FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 1970
[39 OF 1970]
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See Section 10 and Rule 13]
“A SEAT ANCHORING MECHANISM FOR A VEHICLE”
Name and Address of the Applicant: TATA MOTORS LIMITED, Bombay House, 24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk, Mumbai – 400001, Maharashtra, India.
Nationality: Indian
The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle seat support and more particularly, relates to seat anchoring mechanism for reacting the longitudinal forces generated during acceleration and deceleration and to isolate the fatigue stresses acting on the seat anchorages provided in a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Conventionally the seats of the vehicle are fixed to the floor of the vehicle with the help of suitable mountings called as “seat anchorages”. In conventional seat anchorages a weld nut is provided on the body shell of the floor structure and appropriate bolt or screws are aligned onto the through holes and threaded for attaching the seat to the structure.
Generally, a seat belt buckle is also provided on the seat structure in passenger cars. In the event of a crash, the occupant movement is restricted by the seat belts and the reaction forces are generated at the seat belt anchorages. These seat belt reaction forces occur during acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle, and more predominantly in the event of crash. These reaction forces generate tensile and compressive forces which directly act on the fastening elements causing a lot of stress build up and finally lead to failure. Seat belt buckle which is provided on a seat structure transfer the reaction forces to the seat anchorages and to the floor structure resulting in floor structure deformation. This deformation can lead to floor structural damage and may cause the seat to detach from its anchor. Hence it is a very important factor to uniformly distribute these reaction forces and minimize the floor deformation of the vehicle.
Further, disadvantages of the existing seat anchorages includes that the seat anchorage bolts have to be long enough to cover the entire depth of the reinforcement member to fasten onto a weld nut provided at the bottom. Since the reinforcement member geometry varies from vehicle to vehicle and the seat anchorage bolt length also varies as per the application. Therefore, the seat belt anchorage bolt becomes non standard fastener and becomes costlier for manufacture. Use of a non standard fastener leads to non availability of parts which becomes a critical factor during assembly & servicing
During manufacturing, the alignment of the through hole on the floor and the weld nut on the reinforcement member cannot be maintained at all times due to distortions and/or manufacturing variations of the vehicle body shell. Hence, there is a possibility of the

assembler to enlarge the through hole which deteriorates the strength of the floor and leads to fatigue cracks. Also, while tightening the seat anchorage bolt to the floor of the vehicle, the floor and support bracket have a possibility to deform due to excessive compressive forces on account of tightening of the mounting bolt
Hence there exists a need to provide a simple and efficient seat anchoring mechanism in a vehicle to overcome the limitations stated above.
OBJECTIVES OF THE DISCLOSURE
The first objective of the present invention is to provide improved seat anchorages which use a standard fastener (bolt/screw).
One objective of the present invention is to provide improved seat anchorages which ensure alignment between the through holes on the floor and the floor reinforcements.
One objective of the present invention is to provide improved seat anchorages which use less number of parts.
One objective of the present invention is to provide improved seat anchorages which are simple in construction and cost effective.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision as claimed in the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed disclosure.
In an embodiment of the disclosure, a seat anchoring mechanism for a vehicle comprising, a floor panel of the vehicle having at least one through hole for fastening a seat bracket and a support washer is aligned with said through hole and attached to the said floor panel of the vehicle. A floor reinforcement member is fastened to the said floor panel. A threaded tube is placed inside the said reinforcement member by locating the top end of said tube inside the said support washer and said tube having a flange welded to the reinforcement member and the said tube has internal threads starting from top end of the tube up to a predetermined

length. A fastener is inserted through the said seat bracket and fastened to the said threaded tube.
In an embodiment of the disclosure, the seat anchoring mechanism, wherein top end of the said tube is maintained at a predetermined gap with the said floor panel during assembly of the said floor panel.
In an embodiment of the disclosure, the reinforcement member is selected from a group comprising U-shape, rectangular-shape hollow tubes, square-shape hollow tubes and cylindrical shape tubes.
BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The novel features and characteristic of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The disclosure itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures. One or more embodiments are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures wherein like reference numerals represent like elements and in which:
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a seat in a vehicle.
Fig. 2 shows side view of the seat anchorages of the disclosure.
Fig. 3 shows the exploded view of the mounting fasteners used in seat anchorages of the disclosure.
The figures depict embodiments of the disclosure for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The foregoing has broadly outlined the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description of the disclosure that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the disclosure. It should be appreciated by those

skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the disclosure, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure.
Referring now to the drawings wherein the drawings are for the purpose of illustrating a exemplary embodiment of the disclosure only, and not for the purpose of limiting the same.
Fig. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure and illustrates a seat (9) of the vehicle mounted onto the floor panel (2) of the vehicle. The seat (9) is fixed to the floor reinforcement members (3) which are fixed to the vehicle floor panel (2). The reinforcement member (3) takes up most of the stresses developed at the anchor points and uniformly distributes them along the longitudinal length of the floor structure. The shape of the said reinforcement member (3) is of rectangular-shape hollow tubes. The seat (9) is fixed to the reinforcement members (3) with suitable fasteners (7).
Fig. 2 is an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure and illustrates side view of the seat anchorage mounting mechanism in accordance with the disclosure. Figure shows the floor panel (2) of the vehicle with reinforcement member (3) fixed to the floor panel (2) of the vehicle for supporting the reaction forces generated at anchorage points during acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle. The threaded tube (4) is placed at the bottom of the floor reinforcement member (3) at predetermined locations. The tube (4) has a non detachable flange (5) fixed to its bottom end, and the non detachable flange (5) is welded to the bottom of the floor reinforcement member (3). Also, the threaded tube (4) as shown has internal threads (8) starting from the top of the threaded tube (4) up to a predetermined length to fasten the seat (9) onto the floor reinforcement member (3) with the help of suitable fasteners

(7). A support washer (6) provided at the top of the threaded tube (4) is fixed to the floor panel (2) of the vehicle. The through holes of the threaded tube (4) are aligned with the through holes of the support washer (6) such that the outer diameter (10) of the threaded tubes (4) is located inside the said support washer (6) during manufacturing. During vehicle assembly the seat (9) is mounted to the floor panel (2) by suitable fastener (7). The threaded portion provided in the threaded tubes (4) extends high enough up to a predetermined length and hence it is possible to use a standard fastener (bolt/screw) for engagement and tightening of the seat bracket (1) with the floor reinforcement member (3).
During manufacturing of the floor structure, the support washer (6) is aligned with the through hole and attached to the bottom of the vehicle floor panel (2) by Welding. The threaded tube (4) is inserted in a through hole on the floor reinforcement member (3) and the flange (5) is welded to the reinforcement member (3). The reinforcement member (3) is then placed against the floor structure of the vehicle in such a way that, the top end of the threaded tube (4) is located inside the support washer (6) and maintains a predetermined gap with floor panel (2). The predetermined gap with floor panel (2) will allow relative movement between the floor (2) and reinforcement member (3) during fastening the seat bracket (1). The floor reinforcement members (3) are then placed parallel to each other at a predetermined distance and then welded to the vehicle floor (2).
In another exemplary embodiment for manufacturing of the floor structure, the support washer (6) is aligned with the through hole and attached to the bottom of the vehicle floor panel (2) by welding. The floor reinforcement members (3) are then placed parallel to each other at a predetermined distance and then welded to the vehicle floor (2). The threaded tube (4) is inserted in a through hole on the floor reinforcement member (3) till the flange (5) butts against the reinforcement member (3) thereby the top end of the threaded tube (4) locates inside the support washer (6) and maintains a predetermined gap with floor panel (2). The flange (5) is then welded to the reinforcement member (3).
Fig. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure and illustrates the exploded view of the mounting fasteners used in seat anchorages. The threaded tube (4) is fixed to the bottom of the floor reinforcement member (3). The threaded tube (4) has inner threads (8) from the top extending up to a predetermined length. The shape of the threaded tubes (4) is of cylindrical shape. The support washer (6) is aligned with the through holes and welded to the said floor panel (2) for engagement and tightening of the fastener (7). The washer (6) facilitates

locating the tube (4) inline with the through holes on the floor panel (2). The fastener (7) as shown has threads which engage with the inner threads (8) of the threaded tubes (4) up to a predetermined length.
This provides additional support and the number of parts required also is considerably reduced. The time required for assembly is also considerably reduced.
In another alternative embodiment of the disclosure, the fastening means used to fasten the threaded tube with standard fasteners (bolt/screw).
REFERENCE NUMERALS

Seat Anchoring Mechanism A
Seat brackets 1
Floor panel 2
Floor Reinforcement Member 3
Threaded tubes 4
Flange 5
Support Washer 6
Fastener 7
Internal Threads 8
Seat 9
Outer diameter of the threaded tube 10

EQUIVALENTS
With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in

general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.
While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.

We claim:
1. A seat anchoring mechanism (A) for a vehicle comprising:
a floor panel (2) of the vehicle with at least a through hole for fastening a seat bracket (1);
a support washer (6) aligned with said through hole of the floor panel (2) and attached to said floor panel (2);
a floor reinforcement member (3) fastened to said floor panel (2);
a threaded tube (4) placed inside said reinforcement member (3) by locating top end
of said tube (4) inside said support washer (6);
said tube (4) having a flange (5) welded to the reinforcement member (3) and internal
threads (8) starting from top end of the tube (4) up to a predetermined length; and
a fastener (7) inserted through said seat bracket (1) and fastened to said threaded tube (4).
2. The seat anchoring mechanism (A) as claimed in claim 1, wherein top end of said tube (4) maintain a predetermined gap with said floor panel (2) during assembly of said floor panel (2).
3. The seat anchoring mechanism (A) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcement member (3) is selected from a group U-shape, rectangular-shape hollow tubes, square-shape hollow tubes, cylindrical shape tubes.
4. A seat anchoring mechanism (A) is substantially as herein described in accompanying drawings.