Abstract:
A locking automobile mat hanger and display device consists of two hanger housings that cooperate with an interchangeable adapter insert to secure a plurality of automobile floor mats. The device includes housings having a retaining portion and an adapter insert, whereby the adapter insert and the retaining portion of the housing create channels in which automobile floor mats may be inserted and retained. The device also has a cutout section in the housings whereby a user may easily grasp and carry the entire mat hanger assembly. The device further contains a hook section disposed on the housings, which allows for the entire mat hanger assembly to be hung from retail displays, and also allows for efficient storage. The label application section of the hanger aids inventory organization.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The various embodiments of the present invention relate to devices for holding, securing, transporting, and displaying automobile floor mats. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Automobile floor mats are used to protect the floor of the automobile from undue wear and damage. Another benefit of typical automobile floor mats is that they provide added safety and reduce the dangers associated with slipping. These features are often accomplished by constructing automobile floor mats from injection-molded plastic. This process allows for manufacturing floor mats with textured non-slip surfaces as well as various other shapes, contours and textures. Additionally, automobile floor mats are often constructed with a ridge extending vertically along perimeter of mat. This ridge acts to retain liquid and dirt when placed on the floor of an automobile, and aids in cleanup and maintenance. A further advantage of automobile floor mats is that they can be removed for cleaning, and they can be replaced when worn or damaged. 
     Automobile floor mats are often sold in retail stores, and therefore there is a need for packaging and displaying the floor mats to potential customers. An important feature of such packaging and display devices is that they can secure multiple floor mats together, while also providing an efficient means for displaying the mats to a customer. 
     One previous device for displaying automobile floor mats used hangers made from cardboard arranged to overlay the top of the automobile floor mat, whereby the floor mat is affixed to the cardboard by means of staples. An additional section of the cardboard overlay is formed into a hook that can be hung on a display rack. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,531 to Bagne discloses a display device for car rugs and mats that is made of a single cardboard support piece which has an extension on one end which is folded over to form a flap. The cardboard support piece and car mat are wrapped in plastic which is heat-shrunk, thereby securing the merchandise to the cardboard. A hole or slit is formed in the plastic over the hole in the fold of the cardboard support piece. The plastic hook is inserted in this hole or slit, allowing the entire package to be hung from a display rack. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,654 to Reuben discloses a system for displaying two-mat sets. The packaging system includes a hanger for suspending the floor mat package from a display bar. A single pouch is attached alongside the floor mats for holding certain accompanying fastening components. Staples penetrate the mats, the pouch, and the hanger. The staples serve to hold the mats, pouch and hanger together. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,694 to Wallach discloses a display package for displaying four-piece automotive floor mat sets. The display package comprises a first envelope and a first pair of floor mats disposed in a layered disposition within the first envelope. A second envelope, or pocket, is piggy-backed on the first envelope and a second pair of floor mats is disposed in a layered disposition within the second envelope. The display package is characterized by clamping means having opposing clamping surfaces for bracketing the first pair of mats and exerting generally opposing forces perpendicular to the outside surfaces of the first pair of floor mats. The opposing forces increase the friction between the first pair of floor mats and also between the clamping surfaces and the first pair of floor mats&#39; outside surfaces. The increased friction secures the first pair of floor mats in relation to each other and in relation to the clamping means without penetrating the first pair of floor mats. 
     Previous automobile mat hanging and display devices suffer from several deficiencies. Prior devices are often made of cardboard and therefore lack sufficient strength and durability. Additionally, the prior devices often must be stapled to the automobile mat itself, thus damaging the mat. The staples must be forcibly extracted by the purchaser using tools such as pliers, or a screwdriver. In addition, this system is unable to handle four-piece floor mat sets since staples will not penetrate a stack of four mats. Additionally, prior mat hanging devices may not hold more or less than a specific number of mats. In other words, previous holders are designed for only one application (two mats or four mats, for example), and cannot be adapted for other uses. Prior mat hanging devices are also deficient in that they may only be used once. Paper or cardboard display devices cannot be reused for other mats. 
     Current heavy-duty automobile floor mats can be large and due to their flexibility, hard to lift, transport, and hang by hand. This difficulty increases where there are multiple mats to be transported or hung at once. Therefore, there is a continuing need for an inexpensive means for gripping and holding multiple floor mats during transport and display in a retail store. 
    
    
     
       CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts an angle view of the prospective arrangement of the hanger. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a side view with a cross section view of the prospective arrangement of the hanger. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a cross-sectional view showing a four-mat insert of the prospective arrangement of the hanger. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a cross-sectional view showing a four-mat insert with mats affixed. 
         FIG. 5  depicts a cross-sectional view showing a two-mat insert with mats affixed. 
     
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention meet the needs described above in a locking automobile mat hanger and display device. Generally described, the present invention includes two hanger housings that cooperate with an interchangeable adapter insert to secure a plurality of automobile floor mats. Specifically, the mat hanger includes housings having a retaining portion and an adapter insert, whereby the adapter insert and the retaining portion of the housing create channels in which automobile floor mats may be inserted and retained. Another aspect of the invention relates to a cutout section whereby a user may easily grasp and carry the entire mat hanger assembly. A further aspect of the invention relates to a hook section of the housings, which allows for the entire mat hanger assembly to be hung from retail displays. 
     Automobile floor mats are designed to accommodate various sizes and shapes of automobile floors and other cargo areas. As a result, certain heavy-duty floor mats can be large and therefore difficult to lift, transport, and hang by hand. These mats are also often made of flexible thermoplastic. While this flexibility is advantageous when providing custom fits to specific automobile models, it is difficult to handle a large, flexible floor mat by hand. This difficulty increases where there are multiple mats to be transported or hung at once. To solve the problem of handling and transporting large, flexible floor mats, the current invention incorporates a removable adapter insert along with cooperating grasping portions of the hanger housings. The hanger is able to engage and secure the raised ridge that runs along the perimeter of automobile floor mats, thus providing a means for securing together a plurality of automobile floor mats, and also providing a means for grasping the floor mats for transport and display. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a locking mat hanger and display device. Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a hanger  10  for hanging and displaying automobile floor mats is shown. The hanger  10  consists of two hanger housings  12  and  14  that connectively couple with each other to engage an adapter insert  16 , thereby securing a plurality of automobile floor mats therebetween, as will be explained in further detail below. The hanger  10 , including adapter insert  16 , is formed by plastic-based injection molding techniques that are well known in the art. The first housing  12  has an engaging side (not shown) and an outer side  18 . The second housing  14  has an engaging side  20  and an outer side (not shown). The housings  12  and  14  also consist of top portions  20 ,  22 , bracing portions  24 ,  26 , base portions  28 ,  30 , and hook portions  32 ,  34 , respectively. The top portion  20 , bracing portion  24 , and base portion  28  of housing  12  generally define a cutout section  36 . Housing  14  contains a similar cutout section  38  defined by top portion  22 , bracing portion  26 , and base portion  30 . 
     Housings  12  and  14  have a raised outer ridge  40  and  42 , respectively, along a portion of the perimeter of the housing, as well as a raised inner ridge  44  and  46 , respectively, along the perimeter of the cutout sections. The raised ridges  40 ,  42 ,  44  and  46  improve rigidity and provide strength to the hanger  10  when hanger housings  12  and  14  are connectively coupled together. To provide further strength and rigidity, the housings are constructed from a material such as thermoplastic elastomer. A further advantage of the raised ridge is to provide added comfort when a user grasps the hanger  10  through the cutout sections  36  and  38  to handle the mats, as will be explained in more detail below. 
     The housings  12  and  14  have cutout sections  36  and  38  for allowing a user to grasp the hanger through the cutout sections. A further advantage of cutout sections  36  and  38  is that they aid the user when hanging the mat hanger assembly on a display rack. Instead of holding the hanger by the hook portion  34 ,  34 , which can lead to getting fingers caught between the hanger and display hanger rod, a the user can grasp the mat hanger assembly through the cutout section. The raised inner ridges  44  and  46  surrounding cutout sections  36  and  38 , respectively, cooperate to provide a uniform surface that does not exert undue pressure on the user&#39;s hand while grasping the mat hanger  10 . 
     Housing  12  has a molded, rigid retaining portion  48  extending generally perpendicularly from the base portion  28  for engagement with floor mats. Housing  14  has a corresponding molded, rigid retaining portion  50  extending generally perpendicularly from the base portion  30  for engagement with floor mats. As can be seen more clearly in  FIGS. 2-5 , the retaining portions  48  and  50  extend outward from housing. Retaining portion  48  has an upper portion  52  and a lower portion  54 , and retaining portion  50  has an upper portion  56  and a lower portion  58 . The upper and lower portions  52 ,  54  and  56 ,  58  of the retaining portions  48  and  50  create a generally U-shaped channel into which the extending ridge of an automobile floor mat can be inserted, as will be explained in more detail below. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment of the current invention, housings  12  and  14  have an adapter insert reception area  60  for accepting adapter insert  16 . The adapter insert reception area  60  is formed by the cooperation of molded channels  62  and  64  running along the base of the housing  12  and  14 , respectively, proximal to the junction of the base portions  28  and  30  and the retaining portions  48  and  50 , respectively. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the current invention, the adapter insert reception area is replaced by corresponding slots running along the junction of the base portion  28  and  30  and the retaining portions  48  and  50  of housings  12  and  14 . These slots allow for engaging the retaining tabs of adapter insert  16  (described in more detail below). 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the first and second housings  12  and  14  are affixed together with a plurality of securing snaps  66 . The snaps  66  consist of a plurality of hollow tabs on the engaging side  20  of second housing  14  that engage a corresponding set of retaining tabs on the outer side  18  of first housing  12 . The second hanger housing  14  contains a plurality of hollow tabs spaced regularly about the housing  14 , extending perpendicularly away from the engaging side  20  of the second housing. In an alternate embodiment, the housings can be affixed together with female receivers and male snaps, or a combination of a plurality of heat stakes and a corresponding plurality of alignment posts as would be familiar to one of skill in the art. An additional feature of a possible embodiment uses a plurality of guide pins and corresponding guide holes to help align hanger housings correctly. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , label surface  68  is shown. Label surface  68  is created by two generally planar tabs extending perpendicularly away from the top portion  20  and  22  of the hanger housings  12  and  14 , respectively. The tabs cooperate to form a relatively flat surface  68  on which labels or other identifying indicators may be affixed. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , hook structure  70  is shown. Hook structure  70  is formed by hook portions  32  and  34  when housings  12  and  14  are connectively coupled with snaps  66 . The inner diameter of the hook structure is generally circular in shape. The hook structure  70  is formed such that it has the ability to easily fit over a cylindrical hanging rod for display. Hook structure  70  has the ability to be hung from hanging rods of various shapes and diameters. The hook structure  70  derives its rigidity from the raised outer ridge  40  and  42  along a portion of the perimeter of the housings  12  and  14 , as well as the rigidity of the plastic material used in its manufacture. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the 2-mat adapter insert  72  is shown. The adapter insert  72  engages with the first and second housings  12  and  14  as explained above. Adapter insert  72  has support ribs  78  built in to create a tight fit of floor mat raised ridge within the channel. In one embodiment of the current invention, automobile floor mat  74  with raised ridge  76  fits securely within the generally U-shaped channel formed by the upper portion  52  and lower portion  56  of retaining portion  48 . A corresponding geometry retains second floor mat  75  within the hanger  10 . The support ribs  78  of adapter insert  72  ensure that the automobile floor mat is secured within the generally U-shaped channel formed by the upper and lower portions  52 ,  54  and  56 ,  58  of the retaining portions  48  and  50 . These ribs act as a wedge to help prevent the mat ridge from deforming and slipping out of the retaining portion of the housings  12  and  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the 4-mat adapter insert  80  is shown. The adapter insert  80  engages with the first and second housings  12  and  14  as explained above. Adapter insert  80  employs retaining tabs  82  and  84  that extend perpendicularly from the adapter insert  80 , and extend generally the length of the housings  12  and  14 . When engaged with the retaining portions  48  and  50  of the housings  12  and  14 , the 4-mat adapter insert  80  creates dual retaining channels  86  and  88  that can accommodate two sets of two mats  90 ,  92 ,  94 , and  96 , when the pairs are arranged back-to-back. The gap between the retaining tab  82  and the lower portion  54  of retaining portion  48  is narrow, such that the geometry of the raised ridges of the automobile floor mats create a secure fit that will not allow the floor mats to disengage from the retaining portion. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. 
     Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.