Abstract:
A boot assembly for a vehicle includes a retainer adapted to be connected to vehicle structure of a vehicle and a boot for surrounding either one of a shifter and parkbrake of the vehicle. The boot assembly also includes a seal connected to the boot and to the retainer to prevent the boot from exiting the retainer.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to boots for shifters/parkbrakes in vehicles and, more particularly, to a fastenerless boot assembly for a shifter/parkbrake of a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known to provide a boot for a shifter/parkbrake in a vehicle. Typically, the shifter/parkbrake boots are attached to a retainer by a mechanical attachment system such as clips, staples, adhesive, etc. The retainer is typically attached to a center console by a plurality of individual screws extending through the retainer and engaging separate individual nuts, which are disposed in recesses in the center console. However, conventional applications require an additional process or processes to introduce mechanical fastening for the boot to the retainer. 
     As a result, it is desirable to provide a new fastenerless boot assembly for a vehicle. It is also desirable to provide a fastenerless boot assembly that snaps-in for the vehicle. It is further desirable to provide a fastenerless boot assembly that eliminates the need for mechanical fasteners. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a fastenerless boot assembly for a vehicle that meets these desires. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new fastenerless boot assembly for a vehicle. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a fastenerless boot assembly for a vehicle that eliminates mechanical fastening. 
     To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a fastenerless boot assembly for a vehicle. The fastenerless boot assembly includes a retainer adapted to be connected to vehicle structure of a vehicle and a boot for surrounding either one of a shifter and parkbrake of the vehicle. The fastenerless boot assembly also includes a seal connected to the boot and to the retainer to prevent the boot from exiting the retainer. 
     One advantage of the present invention is that a fastenerless boot assembly is provided for a vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the fastenerless boot assembly incorporates an o-ring for attachment and uses no fasteners per se, eliminating the need for any machinery for fastening or gluing plus the fastening material itself. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the fastenerless boot assembly eliminates mechanical fastening equipment and components. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the fastenerless boot assembly has an assembly process that is simple, fast, efficient, and durable. A further advantage of the present invention is that the fastenerless boot assembly has repeatability and ease of assembly. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fastenerless boot assembly, according to the present invention, illustrated in operational relationship with a vehicle. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a retainer of the fastenerless boot assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of a retainer of the fastenerless boot assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a retainer of the fastenerless boot assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an elevational view of a boot of the fastenerless boot assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a fragmentary elevational view of the fastenerless boot assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings and in particular  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of a fastenerless boot assembly  10 , according to the present invention, is shown for a vehicle, generally indicated at  12 . The vehicle  12  includes a vehicle body  14  forming an occupant compartment  16  therein. The vehicle  12  includes a center console  18  disposed between seats  20  in the occupant compartment  16  and connected to the vehicle body  14  by suitable means (not shown). The vehicle  12  further includes a shifter  22  extending through the center console  18  and connected to a transmission (not shown). The shifter  22  is surrounded by the fastenerless boot assembly  10  to be described. It should be appreciated that the fastenerless boot assembly  10  may surround a parkbrake (not shown) instead of the shifter  22 . It should also be appreciated that, except for the fastenerless boot assembly  10 , the vehicle  12  is conventional and known in the art. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 through 6 , the fastenerless boot assembly  10  includes a retainer  24 . The retainer  24  is generally rectangular in shape and has a side wall  26  and a top wall  28  extending generally perpendicularly from one end of the side wall  26 . The retainer  24  also has an exterior wall  30  extending generally perpendicular from the top wall  28  and generally parallel to the side wall  26 . The exterior wall  30  is spaced from the side wall  26  and has a length less than a length of the side wall  26 . The side wall  26  includes at least one, preferably a plurality of wall ribs  32  extending outwardly therefrom. The side wall  26  also includes at least one, preferably a plurality of clip ribs  34  extending outwardly. The clip ribs  34  have a generally triangular cross-sectional shape and are inverted to provide a generally planar retention surface  36 . The side wall  26  further includes at least one, preferably a plurality of slots  38  extending therein. One of the slots  38  is located on each side of the clip ribs  34  to allow the clip ribs  34  to flex inwardly and return to their original position. The retainer  24  is made of a rigid material, preferably a plastic material. The retainer  24  is a monolithic structure being integral, unitary, and one-piece. 
     The fastenerless boot assembly  10  also includes a boot  40  to surround a portion of the shifter  22 . The boot  40  is generally annular and trapezoidal in shape. The boot  40  has an upper end  42  and a lower end  44 . The lower end  44  has a channel  46  extending therein formed by a portion or hem  48  of the boot  40  connected to itself by suitable means such as an adhesive or stitching. The boot  40  is made of a flexible material, preferably an elastomeric material. It should be appreciated that the upper end  42  may also include a hem  48 . 
     The fastenerless boot assembly  10  further includes a seal  50  such as an o-ring disposed in the channel of the lower end  44  of the boot  40 . The seal  50  has a generally circular cross-sectional shape and may be solid or hollow. The seal  50  is made of a flexible material, such as an elastomeric material. It should be appreciated that the size of the boot  40  and subsequent size of the seal  50  are determined by the size of the retainer  24  required to properly close out the shifter  22 . It should be appreciated that the seal  50  is conventional and known in the art. 
     In operation, an assembly person (not shown) inserts the retainer  24  into the boot  40  vertically and twists the retainer  24  to its design plane within the boot  40 . The seal  50  stretches sufficiently to allow the twisting required to load the retainer  24 . The lower end  44  of the boot  40  is disposed between the retention surface  36  of the clip ribs  34  and the exterior wall  30  of the retainer  24  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Once the retainer  24  is twisted to the correct orientation, the assembly is complete. It should be appreciated that the seal  50  prevents the boot  40  from pulling past the retainer  24  and no other fastening is required. It should also be appreciated that the process requires stitching of the seal  50  into the lower end  44  of the boot  40 , but this is in addition to stitching that is already being performed so it is not an additional operation. 
     The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
     Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.