Pad for protecting floors against water damage

• US 4,243,197 A
• Filed: 06/25/1979
• Issued: 01/06/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marvin D. Wright
• Original Assignee: Marvin D. Wright
• Inventors: Wright, Marvin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epstein, Henry F.
• Application Number:
  US06/051,546
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 428/131, 248/346, 248/678, 248/679, 206/320, 220/1, 220/3.2, 220/3.3, 220/69, 220/DIG. 6, 52/34, 52/302, 52/602
• US Class Current: 248/678
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/081 Safety arrangements for preventing water damage
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/06 Drains

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a pad for protecting floors against water damage from washers, dryers or like appliances including a generally polygonally contoured peripheral wall having upper and lower terminal edges, the latter of which are adapted to rest upon a floor and the upper of which defines an interior within which is adapted to be disposed the lower end portion of a washer, dryer or the like, a supporting ledge inboard of the peripheral wall upon which legs of the appliance rest, and a chamber within and slightly beneath the ledge within which any water spilled or leaked from a washer, dryer or like appliance may be collected or drained therefrom.

Claims

1. A pad for protecting floors against water damage from washers, dryers or like appliances comprising a generally polygonally contoured peripheral wall having an outer surface and generally coplanar spaced upper and lower inner surfaces, said lower inner surface merging generally normally with a lower generally horizontal surface, a pair of upper generally parallel horizontal surfaces vertically offset from each other, a first of said upper horizontal surfaces being wholly inboard of and surrounded by a second of said upper horizontal surfaces, said second upper horizontal surface being of a squared-off annular configuration as viewed from above, said second upper horizontal surface being disposed generally normal to said upper inner surface, a second innermost peripheral surface disposed generally normal to said first and second upper horizontal surfaces and defining the vertical offset therebetween, said second innermost peripheral surface and said first upper horizontal surface defining an upwardly opening polyognal chamber wherein water is adapted to drain and/or accumulate from an associated washer, dryer or like appliance associated with said pad, said second upper horizontal surface and lower horizontal surface outboard of said second innermost peripheral surface defining a reinforced supporting ledge adapted to support thereon inboard of said upper inner surface the legs of an associated washer, dryer or like appliance, said lower inner surface defining four corners beneath said lower horizontal surface, a reinforcing foot at each of said corners beneath said lower horizontal surface, said upper inner surface completely bounding said ledge, and each foot having a bottom face below said lower horizontal surface.

2. The pad as defined in claim 1 including aperture means passing through a wall defined by said first upper horizontal surface and said lower horizontal surface through which water may be drained from said chamber.

3. The pad as defined in claim 1 wherein said pad is constructed from a single piece of molded, integral, homogenous polymeric material.

4. The pad as defined in claim 2 wherein said pad is constructed from a single piece of molded, integral, homogenous polymeric material.

5. A pad for protecting floors against water damage from washers, dryers or like appliances comprising a generally polygonally contoured peripheral wall and a central wall cooperative with said peripheral wall and defining therewith two generally similar pad portions each of which is adapted to support an associated washer, dryer or like appliance, said peripheral wall having an outer surface and generally coplanar spaced upper and lower inner surfaces, said central wall likewise having generally coplanar spaced upper and lower inner surfaces merging generally normal with said peripheral wall upper and lower inner surfaces, respectively, said lower inner surfaces merging generally normal with an associated one of a pair of lower generally horizontal surfaces, a pair of upper generally parallel horizontal surfaces vertically offset from each other at opposite sides of said central wall and above an associated one of said pairs of lower generally horizontal surfaces, a first of each pair of said upper horizontal surfaces being wholly inboard of and surrounded by a second of each pair of said upper horizontal surfaces at opposite sides of said central wall, each said second upper horizontal surface being of a squared-off annular configuration as viewed from above, said second upper horizontal surfaces being disposed generally normal to said peripheral wall and central wall upper inner surfaces, a second innermost peripheral surface disposed generally normal to said first and second upper horizontal surfaces at each side of said central wall and defining with the associated first upper horizontal surfaces first and second upwardly opening polygonal chambers at opposite sides of said central wall wherein water is adapted to drain and/or accumulate from an associated washer, dryer or like appliance associated with each pad portion, each of said second upper horizontal surfaces and associated lower horizontal surfaces of outboard of said second innermost peripheral surfaces defining a reinforced supporting ledge surrounding each of said upwardly opening chambers and being adapted to support thereon inboard of said upper inner surfaces the legs of an associated washer, dryer or like appliance, said lower peripheral wall inner surface defining four corners beneath said lower horizontal surfaces, a reinforcing foot at each of said corners beneath the associated lower horizontal surface, said peripheral wall upper inner surface completely bounding said ledge, and each foot having a bottom face below said horizontal surfaces.

6. The pad as defined in claim 5 including aperture means associated with only one of said chambers for draining water therefrom.

7. The pad as defined in claim 5 wherein said pad is constructed from a single piece of molded, integral, homogeneous polymeric material.

8. The pad as defined in claim 5 including a corner defined by each peripheral wall and central wall lower inner surfaces, and a reinforcing foot at each of said last-mentioned corner.

9. The pad as defined in claim 6 wherein said pad is constructed from a single piece of molded, integral homogeneous polymeric material.

10. The pad as defined in claim 7 including a corner defined by each peripheral wall and central wall lower inner surfaces, and a reinforcing foot at each of said last-mentioned corner.

11. The pad as defined in claim 9 including a corner defined by each peripheral wall and central wall lower inner surfaces, and a reinforcing foot at each of said last-mentioned corner.