Abstract:
A seat anchoring system that anchors seats in a seating arrangement in a vehicle is provided. The seat anchoring system includes a base and multiple fastening devices, where the fastening devices are attached to the base and extend away from an upper face of the base. The base has a shape similar to an inside configuration of a mounting rail such that the base is inserted into the mounting rail and positioned to any desirable location along the mounting rail. Further, the fastening devices extend through the mounting rail and attach the seat to the mounting rail.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/548,495 entitled “FLOOR ATTACHMENT APPARATUS” and filed on Oct. 18, 2011. 
     
    
     ORIGIN 
       [0002]    The innovation disclosed herein relates to seating in a vehicle and more particularly to an anchoring system to attach a seat in a vehicle such as a motor coach. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In conventional seating arrangements, such as seating arrangements in a motor coach, the seats are attached or anchored to the coach structure via rails mounted along the floor and along each side wall of the coach. The rails are channel type rails that have a slotted opening along the top (for floor mounted rails) or along a side (for side wall mounted rails). The seats are mounted to the rails using a T-shaped fastener. The T-shaped fastener is inserted into the rail via the slot at any position and rotated 90 degrees to allow the “T” portion of the fastener to engage the top (or side) wall of the rail. The seats are then fastened (with bolts) to the T-shaped fasteners thereby fastening the seats to each rail and ultimately the coach. 
         [0004]    The T-shaped fasteners are slidable along the slotted rails and thus, allow for easy repositioning of the seats. The disadvantage, however, to using T-shaped fasteners to mount the seats to the rail of the coach is that T-shaped fasteners do not meet testing requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) during seat belt safety tests. In other words, in the event of a crash, the T-shaped fasteners do not prevent the seats from becoming disengaged from the floor and side rails. As a result, seat belts are not permitted in motor coach vehicles where the seat mounting system does not meet the FMVSS. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The following presents a simplified summary of the innovation in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview of the innovation. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the innovation or to delineate the scope of the innovation. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the innovation in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
         [0006]    The innovation disclosed herein, in one aspect thereof, addresses the above mentioned disadvantage and provides a seat anchoring system and method that can withstand loads and forces placed on the seat anchoring system to meet the seat belt testing requirements of the FMVSS. 
         [0007]    The innovation disclosed and claimed herein, in another aspect thereof, comprises an anchoring system that secures an anchored structure to a mounting structure that includes a base and a plurality of fastening devices attached to the base and extending away from an upper face of the base. The base has a shape similar to an inside configuration of a mounting structure such that the base is inserted into the mounting structure and positioned to any desirable location along the mounting structure. Further, the plurality of fastening devices extend through the mounting structure and attach the anchored structure to the mounting structure. 
         [0008]    In accordance with another aspect of the innovation, a seat anchoring system that anchors seats in a seating arrangement in a vehicle includes a base and a plurality of fastening devices attached to the base and extending away from an upper face of the base. The base has a shape similar to an inside configuration of a mounting rail such that the base is inserted into the mounting rail and positioned to any desirable location along the mounting rail. Further, the plurality of fastening devices extend through the mounting rail and attach the seat to the mounting rail. 
         [0009]    In accordance with yet another aspect of the innovation, a method of retrofitting seats in a seating arrangement in a vehicle includes providing an anchoring system including a base and a plurality of fastening devices extending from an upper surface of the base, removing seats from mounting rails in the vehicle, cleaning the mounting rails in the vehicle, removing a portion of a floor of the vehicle behind the driver&#39;s seat to allow access to the mounting rail, inserting the base into a mounting rail such that the plurality of fastening devices extend through the mounting rail, and reinstalling the seats onto the mounting rails such that openings defined in a front and rear pedestal of the seat are aligned with the plurality of fastening devices. 
         [0010]    In accordance with yet another aspect of the innovation the plurality of fastening devices are threaded studs integrated into the base and threaded securing devices that thread onto the threaded studs to secure the anchored structure to the mounting structure. 
         [0011]    To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the innovation can be employed and the subject innovation is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the innovation will become apparent from the following detailed description of the innovation when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example seating arrangement in accordance with aspects of the innovation. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a perspective view of a seat anchoring system in accordance with aspects of the innovation. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a plan view of the seat anchoring system of  FIG. 2A  in accordance with aspects of the innovation. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2C  illustrates a plan view of a base of the seat anchoring system of  FIG. 2A  in accordance with aspects of the innovation. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an example embodiment of the base in accordance with aspects of the innovation. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of another example embodiment of the base in accordance with aspects of the innovation. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of how the seat anchoring system inserts into a mounting rail in accordance with aspects of the innovation. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates a method of retrofitting seats with the seat anchoring system in accordance with aspects of the innovation. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 7A-7J  illustrate the method of  FIG. 6  in accordance with aspects of the innovation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the subject innovation. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. 
         [0022]    While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the one or more methodologies shown herein, e.g., in the form of a flow chart, are shown and described as a series of acts, it is to be understood and appreciated that the subject innovation is not limited by the order of acts, as some acts may, in accordance with the innovation, occur in a different order and/or concurrently with other acts from that shown and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated acts may be required to implement a methodology in accordance with the innovation. 
         [0023]    Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  is an example illustration of an anchored apparatus arrangement  100  incorporating an innovative apparatus anchoring system  200 , as shown in  FIG. 2A , in accordance with aspects of the innovation. It is to be appreciated that the apparatus illustrated in the apparatus arrangement  100  in  FIG. 1  can be any type of anchored apparatus required to withstand a continual load for an extended period of time and/or a sudden impact force from any direction. For example, the apparatus arrangement system  100  may be anchored seats in a motor coach bus, an airplane, a school bus, a truck, etc. The example embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  is a seating arrangement  100  for a motor coach bus  102  and as such, the innovation disclosed herein will be described in relation to the anchoring of seats  104  in the seating arrangement  100  of the motor coach bus  102 . Thus, the example embodiment of the seating arrangement  100  of  FIG. 1  is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the innovation. 
         [0024]    Similarly, the apparatus anchoring system  200  disclosed herein can be used on any type of anchored apparatus required to withstand a continual load for an extended period of time and/or a sudden impact force from any direction similar to those mentioned above. The apparatus anchoring system  200  disclosed herein, in one aspect thereof, comprises a seat anchoring system  200  for anchoring seats  104  in the seat arrangement  100  for the motor coach bus  102  shown in  FIG. 1 . Thus, the example embodiment of the apparatus anchoring system  200  described herein and shown in the figures is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the innovation. 
         [0025]    As mentioned above, conventional anchoring methods do not meet the seat belt test requirements of the FMVSS. The seat anchoring system  200  disclosed herein overcomes this disadvantage. Specifically, the seat anchoring system  200  meets the seat belt testing requirements of the FMVSS. Thus, seat belts  106 , such as a 3-point seat belt system shown in  FIG. 1 , can be installed on new motor coach busses that employ the seat anchoring system  200  disclosed herein. In addition, the seat anchoring system  200  can be easily retrofitted onto existing seats in existing motor coach busses (as will be described further below) that originally incorporate the conventional anchoring methods described above, without the need to replace the seats. As a result, because the seat anchoring system  200  meets the seat belt testing requirements of the FMVSS, the existing seats  104  on existing motor coach busses  102  can also be retrofitted with seat belts  106 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 2A-2C , the seat anchoring system  200  includes a base  202  and multiple fastening devices  204 . The base  202  has a shape similar to an inside configuration of a mounting rail (or structure)  504  (see  FIG. 5 ), as will be discussed further below. The base  202  can be made from any suitable material, such as but not limited to, a high strength-low alloy steel, carbon steel, etc. The base  202  has a rectangular-block shape and includes an upper face  206 , a lower face  208 , and multiple apertures  210  that receive the multiple fastening devices  204 . Each multiple aperture  210  includes a beveled portion  212  and a threaded portion  214 . 
         [0027]    The fastening devices  204  are used to secure the seat  104  to the mounting rail  504  once the base  202  is inserted in the mounting rail  504 . The fastening devices  204  may be any type of suitable fastening device, such as but not limited to a threaded stud  216  with a threaded securing device  218  such as a bolt  216  and nut  218  combination, or the like. It is to be appreciated that in another example embodiment, the threaded stud  216  can be integrated portion of the base  202 , which is also represented by  FIG. 2A . For purposes of simplicity and illustration only, however, the anchoring system  200  will be described herein using the bolt  216  and nut  218  combination. 
         [0028]    The bolt  216  has a countersunk type head  220  and is inserted into the aperture  210  from the lower face  208  of the base  202 . The bolt  216  is rotated so as to advance through the threaded portion  214  of the aperture  210  until the countersunk type head  220  engages the beveled portion  212  of the aperture  210 . The bolt  216  can be tightened in each aperture  210  to approximately 30-40 foot pounds (ft lbs). It is to be appreciated that the bolt  216  and nut  218  combination can be any type of suitable bolt having any type of suitable head, such as but not limited to a pan head, a hexagonal head, etc. 
         [0029]    As mentioned above, the base  202  has a shape similar to the configuration of the inside of the mounting rail  504 . It is to be appreciated, however, that the base can have multiple shapes to conform to the inside configuration of the mounting rail  504 . For example,  FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate two example embodiments of the base  302 ,  402 , which are shown with the upper face  304 ,  404  facing downwards and the bottom face  306 ,  406  facing upwards. In each embodiment, the base  302 ,  402  has a rectangular block shape. In the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , each face of the base  302  is generally planar. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , however, both the upper and lower faces  404 ,  406  along with each end face  408  are generally planar. The two longitudinal faces  410 , however, have a concave shape. This allows the base  400  in this embodiment to be used with a mounting rail  504  having a similar inside configuration. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  illustrates how the shape of the base  502  mates with the configuration of the mounting rail  504  to form a structure that meets the seat belt testing requirements of the FMVSS. Once each fastening device  506  is inserted in each aperture, the base  502  is slid into an end of the mounting rail  504  as indicated by the arrow “A.” Because the shape of the base  502  is similar to the inside configuration of the mounting rail  504 , the base remains inside the mounting rail  504 , thereby securing the seats  104  to the motor coach structure  508 , in the event of a sudden impact force to the motor coach bus  102 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a method of retrofitting existing seats in an existing motor coach with the innovation described herein will be described with reference to  FIGS. 7A-7J . It is to be appreciated that although the method will be described with reference to a floor mounting rail, a similar method also applies to side wall mounting rails  700 , which are shown in  FIGS. 7I and 7J . 
         [0032]    At Act  602 , existing seats in an existing motor coach are removed. At Act  604 , the mounting rails  702  are cleaned and degreased. In addition, all debris must be removed from the mounting rails to insure that the base slides unimpeded within the mounting rail without becoming jammed. At Act  606  ( FIG. 7A ), a portion of the floor  704  directly behind the driver&#39;s seat  706  is removed to allow access to the mounting rail  702 . At Act  608  ( FIGS. 7B and 7C ), the base  708 , including the bolts  710  of each fastening device, is inserted into the mounting rail  702  and positioned at the appropriate location along the mounting rail  702 . One base  708  is required for a front pedestal  712  and one base  708  is required for a rear pedestal  714  of each seat  716 . At Act  610  ( FIGS. 7D and 7E ), the seat  716  is reinstalled such that the bolts  710  are inserted through openings in the front and rear pedestal  712 ,  714 . If desired, at this time, the seat  716  can be repositioned to an appropriate location along the mounting rail  702 . At Act  612 , a reinforcement plate  718  having openings  720  is placed on the front and rear pedestal  712 ,  714  such that each bolt  710  is inserted through the openings  720  on the reinforcement plate  718 . At Act  614 , the nuts  722  are installed on the bolts  710  and are tightened according to an appropriate specification. At Act  616 , pedestal caps  724  and plugs  726  ( FIG. 7G ) are installed on the front and rear pedestals  712 ,  714  ( FIG. 7H ). 
         [0033]    What has been described above includes examples of the innovation. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the subject innovation, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the innovation are possible. Accordingly, the innovation is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.