GB2205741A

GB2205741A - Barrier mats

Info

Publication number: GB2205741A
Application number: GB08714346A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Meredith Watts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-06-18
Filing date: 1987-06-18
Publication date: 1988-12-21
Also published as: GB8714346D0

Abstract

A barrier mat assembly comprises a reversible lamina having soil absorbent surfaces, the lamina being adapted to be supported with at least a substantial proportion of the underside surface out of contact with the ground that it overlies to enable soil particles to drop clear from the underside surface while the upper surface is exposed.

Description

BARRIER MAT This invention relates to barrier matting.

Barrier mats are floor coverings placed at entrances to buildings or around dirty areas in order to absorb footborne soil and moisture and reduce its spread through the building. For domestic domestic use a doormat is usually used but for environments such as shops or offices where the number of people entering is greater and it is not the practise to delay to wipe feet then the simple doormat is insufficient and larger fixed areas of absorbent carpeting, squeegee strips and scraping slats have been used. However it is found that these barrier zones are ineffective after a period of time and that the soil then rapidly carries into the building.

The present invention is directed towards providing a barrier mat that can be cleaned in order to maintain its soil absorbent properties and which can be easily monitored to ensure that the cleaning procedure has taken place.

Accordingly the present invention provides a barrier mat assembly comprising a reversible lamina having soil absorbent surfaces, the lamina being adapted to be supported with at least a substantial proportion of the underside surface out of contact with the ground that it overlies to enable soil particles to drop clear from the underside surface while the upper surface is exposed.

The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a barrier mat according to an embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the mat well into which the barrier mat of Figure 1 is located.

An analysis of carpet soiling, including barrier mat material, shows that carpets are capable of absorbing their own weight in soil, most of which is in the form of small powdery particles transferred onto the carpet from the shoes of those treading on the carpet. The particles may be transferred in wet or dry conditions. When a carpet is clean it absorbs most of the transferable soil from footwear within one or two paces, but when the carpet becomes saturated with accumulated soil the soil on footwear is not transferred so efficiently and so it takes a progressively greater number of paces for the soil transfer to be complete. Thus an initially effective barrier mat becomes saturated and thereafter soil is trodden progressively further into the building.

One way to solve the barrier mat saturation problem is for frequent cleaning or replacement. The latter is costly and the former difficult to monitor because the soil is trapped at the base of the carpet tufts and does not necessarily become sufficiently removed by surface cleaing. Furthermore the surface of the mat can look clean even though the body of it is saturated.

A preferred form of barrier mat is shown in Figure 1, the mat comprising a support layer 1 on to each face of which a layer of matting 2, 3 is attached. Scraper strips 4 are preferably disposed at intervals across the matting and can be arranged to coordinate with strips on the carpet surround in a completed installation.

The support layer 1 may be a framework or mesh but a particularly suitable material is marine ply wood. The support layer is provided with spigots 5 that cooperate with channels 6 in the sides of a mat well (Figure 2), the spigot and channel arrangement enabling the mat to be lifted by edge 7 and rotated about the edge 8, and also for the edge 8 to be translated between the edge 9 of the mat well and the edge 10. A mesh or grille 11 is preferably located in the mat well to provide support for the mat at areas away from the edges and to limit tendency for downward movement of the mat, although for small mats it may be possible to rely upon edge support only. The underside of the mat is supported clear from the base of the mat well.

The purpose of the double sided mat is that while one surface is uppermost and in use, soil from the underside surface is loosened and drops into the mat well so that after an interval the mat can be reversed to present the cleaned, unsaturated surface. To some extent soil particles will fall out as a result of the underside mat being upside down, but in addition to this the mat is flexed and vibrated by virtue of being walked over because it is suspended above the base on the mat well. It is envisaged that a routine daily inversion of the mat will in general ensure that the surface that is presented is not soil saturated.

The two surfaces of the mat may be of different colours or have some other distinguishing marking so that it is simple to monitor whether the inversion has been performed at the appointed times.

A lock may be provided to prevent unauthorised tampering, a convenient form of lock being a retractable spigot or pair of spigots located on the edge that is lifted to perform the inversion. To cope with wet conditions warm air vents or heating pipes may be arranged to run in the vicinity of the mat well to ensure that the underside of the mat does not remain wet because the release of soil is slower in wet conditions.

The barrier mat may be installed in an existing mat well, providing that it is of sufficient depth, by installation of support channels 6 along the sides of the well and a grid 11 in the base. Alternatively a box assembly including these elements may be provided.

Claims

1. A barrier mat assembly comprising a reversible lamina having soil absorbent surfaces, the lamina being adapted to be supported with at least a substantial proportion of the underside surface out of contact with the ground that it overlies to enable soil particles to drop clear from the underside surface while the upper surface is exposed.

2. A barrier mat assembly according to claim 1 in which the lamina is supported in a mat well.

3. A barrier mat assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the lamina is supported at its periphery.

4. A barrier mat assembly according to any preceding claim in which the lamina is supported on elements dispersed over its area.

5. A barrier mat assembly according to claim 4 in which the elements comprise a mesh.

6. A barrier mat assembly according to any preceding claim in which the lamina comprises a support layer the surfaces of which are covered in soil absorbent material.

7. A barrier mat assembly according to claim 6 in which the support layer exhibits slight flexibility.

8. A barrier mat assembly according to claim 6 in which the support layer comprises marine ply wood.

9. A barrier mat assembly according to any preceding claim in which a pair of spigots are located adjacent one edge of the lamina, the spigots slidably locating in channels along opposite edges of a mat well so that the mat can be lifted at the edge remote from the spigots, pivoted about the spigots and the spigots translated in the channels to the opposite side of the mat well and the mat pivoted further about the spigots and repositioned over the mat well in the inverted position.

10. A barrier mat assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.