Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Including fastener for attaching to external surface
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-19
2002-08-27
Thomas, Alexander S. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Including fastener for attaching to external surface
C428S100000, C052S177000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06440525
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
Generally, the invention relates to a floor mat system and clip for use therewith. Particularly, the invention relates to a floor mat system including a clip that is movably mounted on the floor and engages the floor mat to retain the floor mat on the floor. Specifically, the invention relates to a floor mat formed with a latching shoulder and a clip which is movably secured to the floor with a grommet, the clip being formed with a plurality of latching projections which engage the latching shoulder of the floor mat to retain the floor mat adjacent the floor, a grommet permitting the clip to move with respect to the floor to facilitate engagement of the latching projections with the latching shoulder.
2. Background Information
Floor mats are often used at the entrances of businesses for customers to wipe water and snow from the bottoms of their shoes. Conventional floor mats are constructed of a flexible rubber, or plastic, or the like and are formed with a plurality of spaced apart orthogonal ribs which form rectangular-shaped openings. These conventional floor mats require that a recessed area be formed in the floor where the floor mats are located with the edges of the recessed area preventing the floor mats from sliding when walked upon by a customer. The water and snow from the customer's shoes flows through the openings keeping the top surface of the floor mat free of standing water.
Although these prior art floor mats are adequate for the purpose for which they were intended, the business owner must plan for the installation of these floor mats and have the recessed area built into the floor during construction of the building. If these prior art floor mats are merely placed on the floor without a recessed area the floor mats slide when a horizontal pressure from a customers shoes or from strong wind is applied on the mats. Alternatively, the recessed area can be dug out of the floor after the building has been constructed at a great expense to the business owner. Additionally, even when a recessed area has been provided to accept the floor mat, if large mats are utilized, or a number of mats are utilized adjacent one another, the mats may still move within the recessed area possibly causing an unsafe condition.
Therefore, the need exists for an improved floor mat system and clip for use therewith which can be easily retrofit onto any floor without modification to the floor, in which the floor mat includes a plurality of openings to allow water and snow to flow therethrough keeping a top surface of the floor mat free from standing water, which is easily removable to allow the water under the mat to be cleaned up and which easily snap-fits back onto the clips after clean-up.
As is understood in the relevant art, however, floor mats are subject to thermal expansion and contraction in conjunction with ambient conditions that change throughout the year. In a typical application, a floor mat can have a nominal length of eight feet and longer. Inasmuch as ambient conditions can typically vary between −20° Fahrenheit and 100° Fahrenheit in a typical year in many parts of the United States, the overall length differential due to thermal expansion and contraction between a given floor mat during the summer and the same floor mat during the winter can be possible. Such length differential can oftentimes cause difficulty in realigning the floor mat and the clip after removal of the mat from the clip for purposes of cleaning thereunder. The effects of thermal expansion and contraction can be exacerbated in circumstances wherein the floor mat is installed into a recessed area or is installed into a frame mounted on top of a floor. In such cases, thermal expansion of the mat can cause the mat to be misaligned with the clip even though the opposite end of the mat is disposed flush against the edge of the recessed area or the frame, which otherwise will require the floor mat to bulge upward to align the floor mat with the clip. It is thus preferred that a floor mat system be provided wherein a clip removably retains a floor mat against a floor, the clip being at least nominally adjustable with respect to the floor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objectives of the invention include providing a floor mat system and clip for use therewith which is easily installed to any floor without substantial modification to the floor.
Another objective is to provide such a floor mat system and clip in which the floor mat is constructed of a flexible durable material which will withstand inclement weather.
A further objective is to provide such a system and clip in which the floor mat can be easily removed from the clips to allow clean-up of any dirt, debris or water under the mat and which is easily snap-fit back onto the clips after clean-up.
Still another objective is to provide such a system and clip which can be installed into existing recessed areas to replace old mats.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a floor mat system wherein a clip retains a floor mat against a floor, the clip being at least nominally adjustable with respect to the floor.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a floor mat system having a clip that selectively retains a floor mat against a floor, the clip having the capacity to compensate for thermal expansion and contraction of the floor mat due to varying ambient conditions.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a floor mat system having a floor mat, a clip, and a grommet, the grommet fixedly mounted to a floor, the grommet adjustably retaining the clip against the floor, the clip retaining the floor mat against the floor.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a floor mat system having a clip that retains a floor mat against a floor, the clip being at least nominally adjustable in the horizontal plane.
A still further objective of the invention is to provide such a floor mat system which is of simple construction, which achieves the stated objectives in a simple, effective and inexpensive manner and which solves problems and satisfies needs existing in the art.
These objectives and advantages are obtained by the improved clip system of the present invention that is adapted to adjustably retain a floor mat against a floor, the general nature of which can be stated as including at least a first clip and at least a first fastener, the at least first fastener adapted to be attached to the floor, the at least first fastener adjustably restraining movement of the at least first clip in a first direction.
Other objectives and advantages are obtained by the improved floor mat system of the present invention that is adapted to be adjustably disposed on a floor, the general nature of which can be stated as including a floor mat, at least a first clip, the at least first clip adapted to retain the floor mat against the floor, and at least a first fastener, the at least first fastener adapted to be attached to the floor, the at least first fastener adjustably restraining movement of the at least first clip in a first direction.
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pat
Kessler Ronald N.
Ullman Myron E.
R & L Marketing and Sales Inc.
Sand & Sebolt
Thomas Alexander S.
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