Patent Description:
Vehicles are typically driven under conditions where the interior of the vehicle, and particularly the floor, becomes wet and collects debris, including but not limited to mud, sand, dirt and in the winter, slush. Such debris then accumulates on the vehicle floor which can then re-soil a driver's or passenger's shoes, create slippery conditions, and provide undesirable stains within the vehicle interior.

In response to the above, various floor tray design have been proposed that rely upon ribs and raised treads which form channels. While water, mud and slush may then accumulate in the channels, they ultimately can overflow to soil the vehicle flooring and soil the shoes of the occupants. Furthermore, the use of floor tray designs ultimately require the consumer to remove the mat or tray to dispose of accumulated water/debris.

A need remains therefore for a vehicle floor design that successfully contains and controls the movement of water and debris and which also allows one to direct the water/debris to one or more specific location along with the convenient removal of such debris to the vehicle exterior so that it does not accumulate within the vehicle interior.

<CIT> discloses a vehicle bed assembly comprising a roll-formed one-piece floor pan having a central pan portion and secondary portions positioned forwardly and rearwardly of wheelwell openings formed in the pan adjacent opposite side edges thereof, wherein strengthening ribs extend longitudinally throughout the entire length of the pan and terminate at the front and read edges and wherein strengthening ribs also extend longitudinally of the secondary portions and terminate at front and rear edges of the wheelwell openings.

<CIT> discloses a floor mat comprising a main portion for lying flat on an automobile floor and an upwardly inclined portion for lying on an inclined surface within the automobile, the main portion including a centrally disposed downwardly recessed area forming a pan having a floor and surrounding sides for catching fluid. A plurality of ridges, having a triangular cross-section, rise vertically from the floor of the pan for holding pants and the like above fluids caught in the pan. The forwardly extending portion includes ribs which extend in the longitudinal direction of the mat for channeling fluids backward into the pan. Additional ribs are formed on the forward portion which are inclined downwardly and inwardly for channeling fluid away from the edges of the mat toward the center of the mat.

<CIT> discloses a floor panel in a vehicle, wherein a plurality of beads are arranged in parallel on the floor panel, a joint part for connecting adjacent two of the beads is provided so as to form a coplanar surface over the two beads, a positioning hole, which is used for positioning the floor panel during assembly, is provided in the joint part, and a burr, which protrudes to ward the inside of the beads, is formed at the inner periphery of the positioning hole.

The present disclosure provides a vehicle floor as defined in claim <NUM>. Examples thereof are detailed in the dependent claims.

In one general embodiment, the present invention provides a vehicle floor configured to direct water flow comprising a floor portion that extends front-to-back and side-to-side in said vehicle including a surface that faces the vehicle occupant. The floor portion surface includes one or a plurality of raised rib portions and one or a plurality of web regions in-between the raised rib portions, wherein the one or plurality of web regions provides a downwardly sloping floor portion in the surface that is configured to direct water to one or a plurality of desired locations.

In another general embodiment, the present invention provides a vehicle floor configured to direct water flow comprising a floor portion that extends front-to-back and side-to-side in the vehicle including a surface that faces the vehicle occupant, wherein the surface that faces the vehicle occupant provides a downward slope of up to <NUM>° running front-to back in the vehicle and a downward slope of up to <NUM>° running side-to-side in the vehicle. One or a plurality of L-shaped protrusions are present in the vehicle floor surface wherein the L-shaped protrusions are comprised of two linear portions that intersect and define an angle of <NUM>° to <NUM>°. One or a plurality of web regions are present between the plurality of L-shaped protrusions wherein the web regions provide a downwardly sloping surface at an angle in the range of <NUM>° to <NUM>°. The downwardly sloping floor surface running front-to-back in the vehicle and side-to-side in said vehicle, the one or plurality of L-shaped protrusions, and the one or plurality of web regions between the plurality of L-shaped protrusions, are configured to direct water flow to one or a plurality of desired locations.

The present invention is directed at a vehicle floor design that routes water and debris to one or more specific locations in the floor for disposal to the outside. Attention is directed to <FIG> which illustrates one preferred embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, a portion of the vehicle floor <NUM> is one that includes a plurality of raised portions <NUM> and a plurality of sloping web portions <NUM> in-between said raised portions <NUM>. Preferably the raised portions may be in the form of ribs (an extended portion of relatively thicker material across the surface of the floor) and may have a thickness at 16A in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>, a thickness at 16B in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>. Thickness herein is reference to the height of the ribs from the surface of the floor. The ribs may also have a width shown generally at 16C in the range of <NUM> to <NUM> and the sloping portions <NUM> may have a width shown generally at <NUM> in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>. The width of the ribs may also be different than the width of the slopes, so that one can provide a floor structure with such varying dimensions to optimize water and debris disposal. In addition, the floor is one that will have one or more drainage holes or openings <NUM>, preferably positioned at that section of the sloping portion where the water would collect, which drainage hole is preferably plugged, and which the occupant of the vehicle may selectively open to provide for removal of the water/debris mixture to the outside of the vehicle compartment. Moreover, it is contemplated that the vehicle floor <NUM> may include openings within the rib portions so that water/debris within one sloping portion may collect at one or more desired locations, as generally indicated at <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates another vehicle floor where, compared to <FIG>, the rib portions <NUM> and the sloping portions <NUM> are illustrated as having a different width. As noted, above, the ability to selective vary the width of either the rib portions and sloping portions allows one to provide a floor where one can selectively collect different amounts of water/debris, depending upon a given vehicle structure and expected pattern of use by the vehicle owner.

Attention is next directed to <FIG> which shows the vehicle floor and the section A-A which view is illustrated in <FIG>. As can now be seen, the slope, measured with reference to the top of the rib, is such that it will preferably fall <NUM> to <NUM> for every <NUM> of length of the vehicle floor, running fore/aft in the vehicle. Accordingly, the arrow shown generally at <NUM> may have a value of <NUM> to <NUM>, thereby defining the slope that is then relied upon to channel water/debris to a desired location.

Attention is now directed to <FIG>, which shows the portion <NUM> of the vehicle floor containing the aforementioned raised portions and sloping portions. As illustrated the sloping portions provide that the water flow would initially proceed generally left and right in the vehicle and then upon exiting of the sloping portions, the vehicle floor itself can include one or more sloping portions to further direct the water flow generally aft in the vehicle towards the identified one or more drain holes.

Attention is next directed to <FIG>. which illustrates another preferred embodiment herein. As can be seen, the portion <NUM> of the vehicle floor may now include what may be described as a plurality of "L" shape rib protrusions <NUM>. An expanded view of one of the "L" shaped protrusions is illustrated in <FIG> where such protrusion is defined by two generally linear portions <NUM> and <NUM> where each preferably has a length in the range of <NUM> to <NUM> and a thickness (i.e. the dimension that protrudes from the surface of the floor) in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>. These two generally linear portions <NUM> and <NUM> also preferably define an angle <NUM> of <NUM>°to <NUM>°, more preferably <NUM>° to <NUM>°. Similarly, the flooring may contain a plurality of additional protrusions to direct water flow in a desired direction front to back in the vehicle, of any geometry (e.g. straight or curved). As noted, the water flow is preferably directed towards a drain hole or even a plurality of drain holes. Preferably, one may therefore utilize relatively straight rib protrusions <NUM> that preferably have a length in the range of <NUM> to <NUM> and a thickness (the dimension that protrudes from the surface of the floor) preferably in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>. Also illustrated is a drain hole <NUM>. As alluded to above, one may utilize a plurality of drain holes.

In addition, the portion of the vehicle floor <NUM> itself is configured such that when running front to back in the vehicle, provides a sloping surface facing the vehicle occupant which as illustrated by arrow <NUM>, defines a slope of up to <NUM>° to assist in directing residual water to a desired location, such as drain hole <NUM>. Accordingly, the broad context of the present disclosure, the vehicle floor, when running front to back in the vehicle, may provide a sloping surface of <NUM>° to <NUM>°, more preferably <NUM>° to <NUM>°, and even more preferably <NUM>° to <NUM>°, or even <NUM>° to <NUM>°.

In addition, the vehicle floor itself may include a side-to-side slope as shown by arrows <NUM> and <NUM> of also up to <NUM>° to again assist in directing water to drain hole <NUM>. Accordingly, in the broad context of the present disclosure, the vehicle floor, when running side to side in the vehicle, may provide a slope of <NUM>° to <NUM>°, more preferably <NUM>° to <NUM>°, and even more preferably <NUM>° to <NUM>°, or even <NUM>° to <NUM>°. In addition, although drain hole <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG> is not positioned at a center location with respect to the horizontal axis of the portion of vehicle floor <NUM>, it should be appreciated that the drain hole may be positioned anywhere along such horizontal axis to capture the flow of residual water.

In addition, it should be appreciated the boundary <NUM> of vehicle floor portion <NUM> may provide a border section that prevents any residual water from flowing further back in the vehicle. Such border section may therefore include a raised portion or even an upwardly angled wall portion to restrict such water flow.

Attention is now directed to the web regions between the plurality of "L" shape rib protrusions <NUM>, identified by double arrows <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>. These web regions are configured to provide an additional sloping vehicle floor surface that faces the vehicle occupant, in the general direction of the arrows, where such web regions may provide a downwardly sloping floor at an angle in the range of <NUM>° to <NUM>° or <NUM>° to <NUM>°. As may be appreciated the web regions between the plurality of "L" shape rib protrusion <NUM> can therefore provide another directed pathway for the flow of any residual or accumulated water on the floor portion <NUM> towards drain hole <NUM>.

It should be appreciated that the above vehicle floor portion can be provided in a standard vehicle at four general locations, including the driver side location, right front seat passenger location, and two rear seat passenger locations.

Finally, it should be noted that the portion of the vehicle floor containing the raised portions and sloping portions may be integrally formed with the floor and preferably constructed of a thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic olefin, polyethylene (e.g. low density polyethylene), and polyurethane type materials (thermoplastic or thermoset).

Claim 1:
A vehicle floor (<NUM>) configured to direct water flow comprising:
a floor portion that extends front-to-back and side-to-side in said vehicle including a surface that faces the vehicle occupant;
said floor portion surface including one or a plurality of raised rib portions (<NUM>) and one or a plurality of web regions (<NUM>) in-between said raised rib portions (<NUM>),
characterized in that said one or plurality of said web regions (<NUM>) provide a downwardly sloping floor portion in said surface that is configured to direct water to one or a plurality of desired locations (<NUM>).