Patent Publication Number: US-10779670-B1

Title: Reusable urinal mat with replaceable absorbent pad

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention makes reference to, and claims priority from, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/812,761, filed Mar. 1, 2019, U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/692,141, filed May 22, 2019, and U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/693,904, filed Jun. 5, 2019. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a urinal mat, and more particularly to a mat having a disposable and replaceable pad for absorbing fluids that would otherwise be deposited on the floor, to protect the floor from stains or damage, and to maintain safe and sanitary conditions. 
     2. Description of Relevant Art 
     The problem of moisture accumulation around the base of a urinal wherein such moisture leaves an unsightly appearance and oftentimes renders the area unsanitary and even unsafe is well known. The problem arises, in the first instance, due to condensation of water on the outer surface of a urinal, the water gravitating to the base of the urinal and then onto the floor surrounding the base. The problem also arises when persons who use the urinal do not or cannot avoid some spillage or dripping outside the urinal. 
     The problem is particularly acute in public institutions, rest homes and the like having young children, or elderly or physically infirm persons. Additionally, business establishments, and particularly restaurants and gas stations whose restrooms receive a lot of traffic, have an essentially continuous burden of attempting to keep their restrooms clean, attractive, and sanitary for their customers. Collection of urine beneath a urinal or adjacent the base of a urinal causes unpleasant odor as well as stains on the floor, which often also results in damage or permanent discoloration to the floor. Further, such spillage or dripping onto the floor is often spread by a user&#39;s shoes to other areas of the restroom floor as well as to other non-restroom floors, and if left untouched over periods of time can result in unsanitary bacterial growth. 
     Various urinal mats have been proposed over the years in an effort to address these problems and concerns. Such attempts, for the most part, have been directed to the use of pads that are bulky, indisposable, or are not sufficiently adjustable to be useful with toilets having bases of different sizes. Further, prior art solutions tend to provide mats either so thick as to be tripping hazards or so light in weight and/or slippery as to end up sliding to locations away from the toilet. When such prior art mats and devices are affixed to the floor, such affixing materials can damage the floor and such affixing of the mats or devices makes the mats or devices and the underlying floor more difficult to clean. Consequently, few mats are in actual commercial use, and the problems continue. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a mat for positioning beneath a wall-hung urinal, or adjacent the base of a floor mounted urinal. The mat is particularly suited for catching and absorbing condensed moisture associated with the urinal and also for catching and absorbing urine spillage or drips not received into or splashed out of the urinal. 
     The mat of the invention is thin and flexible and heavy, with tapered sides and edges, so that it is not a tripping hazard to persons walking near or on it and so that it stays in place on the floor without adhesives or other affixers. For clean-up, one need only pick up the mat and clean the floor, as well as clean the mat when and as needed. 
     The mat of the invention has a thin, flexible, horizontal top layer, an underlying highly liquid-absorbent, disposable pad, preferably with a water-proof base or bottom layer, and a thin, flexible, horizontal, solid, waterproof, bottom section. The top layer is substantially comprised of a porous grid or open-work within a solid perimeter border. The holes of the open-work or in the grid are sufficiently large to allow liquids such as urine to readily pass through the top layer to the absorbent pad beneath, but not so large that persons walking on the mat effectively touch or directly walk on the top surface of the pad. 
     The pad is substantially flat, at least slightly compressible, horizontal, disposable, and replaceable, and is comprised of highly liquid-absorbent synthetic material such as for example a sodium polyacrylate polymer. Preferably, or at least in one embodiment, the pad has a bottom layer, film or sheet that is impermeable to liquids, and the side of the pad with this layer is positioned adjacent the bottom section of the mat. The pad should be sized to substantially match the overall shape of the top layer of the mat, or be smaller than the top layer, but most preferably the pad is at least as large as the size of the grid or open-work section of the top layer. 
     In one embodiment, the top layer and bottom section are comprised of flexible, heavy-duty rubber or rubber-like synthetic material, which is waterproof or effectively waterproof. Similar heavy-duty, waterproof materials could alternatively be used. 
     The bottom section has tapered peripheral sides, preferably or at least in one embodiment, for example, less than or about ½ inch in thickness or height, that extend from the bottom to the top layer and end with a flat horizontal peripheral border around a recessed central body in the bottom section for receiving the top layer and the pad. Thus, the top layer and pad are smaller than the bottom section of the mat, and the top layer is sized to match the recessed central body of the bottom section such that the top layer fits snugly but removably inside the recessed central body of the bottom section. The top layer also fits substantially evenly in the recessed central body of the bottom section of the mat, within the peripheral border of that bottom section, such that when the top layer is fitted inside the bottom section, with the pad underlying the top layer—that is, both the top layer and pad are within the recessed central body of the bottom section—the top layer is essentially or substantially level and flat in a horizontal plane with the peripheral border of the bottom section and mat. 
     The perimeter border of the top layer has one or more horizontal protrusions or recesses on at least two opposing sides of the perimeter border. These correspond to, and interlock with, horizontal recesses or protrusions on at least two opposing sides of the peripheral border of the bottom section, so as to interlock the top layer to the bottom section and to secure the top layer in place on the bottom section. This interlocking closure secures the pad within the top layer and the bottom section of the mat for use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. In some instances, various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to better facilitate an understanding of the invention. Since the invention can be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit of essential characteristics indicated above, it should be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the mat of the invention in position on a floor beneath a urinal. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged top perspective view of the mat of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is top view of the mat of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a back view of the mat of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an end view of the mat of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a disassembled view of the mat of  FIG. 1 , showing three separate parts, a top layer, a pad, and a bottom section. 
         FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of the top layer of the mat of  FIGS. 1 and 6 , separated from the pad and the bottom section of the mat. 
         FIG. 8  is a close up, enlarged view of a portion of the open-work or grid of the top layer of the mat of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of the bottom section of the mat of  FIGS. 1 and 6 , separated from the pad and the top layer of the mat, and showing the recessed body of the bottom section of the mat. 
         FIG. 10  is a close up, enlarged top perspective view of the front portion of the bottom section of the mat of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a close up, enlarged top perspective view of a back portion of the bottom section of the mat of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is close up, enlarged top back perspective view of a portion of the mat of  FIG. 2 , just as the top layer is being position in interlocked attachment to the bottom section. 
         FIG. 13  is close up, enlarged top back perspective view of the mat of  FIGS. 2 and 12 , after the top layer has been positioned in interlocked attachment to the bottom section. 
         FIG. 14  is a top perspective view of the pad of  FIGS. 1 and 6 . 
         FIG. 15  is an alternative embodiment of the mat of the invention, in a “U” shape. 
         FIG. 16  is the mat of  FIG. 15  blown apart to show its three parts, a top layer, a pad, and a bottom section. 
         FIG. 17  is another alternative embodiment of the mat of the invention, in a polygonal or irregular hexagonal shape. 
         FIG. 18  is the mat of  FIG. 17  blown apart to show its three parts, a top layer, a pad, and a bottom section. 
         FIG. 19  is still another alternative embodiment of the mat of the invention, in a regular hexagonal shape. 
         FIG. 20  is the mat of  FIG. 19  blown apart to show its three parts, a top layer, a pad, and a bottom section. 
         FIG. 21  is a further alternative embodiment of the mat of the invention, in a rectangular shape. 
         FIG. 22  is the mat of  FIG. 21  blown apart to show its three parts, a top layer, a pad, and a bottom section. 
     
    
    
     LIST OF ELEMENTS IN THE FIGURES 
     
         
           10  One embodiment of the mat of the invention 
           11  Urinal 
           12  Top layer of the mat 
           13  Floor 
           14  Perimeter border of the top layer of the mat 
           15  Grid or open-work of the top layer of the mat 
           16  Bottom section of the mat 
           17  Hole in the grid or open-work of the top layer of the mat 
           18  Periphery border of the bottom section of the mat (and of the mat) 
           19  Tapered side of the bottom section of the mat (and of the mat) 
           20  Pad 
           21  Waterproof bottom layer of pad 
           22  Protrusion of the top layer of the mat 
           24  Lip 
           26  Wavy edge or side of perimeter border of top layer of the mat 
           28  Wavy edge or side of periphery border of the bottom section of the mat 
           30  Recessed central body of the bottom section of the mat 
           32  Wall of grid or open-work of the top layer of the mat 
           34  Recess of the bottom section of the mat for interlocking with a corresponding protrusion of the top layer of the mat 
           40  Alternative embodiment of mat of the invention having a “U” shape 
           41  Top layer of “U” shaped mat 
           42  Pad of “U” shaped mat 
           43  Bottom section of “U” shaped mat 
           44  Alternative embodiment of mat of the invention having an irregular hexagonal shape 
           45  Top layer of hexagonal shaped mat 
           46  Pad of hexagonal shaped mat 
           47  Bottom section of hexagonal shaped mat 
           48  Alternative embodiment of mat of the invention having an octagonal shape 
           49  Top layer of octagonal shaped mat 
           50  Pad of octagonal shaped mat 
           51  Bottom section of octagonal shaped mat 
           52  Alternative embodiment of mat of the invention having a rectangular shape 
           53  Top layer of rectangular shaped mat 
           55  Pad of rectangular shaped mat 
           56  Bottom section of rectangular shaped mat 
       
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention provides a mat for use with urinals to maintain the floor area around such facilities in a clean condition, by readily absorbing and holding moisture and liquids that drip onto the mat, while allowing easy clean-up as explained further below. 
     As can be seen from the Figures, the mat of the invention can be made in a wide variety of shapes and forms, including for example, square, circular, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal or other regular, polygonal or irregular polygonal shape, or even a combination of these, such as a mat that is partially curved or oval in shape and partially straight edged or polygonal in shape. Preferably, the mat of the invention has a form that allows it to closely fit adjacent to or generally beneath the urinal. 
     Advantageously, the mat of the invention is sufficiently thin and has a smooth, sloping and/or tapered edge such that the mat is not a tripping hazard, and the mat is sufficiently heavy that it does not readily slip or move so that it can easily remain in place without adhesives or other attachments to the floor beneath. In one embodiment for use with a single urinal, for example, the mat weighs in the range of about 3 to about 10 pounds. 
     The body of the mat, that is, the top layer (in the Figures for illustration,  10 ,  41 ,  45 ,  49 , and  53 ) and the bottom section (in the Figures for illustration,  16 ,  43 ,  47 ,  51 , and  56 ), are preferably fabricated from a material comprised of smooth, resilient rubber or synthetic rubber, or silicone rubber, or alternatively a soft-type of plastic, silicone, aluminum, iron, or wood or treated wood. The material should be “heavy-duty,” meaning that it should be resilient enough to support the weight of a person standing on it, or up to about 350 to 400 pounds, without permanent deformation of the grid shape, and it should be a material that itself is easily cleanable and not absorbent, and waterproof or effectively waterproof. 
     The body of the mat houses an absorbent pad, which is preferably comprised of a highly absorbent material that can hold multiple times its weight in water without disintegrating over several days time. Examples include absorbent materials developed for diapers, and absorbent pads developed for protecting beds from bed-wetting or for house training dogs. Such materials typically comprise polyester or sodium acrylate polymers (often the primary material), cotton, paper, wool, carbon fiber, absorbent polymer, plastic, rubber, and synthetic rubber. Preferably, the absorbent pad has a liquid (or at least water and urine)—impenetrable base or base layer, film or sheet, typically comprised of plastic. The side of the pad with such impenetrable sheet is positioned adjacent the bottom section of the mat to avoid leakage into the body of the mat. 
     After use, the absorbent pad is removed from the mat body and disposed of. The body of the mat is also preferably then rinsed off, and a fresh pad installed. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the mat of the invention, mat  10 , as shown in use with a urinal  11 . Referring to  FIGS. 2-14 , mat  10  is shown in detail to illustrate the invention. Mat  10  comprises a top layer  12  having a porous grid or open-work  15  within a solid perimeter border  14 . The holes  17  of the open-work or grid  15  are sufficiently large to allow liquids such as urine to readily pass through the top layer  12  to an absorbent pad  20  beneath, but not so large that persons walking on the mat effectively touch or directly walk on the top surface of the pad  20 . Top layer  12  thus effectively serves as a type of protective cover for the pad, although top layer  12  allows the pad  20  to receive direct contact with liquids dripping onto the mat. 
     The grid or open-work  15  can have a symmetrical pattern or a varied and unsymmetrical pattern. In one embodiment, the holes  17  of the grid or open-work  15  range for example from about ⅛ inch to 2 inches in diameter. In another embodiment, the holes  17  for example are all about 1½ inches in diameter (except in certain areas adjacent the perimeter border), as shown in mat  10  in  FIGS. 2, 3, 7, and 8 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the holes  17  of mat  10  and the walls  32  of the grid or open-work  15  forming those holes  17 , have, in this embodiment, a hill-type or convex vertical shape to direct fluids through the grid or open work  15  to the underlying pad  20  for absorption. 
     Pad  20  is substantially flat, at least slightly compressible, horizontal, disposable, and replaceable. The pad should be sized to substantially match the overall shape of the top layer  12  of mat  10 , or be smaller than top layer  12 , but most preferably pad  20  is at least as large as the size of the grid or open-work  15  of top layer  12 . (To save manufacturing costs of the pad, the pad  20  need not have protrusions to match the protrusions  22  in the top layer  12 , which will be discussed further below, although in some embodiments, such protrusions in the pad might further help hold the pad in the desired position within the mat). 
     The bottom section  16  of mat  10  has tapered peripheral sides  19 , which also constitute the outer or peripheral sides of the body of mat  10  as the bottom section  16  fully encases the sides of top layer  12 . Peripheral sides  19  extend from the base of the bottom section  16  (adjacent the floor  13 ) to the top surface (or slightly above the top surface) of the top layer  12  and end with a flat horizontal peripheral border  18  around a recessed central body  30  in the bottom section  16  for receiving the top layer  12  and the pad  20 . Thus, the top layer  12  and pad  20  are smaller than the bottom section  16  of the mat  10 , and the top layer  12  is sized to match the recessed central body  30  of the bottom section  16  such that the top layer  12  fits snugly but removably inside the recessed central body  30  of the bottom section  16 . 
     The top layer  12  also fits substantially evenly in the recessed central body  30  of the bottom section  16  of the mat  10 , within the peripheral border  18  of that bottom section  16 , such that when the top layer  12  is fitted inside the bottom section  16 , with the pad  20  underlying the top layer  12 , and both the top layer  12  and pad  20  are within the recessed central body  30  of the bottom section  16 , the top layer  12  (particularly the top surface of top layer  12 ) is essentially or substantially level and flat in a horizontal plane with the peripheral border  18  of the bottom section  16  and mat  10 . 
     In one embodiment, for example, the overall mat  10  of the invention sized for use with one urinal is less than or about ½ inch in height and weighs in the range of about 3 pounds to about 10 pounds. In that embodiment, the top layer  12  portion of the mat  10  has a height of less than or about ¼ inch and weighs in the range of about 1 to about 3 pounds, while the bottom section  16  of the mat  10  weighs in the range of about 2 to about 7 pounds. In preferred embodiments, the top layer has a height less than or about half the height of the sides  19  of the bottom section  16  of the mat  10 . 
     The perimeter border  14  of the top layer  12  in mat  10  has one or more horizontal protrusions  22  or recesses (not shown), preferably on at least two opposing sides of the perimeter border as shown for example in  FIGS. 1, 2, 6, and 7 . These protrusions  22  or recesses correspond to, and interlock with, horizontal recesses  34  or protrusions (not shown) on the peripheral border  18  of the bottom section  16 , so as to interlock the top layer  12  to the bottom section  16  and to secure the top layer  12  in place on the bottom section  16 . Lip  24  helps facilitate lifting the top layer  12  off and out of the bottom section  16 . 
     While in the Figures, the perimeter border  14  of the top layer  12  has protrusions  22 , rather than recesses, interlocking with recesses  34  (rather than protrusions) in the peripheral border  18  of the bottom section  16 , the interlock of the top layer  12  to the bottom section  16  could alternatively be effected with recesses in the perimeter border  14  interlocking with protrusions in the peripheral border  18 , although such alternative is not shown in the Figures. 
     It is contemplated in embodiments as described as shown in the Figures that one of the borders  15  and  18  will have protrusions and the other will have corresponding recesses. However, a further alternative embodiment similarly effective at interlocking the top layer to the bottom section would have at least one recess and at least one protrusion in the top layer perimeter border for corresponding to and interlocking with at least one protrusion and at least one recess in the bottom section peripheral border, respectively. Still further, while the embodiments shown in the drawings have interlocking protrusions  22  and recesses  34  on opposing sides or ends of the mat, in an alternative embodiment, interlocking protrusions and recesses could be provided on every side or end of the mat. 
     In still another embodiment, one or more interlocking protrusions and recesses could be provided only on one end of the mat. In that embodiment, the top layer would be connected to the bottom section of the mat by other means, such as for example, by an extruded hinge. That is, the top layer and the bottom section could be formed as one piece with a fold to allow the top layer to overlap the bottom section. In that embodiment, the interlocking protrusion and recess connection could be limited if desired to use on the opposing end opposite such fold or extruded hinge only, or could be used on other sides also. 
     The interlocking connection of the top layer to the bottom section of the mat of the invention enables some of the significant advantages of the invention. Such connection avoids connectors or attachment parts that can become rusty or get lost or that can be raised above the mat and cause a tripping hazard. Further, the interlocking connection, which can be built into the mold or formed in the extrusion of the body of the mat, enables a lower manufacturing cost for the mat than providing attachers or connectors that must be affixed to the mat. 
     The interlocking connection of the top layer  12  to the bottom section  16  of mat  10  described is shown in the  FIGS. 2, 3,6, 7, 9, 12 and 13  to be effected with protrusions  22  and recesses  34  having a mushroom or “T” shape. However, other shapes could alternatively be used provided the shape has some “hook” element that effects, accomplishes or otherwise allows or enables the interlock. For non-limiting example, such “hook” might be effected with any “letter-of-the-alphabet” shape. Where the mat is comprised of a material such as rubber or synthetic rubber having some flex as well as a dense and/or somewhat soft texture that enables a tight fit, shapes without a hook element could also be alternatively used. 
     The interlocking connection of the top layer  12  to the bottom section  16  of mat  10  is believed to be strengthened by the wavy, zig-zag or irregular shaped edge, rather than a curved or straight edge, of the sides  26  of the perimeter border of the top layer having the first horizontal protrusions and the corresponding sides  28  of the periphery border of the bottom section having the horizontal recesses for interlocking. These irregular edges or sides  26  and  28  compliment, correspond and relate one to the other of the top layer and the bottom section such that the edges  26  of the perimeter border and the edges  28  of the periphery border fit together in an interlocking type style further securing the interlocking fit of the top layer  12  to the bottom section  16 . 
     In the embodiments shown in the Figures, the mat bodies of mats  10 ,  40 ,  44 ,  48 , and  52  of the invention are manufactured by molding or extrusion such that the bottom section and the top layer on the mats consist of two pieces which after interlocking together substantially look like a one piece mat body, having: (a) tapered peripheral edges; (b) a flat, horizontal, and porous top; and (c) a flat, horizontal, and solid, waterproof bottom. This simplicity of design afforded by the interlocking connection not only saves manufacturing costs, but also makes the mats easier and thus also more economical to clean. 
     The embodiments shown in the Figures generally contemplate and show single mats for positioning beneath a single wall hung urinal or adjacent a single floor mounted urinal. However, the mat shape could readily be adapted and extended in size to fit under or adjacent a row of multiple urinals for example. 
     While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it should be understood that various changes, adaptations and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.