REMOVABLE AUTOMOBILE FLOOR CARPET

Abstract: A removable section of automobile carpet (12) is provided with a fastener (11) surrounding its border so that it can be removed and cleaned then reinserted, back to its original well area wherein it is fastened back in place, by joining the main floor automobile carpet.

Description: REMOVABLE AUTOMOBILE FLOOR CARPET This invention relates to a carpet or other floor covering with removable sections located in the well areas of an automobile and enjoined to the main body of the carpet by means of a zipper, velcro type fastener, or magnetized material for removal and replacement for the process of cleaning accumulated dirt. In operation this invention provides for the debris that gathers all over an automobile floor well areas or not, to be swept without bi-level hindrance to the surface of the removable sections which then would be unjoined and lifted to the outside of the car for cleaning following which they would be returned to their places in the main floor carpet. Carpets have long been used in automobiles and they have necessarily been made resilient to the foot motion of people entering or leaving as well as those normally accompany¬ ing sitting for long stretches of time but in the driving well area, pedals control use prompts excessive foot motion grinding debris into the carpet wearing it away so that as a consequence most manufacturers have found it necessary to glue reinforcement covers adding to the cleaning problem by providing still more recesses for dirt to lodge. In this invention in order to sweep the debris from the main floor covering to the removable sections with the least hang-up I have provided for the carpets, both main and removable to be in the same plane or with the removable section surface lower than the main floor carpet surface. To keep them in the same plane the removable carpets fits into holes or cut-outs in the main carpet. The holes extend through the carpet to the automobile floor or partially through, ending at the carpet backing. Another modification of this invention is provided for those automobiles which are furnished with carpet whose SUBSTITUTE SHEET tufts have a high profile, able to permit a mat of magnetized material through its attraction to the steel automobile floor to nestle into the carpet and allow swept dirt to enter the mat's surface surface without hindrance and still permit the mat to be lifted off for cleaning. Therefore, carpeted wells that are formed into the automobile floor are hard to clean. In the driving well . area, reinforcement must be expensively built—in to the carpet to offset hard wear. Therefore, an ohject of this invention is to provide a removable carpet for the well pocket areas, that would be unzipped (or otherwise unjoined) and removed to outside the car where the dirt would he brushed away and the now clean section zipped or pressed back into place. An additional object of this invention is cost effective as its easy replaceability would eliminate em¬ ploying expensive materials to reinforce the heavy wear driving well area. These replaceable carpet sections would be further cost effective as they would occur in the area where foot movement causes the most severe wear spots and their appli¬ cation would lengthen the time that the car's appearance would remain first class. These replaceable carpet sections would be a cos¬ metic improvement, as they could be made distinctive from the surrounding carpet by design, shape, texture, or color. My invention consists of the combination and arrange¬ ment of a removable carpet that can be joined to the fixed main carpet as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a side view (elevation) of the front half of an automobile with the relative removable carpet contour indicated. Figure 2 is an overview (plan) of the front SUB3 .TUTE SHEET half of an automobile with two removable carpets outlined, one each on the driver and passenger side. Turning now to Figure 1 it will be seen that the invention embodies a fixed floor carpet 1, a fastener out¬ line 2 and a removable carpet 3 all in approximately the same plane. The fastener 2 is joined to both the main carpet 1 and the removable carpet 3 and is provided to separateand rejoin preferably without the need of tools. Figure 2 indicates that the removable carpet 3 is continually bound with the fastener 2 to effect complete separation from the main carpet 1. Figure 3 is an outline of the zipper path set in the driver's well area below and to the rear of the brake k and fuel 5 pedals. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the zipper closure 6 in its fastened position near the seating to avoid foot contact. The pull tab magnetized, as one method of keeping it firmly folded at the same time it holds the zipper materi¬ al in place in the unjoined area between the rests 7 and 8. Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 5 - 5 of Figure 3. In this view the removable carpet opening is cut away to the floor and the main floor side of the zipper material is joined to the underside of the main floor carpet backing. Figure 6 is an alternate fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 6 - 6 of Figure 3. In this view the removable carpet opening is only cut away to the carpet backing and the main floor side of the zipper material is joined to the upperside of the carpet backing in the opening area. Figure 7 is an outline of a velcro type fastener path set in the well area of an automobile. Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken TE S HEET along lines 8 - 8 of Figure 7. In this view the removable carpet opening is cut away to the floor and underside of the velcro type fastener 9 is joined to the floor and the topside 10 joined to the removable carpet 3. Figure 9 is an alternate fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 9 - 9 of Figure 7. In this view of the invention only the carpet pile of the removable carpet opening is removed and the underside of the velcro type fastener 9 is adhered to the main floor carpet backing with the topside 10 joined to the removable carpet 3« Figure 10 is an outline of a magnetized removable carpet set in the well area of an automobile. Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 11 - 11 of Figure 10 showing a removable carpet 3 magnetized to hold it in the opening of the main floor carpet 1. The opening in this view is cut away to the automobile floor. Figure 12 is an alternate fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 12 - 12 of Figure 10 showing a removable cover 3 magnetized to hold it in the opening of the main floor carpet 1. The opening is only cut away to the main floor carpet backing. Figure 13 is another outline of a magnetized removable floor covering 11 set in the well area of an automobile with the covering above the main fixed carpet . and with the rim chamfered to aid in collecting the debris swept from the main fixed carpet 1. Figure 14 is a view showing that the invention embodies a fixed main floor carpet 1 and a removable carpet 11 above it. The removable carpet is magnetized to hold its place in the well area of an automobile by clinging to the steel automobile floor and settling into the main carpet pile. su 3 _nτuτε SHEE T

Claims: Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 15 - 15 of Figure 13 showing a magnetized removable cover 11 with a chamfered rim above the fixed main floor carpet 1. I claim: 1. In combination, a fixed automobile carpet having provision to enjoin or separate a removable carpet having the same plane and arranged in the well areas for cleaning and replacing. 2. In combination, an attached but removable carpet arranged in the well areas of an automobile and having the same plane as the main floor carpet in order to accept swept debris unto its surface for disposal. 3. A removable floor covering having the same plane as the main floor covering and arranged in the well areas of an automobile and held in place by means either of a zipper, velcro type fastener or magnetized material depending on what is most suitable for the styling and use of the vehicle. 4. In combination, a removable magnetized floor covering set deep enough into the main floor carpet in the well areas of an autombile by its attraction to the steel floor to allow debris to be swept onto its surface for lift-off disposal. SUBSTI UTE SHEET OMPI

Inventors: MCLAUGHLIN JOHN J, MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN, J.
Applicants: MCLAUGHLIN JOHN J, MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN, J.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B32B3
IPC codes: B60N3, D06N7