Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
The invention relates to a floor mat especlally for
use in automobiles and other vehicles
II1 bad weather~ water, snow, mud and the like accumu-
late on the floor of an automobile. In many cases the water or
melted snow will then simply ro-t the carpet, and corrode the
floor of the vehicle. Various rubber and plastic floor mats
are available. However, in the yreat majority of cases, the
volumes of water and melted snow are such that the water simply
flows off the mat into the carpet~ This is particularly true
when it is considered that the vehicle is subjec-ted to accel-
eration, or deacceleration which will cause the water to flow back-
wardly or forwardly off the mat.
For all of these rea~ons it is therefore desirable
-to provide a floor mat fox vehicles which both controls the
flow of water on the mat, and guides it in a particular direc-
tion, and in addition, which also provides water collectors
or recesses, in which the water may be collected, and from
which it may readily be removed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
~0 ~ With these general objectives in mind, the invention
provides a floor mat having an upper and an underside, and a
forward and rear end, and in which the upper side is provided
with a tread portion, having a multiplicity of water flow
.... . ~ . . . . . ......... ., .. ... -- -- . . ......... .
guide-ways or channels or grooves, communicating with the rear
end of the mat, and guiding water flow from the front towards
the rear of the mat, and further having water collectors a-t
the rear end of the mat, below the plane of the water guide-ways,
in which water may collect.
A f~rther feature of the invention is th~ pro~vision
30 O-L partition walls in the water collectors -to res-t~ain the
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water ~rolî, surgin~ -to and fro during driving of the vehicle.
The invention further provides, on the underside of the
tread po~ion of the floor mat, any suitable form of padding raising
the level of the water guide-ways above tha-t of the water collectors,
so t11at water flowing down the water guide-ways and accumulating
in the collectors will not flow in the reverse direction.
Preferably, the structure of the water collectors
will be of flexible rubber material~ In this way any wat~r
collecting therein, which may freeze, can still be readily
removed as ice cubes.
The various features of novelty which characterize
the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims
annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. E'or a
better understanding of the invention~ its operating advantages
and specific objects attained by its use~ reference should be
had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in
which there are illustrated and descr:ibed preferred embodiments
of the invention.
IN THE DRAWINGS:-
2~ Figure 1 is a perspective illustration showing the
interior of an automobile, with the floor mat according to
the inven-tion shown in position in the passengers compartment;
Figure 2 is a perspective illustration showing the
upper side of the invention;
Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 o Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a lower perspective illustration of the
underside of the invention;
Figure 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Figure 2,
and,
Figure 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Figure 2.
-- 2 --
.
As shown in the drawings, the floor mat according to
the invention is provided with a tread portion having an
upper surface 10 having a series of alternate longitudinal
rihs or ridges 12 and intervening grooves or channels 14
constituting water guide-ways, running from the fron-t or
forward edge 16 of the mat, towards the rearward end 18.
The ridges 12 are carried on a generally horizontal
web portion 20. A perime-ter wall 21 is raised above the
ribs or ridges 12 and closes off the front end of the
grooves 14.
On the underside 22 of the tread portion of the mat,
there is provided a honey-comb pad formation consisting of
spacer walls 24, the function of which is to hold the web 20
at a predetermined elevation.
At the rearward end 18, a pair of side walls 26, and
intermediate partition walls 26a, cooperate with end walls 28,
and intermediate wall 30, and a bottom wall 32, to provide a
group of water collectors or recesses. Bottom wall 32 is
located below the plane of web 20, and is generally co-planar
with the lower edges of the spacer walls 24. The open rear
ends of the grooves 14 will permit water to flow downwardly
over the intermediate wall 30 into these collectors, where
; such water will collect, and be unable to flow back again
into the upper surface of the mat 10.
The walls 26,28,30, and 32 are generally speaking of
flexible material so that if the water freezes, the walls
may expand, and at the same time cubes of ice may simply be
snapped out.
The use oE the floor mat is self-evident. Water
will simply collect in the grooves 14, and as the vehicle
accelerates it will Elow back into the water recesses defined
by the walls 26,28,30, and 32. At the end of the day, the
water collected there may simply be dumped out. Alter-
natively, if it freezes, then the ice may simply be snapped
out.
The ease of removal of water is a particular ad-
vantage. Removal of water from a conventional rubber mat
has to be carried out with great care. The mat flexes when
it is lifted. Water will then run off the mat. In the in-
vention however, the collectors can easily be held steadywhile lifting so that the water will not escape.
In this way a substantial portion of the water, snow,
etc~, entering the car on the shoes of the driver or pas-
senger will be retained and discarded so that it does not
simply soak into the mat, or corrode the metal of the vehicle.
Additional partition walls 28a and 26b of reduced
height in relation to walls 26a may usefully be provided to
sub-divide the collectors into smaller compartments. In this
way, surging of water during driving of the vehicle is re-
strained. Such walls 28a and 26b may, iE desired be re-
movable but for simplicity are preferably intergral with the
mat 10. The entire mat 10 is usefully molded as a one-piece
integral structure of for example rubber, thermo-plastic or
the like.
Supplementary Disclosure
Where a ligh-ter weight mat, or a mat having a larger
surface are is required, the mat becomes too flexible. As a
result, when it is lifted up some of the water runs off.
In order to overcome this, a modified mat is shown in
the following further illustrations:
4-
.,.,~,,~ `.
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Figure 7 is a perspective of a further embodiment;
Figure 8 ls a side elevation of the mat of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a section along the line 9-9 of Figure 7;
Figure 10 is a section along the line 10-10 of Fig. 7;
Figure 11 is a section along the line 11-11 of Fig. 7;
Figure 12 is a section along the line 12-12 of Fig.7,and,
Figure 13 is a section along the line 13-13 of Figure 7.
Such a mat has an upper surface 10a having ridges 12a
and grooves 14a, similar to the mat of Figure 1. It is,
however, traversed by one or more hinge formations 40,42, (two
such formations being shown as a matter of convenience only,
without limitation) the ridges 12a being discontinuous at
hinges 40,42, to permit folding of the web 20a.
The mat also incorporates water collectors formed by
walls 26a-b and 28a-b.
On the underside, spacer walls 24a are also inter-
rupted at hlnges 40,42, for the same purpose to permit folding
along such hinge lines.
The front portion of the modified mat, i.e. from front
edge 16 to hinge formation 42, and on its underside it may~be
free of spacer walls 24. It can be flexed and tilted up to
lie against and conform to the fire wall of a vehiale without
obstructing use of the pedals. If desixed, it may be pro-
vided wlth small, po~nted formations 44 on its underside for
gripping the carpet of a vehicle.
Handles 46 can be providedon either side of the ma-t,
near the rear end 18 for lifting it.
In use, when the collectors or recesses are full of
water, the mat is folded over along hinges 40 and 42. The
handles 46 are then grasped and the mat can be lifted out of
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the vehicle and the water poured off. ~he mat, when folded
up is much less likely to flex unexpectedly and dump the
water before it is removed from -the vehicle.
Such a mat can thus be made larger in surface area,
and of thinner material while still functioning to effectively
collect and remove water, etc., from the vehicle.
In addition to these advantages, it is found that
by the use of this modified form of the invention, it is pos-
sible to provide a w~ter collector type of mat in accordance
with the invention, having a front end portion which may fold
up or lie at an upward angle against the fire wall of the
vehicle, without unduly distorting the shape of the mat.
This arises hecause of the fact that, whereas a re-
latively thin flexible type of mat such as has been used in
the past, may fairly readily flex upwardly and lie against
the fire wall of the vehicle, whe:n -thicke.r material is used,
such as is in the case of the present invention, to provide
a true water collecting type function, the upward flexing of
a mat against the fire wall produces various undesira~le
results. In particular, the mat does not lie flat against
the floor of the vehicle, and conse~uently the use of the
control pedals and the like is subject to interference from
. the mat.
- In addition, the mat when flexed upwardly, it tends to
have a relatively substantial degree of inherent resllience,
and is consequently sliding backwardly down the fire wall.
- sy the use of the present invention, incorporating
hinge formations transversely across the mat, it is possible
to overcome this problem so thatnotwithstanding the greater
thickness of the mat, it will still lie flat both on the floor
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and the fire wall of the vehicle withou-t either interfering
with the use of the vehicle, and without exhibiting a ten-
dency to slide rearwardly.
Having described what is believed to be the best
mode by which the invention may be performed, it will be seen
that the invention may be particularly defined as follows:
A two-level floor mat for horizontal floors such as
floors in motor vehicles, and comprising a tread portion
having a longitudinal axis and having a plurality of longi-
tudinal grooves therein parallel to such axis such groovesdefining a predetermined water level for flow of water there-
along, pad means under said tread portion havi.ng a lower sur-
face adapted to lie horizontal on said hori.zontal floor and
locating said tread portion and said grooves at a predeter-
mined level raised above the horizontal floor, water col-
lector means located at one end of said -tread portion with
said grooves in water flow commun:ication therewith, said
collector means having a bottom wall portion lying at a
second predetermined level below the level of said tread
portion and said grooves whereby water flowing along said
grooves will flow downwardly into said collector means and
collect therein, and will not subsequently readily flow
forwardly into said grooves, and, an undersurface forming
part of said bottom wall portion and lying on said floor
co-planar with said lower surface of said pad means whereby
in use on said horizontal floor, said tread portion, and
said collector means both are supported horizontal, but in
different planes.
The invention further comprises a floor mat having
the foregoing feat;lres wherein said tread portion comprises
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a web, a plurality of upstanding ridges definin~ grooves
therebetween, and a perimeter wall around the front and two
sides thereof higher than said ridges.
The invention further comprises a floor mat having
the foregoing features wherein said pad means comprises a
; plurality of wall formations formed on the underside of said
web.
The invention further comprises a floor mat having
the foregoing features wherein said water collector means
comprises a front wall/ a back wall and two side walls,
said front wall being in flow communication with said web,
and including a plural:ity of partition walls dividing said
collector means into a plurality of smaller spaces.
The foregoing is a description oE a preferred embodi-
ment of the invention which is given here by way o~ example
only. The invention is no-t to be -taken as limited to any of
the specifice features as described, but comprehends all such
varlations thereof as come within the scope of the appended
claln~ .
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