Spillage control safety floor matting

• US 7,028,434 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: R&J Marketing And Sales, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pixterra Incorporated
• Inventors: Kessler, Ronald, Kendall, Kim D., Ullman, Myron
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERTSON, TIARA S
• Application Number:
  US10/463,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20040019994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 521/77, 526/62, 526/64, 526/73, 525/912, 525/914, 526/569, 152/15, 152/16, 152/38, 152/39
• US Class Current: 52/177
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0157 Mats; Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 27/0218 Link mats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/048 characterised by their structure
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02194 Flooring consisting of a number of elements carried by a non-rollable common support plate or grid E04F15/022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/105 of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials

Abstract

A thin flexible floor mat system is configured to resist penetration by high heeled shoes and be capable of being easily rolled up in long segments. The floor mat is constituted by a series of small square sections and are connected together with connectors that permit easy deployment and removal of the mat system by detaching segments of the mat from each other. The mat is flexible but resists penetration from high heels and other forms of traffic by virtue maintaining of a predetermined amount of flexibility through the use of auxiliary supports. Further stability is provided by one-piece ramp corners.

Claims

1. A mat system arranged on a support surface to provide a dry, relatively unencumbered travel surface, said mat system including at least one mat section, and comprising

(a) a plurality of upper strips, said upper strips having upper and lower surfaces;

(b) a plurality of lower strips, said lower strips having upper and lower surfaces arranged so that the upper surfaces of said lower strips are permanently affixed to said lower surfaces of said upper strips; and

,

(c) a ramp structure including a plurality of ramps arranged around at least part of a periphery of said at least one mat;

said ramp structure being constituted of a material softer than material constituting said plurality of upper strips.

2. The matt system of claim 1, wherein said ramp structure comprises at least one corner piece joining at an intersection of two different ramps extending from two different edges of said at least one mat section, said corner of said ramp structure being constituted by a single unitary molded structure.

3. The mat system of claim 2, wherein said material constituting said plurality of upper strips has a durometer between 93 and 97, and said second material has a durometer between 60 and 87.

4. A mat system arranged on a support surface to provide a relatively dry unencumbered travel surface, said mat system including at least one mat section, each said mat section comprising

(a) a plurality of upper strips, said upper strips having upper and lower surfaces;

and,

(b) a plurality of lower strips, said lower strips having upper and lower surfaces arranged so that said upper surfaces of said lower strips are permanently affixed to said lower surfaces of said upper strips; and

(c) at least one connector, said at least one connector being constituted of a harder material than said lower strips.

5. The mat system of claim 4, wherein said at least one connector is formed separately from any of said at least one mat section.

6. The mat system of claim 5, wherein said at least one connector is attachable to a surface supporting said mat system.

7. The mat system of claim 5, comprising a plurality of said connectors formed as part of said at least one mat section.

8. The mat system of claim 7, wherein said connectors are formed from each lateral side of said mat section.

9. The mat system of claim 8, wherein said connectors are configured to attach to adjacent mat sections, interfacing with strips constituted by materials of a different hardness than said connectors.

10. The mat system of claim 8, wherein said connectors are arranged to connect two ramp sections adjacent said mat section.

11. The mat section of claim 10, where said ramp sections are constituted by softer material than said connectors.