GB2080105A - Improvements in or relating to entrance matting - Google Patents

Abstract

An entrance mat arrangement comprises a first mat which allows relatively large particles and moisture to pass therethrough, followed by a second mat which scrapes and dries footwear soles. The first mat (Fig. 4) comprises spaced transverse strips 20 of fibrous rubber. The second mat (Fig. 7) comprises first strips 20 of fibrous rubber alternating with second strips 21 of carpet and with recesses 23 between the strips. A third mat (Fig. 13) may be provided having strips of fibrous rubber 20 alternating with strips of carpet. Ducts 33 open upwardly between each adjacent pair of strips. The entrance mat arrangement provides efficient cleaning of footwear soles while the use of carpet strips whose colour may be chosen enhances the appearance. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to entrance matting The present invention relates to entrance matting of the type frequently used at entrances to buildings, such as department stores, or to parts of buildings. Such mats are normally required to prevent as much grit, soil, dust, moisture and similar deposite carried on the soles of footwear as possible from entering the building beyond the matting.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an entrance mat arrangement comprising a first portion arranged to allow relatively large particles and moisture to pass therethrough, and a second portion disposed downstream of the first portion in a direction of entry and arranged to perform a scraping and drying of footwear soles.

The second portion may have transverse scraper bars with recesses at either side thereof for trapping particles and moisture.

The mat may have a third portion disposed downstream of the second portion in the direction of entry having transverse scraper bars and transverse ducts therebetween for collecting particles and moisture.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an entrance mat comprising a plurality of transverse strips of first and second types arranged in groups of strips of the first type alternating with groups of strips of the second type.

Each group of strips may comprise one strip or a plurality of strips. For instance, the mat may comprise alternate strips of the first and second types, alternate groups each comprising the same number of strips, or alternate groups comprising a first number of strips of the first type and a second number of strips of the second type.

The strips of the first type may be arranged to perform scraping of footwear soles, and may comprise strips of fibre, such as fibrous rubber. The strips of the second type may be arranged to perform drying of footwear soles, and may comprise strips of carpet material.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an entrance mat comprising a plurality of transverse strips spaced apart by duct members defining transverse ducts which are open upwardly between adjacent pairs of strips.

Particles of dust, dirt, and the like and moisture removed from footwear soles by the transverse strips fall into and are collected by the ducts and may be removed by conventional vacuum cleaning of the mat. Alternatively, the ducts may be permanently connected, for instance at their ends, to a vacuum cleaning system. The system may operate continuously or intermittently under control of a timer or programmer. Thus, particles and the like collected by the ducts can be swept away without the need to use a conventional vacuum cleaner on the mat.

The transverse strips may be of first and second types as defined hereinbefore. For instance, the mat may comprise alternate strips of fibre and carpet.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred entrance mat; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on line aa of Fig. 4; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 illustrating a modification; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the mat of Fig. 1; Figure 5 is a plan view of another preferred mat; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mat of Fig. 5; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the mat of Fig. 5; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified part of the mat of Fig. 5; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing alternative parts for use in the mat of Fig. 5; Figure 10 illustrates a preferred entrance mat arrangement; Figure 11 is a plan view of a further preferred entrance mat; Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the mat of Fig. 11; Figure 13 is a perspective view of the mat of Fig. 11; Figure 14 illustrates an alternative part for use in the mat of Fig. 11; Figure 15 is a perspective view of another preferred entrance mat arrangement; Figure 16 illustrates the mat of Fig. 11 in place in an entrance; and Figure 1 7 illustrates a hinge arrangement for part of the mat arrangement of Fig. 1 5.

The entrance mat shown in Fig. 1 to 4 comprises a plurality of transverse strips 20, for instance of fibred rubber. In the embodiment shown, the mat comprises alternate strips 20 of two different widths. However, the strips may have any desired width, or may all be of the same width. The strips 20 are spaced apart at a predetermined spacing by spacing strips 30, for instance of extruded or rolled aluminium. The spacing strips 30 have raised or "nosed" portions 31 which define the spacing of the strips 20. Alternatively, the raised or nosed portions 31 may be replaced by spacers, such as 32 shown in Fig. 3, formed of synthetic plastics material.

The strips 20 and the spacing strips 30 are held together by means of wires 27 which pass through aligned apertures or holes in the strips 20 and the spacing strips 30. Along the front and rear edges in the direction of traffic (arrow D), there are disposed respective chan nel section strips 28, through which the ends of the wires 27 pass. The ends of the wires are bent at right angles to form a U with a portion parallel to and in contact with the inside face of the channel strips 28, which conceal the ends of the wires. The channel strip 28 is, for instance, made of an extruded aluminium section.

The purpose of the mat shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is essentially to allow relatively large particles of grit or moisture to be removed from the soles of footwear and to pass freely through the mat so as to fall onto the surface which supports the mat in an entrance to a building. In order to clean the mat, it may be hinged along one edge as described hereinafter, so as to be raised to allow deposits to be removed, for example by a vacuum cleaner.

The entrance mat shown in Fig. 5 to 9 comprises a plurality of tranverse strips 20, for instance of fibred rubber. These strips are spaced apart by transverse extruded aluminium sections. The sections 22 have ear portions 23 which serve to clamp strips 21 of fibre flooring material such as woven fibrepiled flooring or electrostatically precipitated piled flooring. This material may, for instance, be the same as materials generally used for flooring, floor covering, indoor and outdoor sport surfaces. The material strips 21 are also retained in the sections 22 by means of adhesive bonding at 29.

The sections 22 have laterally extending wings 24 which contact the strips 20 along free edges. The strips and the sections 22 are held together by means of wires 27 with channel strips 28 as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4.

The portions of the sections 22 comprising the ears 23 and the wings 24 define, together with side edges of the strips 20, recesses 25 constituting grit traps.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modification to the section 22 shown in Fig. 7 to permit easier threading of the wires 27 during assembly of the entrance mat. In particular, whereas holes 26 are provided in the sections 22 shown in Fig. 7 for receiving the wire 27, Fig. 8 illustrates a right angled slot 26afor receiving the wires 27. The wires 27 may thus be inserted into the sections 22 by a movement in the direction illustrated by the arrow E.

Single holes may also be provided at intervals so as to accomodate single locking wires.

Fig. 9 illustrates the cross-sectional shape of the sections 22, together with two possible alternative cross-sectional shapes shown at 22a and 22b and c. The section illustrated at 22a is similar to the section 22 but is symmetrical about a transverse horizontal plane and thus allows a further strip 21 of flooring material to be retained on the underside of the mat. It is thus possible to construct a twosided mat employing sections 22a so that the mat may periodically be turned over to extend its useful life.

The section 22b and c differs from the section 22 essentially that it is arranged to receive a narrower flooring material strip 21 and in that, instead of having the wings 24, it has vertical portions whose outer sides contact most of the sides of the adjacent strips 20.

Fig. 10 illustrates a preferred entrance mat arrangement which comprises a mat A in a zone 1 followed by a mat B in a zone 2 downstream thereof in the normal direction of traffic indicated by arrow F. The length of each of the mats in the direction of normal traffic may be approximately 60 cm, and the width thereof may be substantially equal to that of an entrance so that all traffic coming into a building passes over the mat arrangement. The mat A comprises an entrance mat as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, whereas the mat B comprises an entrance mat as illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9. The two mats A and B may be integral with each other or may be separate and each performs a specific function with regard to removing grit, dust or moisture from the soles of footwear as the wearer progresses across the entire surface of the entrance mat arrangement. Thus, whereas the mat A serves to remove relatively large particles of grit and moisture, the mat B performs a scraping and drying action and includes the recesses 25 at each side of the strips 20, which perform a scraping action, to trap particles of grit, dust and moisture for subsequent removal for instance by suction cleaning.

The entrance mat shown in Figs. 11 to 1 3 comprises a plurality of transverse strips 20 for instance of fibres rubber, alternating with sections 22 retaining fibre flooring material 21 as described with reference to Figs. 5 to 9. The strips and sections are similarly held together by means of wires 27. However, the sections 22 are formed so as to define air ducts 33 extending transversely across the whole width of the mat. The ducts 33 open upwardly at throats 34 whose area or width is of sufficient size to permit particles of grit, moisture, etc to fall into the ducts. The throats may also be profiled so as to permit the most efficient air flow for extraction of deposited particles by suction from a vacuum cleaner on the upper surface of the mat.

Fig. 14 illustrates an extruded aluminium section 22 defining the ducts 33 but having a different cross-sectional shape from the sections 22 shown in Fig. 1 3.

Fig. 1 5 illustrates another entrance mat arrangement comprising mats A, B, and C in zones 1, 2 and 3 disposed in order along the direction of traffic entering a building indicated by arrow G. The mats A and B are the same as those illustrated in the arrangement shown in Fig. 10. The mat C comprises a mat as illustrated in Figs. 11 to 14.

In order to clean the mat A, this mat is provided with struts 40 and is hinged along one of its edges. The mat is hinged upwardly and the struts 40 swung down so as to support the mat in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 7. A vacuum cleaner or the like may then be used to clean the carpet well under the mat A. When this cleaning has been completed, the struts 40 are retracted in the directions of the arrows 41 into the mat, which is then hinged down into its normal position.

In order to clean the mats B and C, it is merely necessary to sweep them, for instance with a conventional vacuum cleaner. The particles of dust, dirt, etc are thus cleaned out of the recesses of the mat B and of the ducts of the mat C.

Fig. - 1 6 illustrates an alternative cleaning arrangement for the mat C and of the type shown in Figs. 11 to 14. In this arrangement, a suction duct 1 is connected from a remote suction unit to an air chamber 3 provided with a hinged inspection cover 2. The air chamber 3 communicates via mat connecting tubes 4 with the ducts 33 in the sections 22 of the entrance mat. 5 indicates the mat well frame and 6 indicates the mat surface.

In order to clean the mat with the arrange ment shown in Fig. 16, the remote suction unit is activated and sucks air from the ducts 33 through the tubes 4, the air chamber 3 and the duct 1. Particles of dust, dirt and the like are thus swept from ducts and also from the strips 20 and 21 by the air flow as indicated' by the arrows in Fig. 16.

Where two mats of the type shown in Fig.

1 6 are used side-by-side, a single air chamber 2 may be disposed below their common edges as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig.

16.

The remote suction unit operates continuously, or intermittently according to a predet ermined time cycle. Alternatively, it may be controlled by switches which respond to pressures applied to the surface of any mat zone or section, or other means which responds to the presence of a person standing on a zone or section.

In this case of mats of the types shown in Figs. 5 to 9 and 11 to 14, whereas the strips are generally coloured black or grey e.g. the colour of the fibred rubber of which they are made, the material strips can have any desired colour so that an attractive design may readily be achieved. For instance, the strips 21 may be of the same type of material and of the same colour as the floor covering surrounding or adjacent the entrance mat.

These types of mat can thus provide an attractive alternative to conventional entrance mats, which generally only have the colour of the rubber of which they are made.

Claims (20)

1. An entrance mat arrangement comprising a first portion arranged to allow relatively large particles and moisture to pass therethrough, and a second portion disposed downstream of the first portion in a direction of entry and arranged to perform scraping and drying of footwear soles.

2. An entrance mat arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which the second portion comprises a plurality of transverse scraper bars with recesses at either side of each scraper bar for trapping particles and moisture.

3. An entrance mat arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which a third portion is disposed downstream of the second portion in the direction of entry and has transverse scraper bars and transverse ducts therebetween for collecting particles and moisture.

4. An entrance mat comprising a plurality of transverse strips of first and second types arranged in groups of strips of the first type alternating with groups of strips of the second type.

5. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 4, in which each group comprises one strip.

6. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 4, in which each group comprises a plurality of strips, the groups each comprising the same number of strips.

7. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 4, in which each of the groups of strips of the first type comprises a first number of strips and each of the groups of strips of the second type comprises a second number of strips different from the first number.

8. An entrance mat as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7, in which the strips of the first type are arranged to perform scraping of footwear soles.

9. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 8, in which the strips of the first type comprise strips ofibre.

1 0. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 9., in which the strips of the first type comprise strips of fibrous rubber.

11. An entrance mat as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 10, in which the strips of the second type are arranged to perform drying of footwear soles.

1 2. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 11, in which the strips of the second type comprise strips of carpet material.

1 3. An entrance mat as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 12, in which the transverse strips are spaced apart by duct members defining transverse ducts which are open upwardly between adjacent pairs of strips.

1 4. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 13, in which the ducts are connected at their ends to a vacuum cleaning system.

1 5. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 14, in which the vacuum cleaning system is provided with a timer or programmer arranged to actuate the vacuum cleaning system period ically.

1 6. An entrance mat comprising a plurality of transverse strips spaced apart by duct members defining transverse ducts which are open upwardly between adjacent pairs of strips.

1 7. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 16, in which the air ducts are connected at their ends to a vacuum cleaning system.

18. An entrance mat as claimed in claim 17, in which the vacuum cleaning system is provided with a timer or programmer arranged to actuate the vacuum cleaning system periodically.

19. An entrance mat arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

20. An entrance mat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.