Abstract:
The present invention relates to a rug with a removable insert particularly suitable to be utilized in areas with equipments for bathing and personal hygiene, belonging to the range of home textile rugs, characterized in that it has at least one removable insert ( 4 ) and one so called rug ( 2 ) with at least one bag/pocket in that each removable insert ( 4 ) , is resilient, is flat monolayer or with honeycomb cavities and is totally waterproof, either by virtue of its own material or by virtue of being provided with a waterproof lining cover, and in that each bag/pocket has at least one opening ( 31 ).

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a rug with a removable insert particularly suitable to be utilized in areas with equipments for bathing and personal hygiene, as in the case of bathrooms. 
         [0002]    The invented rug with an insert was designed in order to solve the technical problems that arise when a traditional rug is placed in a humid area. 
         [0003]    Furthermore, the above mentioned rug was also designed to provide a high level of comfort to the user. 
         [0004]    The invention is of interest to the textile industry and in particular to the home textile branch. 
       Previous Technical State 
       [0005]    There are numerous known rugs for interior use in buildings, many merely with decorative purposes. 
         [0006]    The invented rug with an insert does not imply any limitation from a decorative point of view, but aims at solving various technical problems. 
         [0007]    Indeed, the traditional rugs, when used in bath areas, for example, as bath mats, are, either too thin, having low absorption and being unstable, this meaning, that they become very easily shriveled, or they have a certain thickness, that gives an advantage of a greater ability to absorb water and thus provide comfort to the user, but on the other hand, represents a major disadvantage in regard to drying time thereof. 
         [0008]    It is therefore essential to solve the problem of water absorption, when user leaves the bath with wet feet, without compromising the drying of the rug. 
         [0009]    The bathrooms of family homes are, traditionally, poorly ventilated interior spaces. 
         [0010]    A rug with a certain thickness, if, after a bath, is not removed and taken to a dry location, it will eventually have a bad smell, becomes anti-hygienic and suffers premature aging. 
         [0011]    The invented rug aims to solve these problems, that is, to provide a good absorption of water, without making it difficult to dry. 
         [0012]    Thus, the invented rug has a resilient monolayer insert, that avoids the use of seams and adhesives, which is an adopted traditional solution in the padded items constituted by layers. 
         [0013]    The multilayer materials result from the union usually by gluing materials of various natures, behaving differently when subject to washing, especially in traditional washing machines. 
         [0014]    This problem that causes the early degradation of materials and its union, is more significant, as bigger is the rug. 
         [0015]    Based on the above, it is understood that this problem does not affect the invented rug, thus, it has an appropriate solution from an environmental point of view. 
         [0016]    Additionally, the rug which we intend to patent is designed to constitute a compact set to give it stability, avoiding wrinkles and folds. 
         [0017]    It is also foreseen that it will be equipped with an anti-slip device, every time there is a risk of slipping. 
         [0018]    To attend to these problems, the invented rug is constituted by a so called rug, made up of a bag/pocket and an insert, this one removable and waterproof, by virtue of its own material, or by a waterproof lining cover. 
         [0019]    These and other technical features from which arise various advantages, are described in detail hereunder. 
         [0020]    For a better understanding of the description that follows, it should be noted that the invention as a whole, that is, incorporating the insert, shall be called the rug, the invented rug, or by rug with removable insert. 
         [0021]    In turn, the designation of the so called rug, corresponds to the rug without the insert. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The invention relates to a rug characterized by being provided with at least one removable insert and one so called rug. 
         [0023]    The so called rug is equipped with at least one bag/pocket between the upper layer with absorbent fur and its lower canvas. 
         [0024]    The upper layer is characterized by having a weight between 0.31 kg/m 2  and 3.0 kg/m 2  and with a height of fur or loops being between 2.0 mm and 55.0 mm. 
         [0025]    The recommended solution permits the invented rug to be called a pre-washed cotton rug. 
         [0026]    This aspect is very important, because a so called cotton rug, with a weight of 2.0 kg/m 2 , after washing suffers a normal shrinkage between 8% and 16%. 
         [0027]    Thereafter, the so called rug may be washed by the user, and there will be no dimensional alterations worthy of registering, nor jeopardize dimensional stability of the invented rug, this is, the adjustment between the so called rug and the insert. 
         [0028]    The inferior surface of the so called rug, which is the surface of the canvas that is placed on the ground, can incorporate non-slip material. 
         [0029]    The insert is resilient, is flat monolayer or in the form honeycomb cavities and is totally waterproof, either by virtue of its on material or by virtue of the waterproof lining cover. 
         [0030]    The insert can be of polyurethane, polyurethane-base or rubber. 
         [0031]    It can also be of foam or viscoelastic foam, and should, in these cases, be totally wrapped in waterproof lining cover. 
         [0032]    It is expected that the insert be flat, but can also be in the form of honeycomb cavities. 
         [0033]    The waterproof lining cover can be made of waterproof fabric without roughness. 
         [0034]    This lining cover which incorporates the invention only when the insert is not produced in non-waterproof material, not only prevents the insert from water absorption, as well as facilitates the entry of the set insert/lining, into the bag/pocket—as the friction is minimum—thus the lining cover will not be responsible for a stiff insert. 
         [0035]    By this description, it is understood that the rug with the removable insert can have a honeycomb cavities structure, thus each cavity is filled with the respective insert. 
         [0036]    It is therefore, an industrial product particularly suitable for use in bathrooms. 
         [0037]    Each insert is responsible for giving volume to the invented rug and contributes to its total weight, it is understood that, by removing the insert or inserts from one sample of the invented rug, the so called rug can easily be folded, rolled or transported. 
         [0038]    It can also be washed in current washing machines, which is an important advantage compared to known rugs, that are one-piece, full-bodied or better, an inseparable piece. 
         [0039]    The so called rug can be used without the insert, particularly in spaces where it is not usual for people to walk barefoot and the insert can also be used individually, that is without the so called rug, such as, for practice of physical exercise, as if it were a exercise mat or small mattress. 
         [0040]    However, the invented rug was essentially designed to provide comfort in bath rooms traditionally built with cold materials, such as ceramics and marble stone. 
         [0041]    The insert gives comfort because it isolates the feet, or any other part of the body, from the cold floor and is not saturated with water because it is isolated. 
         [0042]    Furthermore, the insert that gives body to the so called rug, prevents wrinkling or folding during use. 
         [0043]    The rug remains stretched and attached to the floor. 
         [0044]    Not less important, is the fact that the insert, when made in a material that can become saturated with water, which is the case of a viscoelastic sponge, to remain entirely protected by the waterproof lining cover, namely, by the penetration of water, to always guarantee the conservation of its initial properties, which would not occur if the sponge was in contact with the water. 
         [0045]    It is foreseen that the bag/pocket or bags/pockets be peripheral or positioned in line with the outer contour of the so called rug for easy insertion of the respective inserts. 
         [0046]    The closure of the bags/pockets can be guaranteed by means of velcro. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0047]    In the attached drawings, presented as a means of an example and not restrictive, one can see, the invented device and its parts as referenced below: 
           [0048]      1 —rug 
           [0049]      2 —so called rug 
           [0050]      3 —bag/pocket 
           [0051]      31 —opening of bag/pocket 
           [0052]      4 —insert (removable) 
           [0053]      42 —waterproof lining cover 
           [0054]      10 —upper layer of the so called rug 
           [0055]      11 —lower canvas of the so called rug 
           [0056]      15 —anti-slip 
           [0057]      51 —handle 
           [0058]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rug ( 1 ) according to the invention, that is, a rug with a removable insert, in which, the inferior side is turned upward showing a anti-slip finish ( 15 ) and also showing the opening of the bag/pocket ( 31 ), as well as the handle ( 51 ) that facilitates the opening of the so called bag/pocket ( 31 ). 
           [0059]      FIG. 2  represents, in perspective, a rug ( 1 ), with the inferior side also turned upward showing a anti-slip finish ( 15 ) and showing two openings of the bag/pocket ( 31 ), one on each end, and also the respective handles ( 51 ). 
           [0060]      FIG. 3  represents, in perspective, the so called rug ( 2 ), the opening of the bag/pocket ( 31 ) with a handle—being visible the “mouth” of the bag/pocket—also the insert ( 4 ) highlighted from the so called rug ( 2 ). 
           [0061]      FIG. 4  represents a variation of the previous Figure in which the so called rug ( 2 ) integrates two openings in the bag/pocket ( 31 ), one on each end, as well as the respective handles ( 51 ), being visible the upper layer of the so called rug ( 10 ), also the insert ( 4 ) highlighted from the so called rug ( 2 ). 
           [0062]      FIG. 5  represents a variation of the previous Figure—showing the so called rug ( 2 ), the two openings of the bag/pocket ( 31 ), the respective handles ( 51 ), the upper layer of the so called rug ( 10 )—the only difference is that the bag/pocket is filled with two inserts ( 4 ) that are placed side by side (juxtaposed). 
           [0063]      FIG. 6  represents a cut AA indicated in  FIG. 3 , showing the so called rug ( 2 ) with an empty bag/pocket ( 3 ), and showing the lower canvas of the so called rug ( 11 ) and is impregnated with anti-slip ( 15 ) on the outside. 
           [0064]      FIG. 7  represents the same cut AA, assuming the insert ( 4 ) is incorporated into the so called rug—so, the cut shows a rug ( 1 ) as per the invention—the so called rug remains with the inferior side turned upwards and, so, the upper layer of the so called rug ( 10 ), or the fluffy layer, is turned downwards. 
           [0065]      FIG. 8  represents a cross section of an insert ( 4 ) according to the invention, which by not being waterproof is fully wrapped in a waterproof lining cover ( 42 ). 
       
    
    
       [0066]    In more detail, the above mentioned Figures show possible embodiments of the invention, wherein the invented rug provides as many bags/pockets ( 3 ), as inserts ( 4 ). 
         [0067]    It is also foreseen that, the same bag/pocket, for example, with double opening—openings on both ends—can accommodate two inserts that will be placed side by side (juxtaposed). 
         [0068]    Each insert will have, preferentially, a thickness between 5.0 mm and 30.0 mm, not being compulsory that a certain so called rug ( 2 ) incorporates inserts all with the same thickness. 
         [0069]    Each bag/pocket ( 3 ) can be closed by velcro closure type, zip, or other traditional and rapid opening/closing devices. 
         [0070]    On the other hand, the identification label of the rug characteristics or of its origin, or even its brand, can be placed in the “mouth” of the bag/pocket in order to function as a handle and to facilitate the opening of the bag/pocket, especially in the case of using velcro type closure. 
         [0071]    Particularly in the case of the invented rug having only one insert ( 4 ) and having a praiseworthy size, it will be advantageous for the bag/pocket ( 3 ) to have two openings ( 31 ) the insert may be introduced in one opening and pushed through the other.