CA2390828C

CA2390828C - Safety mat

Info

Publication number: CA2390828C
Application number: CA2390828A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Quinn Holtby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Katch Kan Holdings Inc
Priority date: 2002-06-17
Filing date: 2002-06-17
Publication date: 2012-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 2022-06-17
Also published as: GB2406050A; WO2003105654A1; AU2003236755A1; GB0500675D0; CA2390828A1; NO339084B1; GB2406050B; NO20045413L

Abstract

A safety mat includes a polygonal planar body having an upper liquid collecting surface, a bottom surface, and several peripheral edges. A plurality of closely spaced truncated projections of uniform height are positioned on the liquid collecting surface. The truncated projections form a high traction travel surface that is raised above any accumulated liquids on the liquid collecting surface. A safety mat assembly can be made in modular fashion by joining several of the safety mats and enclosing them with a liquid retaining border.

Description

. ~ . ~ n' i n i TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Safety Mat FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a safety mat and, in particular, a safety mat intended for use in work environments in which spilled liquids present a safety hazard by making footing treacherous.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are various work environments in which the surface upon which workers must walk is exposed to liquids, which make footing treacherous. For example, notwithstanding precautions which may be taken, some oil unavoidably spills from drilling pipe onto the floor of an oil drilling rig. Workers who walk on the drilling rig floor during the course of performing their duties, must risk slipping on one of these oil spills.
SUi~iARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is a safety mat that can reduce slip and fall accidents in work environments prone to liquid spills.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a safety mat which includes a polygonal planar body having an upper liquid collecting surface, a bottom surface, and several peripheral edges. A plurality of closely spaced truncated projections of uniform height are positioned on the liquid collecting surface. The truncated projections form a high traction travel surface that is raised above any accumulated liquids on the liquid collecting surface.
The safety mat, as described above, has a travel surface that is raised above the liquid collecting surface on which liquids accumulate. Beneficial results have been obtained when the truncated projections are disks, however, other configurations of truncated projections may be used.
Beneficial results have been obtained by fabricating the mats i . ~; ~ ~, I i I~. d - ~ ~ ~i ~ « a ~I

2 from polymer plastic; however, other materials could be used in fabricating the mats. The safety mat, as described above, provides an "anti-slip" travel surface free from liquids that helps prevent slip and fall injuries. It also provides a cushion surface which helps lessen worker fatigue.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the safety mat, as described above, every work area has areas of high traffic. The truncated projections can be expected to wear more rapidly than those areas of high traf f is .
Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the truncated projections are detachable from the liquid collecting surface. This enables truncated projections to be periodically replaced in high traffic areas without replacing the entire body of the safety mat. It also enables truncated projections having different properties and wear characteristics to be positioned in different regions of the safety mat. There are various ways in which the truncated projections can be made detachable. Beneficial results have been obtained when the liquid collecting surface has a plurality of spaced female couplings and each of the truncated projections has a male coupling which is adapted to engage one of the female couplings. It is preferred that the female coupling have internal threads and the male coupling have external threads. The male coupling and the female couplings can then be joined in mating threaded engagement.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the safety mat, as described above, many of such safety mats are normally required in order to cover a work area. Even more beneficial results may, therefore be obtained when an engagement profile is positioned along at least two of the peripheral edges of the body to enable the body is connected to another body. One type of engagement profile is a groove in the bottom surface of the body along one of the at least two peripheral edges with associated elongate edge member positioned between the groove and the one of the at least two w M i R~n ~i; a ~i ~ t1

3 peripheral edges. It is preferred that one of male couplings or female couplings are positioned at intervals along the groove.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a safety mat assembly which includes several polygonal planar bodies each having an upper liquid collecting surface, a bottom surface and several peripheral edges. A
plurality of closely spaced truncated projections of uniform height are positioned on the liquid collecting surface. The truncated projections form a high traction travel surface that is raised above any accumulated liquids on the liquid collecting surface. Engagement profiles are provided along each of the peripheral edges of the planar bodies. Elongate connective members are provided which extend a length of the peripheral edges of the planar bodies and engage some of the engagement profiles of abutting planar bodies to form a composite surface of several planar bodies. Liquid retaining border members are provided engage some of the engagement profiles of the planar bodies to form a border along a periphery of the composite surface.
The safety mat assembly, as described above, uses connective members to join the planar bodies to form a composite surface which covers virtually any size of work area.
It is preferred that the connective members form a liquid tight seal, so that liquids are unable to leak through the composite surface to harm the environment. The liquid containing border members to prevent liquids from leaking from the periphery of the composite surface.
Beneficial results have been obtained when the engagement profiles are grooves along each of the peripheral edges with associated elongate edge members positioned between the grooves and the peripheral edges and the connective members have an elongate first tongue, an elongate second tongue extending in parallel spaced relation to the first tongue, and a channel a 6 ~L ; 1l I II I I

4 positioned between the first tongue and the second tongue.
The first tongue is adapted to engage a first groove in a first planar body of the several planar bodies and the second tongue being adapted to engage a second groove in a second planar body of the several planar bodies. The channel is adapted to receive a first edge member from the first planar body and a second edge member from the second planar body, thereby securing the first planar body to the second planar body in a secure and liquid tight manner.
In order to prevent inadvertent separation of the connective member from the first planar body and the second planar body, it is preferred that female receptacles be positioned at intervals along each of the grooves and that the connective members have male members spaced at intervals along each of the first tongue and the second tongue. The male members are adapted to engage the female receptacles to prevent inadvertent separation. It is preferred that the male members have mushroom locking heads to prevent them from being accidentally withdrawn from the female receptacles.
It is preferred that the border members each have channels which are adapted to receive the engagement profiles of the planar bodies in sliding fit engagement. The functionality of the border members can be further improved when by providing an outwardly extending transition ramp, thereby providing a transition from an underlying surface onto the composite surface of planar bodies. The functionality of the border members can be even further improved by providing an upstanding liquid retaining ridge. It is preferred that the composite surface has at least one drainage opening that permits liquids to drain from the liquid collecting surface into a collection container where the liquids may be disposed of in an environmentally acceptable fashion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become more fi i ~ ii, n ~~ ~ G~ I

apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to in any way limit the scope of the invention to the particular embodiment or

5 embodiments shown, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is an perspective view of a modular safety mat assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view, in section, of the modular safety mat assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the modular safety mat assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of a modular safety mat component of the modular safety mat assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1.
DETAINED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment, a safety mat generally identified by reference numeral 10, and a safety mat assembly generally identified by reference numeral 100 made by connecting several of safety mats 10 will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 4.
Structure and Relationship of Parts:
Referring to FIGURE 4, there is provided a safety mat 10, which includes a rectangular polymer plastic planar body 12 with an upper liquid collecting surface 14, a bottom surface 16, and four peripheral edges 18. A plurality of closely spaced truncated projections 20 of uniform height are positioned on liquid collecting surface 14. Truncated projections 20 form a high traction travel surface 22 that is raised above any accumulated liquids on liquid collecting surface 14. In the illustrated embodiment, truncated projections 20 are disks 24 with different forms of traction profiles 25, however it will be appreciated that truncated projections 20 could formed into other configurations and still function. Liquid collecting surface 14 has a plurality of ~i i i ie , d .1 r~,~,l,, il,;~ ~~ ~ « I

6 spaced female couplings 27 with internal threads 29. Each of truncated projections 20 has a male coupling 31 with external threads 33 which are adapted to engage internal threads 29 of one of female couplings 27. Truncated projections 20 are detachably secured to liquid collecting surface 14 by threaded engagement between male couplings 31 and female couplings 27.
An engagement profile 26 is positioned along each of peripheral edges 18 of planar body 12 whereby planar body 12 is connected to a second planar body 28. Engagement profile 26 is in the form of a groove 30 in bottom surface 16 along each of peripheral edges 18 with an associated elongate edge member 32 positioned between groove 30 and peripheral edges 18.
Female receptacles 34 are positioned at intervals along groove 30.
Referring to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated safety mat assembly 100. Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, safety mat assembly 100 is made up of several safety mats 10 connected with an elongate connective member 36 and enclosed by a border member 48. In order to differentiate between safety mats 10 one will be referred to as first rectangular polymer plastic planar body 12 and the other will be referred to as second rectangular body 28. Second planar body 28 is identical to first planar body 12, as described above.
Referring to FIGURE 3, elongate connective member 36 extends a length of one of peripheral edges 18 of first planar body 12 and second planar body 28. Referring to FIGURE 2, elongate connective member 36 engages engagement profiles 26 of abutting first planar body 12 and second planar body 28, thereby forming a composite surface 38 of first body 12 and second body 28. Referring to FIGURE 3, connective member 36 has an elongate first tongue 40 and an elongate second tongue 42 extending in parallel spaced relation to first tongue 40, and a channel 44 positioned between first tongue 40 and second s ~ ~ i~a i ~I ~ ~~ i

7 tongue 42. Referring to FIGURE 2, first tongue 40 is adapted to engage groove 30 in first planar body 12 while second tongue 42 is adapted to engage groove 30 in second planar body 28. Referring to FIGURE 2, channel 44 is adapted to receive edge member 32 from first planar body 12 and edge member 32 from second planar body 28, thereby securing first planar body 12 to second planar body 28 in a secure and liquid tight manner.
Referring to FIGURE 3, connective member 36 has male members 46 spaced at intervals along each of first tongue 40 and second tongue 42. Referring to FIGURE 2, male members 46 are adapted to engage female receptacles 34, thereby preventing inadvertent separation of connective member 36 from first planar body 12 and second planar body 28. Male members 46 have mushroom shaped locking heads 47 which lock male member 46 into female receptacles 34.
Referring to FIGURE 2, a liquid retaining border member 48 engages one of engagement profiles 26 of first body 12 to form a border along a periphery of composite surface 38.
Border member 48 has a channel 50 which is adapted to receive engagement profiles 26 of first planar body 12 and second planar body 28 in sliding fit engagement. Border member 48 has an outwardly extending transition ramp 52, thereby providing a transition from an underlying surface 54 onto composite surface 38 formed from first planar body 12 and second planar body 28. Border member 48 also has an upstanding liquid retaining ridge 56.
Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be appreciated that any number of safety mats 10 can be joined to provide a composite surface 38 of any size desired with border members 48 secured completely around the periphery of composite surface 38 to contain liquids. A drainage opening 49 is provided in composite surface to drain liquids. These liquids are then captured in an environmentally safe manner. On an oil drilling rig r I i~ b ~, ~ !~ i

8 drainage opening 49 will generally be centrally positioned, corresponding to the positioning of the rotary table.
Operation:
The use and operation of safety mat assembly 100 will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 4. Referring to FIGURE l, a plurality of safety mats 10 are joined to form safety mat assembly 100. Referring to FIGURE 2, as is illustrated using first planar body 12 and second planar body 28 and described above, safety mats are secured side by side using elongate connective member 36. Connective member 36 forms a liquid tight seal, so that liquids are unable to leak through composite surface 38 to harm the environment . To secure first planar body 12 to second planar body 28, first tongue 40 of connective member 36 is engaged with groove 30 on first planar body 12 while second tongue 42 of connective member 36 is engaged with groove 30 on second planar body 28. Male members 46 on first tongue 40 and second tongue 42 are engaged with female receptacles 34 in grooves 30 in first planar body 12 and second planar body 28 to prevent inadvertent separation of connective member 36 from first planar body 12 and second planar body 28. Separation is prevented by mushroom shaped locking head 47. Additional safety mats 10 can be joined together to make composite surface 38 of mat assembly 100 in any desired size or configuration.
Referring to FIGURE l, once the configuration of composite surface 38 is established, liquid retaining border members 48 are positioned around the periphery of the surface. Referring to FIGURE 2, border member 48 are engaged with one of engagement profiles 26 of first body 12 to form a border along a periphery of the composite surface 38. Border members 48 serve to prevent liquids from leaking along the periphery of composite surface 38. Transition ramp 52 provides a transition from an underlying surface 54 onto composite surface 38. A
drainage conduit 49 to a storage container (not shown) may be provided to drain liquids from composite surface 38.

i i. ~~ i ~ ii~:.p ,~~i ~ ~~

9 Referring to FIGURE l, high traction travel surface 22 of first planar body 12 and second planar body 28 is raised above any accumulated liquids on liquid collecting surface 14, so that workers can safely stand or walk on high traction travel surface 22, notwithstanding the inevitable presence of liquids.
Truncated projections 20 both raise the worker above any liquids, but also provide some cushioning to relieve fatigue.
Referring to FIGURE 4, truncated projections 20 in areas of heavy travel on composite surface 38 will become worn. When that occurs, those truncated projections 20 that are worn can be replaced. This is done by merely detaching truncated projections 20 from liquid collecting surface 14, by unthreading male couplings 31 of truncated projections 20 from female couplings 27 on liquid collecting surface 14. The ability to replace worn areas of composite surface 38 will result in considerable savings over time to the user.
In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the Claims.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A safety mat assembly, comprising:
several polygonal planar bodies, each of the planar bodies comprising an upper liquid collecting surface, a bottom surface and several peripheral edges;
a plurality of closely spaced truncated projections of uniform height disposed on the liquid collecting surface, the truncated projections forming a high traction travel surface that is raised above any accumulated liquids on the liquid collecting surface;
engagement profiles positioned along each of the peripheral edges of the planar bodies; and elongate connective members extending a length of the peripheral edges of the planar bodies and engaging some of the engagement profiles of abutting planar bodies, thereby forming a composite surface of several planar bodies.

2. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 1, further comprising liquid retaining border members engaging some of the engagement profiles of the planar bodies to form a border along a periphery of the composite surface.

3. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the engagement profiles comprise grooves disposed along each of the peripheral edges with associated elongate edge members positioned between the grooves and the peripheral edges;
the connective members comprising an elongate first tongue and an elongate second tongue extending in parallel spaced relation to the first tongue, and a channel positioned between the first tongue and the second tongue, the first tongue being adapted to engage a first groove in a first planar body of the several planar bodies and the second tongue being adapted to engage a second groove in a second planar body of the several planar bodies, and the channel being adapted to receive a first edge member from the first planar body and a second edge member from the second planar body, thereby securing the first planar body to the second planar body in a secure and liquid tight manner.

4. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 3, wherein one of male couplings or female couplings are positioned at intervals along each of the grooves and the other of male couplings or female couplings are positioned at intervals along each of the first tongue and the second tongue of the connective members.

5. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 4, wherein the female couplings are positioned along each of the grooves and male couplings are positioned on the connective members, the male couplings being adapted to engage the female couplings, thereby preventing inadvertent separation of the connective members from the first planar body and the second planar body.

6. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 5, wherein the male couplings comprise mushroom locking heads to maintain a locking engagement with the female couplings.

7. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the male couplings are spaced at intervals along each of the first tongue and the second tongue.

8. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claims 1 or Claim 2, wherein the engagement profiles of the several planar bodies comprise grooves disposed along each of the peripheral edges with associated elongate edge members positioned between the grooves and the peripheral edges; and the border members each having channels which are adapted to receive the engagement profiles of the planar bodies in sliding fit engagement.

9. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 8, wherein the border members comprise an outwardly extending transition ramp, thereby providing a transition from an underlying surface onto the composite surface of the planar bodies.

10. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 8, wherein the border members comprise an upstanding liquid retaining ridge.

11. A safety mat assembly, comprising:
a plurality of polygonal planar bodies, each of the bodies comprising an upper liquid collecting surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of peripheral edges;
a plurality of closely spaced truncated projections of uniform height positioned on the liquid collecting surfaces of the planar bodies, the truncated projections being closely spaced so as to form, in use, a high traction travel surface that is raised above any accumulated liquids disposed on the liquid collecting surface;
engagement profiles positioned along at least two peripheral edges of a said planar body; and at least one elongate connective member extending a length of a peripheral edge of a said planar body and, in use, engages a said engagement profile of an abutting said planar body, thereby forming a composite body of several planar bodies.

12. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 11, wherein the truncated projections comprise disks.

13. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 11 or Claim 12, wherein the truncated projections are detachable from the liquid collecting surface.

14. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 13, wherein the liquid collecting surface comprise a plurality of spaced female couplings and each of the truncated projections comprises a male coupling which is adapted to engage one of the female couplings.

15. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 14, wherein the female couplings comprise internal threads and the male couplings comprise external threads, the male couplings and the female couplings being joined in mating threaded engagement.

16. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 14 or Claim 15, wherein each engagement profile comprises a groove disposed in the bottom surface of the planar body along one of the at least two peripheral edges, with an associated elongate edge member positioned between the groove and one of the at least two peripheral edges.

17. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 16, wherein one of the male couplings or female couplings are positioned at intervals along the groove.

18. The safety mat assembly as defined in any one of Claims 11 to 17, further comprising liquid retaining border members engaging some of the engagement profiles of the planar bodies to form a border along a periphery of the composite surface.

19. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 11, wherein the engagement profiles comprise grooves disposed along each of the peripheral edges of a said planar body, with associated edge members positioned between the grooves and the peripheral edges;
the connective members comprising an elongate first tongue and an elongate second tongue extending in parallel spaced relation to the first tongue, and a channel positioned between the first tongue and the second tongue, the first tongue being adapted to engage a first groove in a first planar body of the plurality of planar bodies and the second tongue being adapted to engage a second groove in a second planar body of the plurality of planar bodies, and the channel being adapted to receive a first edge member from the first planar body and second edge member from the second planar body, thereby securing the first planar body to the second planar body in a secure and liquid tight manner.

20. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 19, wherein one of male couplings or female couplings are positioned at intervals along each of the grooves and the other of male couplings or female couplings are positioned at intervals along each of the first tongue and the second tongue of the connective members.

21. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 20, wherein the female couplings are positioned along each of the grooves and male couplings are positioned on the connective members, the male couplings being adapted to engage the female couplings, thereby preventing inadvertent separation of the connective members from the first planar body and the second planar body.

22. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 21, wherein the male couplings comprise mushroom locking heads to maintain a locking engagement with the female couplings.

23. The safety mat assembly as defined in any one of Claims 19 to 22, wherein the connective members comprise male members spaced at intervals disposed along each of the first tongue and the second tongue.

24. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 18, wherein the engagement profiles of the plurality of planar bodies comprise grooves disposed along each of the peripheral edges with associated elongate edge members positioned between the grooves and the peripheral edges; and the border members each comprising channels which are adapted to receive the engagement profiles of the planar bodies in sliding fit engagement.

25. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 18, wherein the border members comprise an outwardly extending transition ramp, thereby providing a transition from an underlying surface onto the composite surface of the planar bodies.

26. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 25, wherein the border members comprise an upstanding liquid retaining edge.

27. The safety mat assembly as defined in Claim 11, wherein the liquid collecting surfaces comprise a plurality of spaced female couplings with internal threads and each of the truncated projections comprise a male coupling with external threads which are adapted to engage the internal threads of one of the female couplings, thereby detachably securing the truncated projections to the liquid collecting surface.

28. The safety mat assembly as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 27, wherein the composite surface comprises at least one drainage opening.

29. The safety mat assembly as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 28, wherein the body is made from polymer plastic.