Floor mat

• US 4,280,729 A
• Filed: 09/04/1979
• Issued: 07/28/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Janusz Morawski
• Original Assignee: Janusz Morawski
• Inventors: Morawski, Janusz
• Primary Examiner(s): Epstein, Henry F.
• Application Number:
  US06/072,113
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 428/167, 296/1 F, 52/660, 15/215, 15/238, 4/185 R, 4/185 F, D12/203
• US Class Current: 296/97.23
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/044 of removable mats B60N3/046, B60N3/048 take precedence

Abstract

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 at the rear end of the mat, below the plane of the water guide-ways, in which water may collect, and having hinge formations by means of which it can be folded for ease of handling, when carrying water in the water collectors.

Claims

1. 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 longitudinal grooves therein parallel to such axis such grooves defining a predetermined water level for flow of water therealong;

pad means under said tread portion having a lower surface adapted to lie horizontal on said horizontal floor and locating said tread portion and said grooves at a predetermined level raised above the horizontal floor;

water collector means located at one end of said tread portion with said grooves in water flow communication 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.

2. A floor mat as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tread portion comprises a web, a plurality of upstanding ridges defining grooves therebetween, and a perimeter wall around the front and two sides thereof higher than said ridges.

3. A floor mat as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pad means comprises a plurality of wall formations formed on the under side of said web and having lower edges forming said lower surface.

4. A floor mat as claimed in claim 3 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 plurality of partition walls dividing said collector means into a plurality of smaller spaces.

5. A floor mat as claimed in claim 4, including a perimeter wall around said water collector means, said perimeter wall comprising an upward extension of said back wall and the said two side walls, and reaching the same height as the perimeter wall around said tread portion, said two perimeter walls being formed integrally as a single structure, and substantially completely encircling said tread portion and said water collector means.

6. A floor mat as claimed in claim 1, including hinge means extending transversely of the mat intermediate its ends, whereby the same may be folded over upon itself.

7. A floor mat as claimed in claim 6, including a plurality of upstanding ridges defining grooves therebetween, in said tread portion of said web, and including a plurality of wall formations on the underside of said web, and wherein said ridges and said wall formations are discontinued in the region of said hinge means, whereby to permit flexing of said web for folding of said mat.

8. A floor mat as claimed in claim 7 wherein there are two hinge formations forming said hinge means, said hinge formations being arranged parallel to one another transversely across said mat, and being spaced apart whereby said mat may be folded twice.

9. A floor mat as claimed in claim 6 including handle means extending outwardly from the sides of said mat for lifting of same.

10. A floor mat as claimed in claim 9 wherein said two hinge formations define a front portion and an intermediate portion and a rearward portion of said mat, and wherein said front portion has an undersurface free of said wall formations whereby the same may flex upwardly and conform to the fire wall of the vehicle, and including handle means on the rearward portion of said mat, for lifting of same when folded.