Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Floor mat with vehicle body feature
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-05
2003-06-17
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Floor mat with vehicle body feature
C296S039200, C296S208000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06578896
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to floor mats for motor vehicle cargo compartments and more particularly to a rigid removable floor mat for a motor vehicle cargo compartment wherein the mat also provides for draining liquid from the vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In motor vehicles such as those having a rear cargo compartment and a gate or door at the rear end for access, there is normally provided a sheet metal floor in the cargo area that is an integral part of the vehicle structure. Wherein the floor is normally separate from a permanently fastened front sill plate at the front of the cargo compartment and also a rear sill plate that is permanently fastened at the rear of the cargo compartment in the rear entry/exit way. The sheet metal floor is typically painted or may be provided with a protective plastic coating and the paint or coating has a color pigment that complements the vehicle's interior color scheme. The cargo floor may also be left bare or covered with a protective flexible floor mat or carpet that is typically made of rubber or fabric. Where a flexible floor mat or carpet is used, it may be removed for convenience in cleaning. But that is not the case with a cargo floor that is left bare and becomes dirty or messy as it is a permanent fixture in the vehicle as mentioned above.
In the latter case, cleaning of the cargo floor must normally be accomplished by access through the rear entry/exit way and possibly by access from an area in the vehicle forward of the cargo floor. Moreover, the cleaning requirements can vary considerably depending on the usage. For example, in the loading and unloading of cargo that is very dirty and messy, there may be required very thorough cleaning of both the cargo floor and rear sill plate with a suitable liquid cleaning agent as opposed to just needing to vacuum the floor. In the case of commercial vehicles that carry cargo on a regular basis, there may also be required often repeated cleaning and possibly after each cargo delivery.
Moreover, in the case where the cargo is liquid-containing vessels, there may occur significant liquid spills onto the cargo floor. Normally, some but not all of the spillage will drain off the rear edge of the floor through the rear entry/exit way when the rear door or gate is opened. Resulting in some of the spillage being left on the cargo floor at various locations until physically removed. But this may not be convenient to do until a considerably later time and by that time the spillage may make the cleaning of the cargo floor even more difficult. As a result, the vehicle user may be faced with very laborious cleaning in the confined space of the cargo compartment and may have to resort to costly commercial cleaning equipment or a commercial cleaning company. Moreover, in the case of where a strong liquid cleaning agent must be used, some or all of the surrounding vehicle interior trim must be protected from the cleaning agent if such interior trim is for example a fabric material prone to being adversely affected thereby.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention departs from conventional practice in providing a rigid cargo mat that is non-permanently fastened over a sheet metal floor in the cargo compartment and has both an integral rear sill plate portion and integral channels that form part of a drainage system for draining liquid from both the front edge and rear edge of the mat to outside the vehicle. Whereby the rear sill plate is thus made removable with the cargo mat and wherein the channels in the mat collect any liquid deposited on the on the cargo mat such as cargo spillage, or water and/or a liquid cleaning agent used in cleaning the mat.
The liquid collected in the channels on the mat can drain from the mat in either a forward and/or a rearward direction in these channels and is directed there from via downwardly sloped channels and slots provided in the front sill plate to a trough in the floor region beneath the front sill plate and/or over the rear sill plate portion of the mat to channels that are provided in the floor region beneath the mat and are open, like the front sill plate slots, to the trough. With the liquid then exiting or draining from the vehicle via drain valves provided in both the trough and channeled regions of the floor. Moreover, the channels in the mat can also direct any collected liquid over the integral rear sill plate and out of the vehicle through the rear entry/exit way when the latter is open.
The rigid removable cargo mat with integral rear sill plate portion and drainage channels is preferably a molded lightweight part formed of a plastic composition with a skin containing a color pigment complementing the color scheme of the vehicle's interior trim. The mat is secured in place over the sheet metal floor in a cost efficient and very simple manner by a tab and a pair of pushpin fasteners that are easily fastened and released. The tab is formed integral with the front edge of the cargo mat in a central location and is received in a slot formed between the front sill plate and a slider plate mounted above the latter. The pushpin fasteners are received in holes in the integral rear sill plate portion of the mat and in corresponding holes in the floor following insertion of the tab in the slot and with the cargo mat fully in place.
Moreover, because the cargo mat with its integral rear sill plate portion is formed of a plastic material, it is not subject to staining. Or rusting which would be the case if it was formed of steel and though painted was scratched through usage.
Removal of the cargo mat from the vehicle through the rear entry/exit way for ease and convenience in cleaning is aided by a pair of handles that are formed integral with the rear sill plate portion of the cargo mat. Or by one or more pull straps that are fastened to the rear sill plate portion of the cargo mat in lieu of providing integral handles. With neither the integral handles or pull straps presenting an obstruction in the rear sill plate portion and especially on the upper side over which cargo and an entering person must pass.
With the pushpin fasteners released from the floor, the handles or pull straps are manually grasped by rear entry access to lift the rear end of the cargo mat upward to a clearance position relative to the supporting cargo floor and are then pulled on to slide the cargo mat rearward to release the tab from the slot. The cargo mat and integral rear sill plate portion is then pulled further rearward and slid through the rear entry/exit way to remove same from the vehicle for cleaning with a suitable cleaning agent. A person is thus not required to enter the cargo compartment in order to remove the cargo mat with its integral rear sill plate portion for the purpose of cleaning same separate from the vehicle.
The mat of the present invention is thus very durable as well as easily removable for cleaning. As well as provides for effecting drainage of any liquid deposited thereon regardless of whether the cargo compartment is open or closed and regardless of whether the vehicle is in a horizontal stance or on an incline.
These and other various aspects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings of certain exemplary embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3050329 (1962-08-01), Pagan
patent: 4188058 (1980-02-01), Resa et al.
patent: 4279439 (1981-07-01), Cantieri
patent: 4944612 (1990-07-01), Abstetar et al.
patent: 5417465 (1995-05-01), Koppenstein et al.
patent: 5527081 (1996-06-01), Rausch et al.
patent: 5695235 (1997-12-01), Martindale et al.
patent: 5795007 (1998-08-01), Yamamoto
patent: 6145909 (2000-11-01), Staley et al.
patent: 6444284 (2002-09-01), Kessler et al.
patent: 11321710 (1999-11-01), None
Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia L.
General Motors Corporation
Hargitt Laura C.
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