Abstract:
A stair steps gripper for permanently covering the carpet on the stair steps to prevent it to wear out and becoming dirty, the stair steps gripper comprising a walking zone in the center having an anti-skid surface on the top and spikes on its lower surface for penetrating into a underlying carpet.

Description:
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
         [0001]    Not Applicable  
         SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
         [0002]    Not Applicable  
         BACKGROUND FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0003]    This invention relates to a small carpet runner adapted to be installed on stair steps, separately on each step, especially stairs located inside of a house. In general inside the house the stairway is covered with carpet for ornamental, flexibility and thermal insulation. The carpet on the steps become worn away more quickly than the carpet in the house and also dirties much easily. The area where the carpet is worn out and become dirty is located in the center of the stairs. The cleaning and changing of the carpet on the steps is very expensive and many times the new carpet doesn&#39;t match the old carpet in the house. The tendency is to install a narrow piece of carpet runner, made from plastic or tread, as one unit body from the top to the bottom of the stairs fixed by stair rods or screws, but it brings into existence undesirable dispersion.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is the principal object of the invention to provide a stair steps gripper witch can protect the carpet on the steps and provide an anti-skid cushioned surface with an excellent flexibility and ornamental effect. This is generally achieved by covering a piece of semi-rigid plastic material, provided with short spikes on one side, with an antiskid and cushion material, having ornamental properties. Another purpose of this invention is to provide a stair steps gripper witch can be very easy installed on each step of the stair, witch is clear of the undesirable dispersion. Using this invention will prevent the carpet wear out, dirt on the steps and injury, due to skidding, is reduced to minimum. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a stair steps gripper.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  2 - 2  in FIG. 1  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  4 - 4  in FIG. 3  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the stair steps gripper.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  6 - 6  in FIG. 5  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of FIG. 1  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 8A is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  8 - 8  in FIG. 7  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 8B is a modification of FIG. 8A indicated by the section line  8 - 8  in FIG. 7  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 9 is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  9 - 9  in FIG. 7  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the base.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 11A is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  11 - 11  in FIG. 10  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 11B is a modification of FIG. 11A indicated by the section line  11 - 11  in FIG. 10  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of FIG. 7  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 13 is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  13 - 13  in FIG. 12  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of FIG. 7  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 15A is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  15 - 15  in FIG. 14  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 15B is a modification of FIG. 15A indicated by the section line  15 - 15  in FIG. 14  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 16 is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  16 - 16  in FIG. 14  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of FIG. 12  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 18A is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  18 - 18  in FIG. 17  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 18B is a modification of FIG. 18A indicated by the section line  18 - 18  in FIG. 17  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 18C is a modification of FIG. 18A indicated by the section line  18 - 18  in FIG. 17  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 19 is a view in detail of the portion indicated by the section line  19 - 19  in FIG. 17  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of FIG. 10  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of FIG. 10  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of FIG. 10 
     
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS  
       [0032]    [0032] 51 —Runner  
         [0033]    [0033] 52 —Adhesive  
         [0034]    [0034] 53 —Surging  
         [0035]    [0035] 54 —Spike  
         [0036]    [0036] 55 —Rigidity serrations  
         [0037]    [0037] 56 —Front edge  
         [0038]    [0038] 57 —Curved edge  
         [0039]    [0039] 58 —Anti-skid serrations  
         [0040]    [0040] 59 —L-shape fixture  
         [0041]    [0041] 60 —Base  
         [0042]    [0042] 61 —Anti-skid material  
         [0043]    [0043] 62 —Hole  
         [0044]    [0044] 63 —U-shape fixture  
         [0045]    [0045] 64 —Double edge  
         [0046]    [0046] 65 —Edge cover  
         [0047]    [0047] 66 —S-shape edge  
         [0048]    [0048] 67 —L-shape edge  
         [0049]    [0049] 68 —Carpet  
         [0050]    [0050] 69 —Stairs  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0051]    Description—FIGS. 1, 2,  3  and  4 —Preferred Embodiment  
         [0052]    A preferred embodiment of the stair steps gripper of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The invention has a base  60  made from semi-rigid plastic material with short but relatively sharp spikes  54  on its lower surface for penetrating into an underlying carpet  68 . The vinyl plastic used to fabricate the base  60  is semi-rigid, liquid-impervious, plastic material having a predetermined durometer rating on a Rockwell C scale sufficiently high to provide enough rigidity for the base  60 . The base  60  can be cut in any predetermined lengths and widths at a cutting station during the fabrication process as the formed roll leaves the forming stations. However, the base  60  can consist of any other material that can satisfy the condition of rigidity on a Rockwell C scale like polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl, nylon, various impregnated or laminated fibrous materials, various plasticized materials, cardboard, paper, etc. The thickness of the base  60  can be typically 2 mm to 4 mm and the overall dimensions depends of the applications. The color of the base  60  can be clear, semi-transparent or colored plastic to give ornamental variations to the carpet  68 . The outer four corners of the base  60  are typically beveled or rounded to avoid snagging and personal injury. The base  60  can be cut in various shapes for example rectangular, trapezoidal, circular, semi-circular, elliptic, semi-elliptic, etc. The runner  51 , shown partially peeled back, is a common carpet, a short or deep pile carpet, a foot cloth or felt and can be cut in the same various shapes like the gripper. The edges of the runner  51  are protected against frying by surging  53 , or covering the edges with a plastic sheet, a cloth, etc. The overall dimensions of the runner  51  can be smaller equal or bigger than the size of the base  60  because the same invention can be used to hold in place a foot cloth or a small decorative rug on the carpet. The connection between the base  60  and the runner  51  is made by an adhesive  52  witch enables the base  60  and the runner  51  to form the stair steps gripper. The adhesive  52  can be a latex adhesive, synthetic resin, adhesive tape with a good adherence and flexibility to plastic and carpet. FIG. 2 show a view in detail along its cross-section  2 - 2  of the front edge  56  for the base  60 . The base  60  is provided on the upper surface with rigidity serrations  55  to increase rigidity and on the lower surface spikes  54  designed to secure the base  60  on the carpet  68 . FIG. 3 show the preferred embodiment for the base  60  and a view in detail along its longitudinal cross-section  4 - 4  characterized in that the walking zone on the center has the same thickness like the edge zone.  
         [0053]    FIGS.  5 - 22  Additional Embodiments  
         [0054]    [0054]FIGS. 5 and 6 show a modified embodiment of the Stair steps gripper of FIG. 1 with the runner  51  partially peeled back, which is provided with curved serrations  58  on the upper surface. FIG. 6 is a view in detail along its cross-section  6 - 6  of the corner surface.  
         [0055]    [0055]FIGS. 7, 8A,  8 B and  9  show a modified embodiment of the stair steps gripper of FIG. 1 with the runner  51  partially peeled back, which is adapted to the stairs made from hard wood or concrete. The modified embodiment has a base  60  without spikes on the lower surface. The stair steps gripper can be attached in the back of each step with screws through the holes  62 , from the base  60 , and the L-shape fixture  59 . FIG. 8A is a view in detail along its cross-section  8 - 8  (FIG. 7) characterized in that the base  60  have a strait edge  56  in the front and holes  62  in the back. To increase the anti-skid effect the lower surface (FIG. 8B) can be covered with rubber or another material with anti-skid properties  61 . FIG. 9 is a view in detail along its cross-section  9 - 9  (FIG. 7) of the L-shape fixture  59 .  
         [0056]    [0056]FIGS. 10, 11A and  11 B show the modified embodiment for the base  60  of FIG. 3. FIG. 11A is a view in detail along its longitudinal cross-section  11 - 11  characterized in that the walking zone in the center have the same thickness like the edge zone. FIG. 11B is a modified version of the section  11 - 11  characterized in that the edge zones have a greater thickness than the central walking zone.  
         [0057]    [0057]FIGS. 12 and 13 show a modified embodiment of FIG. 7, with the runner  51  partially peeled back, which is provided with a curved edge  57  and anti-skid serrations  58  in the front. FIG. 13 is a view in detail along its cross-section  13 - 13  characterized in a curved edge  57  with anti-skid serrations  58  in the front and anti-skid material  61  on the lower surface.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIGS. 14, 15A,  15 B and  16  show a modified embodiment of FIG. 7, with the runner  51  partially peeled back, which is provided with a double edge  64  and a U-shape fixture  63  in the back. FIG. 15A is view in detail along its cross-section  15 - 15  characterized in that the base  60  has a double edge  64  in the back and a strait edge  56  in the front. FIG. 15B is a modified version of the section in FIG. 15A characterized in a covered lower surface with an anti-skid material  61  to increase the anti-skid effect. FIG. 16 is a view in detail along its cross-section  16 - 16  of the U-shape fixture  63 .  
         [0059]    [0059]FIGS. 17, 18A,  18 B,  18 C and  19  show a modified embodiment of FIG. 12, with the runner partially peeled back, which is provided with a double edge  64 , a U-shape fixture  63  in the back and a edge cover  65  in the front. FIG. 18A is a view in detail along its cross section  18 - 18  which is provided with a curved edge  56 , in the front, and anti-skid material  61 , on the lower surface. FIG. 18B is a modified version of the section in FIG. 18A characterized in a S-shape edge  66 , in the front. FIG. 18C is a modified version of the section in FIG. 18A characterized in a L-shape edge  67 , in the front. FIG. 19 is a view in detail along its cross-section  19 - 19  of the edge cover  65 .  
         [0060]    [0060]FIGS. 20 and 21 is a further modification of the base  60  showed in FIG. 10 characterized in supplemental double edges  64  on the sides. In FIG. 20 the side edges are going from thick to flush with the front edge. In FIG. 21 the side edges have the same thickness from the back to the front edge and in the front the corners are rounded or beveled.  
         [0061]    [0061]FIG. 22 is a further modification of the base  60  showed in FIG. 10 characterized in double edge  64  on the sides.  
         [0062]    Altough exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purpose, it will be understood that various minor changes, modifications and substitutions may be made in such embodiments without departing from the invention as hereinafter claimed.