U.S. patent application number 13/408307 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-19 for vehicle floor tray.
Invention is credited to David E. Hardy, John M. STANESIC.
Application Number | 20120183745 13/408307 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41725881 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120183745 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
STANESIC; John M. ; et
al. |
July 19, 2012 |
Vehicle Floor Tray
Abstract
A vehicle floor tray has a base, upstanding side walls, a
forward panel, and an aft wall that define a basin. An array of
spaced apart treads project upwardly from the base. The treads are
arranged in adjacent rows and the treads in each row are oriented
in a direction opposite from the direction of orientation of the
treads in adjacent rows. Some rows may be shifted or staggered with
respect to adjacent rows. This forms a convolutely shaped network
of channels within which liquid may collect. The shape of the
channel inhibits the mass flow of liquid to the front, back, or
sides of the floor tray during acceleration, deceleration, and up
or down hill traverses. This inhibits puddling of liquid during
off-road operation of a vehicle.
Inventors: |
STANESIC; John M.; (Dacula,
GA) ; Hardy; David E.; (Braselton, GA) |
Family ID: |
41725881 |
Appl. No.: |
13/408307 |
Filed: |
February 29, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12202497 |
Sep 2, 2008 |
8163369 |
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13408307 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/192 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 428/24174 20150115;
Y10T 428/24777 20150115; Y10T 428/24355 20150115; Y10T 428/24273
20150115; B60N 3/044 20130101; Y10T 428/24479 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/192 |
International
Class: |
B32B 23/02 20060101
B32B023/02 |
Claims
1.-27. (canceled)
28. A vehicle floor tray comprising: a base; upturned peripheral
panels surrounding the base, the base and upturned peripheral
panels forming a basin; a plurality of upstanding spaced apart
non-linear treads on the base within the basin; the treads being
arrayed in rows with the treads of at least one row being oriented
oppositely from treads of an adjacent row; each tread having a
plurality of sides extending upwardly from the base; at least some
of the sides of each tread being substantially parallel to a
corresponding side of an adjacent one of the treads; the sides of
the treads forming non-linear channels that resist the free flow of
liquid across the base.
29. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 28 wherein at least
some of the treads comprise an arcuate side.
30. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 28 and further
comprising a logo feature projecting upwardly from the base.
31. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 30 wherein the logo
feature is located among the plurality of upstanding treads.
32. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 30 wherein the logo
feature is substantially oval in shape.
33. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 30 wherein the logo
feature has a curved side extending upwardly from the base.
34. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 33 wherein the logo
feature is located among the plurality of upstanding treads, at
least some of the upstanding treads adjacent the logo feature
having a curved side.
35. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 34 wherein the curved
sides of the upstanding treads adjacent the logo feature are spaced
from and substantially follow the curve of the curved side of the
logo feature.
36. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 30 wherein the logo
feature comprises sides that extend upwardly from the base and that
define a substantially oval shape, and a recessed floor bounded by
the upstanding sides, the recessed floor for receiving a logo.
37. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 28 further comprising
a retention feature on the base positioned to receive an anchor
hook when the floor tray is disposed in a floor well of a vehicle,
the retention feature comprising an outer wall that extends
upwardly from the base to an annular rim, a recessed land inside
the annular rim, and an opening in the recessed land for receiving
the anchor hook.
38. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 37 wherein the outer
wall of the retention feature is substantially circular in
shape.
39. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 37 wherein the
retention feature is located among the upstanding treads and
wherein the outer wall of the retention feature is curved, at least
some of the upstanding treads adjacent the retention feature having
a curved side facing the retention feature that substantially
follows the curve of the outer wall of the retention feature.
40. A vehicle floor tray as claimed in claim 39 wherein the outer
wall of the retention feature is substantially circular.
41. A floor tray shaped to fit within the floor well of a vehicle,
the floor tray comprising: a base; upturned panels surrounding the
base, the base and upturned panels forming a basin; an array of
upstanding spaced apart non-linear treads on the base within the
basin; the treads of the array being arranged in lines with the
treads of at least one line of treads being rotationally oriented
differently from treads of an adjacent line of treads; each tread
having a plurality of sides extending upwardly from the base; at
least some of the sides of each tread being substantially parallel
to a corresponding side of an adjacent one of the treads; the
treads forming between them a network of convolutedly shaped
channels that impedes the free flow of liquid across the base.
42. A floor tray as claimed in claim 41 further comprising a logo
feature extending upwardly from the base amid the treads, the logo
feature comprising a curved outer wall and a recessed central
portion configured to receive a logo, at least some of the treads
adjacent the logo feature having a curved side facing the logo
feature.
43. A floor tray as claimed in claim 42 wherein the outer wall of
the logo feature is substantially oval in shape and the curved
sides of the adjacent treads are spaced from and generally follow
the oval shape of the outer wall of the logo feature.
44. A floor tray as claimed in claim 41 further comprising a
retention feature on the base for receiving an anchor hook when the
floor tray is disposed in a floor well of a vehicle, the retention
feature comprising an outer wall that projects upwardly from the
base to an annular rim, a recessed land surrounded by the outer
wall, and an opening in the recessed land for receiving an anchor
hook.
45. A floor tray as claimed in claim 44 wherein the retention
feature is located amidst and spaced from the upstanding treads,
and wherein the outer wall of the retention feature is curved, at
least some of the upstanding treads adjacent the retention feature
having a curved side facing the retention feature that
substantially follows the curve of the outer wall of the retention
feature.
46. A floor tray as claimed in claim 45 wherein the outer wall of
the retention feature is substantially circular in shape.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation of and claims priority to co-pending
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/202,497 filed on 2 Sep. 2008,
the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to floor trays for
vehicles and more specifically to floor trays having raised treads
that define a network of liquid confining channels.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Off-road and general purpose vehicles such as, for instance,
pickup trucks, Jeeps.RTM., and SUV's, oftentimes are operated in
off-road locations in addition to being driven on paved roads and
highways. During off-road activity, it is common for the interior
of such a vehicle to become wet, muddy, or soiled as a result of
off-road conditions. In particular, the floorboards or floor wells
commonly become soiled by occupants placing wet and muddy shoes in
the floor wells as a consequence, for example, of having walked
across wet, snowy, or muddy ground prior to entering the vehicle.
This often results in liquid such as water, mud, and/or slush
accumulating on the floor mats and floor trays that commonly are
positioned in the floor wells to protect underlying carpet and
other surfaces. As the vehicle rapidly accelerates and decelerates,
or is driven up or down hills, or is severely jostled during normal
and off-road use, the accumulated liquid has a tendency to slosh
around within the floor trays in which it has collected, which can
cause irritating problems. For instance, when the liquid sloshes to
the forward end of a driver's or passenger's floor tray during a
stop or a down hill traverse, it can form a relatively deep puddle,
which can re-soil shoes, create slippery conditions, or even
overflow the edges of the floor tray to soil the protected surface
beneath.
[0004] One attempt to address the above and other problems has been
the so-called deep tread or deep rib floor tray. Deep rib floor
trays generally are molded with raised treads on their upper
surface that are substantially taller than the treads of
traditional floor mats. These treads, then, form between them a
series of channels that also are substantially deeper than channels
of traditional floor mats. The idea is that water, mud, and slush
that might accumulate on the floor tray will collect in the deep
channels and, even through it may slosh around, hopefully it will
not form puddles deeper than the channels themselves and therefore
will not re-soil shoes or overflow the tray. While previous deep
rib floor mats have been somewhat successful, water, mud, and slush
nevertheless still can overflow the channels as it sloshes to one
side of the tray or another to soil shoes and, indeed, can even
overflow the trays themselves. In fact, some prior art floor trays
have treads that define channels all extending primarily in a
single direction, which actually can promote flow and sloshing of
liquid in that direction. A need exists for a floor tray that
successfully contains and controls the movement of water, mud, and
slush that may collect in the floor tray.
[0005] It also is common, particularly in modern vehicles, that
floor trays and floor mats are held in place in the floor well by
one or more anchor hooks that project upwardly from the floor well
to extend through corresponding eyelets or other openings formed in
the floor mats. While this can be successful at securing the floor
mats in place, it obviously also creates an opening in the floor
mat. For vehicles, such as automobiles, that are not used in
off-road conditions, this opening does not generally present a
problem because the floor mats of such vehicles generally are not
subjected to collected water, mud, and slush. However, for off-road
vehicles such as Jeeps.RTM., water, mud, and slush can leak through
the eyelets or openings and onto the carpet or other protected
surface beneath. Obviously, this severely compromises the very
purpose of the floor tray to protect the often carpeted surface of
the floor well from being soiled or ruined. Eliminating the
openings is not generally an option because the floor tray will
then simply lie atop the upstanding anchor hooks forming a bump in
the tray and, without the benefit of the hooks, may not remain in
place within the floor well. A need thus exists for a deep rib
floor tray that accommodates and makes use of anchor hooks without
the risk of liquid leaking through to the protected floor will
below.
[0006] Prior deep rib floor mats also can exhibit a problem related
to the fact that the channels between the upstanding ribs are in
fact substantially deeper than normal. More specifically, some
drivers have noted that during normal operation of the accelerator,
brake, and clutch pedals, the heel of the shoe can become
temporarily lodged within a channel between ribs. Not only can this
be a nuisance, it also can represent a safety issue, particularly
during off-road driving where rapid switching between and
manipulation of pedals is common. There also exists a need,
therefore, for a deep rib floor tray that minimizes or eliminates
the tendency for a driver's shoe to become lodged between the ribs
of the tray.
SUMMARY
[0007] Briefly described, a deep rib type vehicle floor tray has an
overall profile that substantially conforms to the shape a foot
well of the vehicle. The floor tray, which may be fabricated of
molded rubberized or plastic material, is shaped to define a base
and first and second side walls integral with the base and
extending upwardly therefrom. A forward panel and an aft wall are
integral with the base and also extend upwardly. For the driver and
front passenger floor wells, the forward panel may be angled and
sized to rest atop the angled forward wall of the floor well. This
configuration forms a basin capable of containing water, mud, and
slush.
[0008] An array of relatively tall generally V-shaped treads,
referred to herein as chevron-shaped treads, extend upwardly from
the base of the floor tray and form a network of relatively deep
channels therebetween. The chevron-shaped treads are arranged in
adjacent, spaced-apart rows with the treads in each individual row
being commonly oriented; i.e. the apexes of their chevron shapes
all point generally in the same direction. Further, the treads of
each row are oriented oppositely from the treads of adjacent rows
in that the apexes of the chevron-shaped treads of one row point
generally in the opposite direction as the apexes of the treads in
adjacent rows. Also, each row of chevron-shaped treads is shifted
or staggered by a distance approximately equal to half of a tread
length plus has of the distance of treads in a row. This unique
array of chevron-shaped treads defines between the treads a network
of relatively deep channels for the collection and confinement of
water, mud, and slush.
[0009] Because of the shape, orientation, and/or the staggered
configuration of the chevron-shaped treads, the network of
channels, although contiguous to allow liquid to spread evenly
throughout the network, is made up of a large number of relatively
small, somewhat discrete, and generally discontinuous sections. As
a result, the free flow of liquid from one end of the channel
network to the other is severely inhibited with the desirable
consequence that water, mud, and slush does not tend to slosh
readily to the front, back, and sides of the tray during
acceleration, deceleration, up and down hill traverses, and the
starts and stops commonly encountered in off-road driving. It also
has been discovered that the unique configuration of treads and
channels on the base of the floor tray greatly reduces any tendency
for a driver's heels to lodge or get stuck in a channel while
operating the pedals of the vehicle.
[0010] One or more retention openings are formed in the base of the
floor tray for receiving the upstanding anchor hooks found in the
floor wells of modern vehicles. To prevent leakage at the locations
of these eyes, each opening is formed with an upstanding dam that
surrounds and interior land, which may be sunken or recessed,
through which the anchor hook extends. The land is formed with a
slit pattern configured to deform to allow the head of the anchor
hook to move through the slit and, subsequently, to return toward
its originally shape to form a seal or at least a partial seal
around the shaft of the anchor hook. As a result of the surrounding
dam and of the self-sealing feature of the eye, leakage in the
vicinity of the opening is significantly reduced or virtually
eliminated allowing the floor tray to be secured with anchor hooks
without consequent leakage.
[0011] The forgoing and other features and advantages will be
better understood and appreciated upon review of the detailed
description set forth below taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawing figures, which are briefly described as
follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] According to common practice, the various features of the
drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn to scale.
Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings may be
expanded or reduced to illustrate more clearly the embodiments of
the invention.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a deep rib floor
tray for a front compartment, driver's side foot well that embodies
principals of the invention in one preferred embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a deep rib floor
tray for a rear compartment foot well that embodies principles of
the invention in one preferred form.
[0015] FIG. 3A is a perspective view of one embodiment of a leak
resistant retention opening according to aspects of the
invention.
[0016] FIG. 3B is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of
a leak resistant retention opening according to aspects of the
invention.
[0017] FIG. 3C is a perspective view of another alternate
embodiment of a leak resistant retention opening according to
aspects of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional view of the retention opening
of FIG. 3C showing an anchor hook extending through the eye.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Referring now in more detail to the drawings, wherein like
reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several
views, FIG. 1 illustrates a floor tray that embodies principles of
the invention in a preferred form. The floor tray 11 depicted in
FIG. 1 is configured to conform to and rest in the front or forward
compartment driver side floor well of a Jeep.RTM. brand vehicle. It
will be understood, however, that the illustrated configuration for
this particular type of vehicle is not limiting and that the
principles of the invention may be applied to floor trays for any
type of vehicle. Further, the floor tray 11 of the preferred
embodiment is made of injection molded rubber, rubberized plastic,
or polymeric material such as, for example, thermoplastic elastomer
(TPE). However, the tray 11 may be formed of any appropriate
material useful for the purposes of the invention and may be formed
by processes other than injection molding such as, for example,
vacuum forming, compression molding, cast liquid molding, or any
other appropriate process.
[0020] With continued reference to FIG. 1, the floor tray 11
comprises a base 12 size to rest on the floor of the vehicle floor
well. A first side wall 13 is integral with the base and extends
upwardly therefrom along one side and a second side wall 14 is
integral with the base and extends upwardly from the opposite side
of the base. A forward panel 16 is integral with the base and side
walls and slopes gently upwardly therefrom at the forward edge of
the tray 11. The size and angle of the forward panel 16 is
predetermined to follow the contour of the forward end portion of
the floor well that resides beneath the accelerator, break, and
clutch pedals of the vehicle. In this regard, a cutout feature 24
is formed on the right side of the forward panel 16. This cutout
feature is shaped to ensure that when the mats are installed in the
vehicle, the installation does not interfere with the accelerator
panel or get inadvertently positioned over the pedal. Finally, an
aft wall 17 is integral with the base 12 and the side walls and
extends upwardly therefrom along the rear edge of the floor tray
11. It will be seen that with the described configuration, the
floor tray 11 generally forms a basin that both conforms to the
shape of the floor well of the vehicle for which it is designed and
that is capable of containing liquid such as water, mud or slush to
prevent the liquid from soiling the underlying floor well material,
which may be carpet.
[0021] An array of treads 19 are formed on and project upwardly
from the base 12 of the floor tray 11 and, in the embodiment of
FIG. 1, extend upwardly onto the forward panel 16 of the tray. Each
of the treads 19 preferably is configured in the shape of a
chevron, but may be configured in other shapes that achieve the
same performance characteristics. That is, each tread 19 is
configured with a first leg 21 and a second leg 22 that meet at a
predetermined angle and that form an apex 23 of the tread. While
the chevron-shaped treads 19 may be formed with a wide variety of
sizes, angles, and shapes, it has been found that, for the
preferred embodiment, each tread is approximately 1.5 inches from
side to side and the angle at which the legs of the chevron meet is
approximately 120 degrees. Further, the width of the chevron-shaped
treads; that is, the width of each of its legs in the preferred
embodiment is approximately 0.5 inches. Finally, on the base 12 of
the tray 11, the chevron-shaped treads of the preferred embodiment
project upwardly from the floor of the base a distance of
approximately 0.3 inches. All of these dimensions may be varied by
as much as 100 percent or more within the scope of the
invention.
[0022] The chevron-shaped treads 19 are arranged in spaced apart
rows, two of which are indicated by dashed lines 26 and 27 in FIG.
1. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the chevron-shaped treads 19 in each
row (for example Row 26) are oriented in the same direction. That
is, the apex of each chevron-shaped tread in a row points in the
same direction such as, in the case of Row 26, toward the forward
end of the floor tray 11. Further, each tread in a row is spaced
from adjacent treads in the row. In the preferred embodiment, the
spacings between treads in a row is approximately 0.4 inches;
however, a wide variety of larger or smaller spacings may be
selected to satisfy application specific performance
characteristics. Further, the rows may contain partial treads,
particularly on the ends of each row and around the perimeter of
the base as seen in FIG. 1.
[0023] The chevron-shaped treads in row 27, which is adjacent to
row 26, are oriented in a direction opposite to the direction in
which the chevron-shaped treads are oriented in row 26. That is, in
row 27, the apexes of the treads point in the opposite direction as
the apexes of the treads in row 26. In the illustrated embodiment,
the apexes of the treads in row 27 are oriented toward the rear or
aft end of the floor tray 11. Finally, the chevron-shaped treads in
row 27 are shifted or offset along the row by a distance
approximately equal to one-half of a tread length plus one half of
the spacing between treads of a row so that the apexes of the
treads in row 27 are aligned with the spaces between the
chevron-shaped treads of row 26. More generally speaking, each row
of treads is shifted or offset with respect to the treads in
adjacent rows.
[0024] The just described configuration of the array of
chevron-shaped treads defines between the plurality of treads a
convolutedly shaped network of channels 20. The channels of the
network are all contiguous in that each channel is communication
with each other channel along one or more convolutedly shaped
paths. Accordingly, liquid such as water, mud, or slush may collect
within the channel network, where it spreads out evenly throughout
the extent of the network. The height of the chevron-shaped treads
is selected so that, under normal off-road conditions, the depth of
the liquid in the channel network is less than the height of the
chevron-shaped treads. Thus, the upper surfaces of the treads
present a surface on which a driver's or passenger's shoes can rest
and the surface is raised above the liquid collected within the
tray. In this way, the liquid, which generally is muddy or slushy,
does not re-soil the shoes. Furthermore, the upper surfaces of the
chevron-shaped treads provide a dry slip resistant surface for the
shoes, which is important particularly when engaging in off-road
driving activities.
[0025] The array of treads and the channel network of the present
invention are particularly useful to prevent liquid collected and
contained within the tray from sloshing in one direction or the
other and thereby forming pools that can overflow the treads of the
tray or the tray itself and/or soil the shoes and/or result in a
slippery surface that can be troublesome and even dangerous. For
example, consider the scenario wherein a shallow pool of liquid
such as water or slush is contained within the channel network and
the driver suddenly applies the breaks of the vehicle or begins a
steep downhill traverse. The momentum of the vehicle, or gravity,
will cause the pool of liquid to begin to move forward within the
floor tray 11. As the forward movement of the liquid begins, small
regions of the forward moving liquid pool behind each of the many
forward facing chevron-shaped treads and thus becomes trapped or
dammed behind these treads. Furthermore, small regions of liquid
behind each of the rear facing treads is directed by the angle
sides of the treads to the next adjacent row of treads. Each of
these small regions of liquids thus also encounter and are trapped
behind the next adjacent forward facing row of treads. As a result,
a large number of small liquid pools form behind the forward facing
treads where each small pool is prevented from moving further
forward on the base of the floor tray 11. As a consequence, the
sudden stop of the vehicle does not cause liquid collected within
the tray to flow forward to the front end of the floor tray and
collect in a pool where it can overflow the tray, overflow the
treads, and generally cause an undesirable and perhaps unsafe mess
at the forward end of the tray.
[0026] A similar phenomenon occurs when for example, the vehicle is
rapidly accelerated or travels up hill. In this scenario, the
liquid collected within the channel network 20 tends to flow
rearwardly toward the aft end of the floor tray 11. However, just
as with the previously described scenario, a large number of small
pools of liquid are intercepted and dammed behind the rear facing
chevron-shaped treads as opposed to a large volume of liquid
flowing to the rear or aft end of the floor tray 11. Liquid thus
does not pool at the rear end of the floor tray as can be the case
with prior art trays.
[0027] Side-to-side sloshing of liquid within the channel network
20 also is inhibited by the convolutely shaped paths that the
liquid must travel to traverse the mat from one side to the other.
It will be understood, however, that front to back and back to
front sloshing of liquid within the channel network is a much more
common problem than side-to-side sloshing and the configuration of
the tread array in FIG. 1 may be more efficient at preventing front
to back and back to back sloshing than side-to-side sloshing.
[0028] In addition to the array of chevron-shaped treads just
described, the floor tray 11 also preferably is provided with a
retention opening 29 for receiving an anchor hook that extends or
projects upwardly from the floor well of a vehicle. As previously
mentioned, such anchor hooks are common in modern vehicles and
their purpose is to help hold floor mats and floor trays in place
and prevent them from slipping or creeping out of position in the
floor well. As described in more detail below, the retention
opening 29 of the present invention is designed to prevent liquid
collected within the floor tray 11 from seeping or leaking through
the retention opening to soil the surface of the floor well
beneath. Finally, the floor tray 11 also preferably is formed with
a snap-in logo feature 28 sized to receive the logo of a
distributor, private label customer, or manufacturer of the floor
tray.
[0029] It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the height of the
chevron-shaped treads becomes gradually less as the treads move up
the angled forward panel 16 of the tray. This is because the
forward panel 16 is above the level of any liquid that is likely to
collect in the bottom of the tray so that sloshing does not become
a problem in this region. Furthermore, to the extent that slush or
other liquid may drip from a driver's shoes as he operates the
pedals of the vehicle, the short height of the treads in the region
of the forward panel 16 allows the water to drain more freely
downwardly into the region of the base of the tray.
[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates the present invention applied to a dual
floor tray, which typically may be used in the rear compartment of
a vehicle such as a Jeep.RTM. brand off-road vehicle. The
configurations and principles of the floor tray of FIG. 2 are the
same as for FIG. 1 and thus will not be described in great detail
here. Generally speaking, however, the rear floor tray 31 is a
single piece injection or otherwise molded rubberized plastic unit
that incorporates both driver and passenger side trays. As with the
forward compartment floor tray of FIG. 1, each of the trays in FIG.
2 has a base 32, a first side wall 33 integral with and projecting
upwardly from the base, a second side wall 34 integral with and
projecting upwardly from the base opposite side 33, an upwardly
angled forward panel 36, and an aft wall 37. The walls, panel, and
base form a basin for containing liquid such as water, mud, and
slush. Further, the rear floor tray 31 is configured overall to
conform and fit snuggly within the floor well of a particular
vehicle such as, in the case of FIG. 2, a Jeep.RTM. brand off-road
vehicle.
[0031] Similar to the tray 11 of FIG. 1, the base 32 of each tray
in FIG. 2 is provided with any array of chevron-shaped treads that
project upwardly from the base and extend at least partially up the
forward panel 36. The chevron-shaped treads 39 preferably are
configured and arranged the same as the treads in FIG. 1. More
particularly, each tread 39 comprises a first leg 41 and a second
leg 42 that meet at an angle to define an apex 43. The
chevron-shaped treads, as in FIG. 1, are arranged in rows with the
treads in each row facing in a direction opposite to the treads in
adjacent rows. Adjacent rows also are shifted or offset with
respect to each other by a distance approximately equal to half the
width of a chevron-shaped tread plus half the distance of the space
between treads in a row. The height of the treads above the base 32
can vary, but generally are the same as for the forward compartment
tray 11 of FIG. 1.
[0032] As in FIG. 1, the array of treads in FIG. 2, as in FIG. 1,
form a contiguous but convolutedly shaped channel network 40 within
which collected liquid such as water, mud, and slush can collect
and spread out. However, rapid acceleration or deceleration or
merely traveling down hill or up hill will not result in puddling
at the front or rear end of the floor tray because of the
configuration and placement of the chevron-shaped treads, as
detailed above with respect to FIG. 1. Thus, the same advantages
are achieved for the rear compartment of the vehicle as are
achieved for the forward compartment.
[0033] FIGS. 3A through 3D detail alternate configurations for the
retention opening 29 (FIG. 1). As mentioned above, the retention
opening is configured to receive the anchor hook that projects
upwardly from the floor well of the vehicle to hold the floor tray
11 in place and prevent it from slipping around. In the embodiment
depicted in FIG. 3A, the retention opening 29 comprises upstanding
tapered outer walls 51 that extend upwardly from the base 50 of a
floor tray. A land 52 spans the top of the upstanding side walls
51. An opening 53 is formed in the land to accommodate an anchor
hook. More specifically, the opening 53 in this embodiment
comprises an elongated slit 54 that is interrupted at its middle
portion by a circular central aperture 56. The slit 54 essentially
subdivides the land 52 into a pair of flaps that can bend upwardly
and deform to allow the head of an anchor hook to be pressed
through the retention opening 29. When the head of the anchor pops
through the opening 53, the flaps spring back down until the
circular opening 56 encircles and substantially seals around the
shaft of the anchor hook. In use, the raised side wall 51 of the
retention opening forms a dam that prevents liquid collected on the
base of the floor tray from flowing beneath the tray through the
retention opening. Further, the configuration of the opening 53
forms a relatively watertight seal that inhibits leakage of liquid
trough the retention opening 29 where the anchor hook extends
through the eye.
[0034] FIG. 3B illustrates an alternate embodiment of an retention
opening. In this embodiment, a side wall 58 projects upwardly from
the base 50 of a floor tray and is capped by a land 59. The opening
61 is this embodiment is formed by a series crisscrossed slits 62
that define pie-shaped flaps in the land 29. The head of an anchor
hook can be pressed through the land 29, whereupon the pie-shaped
flaps bend upwardly to accommodate passage of the head. When the
head moves beyond the opening 61, the flaps spring back down to
form a reasonably good watertight seal around the shaft of the
anchor hook.
[0035] FIG. 3C illustrates yet another embodiment a retention
opening that embodies principles of this invention. In this
embodiment, an outer wall 66 projects upwardly from the base 50 of
a floor tray to an annular rim 67. In this embodiment, the land 68
is recessed into the retention opening, forming inner walls 70 of
the eye. The land 68 is provided with an opening 69 configured to
accommodate passage of the head of an anchor hook as described
above. The opening 69 may take on any of a number of configurations
that accommodate such passage, including the criss-crossed
configuration shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C.
[0036] FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional view of the retention opening
of FIG. 3C showing how the retention opening cooperates with an
anchor hook 71 to help hold the floor tray in place. The anchor
hook 71 is seen to have a shaft 73 and a head 74 and is secured to
the floor well and projects upwardly therefrom. When the floor tray
is properly positioned within the floor well, the retention opening
29 aligns with the anchor hook. The retention opening can then be
pressed downwardly, whereupon the head 74 of the anchor hook passes
through the opening within the land 68 of the retention opening.
When the head 74 clears the opening, the land 68 springs back to
embrace the shaft 73 of the anchor hook to form a relatively good
seal around the shaft. Thus, even if water should collect within
the recess of the retention opening 29, it is inhibited from
leaking through to the underlying floor well by the seal created
around the shaft of the anchor hook. Further, liquid 77 that may
accumulate on the base 50 of the floor tray is dammed by the
upstanding wall 66 of the retention opening and thus prevented from
leaking beneath the floor tray.
[0037] It will thus be seen that the unique retention opening of
the present invention permits full beneficial use of anchor hooks
in modern vehicles while simultaneously preventing unwanted leakage
of liquid through the retention openings at the location of the
anchor hooks.
[0038] In addition to the forgoing advantages, it has been
discovered that the floor tray of this invention provides a variety
of additional advantages over prior art trays. For example, the
upper surfaces of the chevron-shaped treads have been found to
provide a superior slip resistant surface for the shoes of drivers
and passengers. Further, because, it is believed, of the convoluted
shape of the channel network defined by the treads of this
invention, the tendency of a driver's heel to become lodged or
struck in the channels, which can be encountered with prior art
deep rib floor mats, is significantly reduced or eliminated. Also,
the alignment configuration of the rows facilitates easy cleaning
with, for example, a pressure washer wand. Specifically, a soiled
floor tray can be hung sideways and sprayed off with a pressure
washer wand, whereupon the water flows between the rows of treads
to drain readily from the tray facilitating efficient drying.
Finally, the configuration of the slits in the lands of the
retention openings forms a substantial seal around an anchor hook
as described. These configurations also substantially close when no
anchor hook is present to form a substantial seal when used with
vehicles that do not have anchor hooks. Leakage at the locations of
the retention openings is thus inhibited whether or not an anchor
hook is present.
[0039] The invention has been described herein in terms of
preferred embodiments and methodologies considered by the inventor
who represent the best mode of carrying out the invention. It will
be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the
various additions, deletions, and modifications may well be made to
the illustrated embodiments within the scope of the invention. For
example, while the individual treads in the preferred embodiment
are chevron-shaped, they also may take on other shapes, such as
small curved or circular segments, that trap sloshing liquid in a
similar manner. In addition, while the treads have been shown
facing forward and aft in the preferred embodiments, they may face
in different directions such as, for example, side-to-side,
corner-to-corner, or otherwise. In addition, sections of treads
facing in different directions on the same mat may be employed to
inhibit sloshing of water equally in all directions. The floor tray
of the present invention may be formed with any configuration sized
and shaped to fit virtually any vehicle. A wide variety of
materials may be used to fabricate the floor tray including any
appropriate type of polymer, rubberized plastic, rubber or
otherwise. These and other modifications may be made to the
embodiments illustrated above without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
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