 1. In this instance, the spring washer 50 is supported on the reinforcement plate 60. The pin may advantageously be formed from a plastics material, that is to say, for example, from a polypropylene (PP) or a polyamide (PA), wherein the clamping element 50, that is to say, the spring washer, may comprise a steel material. In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, a self-reinforcing positive-locking connection is thus brought about.

[0035] In this instance, FIG. 2 shows the individual components of a securing arrangement according to another embodiment as a schematic exploded view. The pin 40 on the upper portion 30 has in this instance not yet been introduced into the opening in the floor, but instead is located slightly in front of this opening. In this region, it is possible to see the locking step 41 with which the clamping element 50, that is to say, the spring washer 50, can engage when all the components are assembled.

[0036] To this end, the spring washer 50 is constructed in a funnel-like manner with a central opening 51 through which the pin 40 can be guided. The inner edge of the spring washer 50 has a plurality of radially extending recesses 52 by means of which a plurality of flaps 53 are formed on the inner edge. At least these flaps 53 are constructed so as to be bent toward the opening 51. The remaining outer edge of the spring washer 50 may also be constructed so as to be bent in this direction.

[0037] The reinforcement plate 60 having a plurality of mandrels 61 is arranged between the floor 20 and the spring washer 50, as can also be seen in the embodiment in FIG. 1. The reinforcement plate 60 of both embodiments is a flat ring with an opening 62 through which the pin 40 of the upper portion 30 can be guided.

[0038] If the upper portion 30 is pushed as far as the base 31 through the opening in the floor 20, the pin 40 protrudes with the locking step through the floor 20, the reinforcement plate 60 and the spring washer 50. In this instance, the inner diameter of the opening 51 of the spring washer 50 in the unloaded state substantially corresponds, for example, to the outer diameter of the pin 40 in the region of the smaller diameter thereof. If the pin 40 with the larger outer diameter thereof in the region of the locking step 41 is pushed through the opening 51, the flaps 53 are first pressed outward. As soon as the flaps 53 reach the locking step 41, they can spring back inward again, whereby they engage with the locking step 41. The pin 40 can thus no longer be pulled from the spring washer 50 and a secure connection of all the components is produced. In this instance, the dimensions are selected in such a manner that the spring washer 50 has to be axially compressed in order to engage on the locking step 41. The resilient force required is thus produced in order to press or pull the reinforcement plate 60 and the base 31 securely against the floor at opposite sides. As a result of the bent construction of the flaps 53, this can be carried out at least in a specific region with different thicknesses of floor. In contrast, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the restoring force of the floor material is decisive for the embedding of the spring washer in the pin and the clamping of the components.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a floor 20 in the foot space of a motor vehicle, wherein, for example, the driver side and the passenger side are shown. In both regions, there are fitted to the floor at least two securing elements, to the protruding upper portions of which a foot mat 10 can be fitted. To this end, the foot mat 10 has two openings which are preferably provided with a ring 11 in order to form in the textile foot mat a fixed border through which the heads of the securing elements can be pressed. As already mentioned, however, the fitting of a foot mat to the upper portion of a securing element may also be carried out using other securing mechanisms. Furthermore, foot mats may also be fixed to the floor using more than two securing elements.

[0040] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.