Patent Application
20050037177
The present invention relates generally to slip resistant mats, and, more particularly, to mats having suction cups on the underside of the mats.
It is well known that rubber-backed floor mats tend to move along surfaces, such as wood, concrete, or tile, when walked upon. This movement can ultimately create tripping hazards. Further, additional labor and time must be spent to return the mats to their appropriate positions. Accordingly, various slip resistant or anti-skid features have been employed in the past to overcome these problems.
Historically, cleats have been added to the bottom surface of the mats so that the mats can better grip the surfaces onto which they are placed and thereby reduce their movement.
However, this approach did not prevent displacement of the mats on smooth floors, especially those floors with high traffic areas or loads being moved on them. This displacement results from the force of foot and vehicle traffic on the mats, which causes a deformation around the compressed area and then upon removal of such force the mats return to a different position.
Fasteners have also been employed with floor mats to reduce or eliminate the movement of the mats. For example, clips have been employed for securing the mats to a particular surface. Additionally, frames have been employed to secure mats onto a particular surface. Finally, tapes, adhesives, and hook and loop fasteners such as VELCRO® disposed along the bottom of the mats have also been used to secure the mats to the surfaces. However, these approaches add cost to the mats, as well as difficulty to the installation. Furthermore, such systems can damage the surface onto which a mat is secured.
Another traditional approach to reducing and eliminating the displacement of mats along a surface has been to include suction cups along the bottom surface of the mats. While this approach provides acceptable slip-resistance for applications involving lower traffic and lower load areas, such as bathrooms and showers, these suction cups do not provide sufficient anti-skidding forces to prevent slipping and movement in high traffic and high load areas such as grocery stores. Furthermore, traditional suction cups result in a wavy mat surface, which may be more difficult for individuals and loads to traverse. Finally, suction cups, which tend to have a thin edge, can break off from the mat when the mat is in use or cleaned.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved mat construction that eliminates migration of the mat along the surface on which it is placed
The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
According to its major aspects and briefly recited, the present invention is a mat having a base layer that is bonded to a top layer. The base layer of the mat includes a plurality of depressions along the bottom surface of the base layer, wherein the depth of the depressions does not exceed the depth of the base layer. The orientation of the depressions on the bottom surface of the mat may be such that there is a greater concentration of depressions along the edges of the mat. The top layer of the mat is preferably a layer of carpet tuft. In operation, the depressions of the mat suction the mat to the surface onto which the mat is placed once an initial force is applied to the mat, such as a footstep or vehicular traffic. Preferably, the base layer of the mat is formed from a soft, low durometer rubber compound by being plied to smooth mold so that the bottom surface of the mat is smooth.
A feature of the present invention is the use of a mat having a plurality of depressions along the bottom surface of the mat. These depressions effectively secure the mat to surfaces once an initial force is applied. Additionally, the depressions do not results in a wavy mat surface such as most mats including suction cups. Because the depressions do not have a thin edge such as most suction cups, but are instead molded into the bottom of the mat, the depressions are also able to better retain their shape and are more structurally sound thereby making the mat more durable.
Another feature of the present invention is the use of a mat having a plurality of depressions with a particular pattern. This pattern prevents the edges of the mat from curling up or wrinkling, because there is a greater concentration along the edges of the mat.
Still another feature of the present invention is the use of mat having a smooth bottom surface. The smooth surface results in a higher coefficient of friction and facilitates suction because the floor surface contact is increased. Accordingly, the movement of the mat along the surface is minimized.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the use of mat formed from a soft, low durometer rubber material. The softness of the rubber enhances the effectiveness of both the depressions and the smooth backing of the mat in securing the mat to a surface.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a careful reading of the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments presented below and accompanied by the drawings.
In the drawings,
As illustrated in
The base layer 12 is preferably made of rubber. However, other polymers may be used such as EPDM, which is sold by DuPont under the trademark NORDEL®, or SBR (styrene-butadiene) which is sold by Poly Corp. under the trademark POLYSAR®. More preferably, the base layer 12 is made of a rubber having a hardness between approximately 20 to 70 durometers, and, most preferably, between approximately 30 to 50 durometers.
As previously discussed, the use of a base layer 12 that is made of a soft, low durometer rubber material is a particular feature of the present invention. The softness of the rubber enhances the effectiveness of the depressions 14 the mat in securing the mat 10 to a surface.
Preferably, the depressions 14 are positioned in parallel and perpendicular rows resulting in a grid arrangement. Although a majority of the depressions 14 are evenly spaced along the bottom surface 16 of the mat 10, there is a greater concentration of depressions 14 along the edges of the mat. An effective range of depression 14 spacing is approximately 3 to 10 inches. Most preferably, the spacing between the two outermost rows of depressions 14 along the edges of the mat 10, shown as space A, is approximately 3 inches, whereas the spacing between the remaining rows of depressions 14, shown as space B, is approximately 6 inches. As previously discussed, this particular orientation is a feature of the present invention, because it helps to prevent the edges of the mat 10 from curling up or wrinkling thereby creating a tripping hazard. It should be understood that any suitable pattern, including random patterns, for the depressions may be used on the bottom of the mat.
Although the shape and size of the depressions 14 may vary depending on the particular end use of the mat 10, the depressions 14 are preferably shaped like a cylinder or a recessed circle having a diameter C and a depth D, which is less than the depth E of the base layer 12 of the mat 10. Most preferably, diameter C is approximately 1 inch, depth D is approximately 0.125 inches, and depth E is between approximately 0.140 and 0.250 inches. The depressions 14 in a most preferred embodiment are cylindrical in shape, where the sidewalls 20 of the depression are substantially perpendicular to the bottom planar surface 16 of the base layer 12, as shown in
The base layer 12 of the mat 10 is formed by plying a material, such as rubber, to a mold 30, as shown in
In operation, the mat 10 becomes suctioned to a floor surface after an initial force, such as a footstep or vehicular traffic, is applied. After such force is applied, the depressions 14 of the mat 10 are deformed and at least some of the air contained with the depressions 14 is forced out, which creates a low pressure area or near vacuum inside the depressions 14, thus creating a suction. In addition to the use of a smooth bottom surface 16, and a soft, low durometer rubber, the use of depressions 14 to suction the mat 10 to a surface further minimizes migration of the mat 10 along the surface. When used in combination, these features result in zero migration of the mat 10 along a surface to which it has been suctioned. As used herein, “zero migration” refers to a calculation in inches of mat displacement based on the Kex Walk Test. In a Kex Walk Test, markers, such as tape, are placed below the corners of the mat 10 to designate the original position of the mat 10. Subsequently, an individual will either walk over or push a grocery cart over the mat 10. Variations can exist as to what type of floor surface on which the mat 10 is placed. After a certain number of passes have been completed, the difference in inches between the original location of the mat 10 and the ending location of the mat 10 is measured.
In order to further describe the present invention, the following nonlimiting example is set forth. The example is provided for the sole purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
A first mat having a mat size of 3 feet by 10 feet, weighing approximately 21 lbs., and having the features described above, including a base layer made of rubber that is bonded to a top layer of fabric, a smooth bottom surface, and a plurality of depressions having diameter of approximately 1 inch and a depth of approximately 0.125 inches, was subjected to the Kex Walk Test as described above. The mat was first washed with a non-ionic detergent at 140° F. Thereafter, the mat was placed on a hard tile floor surface over tape markers. Next, a walker pushing a grocery cart that was loaded to give the cart a total weight of 100 lbs. passed over the mat 50 times.
Comparatively, a second mat having a mat size of 3 feet by 10 feet and weighing approximately 12 lbs. was also subjected to the same Kex Walk Test. The second mat also included a base layer of rubber bonded to a top layer of fabric. However, the second mat did not include a smooth bottom surface and a plurality of depressions. In particular, the second mat was cleated on the bottom surface of the mat. This mat was also washed with a non-ionic detergent at 140° F. Thereafter, the mat was placed on a hard tile floor surface over tape markers. Next, a walker pushing a grocery cart that was loaded to give the cart a total weight of 100 lbs. passed over the mat 50 times.
After the passes by the walker and the grocery cart were completed, the migration of the first and second mats were measured by comparing the differences between the locations of the mats before and after the passes. The results follow.
Accordingly, this examples demonstrates the effectiveness of the skid resistant features of the mat 10 of the present invention over other mats known in the art.
Finally, there are many alternative embodiments and modifications of the present invention that are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
