WO1989009008A1

WO1989009008A1 - A mat

Info

Publication number: WO1989009008A1
Application number: PCT/FI1989/000047
Authority: WO
Inventors: Keijo Palmroos
Original assignee: Keijo Palmroos
Priority date: 1988-03-28
Filing date: 1989-03-16
Publication date: 1989-10-05
Also published as: SE9003026L; CH677315A5; FI881456A; FI881456A0; SE9003026D0; NL8920207A; DE3990285C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a mat to be used especially as a doormat in vestibules and wind chambers, comprising a plurality of narrow elongated mat elements (1) each having two substantially parallel long outer sides (2, 3) and a meshy structure formed by short adjoining partition walls (9-13), the partition walls acting as means for removing dirt from shoes. For facilitating the rolling, handling and cleaning of the mat, the mat according to the invention is characterized in that the mat elements are manufactured of an elastic material, the mat elements (1) being directly interconnectable by pressing the long outer sides against each other so that the pegs (4) in one long side of each mat element (1) are inserted into the peg holes (8) in the other long side of a preceding mat element to form an integral mat which can be rolled up.

Description

A mat

The invention relates to a mat to be used espe¬ cially as a doormat in vestibules and wind chambers, comprising a plurality of narrow elongated mat el¬ ements each having two substantially parallel long outer sides and a meshy structure formed by short ad¬ joining partition walls, the partition walls acting as means for removing dirt from shoes. Hats of the type described above usually con¬ sist of mat elements which are 40-100 cm long and 5-10 cm broad, a suitable number of such elements being joined together so as to form a mat of desired size. An advantage of this technique is that a nearly un- limited number of mats of various sizes can be formed by means of a single mat element of reasonable size (which, accordingly, can be manufactured by a single mould) .

One prior art mat element comprises at both long outer sides a fishtail-shaped fastening bar ex¬ tending longitudinally of the mat element. Two such mat elements are joined by means of an aluminium strip by fixing the fastening bars of the elements in corre¬ sponding grooves provided on the outer sides of the strip. The number of the aluminium strips and that of the mat elements required for forming a large mat is nearly equal. On account of the aluminium strip and the way of fastening which requires that the mat el¬ ement should be rigid, the mat cannot be rolled up. This, in turn, makes the handling, transport and in¬ stallation of an assembled mat difficult.

Seen from the top, the mat elements preferably have a meshy structure, so that dirt from shoes falls through the meshes. When the mat is lifted up, the surface under the mat can be cleaned. As mentioned above, the prior art mat cannot be rolled up, which makes cleaning more difficult. Moreover, part of the dirt remains in gaps formed by the aluminium strips, so that the gaps have to be wiped clean separately. The aluminium strip is disadvantageous also in that the metal wears very much the heels of shoes.

Swiss Patent Specification 576 779 discloses a mat in which rubber strips and rows of brushes are positioned alternatively between plastic support strips for removing dirt from shoes. This structure cannot, either, be rolled up. In addition, the rela¬ tively sparsely positioned rubber strips and rows of brushes do not always remove dirt from shoes suffi¬ ciently efficiently. The object of the invention is a new mat which eliminates the above-mentioned problems and drawbacks associated with the prior art mats.

This is achieved by means of a mat of the type described in the beginning, which is characterized in that the mat elements are manufactured of an elastic material, and that one long outer side of each mat el¬ ement is provided with pegs projecting sidewardly at uniform intervals from said outer side perpendicularly thereto, and that the opposite long outer side of each mat element comprises peg holes provided at corre¬ sponding intervals, the mat elements being directly interconnectable by pressing the long outer sides against each other so that the pegs of each mat el¬ ement are inserted into the peg holes of a preceding mat element to form an integral mat which can be roll¬ ed up.

When the pegs according to the invention are positioned sufficiently close together, a steady mechanical joint is provided between the mat elements without any connecting pieces such as the aluminium strips known from the prior art. The joint can be made even more steady by applying a jointing compound to the surfaces to be joined. The jointing compound glues or cold welds the mat elements permanently together into an integral mat. In addition, the jointing pre¬ vents dirt from entering the joint.

The peg-type joint according to the invention is easy to form by inserting the pegs into the peg holes in an adjacent mat element. In the prior art solution mentioned above, the fastening bar of both of the mat elements has to be inserted into the fastening grooves of the aluminium strip from one end.

Since the mat elements according to the inven¬ tion are joined directly together, the meshy struc- ture of the mat remains intact over the whole mat, so that no areas liable to gather dirt and difficult to clean are formed in the mat.

The peg-type joint according to the invention makes it possible to manufacture the mat elements of an elastic material and the mortise joint does not make the structure stiff, so that the mat can be easi¬ ly rolled up in all directions. In addition, the edges of the partition walls of the mat, made of an elastic material, more efficiently act as scrapers scraping off dirt from the bottoms of shoes without, however, wearing the bottoms and heels of the shoes.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the material is polyvinyl chloride with a hardness ranging from 65 to 72 shores, whereby it is easy to roll up the mat, and shoes will be cleaned efficiently while the structure is nevertheless sufficiently stiff.

In the following the invention will be de¬ scribed by way of example by means of a specific embo¬ diment with reference to the attached drawing, wherein Figure 1 is planar view of a portion of a mat element according to the invention_?

Figures 2A, 2C and 2E show cross-sections of the mat element of Figure 1 along the line A-A; and Figures 2B, 2D and 2F show the cross-sections of Figures 2A, 2C and 2E, respectively _r the corre¬ sponding back sides of the element being seen from the direction B.

Figure 1 shows an elongated narrow mat element 1 with a planar meshy structure and two substantially parallel outer sides 2 and 3. Numerous upright parti¬ tion walls 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 adjoining each other and the outer sides 2 and 3 are provided between the outer sides. The partition walls define therebetween openings or meshes 14 extending vertically from the upper surface of the mat element 1 to the lower sur¬ face thereof. In this particular case, one of the long outer sides of the mat element is formed by a substantially straight back wall 2. A row of arched partition walls 9 adjoins the inner surface of the back wall 2 in such a way that the end portions of the arches 9 adjoin the inner surface of the back wall 2 and the arches 9 are positioned side by side apart from each other. A second row of arched partition walls 10 adjoins the first row of arched partition walls 9 in such a manner that the arches 10 are posi¬ tioned side by side apart from each other, and the end portions of each arch 10 adjoin two adjacent arches 9 in the first row in the middle thereof. In other words, the end portions of two arches in a subsequent row adjoin each arch in a preceding row. Correspond¬ ingly, the arched partition walls 11, 12, and 13 form a third, forth and fifth row of arches. In this par¬ ticular case, the row formed by the outermost arched partition walls 13 forms said other long outer side 3. Even though the outer side 3 is formed by arches 13, it is substantially parallel with the back side 2.

The arched partition walls scrape out the dirt from shoes more efficiently than previously. The shape of the partition walls and the mesh pattern formed thereby may vary. The mesh pattern may be e.g. round, oval, polygonal, triangular, etc.

The outer side 3 may alternatively be formed by a straight wall similarly as the outer side 2. By means of the solution according to the example, how¬ ever, the mesh pattern remains intact even when the mat elements have been joined together and no thick seam is formed between the elements which might hamper the rolling up of an assembled mat. One or more pegs 4 project sidewardly at uni¬ form intervals from the outer side 3 of the mat element 1 perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the element. The opposite outer side comprises one or more peg holes 8 at corresponding intervals. In this specific case, the pegs 4 project from the centre of the arches 13 of the outermost row of arches. Each arch comprises one or more pegs 4.

Figure 2A shows the cross-section of a shallow mat element utilizing a single peg 4. The peg 4 is po- sitioned substantially in the middle of the height of the arch 13 at an equal distance from the upper and lower surfaces of the mat element 1. The back wall 2 is correspondingly provided with a peg hole 8. Figures 2C and 2D show the solution with a single peg 4 in the case of a thicker mat element. It is to be noted that the number of the rows of arches has to be uneven in order that the pegs 4 and the peg holes would be po¬ sitioned in alignment with each other in this specific case. Figure 2E shows the cross-section of a mat ele- ment 1 from the outer side 3 of which two pegs 4 pro¬ ject at uniform intervals. According to Figures 1 and 2E, two vertically aligned pegs 4 project from each one of the arches 13 of the outermost arch row. One of these pegs is positioned close to the upper edge of the arch 13 and the upper surface of the mat element 1 while the other is positioned close to the lower edge of the arch 13 and the lower surface of the mat el¬ ement 1. Fastening with two pegs prevents the opening of the joint between the mat elements and the entrance of dirt into the joint when the mat is being rolled up. In a single-peg solution, this is prevented by means of a jointing compound which glues or welds the joint permanently together. When using the two-peg fastening, the back wall 2, of course, comprises two peg holes 8 positioned one above the other at a corresponding distance from each other.

Each arch 13 preferably comprises an upright thickening 7 from which the peg 4 protrudes. The peg 4 comprises an arm portion 6 and a broader point portion 5 tapering towards the end.

Two mat elements 1 are fastened together by in¬ serting the pegs 4 of one mat element into the corre¬ sponding peg holes 8 of another mat element, whereby the outer sides 2 and 3 will be positioned against each other. The broad point portion 5 of the elastic peg 4 is compressed when it passes through the smaller peg hole and expands again after having been passed through, being locked at the other side, thus prevent- ing an unintentional loosening of the joint. Jointing compound can be applied to the surfaces to the joined before installation. The jointing compound glues or welds the surfaces together, thus strengthening the joint and protecting it from dirt. The material of the mat element 1 is pre- ferably somewhat elastic for providing sufficient, rolling ability and an improved scraping effect- Tke material may consist of suitable kind of plastic oαr rubber or their mixture. The preferred embodiment off the invention utilizes polyvinyl chloride (PVC) iβfeicfe possesses a hardness ranging from 65 to 72 shores ancE to which toughening agent or plasticizer has beent added for improving elasticity and durability. A mix¬ ture of this kind is also called polymeric polyvinyl. chloride.

The drawings and the description related there¬ to are only intended to illustrate the invention_* Iix its details, the mat according to the invention may vary within the attached claims.

Claims

Claims :

1. A mat to be used especially as a doormat in vestibules and wind chambers, comprising a plurality of narrow elongated mat elements (1) each having two substantially parallel long outer sides (2, 3) and a meshy structure formed by short adjoining partition walls (9-13), the partition walls acting as means for removing dirt from shoes, c h a r a c t e r! z e d in that the mat elements are manufactured of an elastic material, and that one long outer side (3) of each mat element (1) is provided with pegs (4) projecting side- wardly at uniform intervals from said outer side per¬ pendicularly thereto, and that the opposite long outer side (2) of each mat element (1) comprises peg holes (8) provided at corresponding intervals, the mat el¬ ements (1) being directly interconnectable by pressing the long outer sides against each other so that the pegs (4) of each mat element (1) are inserted into the peg holes (8) of a preceding mat element to form an integral mat which can be rolled up.

2. A mat according to claim 1, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that said elastic material is poly¬ vinyl chloride having a hardness ranging from 65 to 72 shores.

3. A mat according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r¬ a c t e r i z e d in that one long outer side (3) of each mat element (1) comprises one row of pegs extend¬ ing along said long side substantially in the middle of the height of said long outer side (3), and that the opposite long outer side (2) comprises a row of peg holes (8) at a corresponding point.

4. A mat according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r¬ a c t e r i z e d in that one long outer side (3) of each mat element (1) comprises two rows of pegs (4) extending along said side, one peg row being posi¬ tioned close to the lower edge of said outer side (3) and the other close to the upper edge, and that the opposite long outer side (2) comprises two rows of peg holes (8) at corresponding points.

5. A mat according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the cross- section of the peg (4) is rectangular or round.

6. A mat according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the long outer side with the peg holes

(8) of the mat element (1) is formed by a straight wall (2) having a first row of arched partition walls

(9) positioned on the inner side thereof in such a manner that both end portions of said partitions walls adjoin said inner side, two or more rows of arched partition walls (10-13) further adjoining said parti¬ tion walls (9) in such a way that the end portions of each arched partition wall in each subsequent row ad¬ join two adjacent arched partition walls in a pre- ceding row in the middle thereof, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d in that the number of the rows formed by the arched partition walls (9-13) is uneven, and that the pegs (4) are positioned in the middle of the outermost row of the arched partition walls (13), and that the peg holes (8) are positioned in said straight wall (2) substantially in the middle of an area defined between the end portions of each arched partition wall in the first row.

7. A mat according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that jointing compound is applied to the long outer sides (2, 3) of the mat elements (1) to be joined before the joining thereof, which compound glues or welds the outer sides permanently together.

8. A mat according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the mat el¬ ements (1) are manufactured by injection moulding.