Floor Mat For Animals

Abstract

A rubber or plastic floor mat for a stable, factory or the like, the major surfaces of which are provided with regularly distributed projections with a substantially circular or polygonal cross-section, the projections of one surface lying intermediately between the projections of the other surface, at least a part of the peripheral zone of the mat being provided at the lower side with a thicker border portion extending substantially by the same distance as the lower projections. This border portion may be provided with transverse grooves extending over the full width of this portion.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a floor mat made of an elastic material such as rubber or plastic sheet material, which mat is particularly intended for covering floor surfaces in stables, factories and the like.

Stable mats of rubber or similar elastic materials are known. Such mats comprise, in general, at least at the lower side parallel grooves for facilitating the removal of water or the like. It has, however, appeared that the liquid removal is often insufficient, in that the lower surface should be repeatedly cleaned, which is, in the case of large and heavy mats, objectionable.

Such mats with a flat surface have the disadvantage that this surface becomes slippery, so that, particularly when used as a stable mat, the feet of animals and attendants have insufficient grip on that surface. If, on the other hand, the surface is grooved, the grip transversely of the grooves is improved, but such grooves are quickly soiled, so that the advantage is quickly lost if the upper surface is not repeatedly cleaned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a mat which does not have these disadvantages, and it is an object of the invention to provide a mat of this kind, which provides a sufficient grip at its upper surface and, nevertheless, may be easily cleaned.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a mat of this kind which presents a soft and flexible support to the feet or to the bodies of lying animals, and which, nevertheless, has a uniform and high load bearing capacity.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mat of this kind, which allows an unimpeded removal of liquids accumulating below the lower surface without retention of stagnant water.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a mat which, by its flexibility and elastic support on the floor, provides a pumping action causing a continuous removal of liquids accumulated between the mat and the floor.

It is a last object of the invention to provide a mat of this kind which comprises such border portions that several mats may be laid on a floor with contacting edges without gaps between adjacent mats.

The floor mat of the invention comprises at both sides a plurality of projections, which, at each side, are arranged in a regular array along at least two mutually intersecting series of parallel lines, the projections at one surface being symmetrically disposed between the projections at the opposite surface, the projections at one side having all substantially the same height, one surface being provided with an integral border portion which is thicker than the mat between the projections and having a surplus thickness which is substantially the same as the thickness of the projections at that side of the mat, said border portion extending along at least a part of the periphery of the mat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mat according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-section along the line II--II of FIG. 1;

and FIG. 3 is a plan view of a part of such a mat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The mat shown in the drawing comprises, at its lower surface knobs 2 with a flat lower surface and having, in general, a circular cross-section. As shown in FIG. 3 these knobs are arranged along two groups of parallel lines intersecting at right angles. It is, however, also possible to use a different arrangement, e.g. with lines intersecting at a sharp angle or with more groups of lines. At the opposite side rounded knobs 3 are provided which are symmetrically arranged between the knobs 2 as shown in FIG. 3, and having the same configuration. When a knob 3 is loaded, for instance by the hoof of an animal, the mat will be deformed as shown in FIG. 2, the material of the mat body being elastically pressed into the hollow between the adjacent knobs 2 of the lower surface. Thus a smoothly flexible mat surface is obtained providing a soft support for lying and standing animals. Moreover a pumping action is obtained in this manner at the lower side of the mat, since, by the elastic deformations of the mat, the air and liquid present between the mat and the underlying floor is kept moving, the circulation and ventilation thus obtained being very favorable for hygienic easeness. The rounded upper knobs 3 provide sufficient grip for the feet of the animals, particularly when rising or lying down, but these knobs do not promote the accumulation of dirt. Moreover the interspaces between the rounded knobs are cleaned as easily as a flat mat surface. The flexibility of the mat may be less desirable in the border parts where a mat joins an adjacent mat, the flexibility then causing gaps to be formed between the adjacent edges of these mats when loaded.

In order to prevent this, the mat of FIG. 1 is, at least at those sides bordering an adjacent mat, provided with a projecting lower rim or border portion 4 extending as far as the lower knobs 2 from the lower mat surface. The border portions of the mat are, therefore, less flexible than the rest of the mat. In order to maintain an unimpeded communication between the space between the mat and the underlying floor, transverse slots or grooves 5 are provided in the lower face of such a border portion, especially in the case of a border portion surrounding the whole periphery of the mat. These grooves 5 provide a communication between the interspace between the knobs 2 and the surrounding. It is, however, possible to omit this border portion at one or two edges of the mat.

The principal advantage of the air circulation provided by the pumping action of such a mat is that the floor remains substantially dry, and the air provides, in addition, a heat insulation which is favorable for maintaining an agreeable temperature near the floor, especially in the case of animals lying on the floor mat.

The floor mat described and shown is only an example, and may be varied within the scope of the invention. Instead of cylindrical knobs 2 also polygonal or oblong knobs may be used, and the rounded knobs may be replaced by cylindrical or polygonal knobs. Mats of the kind disclosed may be manufactured from rubber or plastic sheet material which is suitable for the envisaged use.

Claims

I claim:

1. A floor mat comprising;

a generally flat sheet of resilient material;

a plurality of parallel rows of uniformly spaced protuberances having substantially equal heights and extending downwardly from the bottom surface of said sheet, the protuberances in adjacent rows also being arranged in parallel rows;

a plurality of parallel rows of uniformly spaced protuberances extending upwardly from the top surface of said sheet, the up and down protuberances arranged in staggered relationship so that those on one side of the sheet are disposed symmetrically between those on the other side; and

a thickened border section integral with and extending along at least a portion of the periphery of said sheet, said border section extending downwardly from the bottom surface of said sheet at a distance substantially equal to the height of the down protuberance and having a plurality of transverse grooves extending over the full width thereof, which are in communication with the spaces between the down protuberances.

2. A floor mat according to claim 1 wherein said up and down protuberances are hemispherically shaped.