Patent Publication Number: US-2002009570-A1

Title: Floor mat

Description:
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of provisional application serial no. 60/205,359 filed May 18, 2000. 
    
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD of the INVENTION  
       [0002] The present invention relates to floor mats. Particularly, the present invention relates to a floor mat which is used in association with an infant highchair to maintain a sanitary condition below the feeding area of the highchair.  
       BACKGROUND of the INVENTION  
       [0003] When a baby reaches the age at which solid food is consumed, the baby is typically fed while seated in a highchair. Highchairs typically include a removable tray intended to support baby food in a bowl or plate, and the eating utensils.  
       [0004] Ideally, any spillage of the food from the bowl or plate or from the eating utensils is contained within the tray such as to keep the surrounding floor free of spillage.  
       [0005] In reality, the highchair tray is never large enough to prevent some spillage in the local area of the floor generally beneath the highchair. Depending on the age and temperament of the baby, spillage can be quite severe in this area. Additionally, food bowls and plates and eating utensils can be pushed off the tray or tossed a short distance by the baby.  
       [0006] Plastic, foldable floor mats are known for protecting the floor surrounding the highchair. However, such floor mats can be unwieldy to clean in the kitchen sink, and must be stored for convenience, in a folded condition, in a drawer, on a shelf, or other particularized location.  
       [0007] The present inventor has recognized that it would be desirable to provide a floor mat for a highchair which is easily cleaned, and easily deployed beneath a highchair, and then conveniently stored after use.  
       SUMMARY of the INVENTION  
       [0008] The present invention provides a flexible floor mat for a highchair having a sufficient thickness to be rolled into a tubular configuration, the tubular configuration allowing the floor mat to be conveniently stored. The rolled floor mat can be stood vertically, facilitating compact storage. The present invention provides a floor mat which can be partially rolled into a trough shape to be easily washed and sprayed at a kitchen sink without creating overspray or splashing outside of the kitchen sink. The present invention provides a floor mat which has a small thickness but is sufficiently rigid to be manipulated by the user to slide the floor mat or retract the floor mat under the highchair, using a one hand gripping of the floor mat.  
       [0009] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the floor mat is configured in a circular shape having a diameter of approximately four feet. The floor mat can be substantially composed of plastic. The plastic can carry or display decorations or other visual information, on one or both sides of the mat. Alternately, the floor mat can be a lamination of an inner layer of paper interposed between surface layers of plastic. The paper can have decorative images on one or both sides thereof. Particularly, the paper can be printed with four-color images and the plastic surface layers can be transparent.  
       [0010] The present invention floor mat can also be advantageously used beneath a child&#39;s chair or beneath an art table or easel, or anywhere that a floor protecting device is needed. 
     
    
    
     [0011] Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.  
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION of the DRAWINGS  
     [0012]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a highchair floor mat in accordance with the invention;  
     [0013]FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
     [0014]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the floor mat as shown in FIG. 1, but rolled into a tubular configuration for storage;  
     [0015]FIG. 4 is a front view of an alternate floor mat rolled into a tubular configuration and stood vertical for storage; and  
     [0016]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the floor mat of FIG. 1 shown rolled and partially inserted into a sink for cleaning. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION of the PREFERED EMBODIMENT  
     [0017] While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawing and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.  
     [0018]FIG. 1 illustrates a floor mat  10  of the present invention. The floor mat  10  is illustrated as being circular in shape with a diameter D. Preferably the diameter D is approximately four feet, although other diameters are encompassed by the present invention. Additionally, although a circular floor mat  10  is shown, other shapes such as square, elliptical, polygonal, etc. are encompassed by the invention. The floor mat  10  includes a decorative display  14  on the front surface thereof, and can also include a decorative display  16  on a rear surface thereof, both displays shown schematically in FIG. 2.  
     [0019]FIG. 2 illustrates in cross section that the floor mat  10  includes a top layer  20 , composed of a water impervious material, such as plastic, and a bottom layer  24  which can also be composed of a water impervious material, such as plastic. The top layer  20  and the bottom layer  24  cover top and bottom surfaces of a center sheet of paper  26  which carries or displays the decorative displays  14 ,  16 . The displays can be four-color printed graphics. The three layers  20 ,  24  and  26  are preferably heat laminated together, with the top and bottom layers  20 ,  24  extending outside the central layer  26  by the dimension e and sealed together at a seal  27  within the dimension e. The dimension e is preferably about {fraction (1/4 )}inch.  
     [0020] The preferred materials for the layers  20 ,  24  is polyester, although other plastic materials, being water impervious for ease of cleaning, could be used as well. Each layer  20 ,  24  can be within a thickness range of about 1 to 3 mils, preferably about 1.7 to 2 mils. The central layer  26  is preferably 80lb glossy paper which is suitable for carrying or displaying the decorative displays  14 ,  16 .  
     [0021] Although a laminate is illustrated in FIG. 2, it is encompassed by the present invention that the floor mat is composed of a single thickness of one material such as a single sheet of plastic material. In this regard, a single sheet of styrene having water impervious surfaces can be used. The opposite surfaces of the styrene sheet can carry or display decorative displays.  
     [0022] Additionally, although a water impervious plastic material is described for both the top and bottom layers  20 ,  24 , or opposite surfaces, it is encompassed by the invention that the top layer  20 , or top surface, is a water impervious layer to allow spillage to be wiped therefrom, while the bottom layer  24 , or bottom surface, is not necessarily water impervious. Advantageously, however, the top and bottom layers  20 ,  24 , or top and bottom surfaces, are both impervious so that the floor mat  10  can be reversible for selective use beneath the high chair.  
     [0023]FIG. 3 illustrates the floor mat  10  in a rolled condition suitable for storage.  
     [0024] The mat  10  has been rolled into a tubular form and releasably fastened onto itself using a retaining mechanism  28 . The retaining mechanism could be a separate device, such as an encircling device, such as a rubber band, a strap, a tie, etc. Advantageously, the retaining mechanism can be incorporated as an attached or unitary part of the floor mat. In this regard, a first tab  30  could be attached to an edge of the floor mat and a second tab  34  could be attached to another position on the floor mat, the other position depending on how tightly it is desired to roll the floor mat. The tabs  30 ,  34  could carry thereon hook and loop fastening surfaces (VELCRO) to releasably hold the mat  10  in its rolled condition. Alternatively, the tabs  30 ,  34  could include coacting buttons, or pressure sensitive adhesive, or snaps, or other means of releasably holding the mat  10  in a tubular, rolled form.  
     [0025]FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate floor mat  10 &#39;rolled for storage and stood vertically. The alternate floor mat is identical to the previously described floor mat  10 , except that the fastening mechanism  28  is an encircling device. Particularly, a strap  36  is connected to one surface of the floor mat at a point A, wrapped around the rolled mat, and fastened to itself at the point B, by coacting hook and loop fasteners, or snaps, or buttons, or pressure adhesive tape, etc. The mat  1 O&#39;is shown stored between a wall  37  and a highchair  38 .  
     [0026]FIG. 5 illustrates the mat  10  partially rolled to fit within the confines of a basin  40  of a sink  42 . The sink  42  typically include a spray hose  44  for rinsing dishes. By rolling the mat  10  into a trough shape, it can be easily cleaned and rinsed within the confines of the sink  40  by the spray washer  44 , without excessive overspray or spillage outside of the basin  40 .  
     [0027] Although preferred embodiment floor mats  10 ,  10 &#39;are described above having a laminated structure of certain layer thicknesses, the invention encompasses a floor mat having only a single material thickness as well. The thickness of the floor mat should be sufficient such that the floor mat can be rolled into a tubular form that can be stood for storage. Preferably, the floor mat is sufficiently rigid in that it can be slid under a high chair by pushing along the floor without bunching or buckling. The rolled form of the floor mat is sufficiently rigid to resist buckling when held at one end and cantilevered horizontally.  
     [0028] From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.