초록 ▼

A floor mat system having a plurality of floor mats and a frame assembly which prevents the floor mats from lifting and causing a tripping hazard to persons walking thereover. The floor mats may include carpeted sections over a plurality of orthagonally disposed spaced ribs. The frame assembly incl

A floor mat system having a plurality of floor mats and a frame assembly which prevents the floor mats from lifting and causing a tripping hazard to persons walking thereover. The floor mats may include carpeted sections over a plurality of orthagonally disposed spaced ribs. The frame assembly includes inner and outer frame members which extend between and around the floor mats, respectively. The inner fame members are T-shaped having a pair of horizontally disposed wings and the outer frame members are ramped and include a horizontally disposed upper flange. The wings and upper flanges which extend over peripheral edge portions of the floor mats to vertically retain them, the inner and outer frame which may be secured to the floor.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A floor mat system adapted to lay on a floor, the floor mat system comprising: at least one floor mat adapted to lay on the floor, said floor mat having a peripheral edge portion and including a plurality of parallel first ribs and a plurality of parallel second ribs wh

The invention claimed is: 1. A floor mat system adapted to lay on a floor, the floor mat system comprising: at least one floor mat adapted to lay on the floor, said floor mat having a peripheral edge portion and including a plurality of parallel first ribs and a plurality of parallel second ribs which are disposed parallel to said first ribs, each of said first and second ribs having an upper surface wherein said upper surface of said first ribs are disposed above said upper surface of said second ribs, said first and second ribs each forming at least one group of first ribs and at least one group of second ribs such that a plurality of recessed carpet receiving areas are formed above said groups of said second ribs adjacent said groups of first ribs, and at least one generally rectangular piece of carpet that forms a portion of a top surface of said floor mat, at least one edge of said piece of carpet extending to said peripheral edge portion, said piece of carpet being securable to respective upper surfaces of the groups of second ribs within each of said recessed carpet receiving areas, said floor mat further including a plurality of third ribs extending substantially perpendicularly to said first and second ribs, a plurality of openings being defined by said first, second, and third ribs that provide fluid communication between the floor and atmosphere above said floor mat, said plurality of third ribs including at least one middle rib disposed between support ribs, said support ribs which are contactable with the floor to support said first and second ribs above the floor and to form drainage channels between the support ribs; a frame assembly adapted to lay on the floor closely adjacent said floor mat, said frame assembly comprising at least one outer frame member; and wherein said outer frame member includes an inner side wall which is disposable adjacent said floor mat, and an upper flange that extends generally horizontally from an upper edge of said inner side wall so as to be overlapable with said peripheral edge portion of said floor mat including said piece of carpet when assembled thereto to prevent said piece of carpet from being lifted when walked upon. 2. The floor mat system defined in claim 1 in which the outer frame members have an angled upper surface which slopes downwardly from the upper edge of the inner side wall thereof to the floor. 3. The floor mat system defined in claim 2, wherein there are a plurality of support ribs with at least two middle ribs disposed between adjoining pairs of support ribs. 4. The floor mat system defined in claim 3, wherein each group of first ribs includes three first ribs, and each group of second ribs includes two second ribs. 5. The floor mat system defined in claim 1, wherein a lower surface of each of the middle ribs is substantially coplanar with respective lower surfaces of each of the first and second ribs. 6. The floor mat system defined in claim 1, wherein the bottom of each support rib is rounded. 7. The floor mat system as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of first and second ribs, and the plurality of third ribs are integrally molded together. 8. The floor mat system defined in claim 1, wherein the piece of carpet includes an upper surface which is substantially coplanar with respective upper surfaces of the first ribs. 9. A floor mat system adapted to lay on a floor, the floor mat system comprising: at least one floor mat having a top surface and adapted to lay on the floor; the floor mat including a plurality of spaced first ribs and a plurality of spaced second ribs; the first and second ribs being elongated generally in the same direction; each of the first and second ribs having an upper surface wherein the upper surface of the first ribs are disposed above the upper surface of the second ribs; the first and second ribs each forming at least one group of first ribs and at least one group of second ribs such that at least one recessed carpet receiving area is formed above the at least one group of second ribs adjacent the at least one group of first ribs; at least one piece of carpet that forms a portion of the top surface of the floor mat; the at least one piece of carpet being securable within the at least one recessed carpet receiving area; the floor mat further including a plurality of spaced third ribs extending transversely to the first and second ribs whereby the first, second, and third ribs define a plurality of openings that provide fluid communication between the floor and atmosphere above the floor mat; the plurality of third ribs including a plurality of support ribs which are contactable with the floor to support the first and second ribs above the floor; and at least one outer frame member adapted to lay on the floor adjacent the floor mat; the outer frame member including an upper flange that extends over at least one edge of the at least one piece of carpet to prevent the at least one piece of carpet from being lifted when walked upon. 10. The system of claim 9 wherein the third ribs form drainage channels between the support ribs. 11. The system of claim 9 wherein the third ribs include at least one middle rib disposed between adjacent support ribs. 12. The system of claim 9 wherein the first and third ribs define a plurality of openings that provide fluid communication between the floor and atmosphere above the floor mat. 13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first and second ribs define a plurality of flow-through openings disposed below the at least one piece of carpet. 14. The system of claim 9 wherein the third ribs include at least one middle rib disposed between adjacent support ribs; and wherein each support rib has a bottom disposed below the at least one middle rib. 15. The system of claim 9 wherein said floor mat has a peripheral edge portion and wherein at least one edge of said piece of carpet extends to said peripheral edge portion; and wherein said outer frame member includes an inner side wall which is disposable adjacent said floor mat, and wherein the upper flange extends from an upper edge of said inner side wall so as to be overlapable with said peripheral edge portion of said floor mat including said piece of carpet. 16. The floor mat system defined in claim 15 in which the outer frame members have an angled upper surface which slopes downwardly from the upper edge of the inner side wall thereof to the floor. 17. The floor mat system defined in claim 16 in which the outer frame members have a lower flange that extends generally horizontally from a lower edge of the inner side wall so as to be overlapable with the peripheral edge portion of the floor mat when assembled thereto. 18. The floor mat system defined in claim 17, wherein the lower flange extends a further distance from the inner side wall than the upper flange. 19. The floor mat system defined in claim 15, wherein the floor mat includes a base to which the piece of carpet is securable, said base and said piece of carpet forming the top surface of said floor mat. 20. The floor mat system defined in claim 19, wherein the piece of carpet and the base are removably securable together. 21. The floor mat system defined in claim 20, wherein the piece of carpet and the base are removably securable together by a bottom surface of the piece of carpet and a corresponding upper surface portion of the base having mating patches of respective hook and loop fasteners affixed thereto. 22. The floor mat system defined in claim 15, further comprising at least one inner frame member of a generally T-shape, wherein respective wings of said inner frame member which extend horizontally therefrom to be overlapable with the peripheral edge portions of a pair of adjoining floor mats when assembled thereto. 23. The floor mat system defined in claim 15, wherein there are a plurality of outer frame members, respective ends of said outer frame members being adapted to closely fit together, said outer frame members which completely enclose said floor mat at the peripheral edge portion thereof to form an enclosed well. 24. The floor mat system defined in claim 15, wherein there are a plurality of outer frame members and a plurality of floor mats, respective ends of said outer frame members being adapted to closely fit together, and further including at least one inner frame member of a generally T-shape, respective wings of said inner frame member which extend horizontally therefrom to be overlapable with the peripheral edge portions of a pair of floor mats when assembled thereto, said outer frame members being adapted to completely enclose said floor mats at an outer periphery of said plurality of floor mats to form a plurality of enclosed wells. 25. The floor mat system defined in claim 24 in which the outer frame members have an angled upper surface which slopes downwardly from the upper edge of the inner side wall thereof to the floor, and in which said outer frame members have a lower flange that extends generally horizontally from a lower edge of the inner side wall so as to be overlapable with the peripheral edge portion of the floor mat when assembled thereto. 26. The floor mat system defined in claim 25, wherein the lower flange extends a further distance from the inner side wall than the upper flange. 27. The floor mat system defined in claim 15, wherein one of inner and outer frame members is made of vinyl. 28. The system of claim 9 further including at least one seal receiving recess formed in a bottom surface of said at least one outer frame member; and a seal disposable in each seal receiving recess for preventing the flow of water under said frame assembly. 29. The floor mat system defined in claim 28, wherein there are first and second parallel seal receiving recesses formed in the bottom surface of each outer frame member, and a pair of seals which are respectively disposable in said seal receiving recesses for preventing the flow of water under the frame assembly. 30. The floor mat system defined in claim 29, wherein the outer frame members have an angled upper surface which slopes downwardly from the upper edge of the inner side wall thereof to the floor; wherein the first seal receiving recess is closer to the inner side wall than the second seal receiving recess; and wherein the first seal receiving recess is of a larger size than the second seal receiving recess, each of said seals being of a corresponding size to a respective one of said seal receiving recesses. 31. The floor mat system defined in claim 30 wherein the first and second seals are tubular; wherein the seal receiving recesses are of a generally circular cross-section to receive the tubular seals; and wherein each seal receiving recess includes a downwardly-facing opening to permit the seals to contact the floor. 32. The floor mat system defined in claim 31, wherein each seal receiving recess includes a pair of inwardly directed lower surfaces adjacent the downwardly-facing opening. 33. The floor mat system defined in claim 28, wherein there are a plurality of outer frame members and a plurality of floor mats, respective ends of said outer frame members being adapted to closely fit together, and further including at least one inner frame member of a generally T-shape, respective wings of said at least one inner frame member extending horizontally therefrom to overlap opposite edge portions of adjoining floor mats when assembled thereto, said outer frame members being adapted to completely enclose said floor mats at an outer periphery of said plurality of floor mats to form a plurality of enclosed wells, and wherein said at least one inner frame member includes a seal receiving recess which extends upwardly opposite said wings, and a seal positionable within said seal receiving recess for preventing the flow of water under said inner frame member. 34. The system of claim 9 wherein the portion of the top surface of the floor mat which is formed by the at least one piece of carpet is less than the entire top surface. 35. The system of claim 9 wherein the openings include a plurality of openings which are unobstructed by the at least one piece of carpet. 36. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one piece of carpet is free of a downward extension between the peripheral edge portion of the floor mat and the inner side wall of the outer frame member. 37. The system of claim 15 wherein the peripheral edge of the floor mat abuts the inner side wall of the outer frame member. 38. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one recessed carpet-receiving area is a plurality of recessed carpet-receiving areas; and wherein the at least one piece of carpet is a plurality of pieces of carpet disposed in respective carpet-receiving areas. 39. The system of claim 19 wherein the base of the floor mat defines the at least one recessed carpet receiving area; and wherein the carpet receiving area is complementary to the at least one piece of carpet. 40. The system of claim 28 wherein the openings include a plurality of openings which are unobstructed by the at least one piece of carpet.