Floor Matting

Abstract

Reversible floor mats having two layers bonded together at an undulating surface are described. Each layer has a generally non-constant across over its width and length. The combined thickness of the two layers is generally constant over its width and length. The layers have different colors and/or different surface textures to provide different working surfaces.

Claims

1. An improved floor matting having a body with an interlocking peripheral wall, the body consisting of a first layer and a second layer bound together and having a thickness that is generally constant over its width and length, characterized in that: the first layer and second layers have a thickness that is generally non-constant; each layer has an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the outer surfaces (i) have different colors and/or different surface textures; and (ii) constitute a first surface and a second surface of the body; and the inner surfaces are bound together to form an undulating inner boundary between the two layers which boundary follows the inner surfaces of the two layers.

2. The floor matting according to claim 1 wherein the body has a general overall shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular shapes, triangular shapes, square shapes, and hexagonal shapes.

3. The floor matting according to claim 1 wherein the interlocking peripheral wall has a series of teeth and receiving slots in alternating positions, the teeth dovetail with the receiving slots of adjacent floor mats and the receiving slots dovetail with the teeth of adjacent floor mats to lock the floor mats together.

4. The floor matting according to claim 1 wherein the interlocking peripheral wall has a thickness that is substantially the same as the thickness of the body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the floor mat of the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 shows an embossed design on the top surface of the floor mat of FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 2a shows an alternative embodiment of an embossed design on the top surface of the floor mat of FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 2b is another embodiment of a design embossed in the top surface of the floor mat of FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the floor mat of FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 4 shows another design embossed in the surface of the floor mat of FIG. 3;

[0017] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the floor mat of FIG. 1; and

[0018] FIG. 6 is an enlargement of the side view of FIG. 5 in the encircled area labeled FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the floor mat 10 is a large, planar, flat, body 12 which has a first surface 16A and a second opposing parallel surface 16B. The two surfaces 16A and 16B are parallel to one another. The periphery of the floor mat is bounded by an interlocking perimeter 26. The surface 16A has a texture or three dimensional design and the second surface 16B has a texture or three dimensional design, the two textures or designs can be the same or different. For purposes of this invention, texture means a three dimensional texture or design embossed in or embossed out of the mat surface. One or both surfaces 16A and 16B can also be smooth. The body is made up of two layers 14A and 14B (see FIG. 6). The two layers are bound together either by heat welding and/or an adhesive. Preferably, the two layers have the same chemical composition so that the two layers have the same coefficient of thermal expansion and the same elastomeric properties so that the two layers work together and respond similarly when subject to temperature changes and forces. The two layers have an outer surface 16A and 16B, respectively, and two inner surfaces 17A and 17B which preferably form an undulating boundary 20 between the two layers. Preferably, the inner surfaces 17A and 17B are not parallel to the first and second surfaces. Rather, the two inner surfaces 17A and 17B in the preferred embodiment meet to form undulating boundary 20 which has a topography of rolling hills and vales. The two outer surfaces 16A and 16B are parallel, or generally parallel. In the preferred embodiment, the inner surfaces 17A and 17B are generally not parallel to either of the outer surfaces. Thus, the thickness 22 of the body is generally constant across the entire length and width of the body. In contrast, in the preferred embodiment, the thicknesses of the first layer and second layer vary as the boundary undulates. Thus, the thickness of the first and second layers vary from point to point. The thickness 24A of the first layer 14A at a given point, together with the thickness 24B of the second layer at the same point are equivalent to the thickness 22 of the body. Thus, thickness 24C of the first layer 14A, at a second point, is less than the thickness 24A at the first point and the thickness 24D of the second layer 14B at the second point is greater than the thickness 24B of the second layer at the first point. The undulating boundary between the first layer and the second layer resists delamination of the two layers making the mats more robust as explained supra. However, the two layers 14A and 14B can be flat planar layers of the same or different thickness, each having a generally uniform thickness.

[0020] As described above, the texture of the first surface 16A can be different than the texture of the second surface 16B. Similarly, the color of the first layer and the first surface 16A can be different than the color of the second layer 14B. Thus, the present mats give the purchaser the opportunity to have a selection of colors and/or a selection of textures. In addition, it permits the purchaser to form a checkerboard pattern or other pattern, assuming enough tiles are utilized, utilizing the different textures and/or colors of the mat tiles.

[0021] Preferably, the mats are made from resilient polymeric materials, such as natural or synthetic rubber, and most preferably from foam elastomeric material, such as polyethylene foam, polyurethane foam, EVA-PE foam (ethylene vinyl acetate-polyethylene foam elastomer), and EVA foam (ethylene vinyl acetate foam).

[0022] Preferably, the elastomeric mats are made from a combination of virgin polymer and recycle polymer, such as virgin EVA polymer and a mix of virgin and recycle PE (polyethylene) polymer. The blend of EVA and virgin and recycle PE are compounded together and heated to a temperature below the polymer foaming temperature and pressed into thin sheets through rollers of uniform thickness within uniform temperatures of a range of 5° C.; preferably within a range of 1° C. The sheets are 5 to 10 millimeters in thickness. Other thicknesses can be employed. The sheets are sandwiched together, normally about six sheets to each mat and placed in trays having a bottom surface with a die or mold for the texture and a top plate. The top plate may also have a die or mold for the texture for the other surface. The tray with the sandwich of layers of the raw composition and the top plate are pressed in a press and heated to a temperature to permit the elastomer to foam and expand. The press is required to keep the distance between the tray and the top plate constant to yield elastomeric foam mat of a predetermined thickness. Preferably, the three like sheets have virtually identical compositions and blend together to form one layer of the mat. The two mat layers have slightly different compositions because their respective sheets are made from different raw compositions (the differences can be slight) at different times.

[0023] The virgin PE and the recycle PE have different rates of thermal expansion and different rates of foaming. The raw compositions of the sheets are restricted in vertical movement and unrestricted in horizontal movement between the tray and the top plate in the press when heated. In the preferred embodiment, three layers of the raw composition will have one color and the other three layers of composition will have another color. Thus, one side of the mat may be red and the other side may be black, etc. The die in the bottom of the tray places one texture on one surface of the mat, and if the top plate has a die, it places a texture on the other surface of the mat. Preferably, the two textures are different although they can be the same. After the foaming reaction is completed by the heating in the press, the tray and the top plate are removed from the press and the unfinished mat is removed from the tray. The mat is allowed to cool and then it is passed to a cutting machine wherein the mat with the interlocking periphery is cut out of the unfinished mat. The mat is now complete.

[0024] In those cases where the top plate does not have a die for the texture, the mat comes out of the press with a texture only on one surface and a smooth planar other surface. The mat can be sent to a roller mill having a cool roller and a heated roller with a die attached thereto. The heated roller with die only heats the surface not having a texture permitting the heated roller with die to texture the other surface of the mat. The textured surface is kept cool by the cool roller. The mat is passed between two rollers and the roller that touches the texture surface is cool, whereas the roller with the die to give texture to the other surface is hot. The cooling roller prevents destruction or damage to the textured surface created in the press.

[0025] The above invention is not restricted to the specific embodiments disclosed herein; modifications and other embodiments of the invention are within the scope of the invention.