GB2127290A

GB2127290A - Footmat for stripping dirt

Info

Publication number: GB2127290A
Application number: GB08322532A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joachim Raida
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-08-23
Filing date: 1983-08-22
Publication date: 1984-04-11
Also published as: SE8304536L; DE3322287A1; GB8322532D0; FR2531991A1; SE8304536D0; GB2127290B

Abstract

A footmat 1 for stripping dirt, particularly for use in cars and, preferably, in the driver's floor space in front of the operating pedals, is at least partially covered by a removable grating 2 and is shaped to provide a trough below this grating. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Footmat for stripping dirt The present invention relates generally to a footmat for stripping dirt from footwear, as more particularly used in automobiles preferably on the floor space of the driver, in front of the operating pedals.

Dirt strippers of this kind have, up till now, frequently been formed as footmats of elastic material, whose upper side includes many receiving recesses formed by rods, and wherein water and dirt can accumulate in these recesses.

It is a primary disadvantage of these known dirt strippers that in the case of any constantly prevailing inclement weather such as snow, the receiving trough in the region of the heels of the driver's shoes receive a preponderant portion of water and dirt and are therefore quickly filled beyond capacity so that the water overflows and wets the floor of the vehicle.

Furthermore, there occurs the risk that the heels of the shoes, and also portions of the clothing of the occupants of the vehicle may dip into the filled receiving recesses, and be contaminated thereby.

Since the receiving troughs in the region of the driver's heels are quickly filled to capacity while those in other areas of the footmat are not nearly filled, the receiving capacity of a footmat of this type is not fully utilized.

It is a primary object of the present invention to devise a footmat for stripping dirt of the aforedescribed kind whose capacity to receive water and dirt, when its other dimensions remain unchanged, is greater by a multiple than those of comparable footmats and which still permits a dry support for shoes, primarly for the heels, which is firm, free from any risk of slipping thereon, and which is usable for long time intervals before cleaning. In addition, it should be possible to easily discharge the accumulated dirt and water from the footmat.

The above object as well as others which will hereinafter become apparent is attained, according to the present invention, by providing a footmat for stripping dirt which is either entirely or partially covered by a removable grating, and formed in the shape of a mould below this grating.

Not only is the object of the invention attained by a footmat for stripping of dirt of the aforedescribed kind, since a trough-like mould is available instead of the numerous independent receiving troughs which receive water and dirt only partially, and whose capacity is not reduced by separating walls for certain receiving zones, so that discharge of this mould is required at considerably greater time intervals than has been required hitherto, but it is also primarily ensured that the lower edges or the cuffs of clothing of the vehicle occupants no longer dip into receiving troughs filled beyond capacity or which are over-flowing with water; for the spacing of the cross-rods of the grating-rods forming the grating can now be dimensioned to be so small that only water can pass therethrough, so that the water can accumulate in the trough of the footmat, the trough now being available in its full size to the water.

The mould can easily be discharged by the footmat being removed from the floor of the vehicle, by lifting off the grating, and by emptying the trough by tilting of the footmat. In each case, the upper side of the grating, which offers the shoes of the occupants of the vehicle a slide-free support, remains dry until a complete filling of the trough, which extends therebelow, while the upper side of conventional footmats, which have a great number of small receiving troughs and which are filled, after receiving a small amount of water, can pass contaminated water to the heels of the occupants' shoes, or to the lower portions of clothing of occupants of the vehicle.

The present invention will be described and understood more readily when considered together with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a complete footmat for stripping dirt, according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the footmat shown in Figure 1 taken along the line 2-2 of Figure land Figure 3 is a cross section of a segment of the footmat of Figure 1 taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

As seen in Figure 1,the inventive dirt stripper consists of a footmat 1, which advantageously is made of soft, pliable rubber-material, including a grating 2, whose cross-rods 4 ae disposed so densely with respect to one another, that although all of the water and dirt particles from the shoes of the vehicle occupants pass therethrough and accumulate in the trough 3 disposed therebelow, the shoes themselves and also any lower clothing edges do not come in contact with the accumulated, dirt-containing water.

As seen in Figure 2, the cross-rods 4 of grating 2 are supported by longitudinal rods 5 spaced at relatively large distances from one another, which in turn abut the floor of the trough 3, and permit confluence of the water contaminated by dirt through their recesses or openings 8.

As seen in Figure 3, grating 2 engages with the inwardly bevelled edges 6 of trough 3 by means of' correspondingly tapered sidemost rods 5. Thus, grating 2 is secure against any unintentional sliding.

Of particular significance are the frontal rods 7 of the footmat 1, which extend at an angle. These serve for being cut off in case the footmat 1 has to be cut out, because of any interfering gas pedal, so that the footmat can lie flat on the floor of the vehicle.

It is to be understood that the foregoing general and detailed description are explanatory of the present invention and are not to be interpreted as restrictive of the scope of the following claims.

1. A footmat for stripping dirt wherein at least part of said footmat includes a trough and a removable grating covering said at least part of said footmat above said trough.

2. The footmat as defined in Claim 1, wherein said grating is rigid and is supported above the floor of the trough of said footmat.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Footmat for stripping dirt The present invention relates generally to a footmat for stripping dirt from footwear, as more particularly used in automobiles preferably on the floor space of the driver, in front of the operating pedals. Dirt strippers of this kind have, up till now, frequently been formed as footmats of elastic material, whose upper side includes many receiving recesses formed by rods, and wherein water and dirt can accumulate in these recesses. It is a primary disadvantage of these known dirt strippers that in the case of any constantly prevailing inclement weather such as snow, the receiving trough in the region of the heels of the driver's shoes receive a preponderant portion of water and dirt and are therefore quickly filled beyond capacity so that the water overflows and wets the floor of the vehicle. Furthermore, there occurs the risk that the heels of the shoes, and also portions of the clothing of the occupants of the vehicle may dip into the filled receiving recesses, and be contaminated thereby. Since the receiving troughs in the region of the driver's heels are quickly filled to capacity while those in other areas of the footmat are not nearly filled, the receiving capacity of a footmat of this type is not fully utilized. It is a primary object of the present invention to devise a footmat for stripping dirt of the aforedescribed kind whose capacity to receive water and dirt, when its other dimensions remain unchanged, is greater by a multiple than those of comparable footmats and which still permits a dry support for shoes, primarly for the heels, which is firm, free from any risk of slipping thereon, and which is usable for long time intervals before cleaning. In addition, it should be possible to easily discharge the accumulated dirt and water from the footmat. The above object as well as others which will hereinafter become apparent is attained, according to the present invention, by providing a footmat for stripping dirt which is either entirely or partially covered by a removable grating, and formed in the shape of a mould below this grating. Not only is the object of the invention attained by a footmat for stripping of dirt of the aforedescribed kind, since a trough-like mould is available instead of the numerous independent receiving troughs which receive water and dirt only partially, and whose capacity is not reduced by separating walls for certain receiving zones, so that discharge of this mould is required at considerably greater time intervals than has been required hitherto, but it is also primarily ensured that the lower edges or the cuffs of clothing of the vehicle occupants no longer dip into receiving troughs filled beyond capacity or which are over-flowing with water; for the spacing of the cross-rods of the grating-rods forming the grating can now be dimensioned to be so small that only water can pass therethrough, so that the water can accumulate in the trough of the footmat, the trough now being available in its full size to the water. The mould can easily be discharged by the footmat being removed from the floor of the vehicle, by lifting off the grating, and by emptying the trough by tilting of the footmat. In each case, the upper side of the grating, which offers the shoes of the occupants of the vehicle a slide-free support, remains dry until a complete filling of the trough, which extends therebelow, while the upper side of conventional footmats, which have a great number of small receiving troughs and which are filled, after receiving a small amount of water, can pass contaminated water to the heels of the occupants' shoes, or to the lower portions of clothing of occupants of the vehicle. The present invention will be described and understood more readily when considered together with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a complete footmat for stripping dirt, according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the footmat shown in Figure 1 taken along the line 2-2 of Figure land Figure 3 is a cross section of a segment of the footmat of Figure 1 taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1. As seen in Figure 1,the inventive dirt stripper consists of a footmat 1, which advantageously is made of soft, pliable rubber-material, including a grating 2, whose cross-rods 4 ae disposed so densely with respect to one another, that although all of the water and dirt particles from the shoes of the vehicle occupants pass therethrough and accumulate in the trough 3 disposed therebelow, the shoes themselves and also any lower clothing edges do not come in contact with the accumulated, dirt-containing water. As seen in Figure 2, the cross-rods 4 of grating 2 are supported by longitudinal rods 5 spaced at relatively large distances from one another, which in turn abut the floor of the trough 3, and permit confluence of the water contaminated by dirt through their recesses or openings 8. As seen in Figure 3, grating 2 engages with the inwardly bevelled edges 6 of trough 3 by means of' correspondingly tapered sidemost rods 5. Thus, grating 2 is secure against any unintentional sliding. Of particular significance are the frontal rods 7 of the footmat 1, which extend at an angle. These serve for being cut off in case the footmat 1 has to be cut out, because of any interfering gas pedal, so that the footmat can lie flat on the floor of the vehicle. It is to be understood that the foregoing general and detailed description are explanatory of the present invention and are not to be interpreted as restrictive of the scope of the following claims. CLAIMS

3. The footmat as defined in Claim 1, wherein longitudinal rods abutting the floor of the trough of said footmat support said grating thereabove.

4. The footmat as defined in Claim 3, wherein said longitudinal rods have recesses in their lower edge adjacent said trough.

5. The footmat as defined in Claim 1, wherein said grating is nestled in the upper rim of said trough.

6. The footmat as defined in Claim 5, wherein said grating engages the bevelled edges of said trough.

7. The footmat as defined in Claim 1,wherein said footmat includes zones with arbitrarily disposed longitudinal and transverse grooves outside of said trough, and said footmat consists of a soft rubberlike material.

8. The footmat as defined in Claim 1, wherein the supporting surface thereof has a plurality of short and pointed projections which engage the floor carpet of the vehicle.

9. A footmat for stripping dirt substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.