Patent ID: 8076619

Claim:
A heated stair mat for heating existing stairway steps, said heated stair mat comprising: a plurality of mats configured in a staggered arrangement along a plurality of vertical and horizontal walls of the existing steps such that odd ones of said mats cover top surfaces of the existing steps while even ones of said mats cover front surfaces of the existing steps; a plurality of heating elements embedded within said mats respectively; a controller electrically coupled to a first one of said odd mats such that power is distributed directly to said first odd mat, remaining ones of said mats being spaced from said controller; a portable power source electrically coupled to said controller and adjustably positioned exterior of said mats; and means for rotatably connecting said odd and even mats to each other in such a manner that each of said odd and even mats are pivoted along an arcuate path and about respective fulcrum axis extending parallel to longitudinal edges of said odd and even mats, said arcuate path extending along at least 180 degrees so that said mats are vertically stacked during non-use conditions; wherein said rotatably connecting means comprises: a plurality of conductive brackets attached to said longitudinal edges of each of said mats such that adjacent ones of said heating elements are continuously and electrically mated to each other while said mats are rotated between horizontal and vertical orientations respectively, each of said conductive brackets being electrically coupled to an associated one of said heating elements respectively, each of said brackets having an axial bore formed therein and extending outwardly from said longitudinal edges of said mats respective, said brackets being disposed adjacent to opposed ends of said mats, a plurality of rectilinear shafts having axially opposed ends removably anchored to said brackets and spaced away from said longitudinal edges respectively; and a plurality of ring-shaped couplings looped about said shafts and slidably positional along respective longitudinal lengths thereof; wherein adjacent ones of said shafts maintain fixed spatial relationships while said couplings freely travel along said shafts.