GB2395659A

GB2395659A - A transportable mat

Info

Publication number: GB2395659A
Application number: GB0227647A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Trevor Leslie Carruthers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-11-27
Filing date: 2002-11-27
Publication date: 2004-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-27
Also published as: GB0227647D0; GB2395659B

Abstract

A mat 1 comprises a substantially flat, water and moisture resistant base 2, and an absorbent material 4 mounted on a side of the base opposite a ground engaging side for absorbing water and moisture and insulating a user's feet from the ground. The base has at least two intersecting fold lines 5;6 dividing the absorbent material into at least three segments. A strap 9 is mounted on the side of the base carrying the absorbent material and at the intersecting fold lines of the mat so that the mat folds readily with the absorbent material outermost when the mat is lifted off the ground by the strap.

Description

A Transportable Mat s The present invention relates to a transportable mat

and in particular to a transportable mat for use in drying feet or changing, putting on or removing footwear while standing on a wet or soiled surface.

Most people have encountered the difficulty involved in putting on footwear in changing room facilities of a sports complex where the floor of the changing room is wet to lo some extent. The problem arises when you dry your feet with a towel and then try to put one of your socks on. You need to stand on the other foot for support and unless you stand on the towel or some other material then your support foot gets wet again. This problem is not exclusive to the changing facilities of sports complexes but is also encountered by people trying to remove soiled footwear on wet surfaces outside their house, for example, after 15 farming or walking the dog. The problem is also prevalent on campsites and in fact any area where people need to dry their feet or change, remove or put on their footwear while standing on a wet or soiled surface.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the problems outlined above. 20 Accordingly, the present invention provides a mat comprising a substantially flat, water and moisture resistant base, an absorbent material mounted on a side of the base opposite a ground engaging side for absorbing water and moisture and insulating a user's feet from the ground, the base having at least two intersecting fold lines dividing the absorbent material into at least three segments. Preferably, a strap Is mounted on the side of 25 the base carrying the absorbent material at or about the intersecting fold lines of the mat so

e e 2 À À e. ce..e e se that the mat folds readily with the absorbent material outermost when the mat is lifted off the ground by the strap.

Preferably, a separate pouch is provided for housing a folded mat. The pouch maintains the mat in the folded configuration so that the space taken up by the mat is small s and the mat and pouch are tidy and easy to transport.

Ideally, the pouch has a velcro (RTM) fastener to releasably seal the pouch.

Ideally, the base is manufactured from a non-slip material. This improves the safety of the mat especially when supplied to children.

Preferably, the absorbent material and base are machine washable.

lo Preferably, the mat has a circular shape.

Ideally, the mat is circular and has a diameter in the range of 30 to 45 ems.

Alternatively, the mat is a rectangular or square shape.

Ideally, the square mat has an area in the range of 30 to 40cm2.

Preferably, the mat has two perpendicular intersecting fold lines dividing the S absorbent material into four equal segments.

This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example only, two embodiments of a transportable mat in accordance with the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of mat; 20 Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the mat of Fig. 1 in a folded configuration; Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of a pouch for the mat of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of mat; and Fig. 5 is a rear elevation view of a pouch for the mat of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figures 1 to 3 there is shown a first circular 25 embodiment of transportable mat indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The mat 1

3 te:.;e:e;. te:';.

has a water resistant rubber base 2 and four separate quadrants 3. The quadrants 3 are separated by two perpendicular intersecting fold lines 5 and 6 which intersect about the centre point 7 of the circular mat 1. Each quadrant 3 carries its own portion of absorbent material 4. It will of course be appreciated that the fold lines 5 and 6 are not necessarily s perpendicular. Additionally, the point 7 of the intersection of the fold lines 5 and 6 is not necessarily the centre point 7 of the circular mat 1. A strap 9 is mounted on the mat 1 bridging the intersection point 7 of the fold lines 5 and 6. This location of the strap 9 causes folding of the mat 1 about the fold lines 5 and 6 as a result of a user lifting the mat 1 off the ground by the strap 9. The strap 9 could be provided by a strip connected at one end only.

lo Figure 2 shows the mat 1 in a completely folded configuration adopting the form of a single quadrant 3. The strap 9 is on the outside of the folded mat 1.

Figure 3 shows a pouch 31 of generally triangular form with an arcuate side 32. The shape of the pouch 31 is designed to accommodate the shape of the quadrants 3 in the completely folded configuration as shown in Fig. 2.

15 The pouch 31 has a flap 34 hinged about the arcuate side 32 of the pouch 31 for allowing access to the inside of the pouch 31 and enclosing the folded mat 1 within the pouch 31 during storage or transportation. The flap 34 is fastened closed by a velcro (RTM) fastener 35 carried on the flap 34 and pouch 31. A handle 36 is located on the flap 34 of the pouch 31.

20 Referring now to Figure 4, a mat 41 is shown having the same construction as the mat 1 other than the mat 41 has a square as opposed to circular circumference.

Consequently the pouch 42 shown in Figure 5 also has a square form. A handle 46 and velcro (RTM) fastener 45 are also mounted on the pouch 42.

Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the 25 invention described above.

Claims

1. A mat comprising a substantially flat, water and moisture resistant base, an absorbent material mounted on a side of the base opposite a ground engaging side for absorbing water and moisture and insulating a user's feet from the ground, the base having at least two intersecting fold lines dividing the absorbent material into at least three segments.

2. A mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a strap is mounted on the side of the base carrying the absorbent material and at or about the intersecting fold lines of the mat so that the mat folds readily with the absorbent material outermost when the mat is lifted off the ground by the strap.

3. A mat as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a separate pouch is provided for housing a folded mat.

4. A mat as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pouch has a velcro (RTM) fastener to releasably seal the pouch.

5. A mat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base is manufactured from a non-slip material.

6. A mat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the absorbent material and base are machine washable.

7. A mat as claimed any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mat has a circular shape.

8. A mat as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mat has a diameter in the range of 30 to 45 ems.

9. A mat as claimed any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the mat is a rectangular or square shape.

10. A mat as claimed in claim 9, wherein the square/rectangular mat has an area in the range of 30 to 40cm2.

11. A mat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mat has two perpendicular intersecting fold lines dividing the absorbent material into four equal segments.

12. A mat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.