Patent Publication Number: US-6216315-B1

Title: Floor covering anchor

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an anchor for anchoring a rug to a runner or other desired surface. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     The need to anchor a rug or carpet to a runner or other desired surface is well known. Having the rug or runner secure and relatively movement free is the goal of anchoring devices. Many anchoring devices have been proposed in the art but most such devices suffer from one or more drawbacks. Many prior art devices are unduly complex making them expensive to manufacture and difficult to use. Some prior art devices have only limited effectiveness in a variety of settings while some devices have a relatively short life cycle. 
     Therefore, there is a need in the art for a floor covering anchor that overcomes the above-stated drawbacks. Such a floor covering anchor must be of relatively simple and straightforward design and must be easy to use. The device must be effective in various situations and must not have an unduly short life cycle. The device must not create a raised area in the floor covering that can cause localized wear or that can cause a person to trip and fall. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The floor covering anchor of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art. The floor covering anchor is a relatively simple and straightforward device that secures a rug to a runner or other desired surface, such as a pad, a floor, a wall, etc., with relative ease. The device is simple in design and does not have an unduly short life cycle. The floor covering anchor allows either a relatively releasable grip of the device to its target object or a relatively secure grip. 
     The floor covering anchor of the present invention is comprised of a generally flat first plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a plurality of first fingers extending upwardly from the top surface. A first adhesive portion, which may be double tack tape, is disposed on the top surface while a second adhesive portion, which may also be double tack tape, is disposed on the bottom surface. The plurality of first fingers along with the first adhesive portion grip the rug while the second adhesive portion attaches the device to a target object. If desired, an optional plurality of second fingers extend downwardly from the bottom surface for added grip strength. Each of the plurality of first fingers and second fingers have a base that has a pair of sides and an arrowhead. The base of the arrowhead meets each of the sides at an angle that is at least about 90 degrees to provide the device with a relatively releasable grip or at an angle that is less than about 90 degrees for a relatively secure grip. A second plate can be provided with at least one opening, each adapted to receive a respective one of the plurality of first fingers. This second plate can be fitted over the first plate to act as a spacer for relatively thin rug applications. A spacer may also be used for the second set of fingers 
     Alternately, the floor covering anchor of the present invention can be comprised of a generally flat plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, a plurality of first fingers extending upwardly from the first top surface, and a plurality of second fingers extending downwardly from the bottom surface. Each set of fingers can be configured for either type of grip. As a further alternative, the second adhesive portion can be replaced by at least one portion of cooperating hook and loop material with a corresponding portion of hook and loop material located on the target surface for rug attachment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the floor covering anchor of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the floor covering anchor utilizing a spacer. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the floor covering anchor securing a rug to a pad and the rug to a floor surface. 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a first type of finger that can be used with the floor covering anchor of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a second type of finger that can be used with the floor covering anchor of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the floor covering anchor of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second alternate embodiment of the floor covering anchor of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the release strap used with the floor covering anchor of the present invention. 
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the floor covering anchor of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a first plate  12  that has a first top surface  14  and a first bottom surface  16 . A plurality of first fingers  18  extend upwardly from the top surface  14 . As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the first fingers  18  can be of one of two types. Each finger  18  has a base  20  with a pair of first sides  22  and an arrowhead  24  attached to the base  20 , the arrowhead  24  having a second pair of sides  26  that each attach to a respective one of the first pair of sides  22  and a third pair of sides  28  that each attach to a respective one of the second pair of sides  26  and that meet at a point. As seen in FIG. 4, each of the first pair of sides  22  attaches to its respective second side  26  at an angle that is no greater than about 90 degrees. This finger configuration allows the finger  18  to penetrate through a surface via the point yet be relatively difficult to retract therefrom due to the angle formed between each first side  22  and its respective second side  26  which causes each second side  26  to provide retraction resistance. This configuration provides a relatively secure grip. As seen in FIG. 5, each of the first pair of sides  22  attaches to its respective second side  26  at an angle that is at least about 90 degrees. This finger configuration allows the finger to penetrate through a surface via the point thereafter be relatively easy to retract therefrom as the angle formed between each first side  22  and its respective second side  26  is such that the second sides  26  does not provide sufficient resistance to retraction. This configuration provides a relatively releasable grip. The selection on the particular type of finger configuration is application specific. 
     A first adhesive portion  30  has a second top surface  32  and a second bottom surface  34  and is attached to the first top surface  14  of the first plate  12 , such that the second bottom surface  34  faces the first top surface  14 . The first adhesive portion  30  can be of a double tack configuration wherein the tack strength of the second top surface  32  is greater than the tack strength of the second bottom surface  34 . The first adhesive portion  30  can be formed with a plurality of openings to allow the plurality of first fingers  18  to pass therethrough, or the first fingers  18  can penetrate through the first adhesive portion  30  thereby forming the required openings. A second adhesive portion  36  has a third top surface  38  and a third bottom surface  40  and is attached to the first bottom surface  16  of the first plate  12 , such that the third top surface  38  faces the first bottom surface  16 . The second adhesive portion  36  can also be of a double tack configuration wherein the tack strength of the third top surface  38  is greater than the tack strength of the third bottom surface  40 . 
     In order to use the floor covering anchor  10  of the present invention, the floor covering anchor is engaged with one of its target objects (such as a rug R or a pad P) so that the first fingers  18  on the top surface  14  penetrate into this target object. Thereafter, the floor covering anchor  10  engages the other target object (such as a pad P or a floor F) so that the third bottom surface  40  adhesively engages this second target object. The two target objects are now secured to one another. The tack configuration of the two adhesive portions  30  and  36  assures a very strong grip of the device  10  to the first target object with a relatively weaker grip on the second target object in order to allow relatively easy removal of the device-laden first target object. If a more secure grip of the device  10  to the second target object is desired, a plurality of second fingers  42  are provided and extend downwardly from the first bottom surface  16 . These fingers  42  can also have either a relatively releasable configuration or a relatively secure configuration. 
     If needed, one or more spacers  44  can be utilized with the floor covering anchor  10 . As seen, in FIG. 2, each spacer  44  is comprised of a second plate  46  that has a plurality of openings  48  disposed thereon, each opening  48  corresponding to a respective one of the first fingers  18  or second fingers  42 , and each being sized to allow the finger  18  or  42  to pass therethrough. The spacer  44  is positioned over the desired fingers  18  or  42  and pushed thereon to until the second plate  46  abuts the first plate  12 . A third adhesive portion  50 , which has a fourth top surface  52  and a fourth bottom surface  54  and is attached to the exposed surface of the spacer  44 . The third adhesive portion  50  can be of a double tack configuration wherein the tack strength of the fourth top surface  52  is greater than the tack strength of the fourth bottom surface  54 . Once the desired number of spacers  44  are in place, the floor covering anchor  10  is attached to the target objects. 
     In an alternate embodiment of the floor covering anchor  10 , the first plate  12  has a plurality of first fingers  18  extending upwardly from the first top surface  14  and a plurality of second fingers  42  extending downwardly from the first bottom surface  16 . In this embodiment, the fingers  18  and  42  provide all of the gripping of the target objects. As a further alternative, the second adhesive portion can be replaced with at least one portion of cooperating hook and loop material  56  that is attached to the first bottom surface  16  with a corresponding portion of hook and loop material  58  attached to one of the target objects. In such an embodiment, the first plate  12  is attached to one of the target objects in normal fashion, the second portion of hook and loop material  58  attached to the other target object, and the first plate  12  attached to the second target object such that the two portions of hook and loop material  56  and  58  mate. 
     As seen in FIG. 8, a strap  60  has a first end  62  attached to the bottom surface  16  of the first plate  12  and a second end  64 . The strap  60  can be made of any appropriate material. The user can pull on the strap  60  in order to break the bond between the floor covering anchor  10  and the surface to which it is attached with a peeling action and requiring the minimum amount of force to break the bond. Such removal does not affect the bond between the floor covering anchor  10  and the floor covering to which it is attached. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.