Snap lock fitting for automotive seat backs

An automobile seat back subassembly for mutually securing an automobile seat and seat back, comprising a complimentary pair of mutually interlocking members including an elongated mounting member having a slide with a notched profile intermediate between leading and trailing ends thereof;

• a channel member comprising a wall arrangement defining an open ended channel for receiving a predetermined length of said mounting member in axially inter-fitting relation therewith, said channel member further including a rotationally biased eccentric cam arranged on a pivot located adjacent said channel, with a radially outermost extent of said cam normally biased into interfering relation within said channel, and in transverse register with the notched profile when said maximum predetermined length of the mounting member is inter-fittingly engaged within said channel, said cam being operably about said pivot rotatable out of said interfering relation with said channel upon initial contact with said mounting member to permit insertion of said mounting member;
• and wherein said notched profile consists of an axially extending, non-recursive concave spiral surface having a radius of curvature which increases with increasing distance from a leading edge of said mounting member.

An automobile seat comprising a seat back portion and a seat portion adapted to be mutually secured through a complimentary pair of mutually locking members including an elongated mounting member secured to said seat portion and having a side with a notched profile intermediate between leading and trailing ends thereof;

• a channel member secured to said seat back portion and comprising a wall arrangement defining an open ended channel for receiving a predetermined length of said mounting member in axially inter-fitting relation therewith, said channel member further including a rotationally biased eccentric cam arranged on a pivot located adjacent said channel, with a radially outermost extent of said cam normally biased into interfering relation within said channel, and in transverse register with the notched profile when said maximum predetermined length of the mounting member is inter-fittingly engaged within said channel, said cam being operably rotatable out of inter-fitting relation to permit insertion of said mounting member;
• and wherein said notched profile consists of an axially extending, non-recursive concave spiral surface having a radius of curvature which increases with increasing distance from a leading edge of said mounting member.