Mat fastener

A device for securing a floor mat to the floor carpet of an automobile wherein the floor carpet has a hole extending therethrough and is laid on a floor panel, comprising:

• a base plate for positioning on top of the floor carpet, said base plate having an aperture positioned above the hole in the floor carpet;
• two leg members, each leg member having a top end, an intermediate portion and a bottom end, said top end being attached to the base plate near said aperture and extending downward through the hole in the floor carpet, said leg members being foldable at the intermediate portions such that said intermediate portions can move apart from each other;
• a connecting section connecting the bottom ends of said two leg members;
• a post mounted on said connecting section, said post having at least one prong and extending upward toward said base plate such that when said leg members are folded by pressing the base plate toward the floor panel, the base plate is brought toward the connecting section and at least a portion of said post extends through the aperture in the base plate and the hole in the carpet;
• an annular flange located around a lower section of said post;
• an annular groove located around said aperture, said flange engaging said groove when the leg members are folded so as to maintain the leg members in a folded state and so that said at least a portion of said post is kept extended through the aperture in the base plate;
• and
• means for detachably engaging said post with a floor mat.