Floor mat connector

Abstract

To provide a floor mat connector that can be easily attached to a floor mat.SOLUTION: A floor mat connector includes: a first mat holding section extending from a rear face to a front face of a first floor mat and configured to hold an edge of the first floor mat; and a second mat holding section extending from a rear face to a front face of a second floor mat and configured to hold an edge of the second floor mat. Each of these mat holding sections has a rear face section facing the rear face of the floor mat, a front face section facing the front face of the floor mat, and a connection section for connecting one end of the rear face section and one end of the front face section. The floor mat connector further includes a holding section for holding the other end of the front face section at an enlarged position at which a distance from the rear face section to the other end of the front face section is larger than that of an initial position against biasing force acting on the front surface section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a floor mat connector for connecting a plurality of floor mats. [Background technology]

[0002] Connectors that connect adjacent floor mats without providing separate connecting portions on the floor mats themselves have been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (Figure 7)). The connector described in Patent Document 1 includes a first retaining portion and a second retaining portion that respectively hold the pair of floor mats, and a flexible connecting portion that connects the first retaining portion and the second retaining portion, and the upper retaining portion of the first retaining portion and the upper retaining portion of the second retaining portion are provided with backflow prevention portions that prevent the inserted floor mat from slipping out. With the connector described in Patent Document 1, when the floor mat is inserted into the connector, the backflow prevention portions collapse, thereby holding the floor mat between the pair of upper and lower retaining portions. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-278135 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the connector described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to insert the floor mat while crushing the backflow prevention portion, and therefore it is not easy to attach the connector to the floor mat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a floor mat connector that connects a first floor mat and a second floor mat that are adjacent to each other across a mat boundary line. The floor mat connector includes a first flexible mat retaining portion that extends longitudinally from the back surface of the first floor mat to the front surface, perpendicular to the mat boundary line, and is configured to clamp an edge of the first floor mat. The second flexible mat retaining portion extends longitudinally from the back surface of the second floor mat to the front surface, and is configured to clamp an edge of the second floor mat. The first and second mat retaining portions each have a back surface facing the back surface of the first floor mat and the back surface of the second floor mat, respectively, a front surface facing the front surface of the first floor mat and the front surface of the second floor mat, respectively, and a connecting portion that connects one longitudinal end of the back surface to one longitudinal end of the front surface. The floor mat connector further includes a retaining portion that holds the other longitudinal end of the front surface at an expanded position where the distance from the back surface to the other longitudinal end of the front surface is increased from an initial position against a biasing force acting on the front surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, the floor mat connector can be easily attached to the floor mat. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of application of a floor mat connector to a floor mat according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of an end of the floor mat of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a floor mat connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Arrow IV view of Figure 3. [Figure 5] 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a floor mat connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6A] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a first mat holding member that constitutes a floor mat connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6B]6B is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the first mat holding member as viewed from a direction different from that of FIG. 6A. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the operation of the floor mat connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 4A and 4B are side views showing an example of the operation of the floor mat connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a location in a vehicle interior where a pair of floor mats intersect at a 90° angle. [Figure 10] 1 is a perspective view showing an application example of the floor mat connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention when a pair of floor mats intersect at an angle of 90°. FIG. [Figure 11A] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a floor mat connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention, showing the initial position of the surface portion. [Figure 11B] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a floor mat connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention, showing an enlarged view of the surface portion. [Figure 12A] Arrow XIIA view of Figure 11A. [Figure 12B] Arrow XIIB view of Figure 11B. [Figure 13A] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the overall configuration of a floor mat connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention, showing the initial position of the surface portion. [Figure 13B] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the overall configuration of a floor mat connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention, showing an enlarged position of a surface portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] -First embodiment- A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 10. Figure 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of application of a floor mat connector 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention to floor mats 201 and 202. For convenience, only the outline of the floor mat connector 100 is shown in Figure 1 by a dotted line.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of floor mats 201, 202 are laid adjacent to each other on the upper surface of a vehicle floor, with a mat boundary line LN1 between them. The floor mat connector 100 is placed at the boundary between the floor mats 201, 202 and connects the floor mats together. Note that while the upper surfaces of the pair of floor mats 201, 202 are shown to be coplanar in FIG. 1, the floor mat connector 100 can also be applied when the upper surfaces of the pair of floor mats 201, 202 are not coplanar but intersect at a predetermined angle (e.g., 90°). Hereinafter, for convenience, the floor mat 201 may be referred to as the first floor mat, and the floor mat 202 may be referred to as the second floor mat.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the end of each of the floor mats 201 and 202. As shown in FIG. 2, the floor mats 201 and 202 have a back surface 200A that faces the vehicle floor and a front surface 200B that faces the interior of the vehicle. Edge portions 200C of the floor mats 201 and 202 are provided at the ends of the back surface 200A and the front surface 200B. The mat boundary line LN1 is a midline that bisects the area between the edge portion 200C of the floor mat 201 and the edge portion 200C of the floor mat 202, and these edge portions 200C are located symmetrically with respect to the mat boundary line LN1. Therefore, the distance from the mat boundary line LN1 to the edge portion 200C of the floor mat 201 and the distance from the mat boundary line LN1 to the edge portion 200C of the floor mat 202 are equal to each other.

[0011] The surface portion 200B is made of pile fabric in which pile fibers 210a such as pile yarns are tufted onto a base fabric 210. The back surface portion 200A has an anti-slip mat 212 which is formed integrally with the surface portion 200B by thermoforming synthetic rubber or the like. Anti-slip protrusions 213 are provided on the back surface of the anti-slip mat 212. Note that the back surface of the floor mats 201, 202 refers to the bottom surface of the back surface portion 200A through the edge portion 200C, and the surface refers to the top surface of the surface portion 200B through the edge portion 200C.

[0012] The edge portions 200C of the floor mats 201, 202 are treated by trimming to prevent the pile yarns from falling off. Specifically, a hemming process is performed in which the pile yarns are enclosed and covered with an overlocking thread. That is, an overlocking portion 215 is formed around the entire periphery of the floor mats 201, 202 by sewing an overlocking thread in a continuous loop around the edge portions 200C of the floor mats 201, 202. For this reason, a recess 216 is provided in the surface portions 200B of the floor mats 201, 202 near the boundary between the raised fibers 210a and the hemming portion 215, in other words, a predetermined distance inward from the outer edge of the floor mats 201, 202, around the entire periphery of the floor mats 201, 202.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the floor mat connector 100 is attached to a mounting portion 217 at the end of the floor mats 201, 202. The mounting portion 217 is formed to be generally concave in a plan view in a direction away from the mat boundary line LN1. This increases the gap between the floor mats 201, 202 at the mounting portion 217. The mounting portion 217 may also be formed linearly instead of concavely. In this embodiment, the floor mat connector 100 is configured to be able to hold the edge portions 200C of the floor mats 201, 202 without providing the floor mats themselves with a separate through-hole or the like for connector attachment.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the floor mat connector 100 according to the first embodiment, FIG. 4 is a side view (view along arrow IV in FIG. 3) as seen from the rear, and FIG. 5 is a plan view. For convenience, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction will be defined below as shown, and the configuration of each part will be described according to these definitions. The front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction correspond to the width, length, and height directions of the floor mat connector 100, respectively. Note that FIG. 3 shows a mat boundary line LN1 extending in the front-rear direction, and FIG. 4 shows a vertical line LN2 extending in the up-down direction perpendicular to the mat boundary line LN1.

[0015] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the floor mat connector 100 has a first mat retaining member 1 that holds an end of a first floor mat 201, and a second mat retaining member 2 that holds an end of a second floor mat 202. The first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 are connected via a connecting portion 3 so as to be rotatable about an axis CL1 that extends in the front-to-rear direction and is perpendicular to a vertical line LN2. The first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 are formed by injection molding using flexible resin such as high performance polymer (HPP) as their constituent material.

[0016] The first mat holding member 1 has a substantially plate-shaped first back surface portion 11 that faces the back surface of the first floor mat 201 (FIG. 1) and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions, a substantially plate-shaped first front surface portion 12 that faces the front surface of the first floor mat 201 and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions, and a substantially plate-shaped first connecting portion 13 that extends in the up-down direction and connects the right end of the first back surface portion 11 to the right end of the first front surface portion 12. The left-right length of the first back surface portion 11 is longer than the left-right length of the first front surface portion 12, and the left end of the first back surface portion 11 is located to the left of the left end of the first front surface portion 12.

[0017] A first rotating member 15 is supported on the first front surface portion 12 so as to be rotatable about an axis CL31 (FIG. 4) extending in the front-rear direction. An operating unit 151 is provided on the left end of the first rotating member 15 and is operated upward (direction A in FIG. 4) and downward (direction B in FIG. 4) by the user. FIGS. 3 to 5 show a state in which the operating unit 151 is operated downward. This state corresponds to an initial position in which the first front surface portion 12 approaches the first back surface portion 11. A detailed description of the first rotating member 15 will be given later.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 4, the first mat holding member 1 is generally C-shaped or J-shaped, and its thickness is substantially constant from the left end of the first back surface portion 11 to the first connecting portion 13 and the left end of the first front surface portion 12. The first back surface portion 11 extends horizontally, i.e., in the front-rear and left-right directions. Meanwhile, the first front surface portion 12 extends at a downward incline from the right end to the left end. A first protrusion 14 is provided at the left end of the first front surface portion 12, with a downwardly protruding, generally triangular tip. A tapered surface 14a is formed on the left surface of the first protrusion 14, sloping downward to the right. In its initial position, the operating unit 151 is located above and to the left of the first protrusion 14.

[0019] The vertical length from the upper surface of the first back surface portion 11 to the lower surface of the first front surface portion 12, i.e., the height of the space SP1 between the first back surface portion 11 and the first front surface portion 12, is approximately equal to the height of the edge stitching portion 215 (FIG. 2) of the first floor mat 201. The horizontal length from the lower end of the first protrusion 14 to the left end of the first connection portion 13 is approximately equal to the horizontal length of the edge stitching portion 215 of the first floor mat 201.

[0020] The first mat retaining member 1 is flexible and can bend vertically by elastic deformation, with imaginary axes extending in the front-rear direction along the lower end and upper end of the first connecting portion 13 as fulcrums. This allows the first protrusion 14 to move upward, and the edge stitching portion 215 of the first floor mat 201 to be inserted into the space SP1 between the first back surface portion 11 and the first front surface portion 12. When the edge stitching portion 215 of the first floor mat 201 is inserted into the space SP1, the first protrusion 14 engages with the recess 216 (FIG. 2) on the surface of the first floor mat 201, and the edge portion 200C of the first floor mat 201 is locked to the first mat retaining member 1. In other words, the edge portion 200C of the first floor mat 201 is clamped by the flexible first mat retaining member 1.

[0021] 3 to 5, the second mat holding member 2 has a substantially plate-shaped second back surface portion 21 that faces the back surface of the second floor mat 202 (FIG. 1) and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions, a substantially plate-shaped second front surface portion 22 that faces the front surface of the second floor mat 202 and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions, and a substantially plate-shaped second connecting portion 23 that extends in the up-down direction and connects the left end of the second back surface portion 21 to the left end of the second front surface portion 22. The left-right length of the second back surface portion 21 is longer than the left-right length of the second front surface portion 22, and the right end of the second back surface portion 21 is located to the right of the right end of the second front surface portion 22.

[0022] A second rotating member 25 is supported on the second front surface portion 22 so as to be rotatable about an axis CL32 (FIG. 4) extending in the front-rear direction. An operating unit 251 is provided on the right end portion of the second rotating member 25, which is operated upward (direction A in FIG. 4) and downward (direction B in FIG. 4) by the user. FIGS. 3 to 5 show a state in which the operating unit 251 is operated downward. This state corresponds to an initial position in which the second front surface portion 22 approaches the second back surface portion 21. A detailed description of the second rotating member 25 will be given later.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4, the second mat holding member 2 is generally C-shaped or J-shaped, and its thickness is substantially constant from the right end of the second back surface portion 21 to the right end of the second connecting portion 23 and the second front surface portion 22. The second back surface portion 21 extends horizontally, i.e., in the front-rear and left-right directions. Meanwhile, the second front surface portion 22 extends at a downward inclination from the left end to the right end. A second protrusion 24 is provided at the right end of the second front surface portion 22, with a downwardly protruding tip in a generally triangular shape. A tapered surface 24a is formed on the right surface of the second protrusion 24, sloping downward to the left. In the initial position, the operating portion 251 is located above and to the right of the second protrusion 24.

[0024] The vertical length from the upper surface of the second back surface portion 21 to the lower surface of the second front surface portion 22, i.e., the height of the space SP2 between the second back surface portion 21 and the second front surface portion 22, is approximately equal to the height of the edge stitching portion 215 (FIG. 2) of the second floor mat 202. The horizontal length from the lower end of the second protrusion 24 to the right end of the second connection portion 23 is approximately equal to the horizontal length of the edge stitching portion 215 of the second floor mat 202.

[0025] The second mat retaining member 2 is flexible and can bend vertically by elastic deformation, with imaginary axes extending in the front-rear direction along the lower end and upper end of the second connecting portion 23 as fulcrums. This allows the second protrusion 24 to move upward, and the edge stitching portion 215 of the second floor mat 202 can be inserted into the space SP2 between the second back surface portion 21 and the second front surface portion 22. When the edge stitching portion 215 of the second floor mat 202 is inserted into the space SP2, the second protrusion 24 engages with the recess 216 (FIG. 2) on the surface of the second floor mat 202, and the edge portion 200C of the second floor mat 202 is locked to the second mat retaining member 2. In other words, the edge portion 200C of the second floor mat 202 is clamped by the flexible second mat retaining member 2.

[0026] The first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 are the same member. When the first mat holding member 1 is rotated 180° around the vertical line LN2, it becomes the second mat holding member 2. By configuring the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 as the same member in this way, the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 can be molded using the same mold, thereby reducing costs. Note that the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 may also be configured as different members.

[0027] The following describes the configuration of the connecting portion 3 that connects the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2. Figures 6A and 6B are perspective views of the first mat holding member 1 alone, showing the configuration of the connecting portion 3.

[0028] 6A and 6B, a pair of front and rear protrusions 31, 32 protrude to the right from the first connection portion 13. The protrusions 31, 32 have the same outline in a side view, are connected to the upper surface of the first surface portion 12, and extend rightward, downward, and leftward along gentle arcs. The lower ends of the protrusions 31, 32 are connected to the middle of the first connection portion 13 in the height direction.

[0029] The protrusions 31 and 32 are generally rectangular in plan view (see FIG. 5), and each has a front end face 31a, 32a and a rear end face 31b, 32b. A recess 33, which is generally rectangular in plan view, is provided between the rear end face 31b of the protrusion 31 and the front end face 32a of the protrusion 32. The front end face 31a of the front protrusion 31 is located on the same plane as the front end face of the first connecting portion 13. Therefore, the protrusion 31 extends to the right along the front end face of the first mat holding member 1 without any steps in the front-to-rear direction.

[0030] On the other hand, the rear end surface 32b of the rear protrusion 32 is located forward of the rear end surface of the first connecting portion 13. More specifically, the rear end surface of the first connecting portion 13 is provided with a notch 34 that is generally rectangular in plan view and concave toward the front (see FIG. 5), and the protrusion 32 extends to the right forward of the rear end surface of the first mat holding member 1. The depth (front-rear length) of the notch 34 is equal to the thickness (front-rear length) of the protrusion 31 and a protrusion 41 (described later). The protrusion 31 is shorter in length (thinner) in the front-rear direction than the protrusion 32. This allows the protrusion 31 to be easily deflected in the front-rear direction.

[0031] The protrusion 31 has a substantially circular through-hole 310 centered on the axis CL1. A chamfered portion 311 is provided at the corner where the rear end surface 31b of the protrusion 31 intersects with the arc-shaped right end surface to facilitate insertion of a shaft portion (a shaft portion 420, described later) into the through-hole 310. A substantially cylindrical shaft portion 320, centered on the axis CL1, protrudes rearward from the rear end surface 32b of the protrusion 32. The diameter of the shaft portion 320 is equal to or nearly equal to the diameter of the through-hole 310. The length of the shaft portion 320 in the front-rear direction is shorter than the depth of the cutout portion 34 in the front-rear direction, and the rear end surface of the shaft portion 320 is located forward of the rear end surface of the first connecting portion 13. A chamfered portion 321 is provided at the right corner of the rear end surface of the shaft portion 320 to facilitate insertion of the shaft portion 320 into the through-hole (a through-hole 410, described later).

[0032] The first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 are made of the same material. Therefore, the second mat retaining member 2 is not shown in the figure, but the connecting portion 3 of the second mat retaining member 2 is configured similarly to the connecting portion 3 of the first mat retaining member 1. That is, as shown in FIG. 5 , the second mat retaining member 2 has a pair of front and rear protrusions 41, 42 that protrude leftward from the second connecting portion 23. A recess 43 that is generally rectangular in plan view is provided between the front end surface 41b of the rear protrusion 41 and the rear end surface 42a of the front protrusion 42. The rear end surface 41a of the protrusion 41 extends leftward along the rear end surface of the second mat retaining member 2. A notch 44 is provided in the front end surface of the second connecting portion 23. A generally circular through-hole 410 is opened in the protrusion 41, with the axis CL1 at its center. A substantially cylindrical shaft portion 420 having an axis CL1 as its center is provided on the front end surface 42b of the protrusion 42 so as to protrude forward.

[0033] The configurations of the first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the first rotating member 15 has a substantially plate-shaped first operating portion 151 extending in the front-rear direction to the left of the first surface portion 12, a substantially cylindrical first rod-shaped portion 152 fixed to a front-rear center portion of the first operating portion 151 and extending to the right, a substantially cylindrical first fixed portion 153 fixed to the right end of the first rod-shaped portion 152 and extending in the front-rear direction, and a first shaft portion 154 fixed to a left-right intermediate portion of the first rod-shaped portion 152 and extending in the front-rear direction. The front-rear length of the first operating portion 151 is the same as the front-rear length of the first surface portion 12. The front-rear length of the first fixed portion 153 and the front-rear length of the first shaft portion 154 are shorter than the front-rear length of the first operating portion 151.

[0034] The second rotating member 25 has a substantially plate-shaped second operating portion 251 extending in the front-rear direction to the right of the second surface portion 22, a substantially cylindrical second rod-shaped portion 252 fixed to a front-rear center portion of the second operating portion 251 and extending to the left, a substantially cylindrical second fixed portion 253 fixed to the left end of the second rod-shaped portion 252 and extending in the front-rear direction, and a second shaft portion 254 fixed to a left-right intermediate portion of the second rod-shaped portion 252 and extending in the front-rear direction. The front-rear length of the second operating portion 251 is the same as the front-rear length of the second surface portion 22. The front-rear length of the second fixed portion 253 and the front-rear length of the second shaft portion 254 are shorter than the front-rear length of the second operating portion 251.

[0035] A notch 121 of a predetermined length is provided in the center of the first surface portion 12 in the front-to-rear direction from the left end surface of the first surface portion 12 to the right. The first rod-shaped portion 152 is inserted into the notch 121, the first operating portion 151 is disposed above the first surface portion 12, and a first fixing portion 153 and a first shaft portion 154 are disposed below the first surface portion 12. A concave bearing portion 123 is provided on the underside of the first surface portion 12, and a concave accommodating portion 124 is further provided to the right of the concave bearing portion 123. The bearing portion 123 has a substantially arc-shaped or substantially semicircular shape in a side view corresponding to the outer shape of the first shaft portion 154, and the first shaft portion 154 is rotatably fitted into the bearing portion 123. The accommodating portion 124 has a generally arcuate shape in a side view corresponding to the outer shape of the first fixing portion 153, and the first fixing portion 153 can be accommodated in the accommodating portion 124.

[0036] A notch 221 of a predetermined length is provided in the center of the second surface portion 22 in the front-to-rear direction from the right end surface of the second surface portion 22 to the left. The second rod-shaped portion 252 is inserted into the notch 221, and the second operating portion 251 is disposed above the second surface portion 22, while the second fixing portion 253 and the second shaft portion 254 are disposed below the second surface portion 22. A concave bearing portion 223 is provided on the underside of the second surface portion 22, and a concave accommodating portion 224 is further provided to the left of the concave bearing portion 223. The bearing portion 223 has a substantially arc-shaped or substantially semicircular shape in a side view corresponding to the outer shape of the second shaft portion 254, and the second shaft portion 254 is rotatably fitted into the bearing portion 223. The accommodation portion 224 has a generally arcuate shape in a side view corresponding to the outer shape of the second fixing portion 253, and the second fixing portion 253 can be accommodated in the accommodation portion 224.

[0037] The first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 are made of resin and are formed by injection molding. The first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 are the same member. When the first rotating member 15 is rotated 180° around the vertical line LN2, it becomes the second rotating member 25. By forming the first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 as the same member in this way, the first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 can be molded using the same mold, thereby reducing costs. Note that the first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 may also be formed as different members.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , a recess 111 is provided on the upper surface of the first back surface portion 11 below the bearing portion 123. A recess 211 is provided on the upper surface of the second back surface portion 21 below the bearing portion 223. The recesses 111 and 211 extend in the front-rear direction from the front end surface to the rear end surface of the first back surface portion 11 and the second back surface portion 21, respectively. As shown in FIG. 4 , the recess 111 has an arc portion 111a formed in a substantially arc shape in side view corresponding to the outer shape of the first fixing portion 153, and an inclined portion 111b extending diagonally upward to the right from the bottom surface of the arc portion 111a. Similarly, the recess 211 has an arc portion 211a formed in a substantially arc shape in side view corresponding to the outer shape of the second fixing portion 253, and an inclined portion 211b extending diagonally upward to the left from the bottom surface of the arc portion 211a.

[0039] 4, the length from the first shaft portion 154 to the bottom surface of the arc portion 111a is shorter than the length from the first shaft portion 154 to the right end surface of the first fixed portion 153. The length from the second shaft portion 254 to the bottom surface of the arc portion 211a is shorter than the length from the second shaft portion 254 to the left end surface of the second fixed portion 253. From this state, when the user operates the first operating portion 151 in the direction A in FIG. 4, that is, when the user hooks their finger on the first operating portion 151 and pulls it up (lifts it up), the first rotating member 15 rotates about the axis line CL31, which is the center of the first shaft portion 154, and the first fixed portion 153 comes into contact with the upper surface of the first back surface portion 11.

[0040] Furthermore, when the user increases the upward pulling force of first operating unit 151, first fixing portion 153 moves leftward along inclined portion 111b and engages with arc portion 111a, as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 7. As a result, the left end of first surface unit 12 bends upward due to elastic deformation, and first convex portion 14 is displaced upward. When the user stops operating first operating unit 151 in this state, first fixing portion 153 remains engaged with concave portion 111 (arc portion 111a). At this time, first surface unit 12 is in an expanded position where the distance from first back surface unit 11 to first convex portion 14 is expanded compared to the initial position (FIG. 4), as shown in the side view of FIG. 8. In this way, first surface unit 12 is held in the expanded position by first rotating member 15.

[0041] In this state, the user inserts the edge portion 200C of the first floor mat 201 into the space SP1 by sliding the upper surface of the first back surface portion 11 along the bottom surface of the first floor mat 201, or by sliding the bottom surface of the first floor mat 201 along the upper surface of the first back surface portion 11. In this case, the first protrusion 14 is displaced upward to expand the entrance of the space SP between the first back surface portion 11 and the first front surface portion 12, so that the edge stitching portion 215 does not get caught on the first protrusion 14, and the edge portion 200C of the first floor mat 201 can be easily inserted into the space SP1.

[0042] When inserting the first floor mat 201, when the tip of the first floor mat 201 abuts against the first rod-shaped portion 152, the user operates the first operating portion 151 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 8 while pushing the first floor mat 201 into the space SP1. That is, by operating the first operating portion 151, the first fixing portion 153 is released from the first recess 111 and moved to the right, and is accommodated in the accommodation portion 124. This removes the upward force acting on the first surface portion 12. As a result, the deflection of the first surface portion 12 is removed, and the first surface portion 12 returns to its initial position before elastic deformation due to the restoring force.

[0043] 8 shows a state in which the edge portion 200C of the second floor mat 202 is inserted into the space SP2 between the second back surface portion 21 and the second front surface portion 22, and the second front surface portion 22 has returned to its initial position. When the second front surface portion 22 returns to its initial position, the second protrusion 24 engages with the recess 216 of the edge stitching portion 215, and the end of the second floor mat 202 is held by the second mat holding member 2.

[0044] As described above, in the first embodiment, the user operates the first operating unit 151 and the second operating unit 251 to rotate the first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 around the axes CL31 and CL32 (FIG. 4). The first fixing portion 153 and the second fixing portion 253 then engage with the first recess 111 on the upper surface of the first back surface portion 11 and the second recess 211 on the upper surface of the second back surface portion 21, respectively, thereby maintaining the enlarged entrances of the spaces SP1 and SP2. This allows the edge portions 200C of the first floor mat 201 and the second floor mat 202 to be easily inserted into the spaces SP1 and SP2. In this case, the first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 form a holding portion that holds the first surface portion 12 and the second surface portion 22 in the enlarged position.

[0045] In this state, the user inserts the first floor mat 201 and the second floor mat 202 into the spaces SP1, SP2, and then operates the first operating unit 151 and the second operating unit 251 to remove the first fixing portion 153 and the second fixing portion 253 from the first recess 111 and the second recess 211. This causes the first surface portion 12 and the second surface portion 22 to return to their initial positions, and the first protrusion 14 and the second protrusion 24 engage with the recess 216 in the edge portion 200C of the floor mats 201, 202. Therefore, the pair of floor mats 201, 202 can be easily connected via the floor mat connector 100 without having to provide additional holes or the like for attaching the connector in the floor mats themselves.

[0046] When floor mats 201, 202 are connected to each other by floor mat connector 100, the floor mats 201, 202 may be pulled in different directions, which may result in forces in the tensile, compressive, or torsional directions acting on floor mat connector 100. For this reason, it is preferable to firmly connect first mat holding member 1 and second mat holding member 2 via connecting portion 3.

[0047] In this regard, in the first embodiment, a pair of shafts 320, 420 are provided along axis CL1 at both widthwise (front-rear) ends of the floor mat connector 100, and the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 are connected via the shafts 320, 420 (FIG. 5). This allows the length from one widthwise end (rear end of shaft 320) to the other widthwise end (front end of shaft 420) of the shafts 320, 420 to be set long, allowing the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 to be stably connected via the connecting portion 3.

[0048] The above describes an example of application of the floor mat connector 100 when a pair of floor mats 201, 202 are placed on the same plane. However, the floor mat connector 100 of this embodiment can also be applied when the pair of floor mats 201, 202 are placed on different planes, that is, when the pair of floor mats 201, 202 intersect at a predetermined angle.

[0049] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a location in a vehicle interior where a pair of floor mats 201, 202 intersect at a 90-degree angle. In FIG. 9, a tunnel 450 having a generally rectangular shape is provided in the center of the vehicle in the left-right direction, bulging upward, for allowing a shaft member (e.g., a propeller shaft) extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle to pass through. The tunnel 450 is provided behind a console box 451 and in front of a rear seat 452, and a generally U-shaped first floor mat 201 (rear center mat) is arranged to cover the top surface and left and right side surfaces of the tunnel 450. Both left and right ends of the first floor mat 201 extend in the up-down direction along the left and right side surfaces of the tunnel 450. Therefore, the first floor mat 201 and the second floor mats 202 arranged on either side of it intersect at 90 degrees, and the floor mat connector 100 described above can be used for the connection between these floor mats 201, 202.

[0050] 10 is a perspective view showing an application example of the floor mat connector 100 when floor mats 201, 202 intersect at an angle of 90° (for example, as in FIG. 9). Note that the floor mats 201, 202 are not shown in FIG.

[0051] In the first embodiment, the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 are connected to each other via the connecting portion 3 so as to be rotatable about the axis CL1. This prevents stress from concentrating on the connecting portion 3 of the floor mat connector 100, allowing the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 to rotate smoothly. Therefore, regardless of the intersection angle between the pair of floor mats 201, 202, the pair of floor mats 201, 202 can be connected in a stable state via the floor mat connector 100.

[0052] The floor mat connector 100 according to the first embodiment is manufactured, for example, as follows. In the following, the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 will be referred to simply as mat retaining members, the first back surface 11 and the second back surface 21 will be referred to simply as back surfaces, the first front surface 12 and the second front surface 22 will be referred to simply as front surfaces, and the first connecting portion 13 and the second connecting portion 23 will be referred to simply as connecting portions. Also, the first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 will be referred to simply as rotating members, the first operating portion 151 and the second operating portion 251 will be referred to simply as operating portions, the first rod-shaped portion 152 and the second rod-shaped portion 252 will be referred to simply as rod portions, the first fixing portion 153 and the second fixing portion 253 will be referred to simply as fixing portions, and the first shaft portion 154 and the second shaft portion 254 will be referred to simply as shaft portions.

[0053] First, mat holding members of the same shape that will become the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 are formed by injection molding. That is, the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 are formed by injection molding in a generally C-shape, integrally having back surfaces 11 and 21, connecting portions 13 and 23, and surface surfaces 12 and 22. Furthermore, rotating members of the same shape that will become the first rotating member 15 and the second rotating member 25 are formed by injection molding. Next, the rotating members 15 and 25 are connected to the surface surfaces 12 and 22 of the mat holding members 1 and 2. That is, the rod-shaped portions 152 and 252 are inserted into the notches 121 and 222 of the surface surfaces 12 and 22, and the shaft portions 154 and 254 are fitted into the bearing portions 123 and 223, thereby rotatably connecting the rotating members 15 and 25 to the mat holding members 1 and 2.

[0054] 5, the protrusion 42 of the second mat holding member 2 is fitted into the recess 33 of the first mat holding member 1, and the protrusion 32 of the first mat holding member 1 is fitted into the recess 43 of the second mat holding member 2. Then, the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 are pressed against each other and connected via the connecting portion 3. At this time, the tip of the shaft 320 abuts against the front end surface 41b of the protrusion 41 via the chamfered portion 321 (FIG. 6A) of the shaft 320 and the chamfered portion of the protrusion 41, and the shaft 320 approaches the through-hole 410 of the protrusion 41 while the protrusion 41 bends outward in the width direction (rearward). In addition, the tip end of the shaft portion 420 abuts against the rear end surface 31b of the protrusion 31 via the chamfered portion of the shaft portion 420 and the chamfered portion 311 of the protrusion 31 (Figure 6A), and the shaft portion 420 approaches the through hole 310 of the protrusion 31 while the protrusion 31 bends axially outward (toward the front).

[0055] When the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 are pressed together to the maximum, the shaft 320 is inserted into the through-hole 410, and the shaft 420 is inserted into the through-hole 310. As a result, the protrusions 31 and 41 are displaced inward in the width direction due to elastic deformation, and the deflection of the protrusions 31 and 41 is removed. This completes the manufacture of the floor mat connector 100. With this floor mat connector 100, the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 can rotate smoothly via the pair of shafts 320 and 420 on the axis CL1.

[0056] According to the first embodiment, the following advantageous effects can be achieved. (1) The floor mat connector 100 is configured to connect a first floor mat 201 and a second floor mat 202 that are arranged adjacent to each other via a mat boundary line LN1 (FIG. 1). The floor mat connector 100 includes a flexible first mat holding member 1 (first mat holding portion) that extends from the rear surface of the first floor mat 201 in the left-right direction (lengthwise) perpendicular to the mat boundary line LN1 and is configured to clamp an edge portion 200C of the first floor mat 201, a flexible second mat holding member 2 (second mat holding portion) that extends from the rear surface of the second floor mat 202 in the left-right direction (lengthwise) and is configured to clamp an edge portion 200C of the second floor mat 202, and a connecting portion 3 that connects the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 (FIG. 3). The first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 each have back surfaces 11, 21 facing the back surfaces of the first floor mat 201 and the second floor mat 202, respectively, front surfaces 12, 22 facing the front surfaces of the first floor mat 201 and the second floor mat 202, respectively, and connecting portions 13, 23 connecting the mat boundary line side ends of the back surfaces 11, 21 to the mat boundary line side ends of the front surfaces 12, 22 (FIG. 3). The floor mat connector 100 further includes rotating members 15, 25 as retaining portions that hold the first protrusions 14 and the second protrusions 24 at the ends of the front surfaces 12, 22 opposite the mat boundary line LN1 at an expanded position where the distance from the back surfaces 11, 21 to the protrusions 14, 24 of the front surfaces 12, 22 is expanded from its initial position against the biasing force acting on the front surfaces 12, 22 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0057] This configuration allows the front surfaces 12, 22 of the mat holding members 1, 2 to be held in an expanded position where the distance between the back surfaces 11, 21 and the front surfaces 12, 22 is increased. Therefore, when inserting the floor mats 201, 202 into the spaces SP1, SP2 inside the mat holding members 1, 2, the user does not need to lift the ends of the front surfaces 12, 22 to maintain the expanded distance between the back surfaces 11, 21 and the front surfaces 12, 22. This allows the floor mat connector 100 to be easily attached to the ends of the floor mats 201, 202.

[0058] (2) The front surface portions 12, 22 have protrusions 14, 24 at the ends opposite the mat boundary line LN1 that protrude toward the back surface portions 11, 21 (FIG. 4). This allows the protrusions 14, 24 to engage with the recesses 216 on the surfaces of the floor mats 201, 202, thereby firmly attaching the floor mat connector 100 to the floor mats 201, 202.

[0059] (3) The rotating members 15, 25 are supported on the front surface portions 12, 22 to be rotatable about axes CL31, CL32 parallel to the mat boundary line LN1 (FIG. 4). The rotating members 15, 25 have operating units 151, 251 that are operated in a first direction (direction B in FIG. 4) toward the back surface portions 11, 21 and in a second direction (direction A in FIG. 4) away from the back surface portions 11, 21. The operating units 151, 251 are provided on the opposite side of the operating units 151, 251 across the axes CL31, CL32. When the operating units 151, 251 are operated in the first direction, they move away from the back surface portions 11, 21. When the operating units 151, 251 are operated in the second direction, they abut against the back surface portions 11, 21 to hold the front surface portions 12, 22 in the expanded position (FIGS. 4, 5, and 8). This allows the front surface portions 12, 22 to be easily held in the expanded position.

[0060] (4) The rear surface portion 11, 21 has a recess 111, 211 (FIGS. 4 and 8) with which the fixing portion 153, 253 engages when the operating portion 151, 251 is operated in the second direction (direction A in FIG. 4). This allows the front surface portion 12, 22 to be stably held in the expanded position.

[0061] (5) The first mat holding member 1 has protrusions 31, 32 that protrude beyond the mat boundary line LN1 on one side (right) in the longitudinal direction, and the second mat holding member 2 has protrusions 41, 42 that protrude beyond the mat boundary line LN1 on the other side (left) in the longitudinal direction (FIG. 5). The connecting portion 3 has shafts 320, 420 that protrude from the protrusions 32, 42 along an axis CL1 that extends in the front-to-rear direction, and through holes 310, 410 (bearing portions) that are provided in the protrusions 31, 41 and support the shafts 320, 420 rotatably about the axis CL1 (FIG. 5). This connects the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 rotatably about the axis CL1. Therefore, the floor mat connector 100 can be smoothly bent via the connecting portion 3, and when the surfaces of a pair of floor mats 201, 202 are arranged so that they intersect at a predetermined angle, the floor mat connector 100 can be easily installed between the pair of floor mats 201, 202.

[0062] -Second embodiment- A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 11A to 13B. Differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described below. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the holding parts that hold the surface parts 12, 22 in the expanded position. That is, in the first embodiment, the holding parts are configured as rotating members 15, 25 that are rotatably provided on the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2, respectively, but in the second embodiment, the first mat holding member 1 itself and the second mat holding member 2 themselves are each provided with a holding part.

[0063] 11A and 11B are perspective views showing the overall configuration of a floor mat coupler 100 according to a second embodiment, and FIGS. 12A and 12B are side views (views taken along arrows XIIA and XIIB in FIG. 11A) as seen from the front, respectively. The same reference numerals are used to designate the same parts as in FIGS. 1 to 10. FIGS. 11A and 12A show the state in which the surface portions 12 and 22 are positioned in the initial position, and FIGS. 12A and 12B show the state in which the surface portions 12 and 22 are positioned in the expanded position.

[0064] 11A and 12A, the floor mat connector 100 has a first mat retaining member 1 and a second mat retaining member 2 that are identical in configuration. The first mat retaining member 1 has a first back surface 11, a first front surface 12, and a first connecting portion 13. The second mat retaining member 2 has a second back surface 21, a second front surface 22, and a second connecting portion 23. Unlike the first embodiment, the top surfaces of the first back surface 11 and the second back surface 21 do not have recesses 111, 211 (FIG. 4).

[0065] As shown in FIG. 11A , a pair of front and rear protrusions 31, 32 protrude rightward from the first connection portion 13, with a recess 33 between the pair of protrusions 31, 32 and a notch 34 on the rear side of the protrusion 32. A pair of front and rear protrusions 41, 42 protrude leftward from the second connection portion 23, with a recess 43 between the pair of protrusions 41, 42 and a notch 44 on the front side of the protrusion 42. Approximately cylindrical shafts 320, 420 protrude from the rear end surface and the front end surface of the protrusion 32 along an axis CL1 extending in the front-to-rear direction. The shafts 320, 420 fit into bearings, which are circular through-holes 310, 410, provided in the protrusions 31, 41, respectively, thereby connecting the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 to be rotatable about the axis CL1.

[0066] The first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 are formed by injection molding using flexible resin as their constituent material. Figures 13A and 13B are perspective views of the first mat holding member 1 alone. The first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 are identical members. Therefore, although not shown, the perspective views of the second mat holding member 2 alone are also the same as Figures 13A and 13B. In Figures 13A and 13B, the first surface portion 12 is located in the initial position.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the first connecting portion 13 has slits SL1, SL2, and SL3 at the boundary between the protrusion 31 and the recess 33, the boundary between the protrusion 32 and the recess 33, and the boundary between the protrusion 32 and the notch 34, respectively. The slits SL1, SL2, and SL3 extend vertically through the first connecting portion 13 from the lower end to the upper end (see FIG. 11B), and the first connecting portion 13 is divided into four regions in the front-to-rear direction by the slits SL1, SL2, and SL3. Of these four regions, the frontmost region and the third region from the front are integrally provided with the protrusions 31 and 32. Of the four regions, the second region from the front and the rearmost region are referred to as support portions 131 and 132, respectively.

[0068] The support portion 131 faces the recessed portion 33, and the support portion 132 faces the notch portion 34. The support portions 131 and 132 are formed of plate-like members whose upper and lower ends are bent in a generally arcuate shape toward the left. The lower ends of the support portions 131 and 132 are connected to the right end of the first back surface portion 11. The upper ends of the support portions 131 and 132 are connected to the right end of the first front surface portion 12. The first front surface portion 12 extends diagonally leftward and downward, and a first protrusion 14 protrudes downward from the left end of the lower surface of the first front surface portion 12. A first operating portion 161 is provided at the left end of the first front surface portion 12. The support portions 131 and 132 are elastically deformable by operating the first operating portion 161 (in the directions of arrows A and B in FIG. 12A ), thereby displacing the first protrusion 14 in the vertical direction.

[0069] Protrusions 313 and 323 protruding leftward are provided at the upper and left ends of protrusions 31 and 32, respectively. Claws 125 and 126 protrude rightward from the right end of first surface 12, between support portion 131 and support portion 132 and behind support portion 131. The right ends of claws 125 and 126 are located to the right of the left ends of protrusions 313 and 323, and when first surface 12 is in the initial position, claws 125 and 126 are located below protrusions 313 and 323.

[0070] 12A against the biasing force acting on first surface portion 12, more specifically, by pulling first operation portion 161 leftward and then upward, elastic deformation of support portions 131 and 132 causes claw portions 125 and 126 to move above protrusions 313 and 323. When the user stops operating first operation portion 161 in this state, as shown in FIGS. 11B and 12B, the restoring force of support portions 131 and 132 causes the lower surfaces of claw portions 125 and 126 to abut against the upper surfaces of protrusions 313 and 323, and claw portions 125 and 126 engage with protrusions 313 and 323. This allows first surface portion 12 to be held in an expanded position where space SP1 between first back surface portion 11 and first surface portion 12 is expanded.

[0071] Although not shown, the second surface portion 22 can also be held in the expanded position. That is, by operating the second operating portion 261 at the right end of the second surface portion 22 in Fig. 11B in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 12A, the pair of front and rear claw portions 225, 226 move above the protrusions 413, 423, and the claw portions 225, 226 engage with the protrusions 413, 423. This allows the second surface portion 22 to be held in the expanded position in which the space SP2 between the second back surface portion 21 and the second surface portion 22 is expanded.

[0072] In the second embodiment, after inserting the ends of the floor mats 201, 202 into the spaces SP1, SP2 with the surface portions 12, 22 in the expanded position, the user operates the operating portions 161, 261 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 12A to move the claws 125, 126, 225, 226 below the protrusions 313, 323, 413, 423. This causes the surface portions 12, 22 to return to their initial positions due to their restoring force. At this time, the protrusions 14, 24 engage with the recesses 216 in the edge overhangs 215 of the floor mats 201, 202, allowing the floor mats 201, 202 to be securely connected via the floor mat connector 100.

[0073] In the second embodiment, the claws 125, 126, 225, 226 that engage with the protrusions 313, 323, 413, 423 and the support parts 131, 132 that support the surface parts 12, 22 so that they can move from the initial position to the expanded position mainly constitute the holding part.

[0074] According to the second embodiment, in addition to the effects and advantages common to the first embodiment, the following effects can be achieved: The front surface portions 12, 22 are provided at the end opposite the mat boundary line LN1 and have operation portions 161, 261 that are operated in a first direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 12A) toward the back surface portions 11, 21 and in a second direction (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 12A) away from the back surface portions 11, 21 (FIG. 12A). The holding portion includes protrusions 313, 323, 413, 423 (engaged portions) provided on the connecting portions 13, 23, claw portions 125, 126, 225, 226 (engaging portions) provided at the ends of the surface portions 12, 22 on the mat boundary line LN1 side so as to be able to engage with the protrusions 313, 323, 413, 423, and support portions 131, 132 that support the surface portions 12, 22 so that when the operating portions 161, 261 are operated in a first direction, the claw portions 125, 126, 225, 226 disengage from the protrusions 313, 323, 413, 423, and when operated in a second direction, the claw portions 125, 126, 225, 226 engage with the protrusions 313, 323, 413, 423 to hold the surface portions 12, 22 in the expanded position (Figures 11A and 11B).

[0075] This configuration allows the front surface portions 12, 22 of the mat holding members 1, 2 to be held in an expanded position where the distance between the back surface portions 11, 21 and the front surface portions 12, 22 is expanded. As a result, the floor mats 201, 202 can be easily inserted into the spaces SP1, SP2 inside the mat holding members 1, 2, and the floor mat connector 100 can be easily attached to the floor mats 201, 202. Furthermore, because the mat holding members 1, 2 themselves are provided with holding portions that hold the front surface portions 12, 22 in the expanded position, an increase in the number of parts is suppressed, and the configuration is simple.

[0076] In the second embodiment, the protrusions 313, 323, 413, 423 serving as engaged portions are provided at the upper ends of the protrusions 31, 32, 41, 42 integral with the connecting portions 13, 23, but the engaged portions may be provided at other locations with high rigidity. In the second embodiment, the claws 125, 126, 225, 226 serving as engaging portions are provided at the ends of the surface portions 12, 22 on the mat boundary line LN1 side, but the engaging portions may be provided at other locations. In the above embodiment, the operating portions 161, 261 are provided with engaging portions connected in the left-right direction (lengthwise direction) perpendicular to the mat boundary line LN1 so as to be engageable with the engaged portions, but the engaging portions may be provided connected in a direction substantially parallel to the mat boundary line LN1.

[0077] The above embodiment can be modified in various ways. Some modified examples will be described below. In the above embodiment, the first mat retaining portion and the second mat retaining portion are configured as separate members (first mat retaining portion 1, second mat retaining portion 2), but the first mat retaining portion and the second mat retaining portion may be configured as the same member. In this case, the connecting portion between the first mat retaining portion and the second mat retaining portion may be configured to be thin and bendable, for example, so that the first mat retaining portion and the second mat retaining portion can be bent via the connecting portion.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the holding parts are the rotating members 15, 25 that are separate from the surface parts 12, 22, or the claw parts 125, 126, 225, 226 and the support parts 131, 132 that are integral with the surface parts 12, 22, but the configuration of the holding parts is not limited to the above. In other words, the holding parts may have any configuration as long as they can hold the longitudinal end of the surface part (the end opposite the mat boundary line) at an expanded position where the distance from the back part to the end of the surface part is expanded from the initial position against the biasing force acting on the surface part.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the first mat holding member 1 is provided with a pair of protrusions (first protrusions) 31, 32 spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction and protruding to the right (one side in the longitudinal direction), and the second mat holding member 2 is provided with a pair of protrusions (second protrusions) 41, 42 spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction and extending to the left (the other side in the longitudinal direction). However, the number of first protrusions and second protrusions is not limited to the above. That is, the number of first protrusions and second protrusions may be one or three or more. In the above embodiment, the shafts 320, 420 are provided on the rear end surface 32b of the protrusion 32 and the front end surface 42b of the protrusion 42, respectively, along the axis CL1. However, shafts may also be provided on other surfaces (e.g., the surfaces where the protrusions 31, 32 face each other, or the surfaces where the protrusions 41, 42 face each other, etc.). In the above embodiment, the shaft portions 320, 420 are rotatably supported by the through holes 310, 410 provided in the protrusions 31, 41, but the configuration of the bearing portion is not limited to this.

[0080] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modifications as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. One or more of the above-described embodiment and modifications can be arbitrarily combined, and modifications can also be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1 First mat holding member, 2 Second mat holding member, 3 Connecting portion, 11, 21 Back portion, 12, 22 Surface portion, 13, 23 Connection portion, 14, 24 Convex portion, 15, 25 Rotating member, 31, 32, 41, 42 Protruding portion, 111, 211 Recessed portion, 151, 251 Operating portion, 153, 253 Fixing portion, 154, 254 Shaft portion, 161, 261 Operating portion, 125, 126, 225, 226 Claw portion, 131, 132 Support portion, 100 Floor mat connecting device, 200C Edge portion, 201 First floor mat, 202 Second floor mat, 310, 410 Through hole, 320, 420 Shaft portion, LN1 Mat boundary line

Claims

1. A floor mat connector that connects a first floor mat and a second floor mat that are arranged adjacent to each other via a mat boundary line, A flexible first mat holding portion extending from the back surface to the front surface of the first floor mat in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the mat boundary line and configured to clamp the edge of the first floor mat; a flexible second mat holding portion extending in the longitudinal direction from the rear surface to the front surface of the second floor mat and configured to clamp an edge portion of the second floor mat; a connecting portion that connects the first mat holding portion and the second mat holding portion, The first mat holding portion and the second mat holding portion each have a back surface portion facing the back surface of the first floor mat and the back surface of the second floor mat, respectively, a front surface portion facing the front surface of the first floor mat and the front surface of the second floor mat, respectively, and a connecting portion connecting one end of the back surface portion in the length direction to one end of the front surface portion in the length direction, A floor mat connector further comprising a retaining portion that holds the other longitudinal end of the surface portion in an expanded position in which the distance from the back portion to the other longitudinal end of the surface portion is expanded from the initial position against the biasing force acting on the surface portion.

2. 2. The floor mat connector according to claim 1, The floor mat connector is characterized in that the surface portion has a protrusion at the other end in the length direction that protrudes toward the back surface portion.

3. The floor mat connector according to claim 1 or 2, the holding portion has a rotating member supported on the surface portion so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the mat boundary line, The rotating member is an operating unit that is operated in a first direction toward the rear surface portion and in a second direction away from the rear surface portion; A floor mat connector characterized by having a fixing portion that is provided on the opposite side of the operating portion across the axis, and that moves away from the back surface portion when the operating portion is operated in the first direction, and abuts against the back surface portion to hold the front surface portion in the expanded position when the operating portion is operated in the second direction.

4. The floor mat connector according to claim 3, The floor mat connector is characterized in that the back surface portion has a recess with which the fixing portion engages when the operating portion is operated in the second direction.

5. The floor mat connector according to claim 1 or 2, the front surface portion has an operation portion provided at the other end in the longitudinal direction and operable in a first direction approaching the back surface portion and a second direction moving away from the back surface portion, The holding portion is an engaged portion provided on the connecting portion; an engaging portion provided on one end side of the surface portion in the length direction and capable of engaging with the engaged portion; A floor mat connector characterized by having a support portion that supports the surface portion so that when the operating portion is operated in the first direction, the engaging portion disengages from the engaged portion, and when the operating portion is operated in the second direction, the engaging portion engages with the engaged portion to hold the surface portion in the expanded position.

6. The floor mat connector according to claim 1 or 2, the first mat holding portion and the second mat holding portion are a first mat holding member and a second mat holding member that are separable from each other, the first mat holding member has a first protruding portion protruding beyond the mat boundary line on one side in the length direction, the second mat holding member has a second protruding portion protruding beyond the mat boundary line to the other side in the length direction, A floor mat connector characterized in that the connecting portion has an axis portion protruding from either the first protrusion portion or the second protrusion portion along an axis line approximately parallel to the mat boundary line, and a bearing portion provided on the other of the first protrusion portion or the second protrusion portion, which supports the axis portion rotatably around the axis line.

Images