Heatable car foot mat

A floor mat for a motor vehicle includes a perforated upper mat; a reservoir having a first chamber to underlie the feet of an operator and a second chamber to underlie the pedals of the motor vehicle, the first chamber having a floor and a perimeter ridge with a front wall, two side walls and a rear wall, the second chamber having a floor, two side walls and a front wall, a rear portion of the floor of the second chamber being joined along the top of the front wall of the first chamber to flex upwardly and forwardly of the first chamber and to drain into the first chamber. A plurality of first pedestals are spaced apart on the floor of the first chamber and a plurality of second pedestals are spaced apart on the floor of the second chamber to support the upper mat above the first and second chambers of the reservoir. An air duct extends beneath the floor of the second chamber and communicates with the first chamber through a port in the front wall of the first chamber, with the air duct connected to a heater vent of the motor vehicle to supply warm air to the first chamber.

This application is a continuation of PCT/CA90/00242 filed Jul. 30, 1990. 
TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to the technical field involved in the manufacture 
of floor mats for motor vehicles to protect the floors and carpets of such 
vehicles against foot borne water, snow and road salts. 
BACKGROUND ART 
During Fall, Winter, and Spring months, snow, water, mud, and road salts 
are carried on shoes and boots into vehicles causing extensive damage to 
those areas where there is foot traffic. In order to reduce this problem, 
floor mats of various types have been developed to protect floors and 
carpets. Such floor mats have become well known in the prior art. They are 
commonly designed to fit to the dimensions of a particular type of car and 
are commonly fabricated of rubber, plastic, fibrous or combinations of 
such materials. The known mats are very similar functionally. One type of 
mat is merely a flat sheet of material adapted to cover the carpet in 
areas of heavy traffic. Other types may contain vertical baffles to trap 
water and dirt and to prevent one's pant cuff from dipping into the water. 
However, in all types known to the inventor, there is no means for drying 
out the mat or for separating the water runoff from the operator's feet 
while the vehicle is being operated. There are also a number of 
disadvantages to the known mats, even those which provide baffles to hold 
water. Each time a person gets into a car more water in tracked into the 
car. If an operator gets into and out of his car many times on a wet day, 
water may accumulate to the point of overflow. Moreover, vehicle motion 
may cause water trapped in the baffles of the known mats to spill. Damage 
may result from overflow or spillage, particularly where road salt and 
water may become trapped beneath the carpet causing the floor of the 
automobile to rot or rust. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises a duplex floor mat having an porous mat 
supported above a reservoir to permit water and road salt to flow through 
the porous mat into the reservoir. The porous mat is supported over the 
reservoir to bear the weight of an operator's feet and to maintain 
separation of the porous mat from the contents of the reservoir. The water 
and dirt may be trapped in the reservoir until the water is evaporated or 
removed. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a sponge 
inlay in the reservoir helps to reduce spillage while the vehicle is in 
motion. It will be appreciated that the removal of the water.from the 
surface of the porous mat of the mat to the reservoir below adds 
significantly to the driver's comfort and, accordingly, to his safety. 
In a further preferred embodiment of this invention, the reservoir is 
fitted with air intake ducts which enable hot air to be channelled from 
the vehicle heating system through the mat to evaporate water trapped in 
the reservoir. Should hot air not be available in a particular vehicle, 
water can be evaporated by means of electrical devices placed in the 
reservoir of the lower mat. 
It will be appreciated that the upper porous mat may be made aesthetically 
pleasing for it can be constructed of fabrics or other materials woven, 
knitted or otherwise manufactured by conventional techniques in many 
patterns and colours. If the materials chosen for its manufacture are 
sufficiently porous it may be unnecessary to provide additional porosity 
in the mat. Otherwise, holes may be cut in the mat at regular intervals to 
permit runoff to flow into the reservoir beneath. Of course, baffles or 
guides may be provided to direct the flow to the holes and to prevent it 
from running over the sides. 
The upper porous mat may have flaps extendinq beyond the dimensions of the 
lower reservoir to cover the floor in low clearance areas. In these 
embodiments the communication holes to the lower reservoir will be located 
in portions of the upper porous mat over the lower reservoir to establish 
communication therewith and the upper porous mat flaps extending beyond 
the lower reservoir will be adapted with guides to channel the water back 
to the communication holes thereby enabling water to flow to the lower 
reservoir. Thus the car mat may be fitted with flaps designed to fold 
neatly below the foot pedals. 
The car mat of this invention is adapted for easily disassembly with four 
standard retainer clips which may be readily removed for cleaning or 
refastened after reassembly. In Summer, the reservoir portion can be 
stored and the porous mat portion can be used by itself in the same way as 
a conventional mat to protect carpets from wear. It will be appreciated 
that the parts of the mat may be replaced individually as they wear out. 
The floor mat reservoir preferably has a perimeter ridge to retain water 
and a support means within its perimeter adapted to support said porous 
mat over said reservoir. 
A combination of the preferred features provides a floor mat for a motor 
vehicle comprising an upper mat, a reservoir and an air duct in which the 
upper mat is located over said reservoir and has perforations to allow 
melting snow, water and road salt to pass downwardly into the reservoir 
and to permit warm air to pass upwardly through the mat and in which the 
reservoir is surrounded with a perimeter ridge to retain water and has 
plurality of pedestals within to support the upper mat thereon and has a 
sponge means to soak up water and in which the air duct is connectable to 
a heater vent of the motor vehicle to circulate warm air into the 
reservoir to evaporate water which air exhausts upwardly.through 
perforations in the upper mat. The updraft of warm air through the mat 
provides a pleasing and drying air current beneath and about the 
operator's feet.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT INVENTION 
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate the reservoir (2) of this invention which is adapted 
to lie under and to carry an upper porous mat (15), which is shown in 
FIGS. 5 and 6. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the reservoir (2) is adapted with 
a plurality of pedestals (4) spaced integrally within the reservoir (2) to 
provide a support means and of a height to maintain a sufficient space 
between the upper porous mat (15) and the floor of the reservoir (2). 
The reservoir (2) has a first chamber designed to lie flat on the floor of 
the automobile in the front compartment under the feet of an operator. A 
second chamber (13) of the reservoir (2) which is hinged as shown in FIG. 
3 to adapt to an incline of the automobile floor beneath the foot pedals. 
In this portion the pedestals (4) are shorter to provide more clearance 
under the pedals. In another embodiment the reservoir does not extend 
under the pedals but the upper porous mat does. In this embodiment, (not 
shown), the porous portion of the upper mat does not begin until it 
overlays the reservoir (2). 
The first chamber of the reservoir is preferably 5/8" in thickness from the 
top edge of the perimeter ridge to the bottom of the underside and is made 
of vinyl or rubber. The inclined forward portion of the second chamber 
(13) is 1/8" in thickness except around the top edge where it is 1/4 
thick. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, air intake ducts (6) may be situated centrally 
under the floor of the first chamber (13) of the reservoir (2). Each duct 
is preferably 41/2" in width and 1/4" in depth and extends the full length 
of the inclined portion. As shown in FIG. 1, each duct (6) runs along the 
underside of first chamber (13) and exhausts into the main body of the 
reservoir (2). 
There are four standard detachable retainer clips that fit into holes (3) 
which hold the upper porous mat (15) to the reservoir (2). Pedestals (4) 
are placed sufficiently far apart to maximize circulation of air while 
providing adequate support the upper porous mat (15). It is preferred that 
each pedestals be about 1/4" in height in the main body of reservoir (2) 
and about 1/16" high on the incline portion (13). 
A ridge (7) runs about the perimeter of the reservoir having a flat top 
surface (10) to assist in the support the upper porous mat and having a 
raised inner sidewall (5) to retain water. 
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the upper porous mat (15) has holes (8) 
throughout its surface which communicate to the reservoir (2) below. Each 
hole (8) is preferably 3/8" in diameter and spaced sufficiently to allow 
water to flow as quickly as possible to the reservoir below. 
Flaps (9) are designed to fold neatly under the foot pedals of the 
automobile without interference. Slots (14) are placed along the upper mat 
(15) on both sides under the flaps (9), to prevent the mat from bulging 
when placed against an inclined floor of an automobile. 
Duct attachment (11) is adapted with a rectangular plug to fit into the 
duct vent (6) of the mat and a hose (17) adapted to fit into one of the 
air outlets provided in an automobile. The hose (17) is manufactured of a 
material which will retain its shape when bent into position. Thus the 
hose will remain in the automobile air duct to obtain a supply of air and 
avoid any interference with the foot pedals of the automobile. 
Sponge (12) is placed within the reservoir (2) about the pedestals (4) to 
soak up excess water while allowing for airflow within the reservoir (2) 
over and about the sponge (12). It will be appreciated that the sponge can 
be installed in many ways to obtain its purpose. In the preferred 
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 the sponge is located along a central 
portion and along the edges of the reservoir so as not to impede the flow 
of air from the air ducts. 
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
The floor mat of the present invention may be manufactured for use in 
automobiles or other motor vehicles.