Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Sheet – web – or layer weakened to permit separation through...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-16
2001-01-23
Thomas, Alexander S. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through...
C428S120000, C428S099000, C428S080000, C428S192000, C248S346010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06177165
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to chairmats and specifically, to chairmats typically used under desk chairs in order to protect the underlying carpet or hard flooring, and to a process for forming such chairmats.
BACKGROUND
Desk chairmats for office and home use are well known. Chairmats of this type typically have a main portion on which the desk chair rolls, and a forward lip portion which is adapted to extend partially under the desk well, and on which the feet of the person sitting in the chair rest. Desk chairmats which are to be applied over carpeting typically have short but relatively sharp spikes designed to hold the chairmat firmly in place.
The above described desk chairmats, and particularly those with spikes projecting from the underside thereof, are difficult to carry and/or otherwise handle due to their relatively large size and the semi-rigid nature of the material from which they arc formed. Unless the chairmat is boxed or otherwise protected, the user typically carries the chairmat by gripping about one or two of the edges of the chairmat, often resulting in irritation if not injury to the hands due to the spikes projecting from the underside of the chairmat.
Some attempts have been made to solve the problem, but only to the extent of making the chairmats foldable to thereby reduce their size for handling purposes. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,428 and commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,888. Fold lines across the major portion of the chairmat are not always desirable however, since they may be considered unsightly, possibly weaken the chairmat, and often affect the rolling action of the chair casters.
For the most part, desk chairmats have been sold at office supply stores or distributors as opposed to retail stores, so that to some extent, the handling problem was alleviated by boxing the chairmats individually or in groups prior to shipping. However, even when supplied from a distributor in boxed form, the end user has to remove the chairmat from the box and carry it to its final destination, again, with some difficulty due to the physical attributes of the chairmat. In any event, chairmats are now being found increasingly in retail outlets, compounding the problem and, while it is recognized that the chairmats may be boxed, the fact is that boxes add cost and remain unwieldy, and are therefore not likely to be used in the retail environment.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a solution to the problem of transporting desk chairmats easily and safely, particularly those chairmats which have carpet spikes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the use of handles with desk chairmats. One impediment to simply putting handles on a desk chairmat, however, is that the handles themselves may interfere with the desired free rolling of the chair casters on the chairmat. For example, if handles were to be applied to the chairmat, one can imagine the desk chair rollers or casters or shoe heels becoming caught within a handle opening.
In accordance with this invention, various embodiments of desk chairmats with handles are disclosed which solve the handling problem and which, because of other novel design features, do not in any way impede the rolling action of chair casters on the chairmat.
In a first exemplary embodiment, integral handles are molded in place on opposite sides of the chairmat. With this arrangement, the chairmat may be pulled together (by a partial rolling or folding of the chairmat with the carpet spikes facing inwardly) at these opposite sides so that the two handles align, thereby not only reducing the profile of the chairmat, but also forming a single stronger handle enabling the user to carry the chairmat without difficulty. In this exemplary embodiment, the handles are connected to the respective chairmat edges by thinned webs which enable the handles to be torn away (or cut) from the chairmat once the chairmat is in its final location. In order to further enhance the tear-away capability, one or more notches (or perforations) may be formed within the thinned web areas to initiate and facilitate the tearing action. In a variation of this embodiment, the handle can be folded under the mat and held in place in a recess or flush against the underside of the mat. Friction fit or snap fit arrangements are contemplated as optional features. Since the handles have a thickness less than the length of the carpet spikes (and preferably less than the chairmat), there are no unsightly bulges in the otherwise planar mat.
Another variation of this embodiment of the invention relates to the provision for complementary surface engagement means on portions of the opposed handles so that when the chairmat sides are brought together with the handles in alignment, the handles may be releasably locked together. Such mating surface configurations can include prongs on one handle portion and holes on the other handle portion, or may include a solid bar on one handle portion adapted to fit within a complementary groove provided in the other handle portion.
In an alternative but related embodiment, one of the handles may be made larger in width than the other so that the smaller width handle may be pulled through the opening in the larger width handle (but with a larger loop) and releasably held in place, with the user grasping only the smaller width handle with the larger loop.
In still another embodiment, removable handles are supplied, utilizing an appropriate non-permanent adhesive, which holds the handle or handles to the chairmat during normal lifting operations, but which also permits the handle(s) to be peeled away from the chairmat when no longer needed.
In still another exemplary embodiment, handle panels within the periphery of the chairmat are each die cut about three sides and integrally hinged along the remaining fourth side, thereby allowing the panel to be hinged out of the plane of the chairmat, creating a handle opening. When the handles are no longer needed, the panels can be pushed back into the plane of the chairmat, thereby leaving a smooth surface which does not interfere to any significant extent with the rolling of the desk chair casters on the chairmat.
In still another exemplary embodiment, a pair of small holes are formed in one side, or in two opposite sides, of the chairmat, allowing the attachment of string handles which can be easily removed when no longer needed.
The invention also relates to a process for forming chairmats as described herein, utilizing pattern rolls substantially as described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,741. The process described therein is modified, of course, to form chairmats having integral and/or separable handles as described herein. The method includes the step of providing a pattern roll fabricated from a cylindrical base roll which includes a continuous pattern rib extending about a portion of the roll's cylindrical surface so as to establish both the interior region of the chairmat as well as the integral handles. The continuous pattern rib is mounted within a pattern groove on the base roll, again modified to incorporate the handle structures as described herein. The pattern roll cooperates with the platen roll which may have a smooth or textured cylindrical surface. Thermoplastic material exiting an adjacent die nozzle flows laterally of the rolls under the compressive forces of the pattern and platen rolls at the nip formed between the rolls. A sheet of material incorporating the chairmat pattern along with adjacent waste material is then passed about an idler roll to a cutter assembly as described in more detail in the '741 patent.
Accordingly, in its broader aspects the present invention relates to a desk chairmat comprising a semi-rigid substantially planar member, the chairmat having four side edges with a lip portion extending from one of the side edges, an upper side of the chairmat having a substantially smooth surface and a lower side of the chairmat having a plurality of spikes projecting therefrom; and, at least one handle attached to the chair
Carlton John D.
House Gary L.
Robbins John
Robbins, III Edward S.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Robbins, III Edward S.
Thomas Alexander S.
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