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A foldable mat has a flat flexible base portion with a margin and has finger tabs integrally molded with the base portion out of a polymeric material. The finger tabs extend upward from the base portion. The finger tabs can be grasped and pulled upward to allow the mat to fold so that the bottom sur

A foldable mat has a flat flexible base portion with a margin and has finger tabs integrally molded with the base portion out of a polymeric material. The finger tabs extend upward from the base portion. The finger tabs can be grasped and pulled upward to allow the mat to fold so that the bottom surface halves of the mat fold inward on each other, masking the potentially contaminated bottom surface of the mat from contact with anything else. The mat can then be stored in a folded condition.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A foldable mat, comprising: a flat flexible base portion molded from a polymeric material, the base portion substantially conforming to a plane in an unfolded condition, the base portion having a top surface, a bottom surface opposed to the top surface, and a peripheral margin;a first finger tab

1. A foldable mat, comprising: a flat flexible base portion molded from a polymeric material, the base portion substantially conforming to a plane in an unfolded condition, the base portion having a top surface, a bottom surface opposed to the top surface, and a peripheral margin;a first finger tab and a second finger tab opposed to the first finger tab, the finger tabs integrally molded with the base portion out of the polymeric material and disposed on the margin, the finger tabs extending upwardly from the top surface of the base portion when the mat is in the unfolded condition; anda fold line bisecting the base portion and having two ends, the margin being bilaterally symmetrical around the fold line, the fold line bisecting the bottom surface into a first half and a second half, each end of the fold line terminating at a respective finger tab, the base portion foldable on the fold line to a folded condition by a user grasping and upwardly pulling the opposed finger tabs, such that when folded the first half of the bottom surface mates with the second half of the bottom surface. 2. The foldable mat of claim 1, wherein the finger tabs each have an inward facing surface with a substantially triangular indentation extending from the inward facing surface, forming a gusset. 3. The foldable mat of claim 1, wherein each finger tab is symmetrical about a vertical plane including the fold line, first and second sides of each finger tab folding and collapsing on each other when the base portion is folded to a folded condition. 4. The foldable mat of claim 1, wherein the foldable mat is integrally molded of a thermoplastic elastomer. 5. The foldable mat of claim 1, wherein the foldable mat further comprises antimicrobial additives. 6. The foldable mat of claim 5, wherein the antimicrobial additives include silver particles. 7. The foldable mat of claim 1, wherein the base portion is substantially rectangular in shape. 8. The foldable mat of claim 1, wherein the base portion and the finger tabs are molded to a similar nominal thickness. 9. A foldable mat, comprising: a flat flexible base portion molded from a polymeric material, the base portion substantially conforming to a plane in an unfolded condition, the base portion having a top surface, a bottom surface opposed to the top surface, and a peripheral margin;a first finger tab and a second finger tab opposed to the first finger tab, the finger tabs integrally molded with the base portion out of the polymeric material and disposed on the margin, the finger tabs extending upwardly from the top surface of the base portion when the mat is in the unfolded condition; anda fold line bisecting the base portion and having two ends, the margin being bilaterally symmetrical around the fold line, the fold line bisecting the bottom surface into a first half and a second half, each end of the fold line terminating at a respective finger tab, the base portion foldable on the fold line to a folded condition by a user grasping and upwardly pulling the opposed finger tabs, such that when folded the first half of the bottom surface mates with the second half of the bottom surface, the base portion having an elongate raised center rib disposed on the fold line, an interruption in the center rib forming a second fold line at an angle to said fold line. 10. The foldable mat of claim 9, wherein the angle is 90 degrees. 11. A foldable mat comprising: a flat flexible base portion molded from a polymeric material, the base portion substantially conforming to a plane in an unfolded condition, the base portion having a top surface, a bottom surface opposed to the top surface, and a peripheral margin;a first finger tab and a second finger tab opposed to the first finger tab, the finger tabs integrally molded with the base portion out of the polymeric material and disposed on the margin, the finger tabs extending upwardly from the top surface of the base portion at an angle in the range of about 65 to about 85 degrees when the mat is in the unfolded condition; anda fold line bisecting the base portion and having two ends, the margin being bilaterally symmetrical around the fold line, the fold line bisecting the bottom surface into a first half and a second half, each end of the fold line terminating at a respective finger tab, the base portion foldable on the fold line to a folded condition by a user grasping and upwardly pulling the opposed finger tabs, such that when folded the first half of the bottom surface mates with the second half of the bottom surface. 12. A method of protecting an article, comprising the steps of: integrally molding a mat from a polymeric material to have, in an unfolded condition, a flexible flat base portion and opposed flexible first and second finger tabs that extend upwardly from the base portion;folding the mat along a fold line extending between the finger tabs to provide a folded mat;unfolding the folded mat;placing a bottom surface of the unfolded mat on a second surface from which the article is to be protected;placing the article on a top surface of the unfolded mat;later removing the article from the top surface of the unfolded mat,grasping the mat at the finger tabs and pulling the finger tabs upward; andresponsive to the step of grasping, folding a first half of the bottom surface of the mat onto a second half of the bottom surface of the mat around the fold line. 13. The method of claim 12, and further including the step of: after said step of folding the first half of the bottom surface of the mat onto the second half of the bottom surface of the mat, inserting the folded mat into a case. 14. The method of claim 12, and further including the step of: after said step of folding the first half of the bottom surface of the mat onto the second half of the bottom surface of the mat, further folding said mat into quarters by folding said mat on a second fold line disposed at an angle to said fold line. 15. The method of claim 12, and further including the step of: after said step of folding the first half of the bottom surface of the mat onto the second half of the bottom surface of the mat, rolling the mat into a tube. 16. The method of claim 15 and further including the step of: inserting the tube into a case. 17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of integrally molding the base portion and the finger tabs to a similar nominal thickness. 18. A method of protecting an article, comprising the steps of: integrally molding a mat from a polymeric material to have, in an unfolded condition, a flexible flat base portion and opposed flexible first and second finger tabs that extend upwardly from the base portion;folding the mat along a fold line extending between the finger tabs to provide a folded mat;unfolding the folded mat;placing a bottom surface of the unfolded mat on a second surface from which the article is to be protected;placing the article on a top surface of the unfolded mat;later removing the article from the top surface of the mat,grasping the mat at the finger tabs and pulling the finger tabs upward;responsive to the step of grasping, folding a first half of the bottom surface of the mat onto a second half of the bottom surface of the mat around the fold line; andresponsive to the step of grasping, folding each of the finger tabs into mating halves that substantially lie in planes parallel to each other when the mat is in a folded condition.