Abstract:
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a floor mat comprising a base portion defining a floor contact surface, and an absorbent portion in contact with said base portion and surrounding each of a distributed plurality of scrapers, said scrapers integral with said base portion. Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method of forming a floor mat, comprising aligning an absorbent portion having a distributed plurality of holes therethrough with a compression mold; and compression molding an elastomeric material onto the absorbent portion and through the distributed plurality of holes to form an base portion and a plurality of distributed scrapers, the base portion integral with the plurality of distributed scrapers. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. This abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of the invention.

Description:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0001]    The invention and its wide variety of potential embodiments will be readily understood via the following detailed description of certain exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
           [0002]    [0002]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a floor mat  1000  of the present invention;  
           [0003]    [0003]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
           [0004]    [0004]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a carpet piece  3000  of the present invention;  
           [0005]    [0005]FIG. 4 is an perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a first mold portion  4000  of the present invention; and  
           [0006]    [0006]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along lines  4 - 4  of FIG. 4. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0007]    Often, when people near an entry and/or enter a building, they prefer to wipe the soles of their shoes on a mat to remove as much debris or moisture as possible, thereby substantially limiting the amount of the debris or moisture that is tracked into the building.  
         [0008]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a floor mat comprising a base portion defining a floor contact surface, and an absorbent portion in contact with said base portion and surrounding each of a distributed plurality of scrapers, said scrapers integral with said base portion.  
         [0009]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a floor mat comprising an absorbent portion defining a working surface, a base portion bonded to said absorbent portion, and a distributed plurality of scrapers molded from said base portion and extending from said base portion through holes in said absorbent portion to said working surface.  
         [0010]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method of forming a floor mat, comprising aligning an absorbent portion having a distributed plurality of holes therethrough with a compression mold; and compression molding an elastomeric material onto the absorbent portion and through the distributed plurality of holes to form an base portion and a plurality of distributed scrapers, the base portion integral with the plurality of distributed scrapers.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a floor mat  1000  of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines  2 - 2  of FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, floor mat  1000  can include a base portion  1100  in contact with an absorbent portion  1200 .  
         [0012]    As used herein, the phrase “floor mat” can include a mat, matting, rug, tile, interlocking tile, carpet, floor covering, and/or floor furnishing, etc. As used herein with respect to a floor mat, directional words such as “top”, “bottom”, “above”, “below”, etc. are oriented relative to a mat resting upon a floor, such that an outermost part of the mat in contact with the floor is the “bottom” of the mat, and an opposing outermost surface of the mat is the “top” of the mat, and is above the “bottom” of the mat, etc.  
         [0013]    Base portion  1100  can be constructed of a moldable and/or an elastomeric material, such as rubber, natural rubber, SBR rubber, and/or nitrite rubber, etc., and in certain embodiments, can be from approximately 50 to approximately 150 mils thick, and any whole number therebetween. In an exemplary embodiment, the elastomeric material can be a 100 mil thick, black, non-staining, non-marking material having a Shore durometer of 65 plus or minus 5 in a cooled down state.  
         [0014]    In certain embodiments, absorbent portion  1200  can be constructed of woven strands, fibers, and/or yarns, etc. of any water absorbent material, including, for example, natural materials such as coir, coco, jute, sisal, grass, cotton, and/or wool, etc., and/or synthetic materials such as nylon, polyamide, polypropylene, polyester, olefin, and/or a water-absorbent polymer, etc., including any such water absorbent materials in a recycled form.  
         [0015]    In certain embodiments, absorbent portion  1200  can be constructed of carpet, such as an olefin, polypropylene, tufted, and/or needlepunched, etc. carpet having a primary backing, such as a Typar, 13 pic poly backing. In an exemplary embodiment, the carpet is a 3000 denier yarn, 20 ounce per square yard, {fraction (5/32)} inch pile, ⅛ gauge tufted polypropylene having a 5 ounce per square yard SBR unitary coating on the back of the material to reduce fraying of the carpet when cut.  
         [0016]    Mat  1000  can have any standard mat dimensions, with a length ranging from approximately 6 inches to approximately 180 inches, and any number therebetween, a width ranging from approximately 6 inches to approximately 180 inches, and any number therebetween, and a thickness ranging from approximately 0.25 inches to approximately 1.5 inches, and any 0.0625 inch increment therebetween. In an exemplary embodiment, a mat  1000  can be approximately 24 inches by approximately 36 inches by approximately 0.375 inches.  
         [0017]    In certain embodiments, when viewed from above while utilized in a normal position on a floor, mat  1000  can have any shape and any dimensions. For example, mat  1000  can be rectangular, square, trapazoidal, rhomboid, circular, oval, etc., and/or any closed polygon, regular or irregular.  
         [0018]    Integral to absorbent portion  1200  and/or having an identical or similar material of construction as absorbent portion  1200  can be a plurality of raised absorbers  1300 , which can be distributed randomly on mat  1000  or distributed in any pattern of individual, joined, continuous, contiguous, and/or clustered absorbers. Absorbent portion  1200  and/or absorbers  1300  can define an absorbent wiping surface  1340 , which can be substantially planar. Absorbent portion  1200  and/or absorbers  1300  can define an absorbent channeling surface  1360 , which can be substantially planar. Although absorbers  1300  can providing at least a partial scraping function, they can also absorb a substantial volume of liquids from the sole of a shoe or foot.  
         [0019]    Integral to base portion  1100  and/or having an identical or similar material of construction as base portion  1100  can be a plurality of raised scrapers  1400  extending from base portion  1100  and/or through one or more holes in absorbent portion  1200 . Scrapers  1400  can augment the absorbers to provide both a scraping function and an absorbing function in a single mat.  
         [0020]    Scrapers  1400  can be distributed randomly on mat  1000  or distributed in any pattern of individual, joined, continuous, contiguous, and/or clustered scrapers. In certain embodiments, several scrapers  1400  can be clustered together to form a group, and several such groups can be distributed about mat  1000  in a patterned and/or random order. In certain embodiments, rather than clustered into groups of scrapers, each scraper can be substantially separated from each other scraper. Various scraping means are envisioned for scraping debris (which can include any unwanted solid) and/or liquids from the soles of the shoes and/or feet. For example, one ore more of the scrapers can be a protrusion, such as a cylindrical bump. One or more of the scrapers can be a ridge. One or a cluster of the scrapers can form a raised closed polygon, and can resemble, for example, shoe soles, feet, animals, letters, numbers, logos, icons, geometric patterns, etc.  
         [0021]    Scrapers  1400  can define at least one scraping surface  1440 , which can be substantially planar, and which can represent approximately 5% to approximately 50%, and any whole number therebetween (such as for example, 8%, 15%, 20%, 26%, 33%, 42%, etc.) of the visible surface area of mat  1000  when viewed from directly above. Scrapers  1400  can define at least one scraper channeling surface  1460 , which can be substantially planar, and that can partially define a channel that at least partially contains debris below scraping surface  1440 , to prevent the reattachment of the debris to a sole.  
         [0022]    Absorbent wiping surface  1340  can be oriented co-planar, parallel, or along an intersecting plane to scraping surface  1440 . If absorbent wiping surface  1340  is co-planar with scraping surface  1440 , the co-planar surfaces can define a working surface of mat  1000 , which can contact a sole to remove water and debris. Absorbent channeling surface  1360  can be oriented co-planar, parallel, or along an intersecting plane to scraper channeling surface  1460 . Absorbent channeling surface  1360  can partially define a channel that at least partially contains debris below absorbent wiping surface  1340 , to prevent the reattachment of the debris to a sole. Absorbent channeling surface  1360  can at least partially contain liquids below absorbent wiping surface  1340 , to prevent the reattachment of the liquid to a sole.  
         [0023]    Integral to base portion  1100  can be an edging  1500  that defines a perimeter of mat  1000  and/or surrounding absorbent portion  1200 . Edging  1500  can serve to contain debris and/or liquid within mat  1000 .  
         [0024]    Base portion  1100  can define at least one floor contact surface  1900  which can include a plurality of integral floor grippers  1950 , which can be any shape and/or can be distributed in any manner on base portion  1100 , and which can be useful for resisting and/or preventing slippage of mat  1000  on a floor surface.  
         [0025]    A volume defined between any of one or more scrapers, clusters of scrapers, one or more absorbers, and/or an edging can be referred to as a channel, which can be useful for at least partially containing debris and/or liquid. Base portion  1100  and/or absorbent portion  1200  can define one or more drain holes to allow liquids absorbed by absorbent portion  1200 , and/or debris contained in any channel, to drain and/or exit from mat  1000 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a carpet piece  3000  of the present invention. Carpet piece  3000  can include a substantiallly planar portion of carpet  3100  to which a backing material (not shown) has been applied. Through holes  3200  can be cut in carpet  3100  to correspond to whatever pattern of scrapers and/or scraper clusters (not shown) is desired.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 is an perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a first mold portion  4000  of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along lines  4 - 4  of FIG. 4. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, first mold portion  4000  can be a “negative” image of a top view of mat  1000  of FIG. 1, and can include mold plate  4100 , which can define an absorbent portion space  4200 , an absorber space  4300 , a scraper space  4400 , and/or an edging space  4500 . First mold plate  4100  can define a wiping surface contact area  4340 , an absorber channel contact area  4360 , a scraper surface contact area  4440 , and/or a scraper channel contact area  4460 . Sprew holes  4900  can allow ventilation of air and/or outgassing from scraper space  4400 . A second mold plate (not shown) can cooperate with first mold portion  4000  to define the floor contact surface and/or floor grippers of mat  1000  shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method  6000  of the present invention. Note that although various activities are presented in a numbered sequence, and are connected with arrows to an exemplary embodiment of method  1000 , there is no general requirement that the activities be performed in any particular order or any particular number of times, or that all activities be performed. Moreover, any activity can be performed automatically and/or manually.  
         [0029]    At activity  6100 , a mated pair of mold plates is designed. The design can include overall dimensional parameters for the molds and/or mat, such as length, width, and/or thickness. The design can also include a dimensions, number, pattern, and/or distribution of scrapers, absorbers, edging, and/or floor grippers.  
         [0030]    At activity  6200  the mated pair of mold plates can be formed. The plates can be formed of any conventional molding plate material, such as aluminum and/or steel.  
         [0031]    At activity  6300 , a carpet portion can be prepared for the molding operation. The carpet portion can be cut to the desired dimensions. Holes corresponding to the scrapers can be cut through the carpet. In certain embodiments, the carpet can be die-cut. A styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) pre-coat can be applied to the carpet portion.  
         [0032]    At activity  6400 , the prepared carpet, pieces of rubber, and/or a unitary rubber sheet can be positioned and/or aligned with and/or on one or both of the mated pair of mold plates. In certain embodiments, pieces of rubber are aligned in the vicinity of and to form a substantial portion of the scrapers and/or the edging, and a rubber sheet is provided to form a substantial portion of the base portion. For example, in certain embodiments, a homogeneous 100 mil sheet of SBR rubber is provided, and 1 inch wide×100 mil homogeneous strips of SBR rubber are laid around the perimeter of the sheet to reinforce the edging.  
         [0033]    At activity  6500 , the mold plates containing the mat materials can be placed in a rubber vulcanization press or rubber compression press, and can be compressed onto the mat materials for a predetermined time, temperature, and/or pressure to form the mat. When molded correctly, the rubber can soften and/or melt sufficiently to flow through the holes in the carpet and into the desired predetermined areas of the mold (such as the scraper space and/or the edging space) to assume the shape of the mold in those areas. When multiple pieces of rubber are utilized, those pieces can melt together and/or bond sufficiently to form essentially a single, integral, unitary, monolithic, and/or continuous rubber structure that protrudes through the holes in the carpet portion. When molded correctly, the carpet portion can also conform to the shape of the mold in its respective areas to form the absorbers, absorber channels, etc. Via the molding process, the carpet can bond to the rubber to thereby prevent separation and/or delamination of the absorbent portion from the base portion.  
         [0034]    In certain embodiments, using a diaphragm press, the molding parameters can be approximately 20 mats per molding cycle, approximately 350 F to approximately 370 F, approximately 10 to approximately 18 minutes, and/or approximately 55 to approximately 60 psig. In certain embodiments, using a platen press, the molding parameters can be approximately 2 to approximately 4 mats per molding cycle, 320 F to approximately 350 F, approximately 3 to 5 minutes, and/or approximately 150 to approximately 300 psig. The molding parameters can be controlled by a programmable logic controller.  
         [0035]    At activity  6600 , the mat can be de-molded and/or released from the mold. The mat can be finished of any excess rubber using a teflon-coated fiberglass belt.  
         [0036]    A mat formed by an embodiment of a method of the present invention can be used indoor and/or outdoors to simultaneously remove both debris and liquids from the soles of a wearer&#39;s shoes, thereby providing a scraping and an absorbing function. The mat can be cleaned by shaking, beating, spraying, and/or washing.  
         [0037]    Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerous variations, modifications and additional embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the invention. Also, references specifically identified and discussed herein are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.