Patent ID: 7575796

Claim:
A resilient mat system comprising at least one mat, the mat having a mat thickness T, the mat having an upper layer with an upper layer thickness t, the mat further comprising a plurality of supporting resilient substructure columns, each column having a relatively uniform height h, such that T=t+h, wherein the ratio of h:t>3.5 for values of T>about 0.9 inch (2.3 cm); each column having a column wall, the wall surrounding a central void in the column, the void opening at a bottom of the column, the column having in a bottom region of the column wall a lower zone that is a more compressible, relatively collapsible zone, and in an upper region of the column wall above the lower zone an upper zone that is a less compressible, relatively uncollapsible zone; the mat system further comprising a ramp structure bordering at least one mat on at least two sides, at least a portion of the ramp structure attached to the mat; the mat system further comprising a fenestrated connector, the connector fenestrations sized and numbered to receive the bases of a plurality of columns therein, the connector having a bend forming a lip wherein an edge of the ramp is interengaged for attachment of the ramp to the mat.