PRODUCTION OF FLOOR MATS

Abstract

A mat of one or more tiles of desired shape is provided. The mat is produced from a production mat manufactured as an integral unit with multiple tiles connected together according to various embodiments of this invention. The production mat may be divided into one or more mats of desired shape and size by severing the production mat between adjacent tiles. As such, the production mat may be cut into discrete mats, each having one or more tiles according to this invention. The entirety of the production mat is used as one or more mats according to aspects of this invention thereby avoiding waste and/or recycling of any portion of the production mat while utilizing each of the tiles in the production mat as part of the resulting mat(s). This avoids the need for any supplemental or auxiliary connecting means for joining two adjacent tiles to form a mat.

Claims

1. A method of producing a plurality of mats comprising the steps of: manufacturing a production mat having a plurality of similarly sized and shaped tiles integrally joined together, the plurality of tiles being integrally joined together by a plurality of junctions formed in the production mat; and separating a first set of the plurality of tiles from a second set of the plurality of tiles by severing the production mat along at least one of the plurality of junctions; wherein the first set of the plurality of tiles form a first mat and the second set of the plurality of mats form a second mat.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the manufacturing step further comprises molding the production mat.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the separating step further comprises cutting the production mat along the at least one of the plurality of junctions.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of the plurality of tiles is equal in number to the second set of the plurality of tiles.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of the plurality of tiles is different in number from the second set of the plurality of tiles.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second mats are of the same shape.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first mat is of a first shape and the second mat is of a second shape different from the first shape.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein all of the production mat is used in the first and second mats.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of tiles is square.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the manufacturing step further comprises: forming a scraper pattern on an upper surface of each of the plurality of tiles.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the scraper pattern further comprises a plurality of upwardly projecting ribs.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of upwardly projecting ribs are arranged in a plurality of triangles on the upper surface.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of tiles further comprises an upstanding rim proximate a perimeter of the tile to contain a volume of fluid atop the tile.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the separating step further comprises: bisecting the at least one of the plurality of junctions being severed to result in a first rim bordering the first mat and a second rim bordering the second mat.

15. A method of producing a plurality of mats comprising the steps of: molding a production mat having a plurality of similarly sized and square shaped tiles integrally joined together, the plurality of tiles being integrally joined together by a plurality of junctions formed in the production mat, the molding step further comprising forming a scraper pattern of a plurality of upstanding ribs on an upper surface of each of the plurality of tiles; and cutting a first set of the plurality of tiles from a second set of the plurality of tiles by severing the production mat along at least one of the plurality of junctions; wherein the first set of the plurality of tiles form a first mat and the second set of the plurality of mats form a second mat; wherein all of the production mat is used in the first and second mats; wherein the cutting step further comprises bisecting the at least one of the plurality of junctions being severed to result in a first rim bordering the first mat and a second rim bordering the second mat.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first set of the plurality of tiles is equal in number to the second set of the plurality of tiles.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first set of the plurality of tiles is different in number from the second set of the plurality of tiles.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second mats are of the same shape.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the first mat is of a first shape and the second mat is of a second shape different from the first shape.

20. An apparatus comprising: a production mat having a bottom surface adapted to confront a floor surface and an upper surface; a plurality of similarly sized and square shaped tiles integrally joined together to form the production mat; a plurality of junctions formed in the production mat between adjacent ones of the plurality of tiles; and a scraper pattern of a plurality of upstanding ribs on the upper surface of each of the plurality of tiles; wherein the production mat is severable along at least one of the plurality of junctions to result in a first set of the plurality of tiles and a second set of the plurality of tiles such that the first set of the plurality of tiles form a first mat and the second set of the plurality of mats form a second mat; wherein all of the production mat is used in the first and second mats.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of a production mat according to this invention;

[0023] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the production mat of FIG. 1 showing one of the tiles of the production mat and portions of adjacent tiles;

[0024] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of two multi-tile mats resulting from the production mat of FIG. 1; and

[0025] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of multiple mats resulting from one of the multi-tile mats of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a production mat 10 according to this invention is shown. The production mat 10 includes a number of individual tiles 12 all integrally joined together in the production mat 10. The production mat 10 according to this invention is produced, manufactured, molded, and/or made as an integral unit with the multiple mat tiles 12 formed therein. The production mat 10 of one or more tiles 12 may be molded in one piece from rubber-like plastic material, such as P.V.C., so the tiles 12 are flexible and watertight according to some embodiments of this invention. The individual tiles 12 may be as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Application Serial No. 29/819,017, filed Dec. 13, 2021 and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Alternatively, the tiles 12 may have another shape, design and/or presentation within the scope of this invention.

[0027] The tiles 12 may form a scraper mat 16 which are typically placed at exterior doorway thresholds to remove debris from shoes as people enter a building. The production mat 10 of FIG. 1 shows a 3′ x 4′ embodiment incorporating a 1′ x 1′ repeating tile 12 with a ½” boarder channel junction 14 so that the production mat 10 can be trimmed to a width and length at 1′ intervals. Within each 1′x1′ tile 12, a scraper pattern is formed on an upper face of the mat 16 and in one embodiment incorporates a triangular grid 17 of ribs 18 and an upstanding solid rim 20 around the 1′x1′ pattern to contain debris so that water, dirt, mud, snow, etc. is not able to spill off the edge of the mat 16. Within each triangle 17 are a series of ribs 18 oriented at three different angles with ramped sides to improve rigidity of the ridges, and spaced to increase the debris containment volume and to better penetrate the soles of shoes. The ribs 18 may be arranged in pairs similarly oriented with a shorter rib 18a and a longer rib 18b in each pair. Both the variation in ridge orientation and the spacing is expected to improve the scraping/cleaning performance.

[0028] The individual tiles 12 are separated one from another by a junction 14 which may be in the form of a channel or other arrangement between adjacent tiles 12. The individual tiles 12 and each associated junction 14 are contiguous and integral one with another in the production mat 10 according to various embodiments of this invention. In the production mat 10 shown in FIG. 1, twelve tiles 12 are formed into a 3×4 arrangement with three junction lines 14 in one direction between adjacent tiles 12 and two junction lines 14 in a perpendicular direction between adjacent tiles 12.

[0029] The production mat 10 may be divided into individual mats 16 each of which include one or more tiles 12, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the arrangement of FIG. 3, the twelve tile 12 production mat 10 is divided into two mats 16 each having six tiles 12 by separating the production mat 10 along the junction line 14 bisecting the production mat 10. As a result of dividing the production mat 10 in this manner, two mats 16 are produced therefrom, each mat 16 being six tiles 12 and none of the production mat 10 is wasted, scrapped and/or unused in the process. As such, the resulting mats 16 are of a bespoke design for the desired installation or setting while still offering an efficient and waste-free manufacture of the production mat 10.

[0030] It will be understood by one ordinary skill in the art, that the production mat 10 may be divided in many different ways to result in multiple mats 16. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, one of the six tile 12 mats 16 shown in FIG. 3 may be further divided into two mats 16 each of two tiles 12 and two more mats 16 each of one tile 12. Here again, all of the production mat 10 is utilized to yield multiple individual mats 16 each of a desired shape and size without any scrap or waste.

[0031] The production mat 10 may be cut along the appropriate channel 14 to result in the mats 16 having the desired number of tiles 12. The channel 14 may be cut at its midspan to thereby dissect the channel 14 and allow for an equal portion of the original channel 14 remaining attached to the adjacent tile 12. The rim 20 surrounding each tile 12 is offset from the perimeter edge of the resulting tile 12 or mat 16 when the channel 14 is cut to separate the production mat 10 as desired. The channel 14 may be cut by a utility knife, industrial or other scissors or any other appropriate means. A straight edge (not shown) may be used to guide the cutting implement so as to (as closely as possible) bisect the channel 14 leaving equal portions thereof attached to each adjacent tile 16 to form the rim 20.

[0032] In one aspect of this invention, the same mold may be used to produce identical production mats 10 each of which may be divided into different sizes, shapes an arrangements of mats 16 without any waste or scrap. The production mats 10 according to aspects of this invention include a multiple of tiles 12 and each resulting mat 16 has at least one or a multiple of tiles 12 (i.e., one tile, two tiles, six tiles, etc.). The invention is not limited any particular number of tiles 12 in the production mat 10, nor any particular number of tiles 12 in the resulting mats 16, nor any particular shape or design of the tiles 12 themselves.

[0033] Each tile 16 may have a perimeter tile border 22 which in some cases is approximately half of the width of the junction 14 between adjacent tiles 12 in the production mat 10. The tile borders 22 of the individual tiles 16 may contribute to form a mat border 24 of the mat 16.

[0034] From the above disclosure of the general principles of this invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, we desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.