Floor mat connector

Abstract

To connect a pair of floor mats to each other in an appropriate mode in a case where the pair of floor mats cross each other at a predetermined angle.SOLUTION: A floor mat connector comprises: a first mat holding part configured to extend from a rear surface to a front surface of a first floor mat to hold an edge part of the first floor mat; and a second mat holding part configured to extend from a rear surface to a front surface of a second floor mat to hold an edge part of the second floor mat. The first mat holding member has a first protruded part protruded to one side in a second direction beyond a mat boundary line, and the second mat holding member has a second protruded part protruded to the other side in the second direction beyond the mat boundary line. A shaft part is protruded, along a shaft line extending in a first direction, to either of the first protruded part and the second protruded part, and a bearing part that supports the shaft part rotatably with the shaft line as a center is provided at the other of the first protruded part and the second protruded part.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] Conventionally, there has been known a connector that connects adjacent floor mats without providing a separate portion for connecting the floor mats on the floor mats themselves (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (Fig. 7)). The connector described in Patent Document 1 includes a first holding portion and a second holding portion that respectively hold the pair of floor mats, and a flexible connecting portion that connects the first holding portion and the second holding portion, and the connector is formed so that the top surfaces of the first holding portion, the second holding portion, and the connecting portion are flush with each other. [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] When a pair of adjacent floor mats are arranged so that their upper surfaces intersect at a predetermined angle (e.g., 90°), the connector needs to be configured so that it can be smoothly bent up to the predetermined angle. However, if the connector is configured so that the upper surfaces of the first holding portion, second holding portion, and connecting portion are flush with each other, as in the connector described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to smoothly bend the connector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a floor mat connector configured to connect a first floor mat and a second floor mat arranged adjacent to each other via a mat boundary line, the floor mat connector having a predetermined width extending in a first direction parallel to the mat boundary line and a predetermined length extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction beyond the mat boundary line, the floor mat connector comprising: a first flexible mat retaining member extending from the back surface of the first floor mat to the front surface and configured to clamp an edge of the first floor mat; and a second flexible mat retaining member extending from the back surface of the second floor mat to the front surface and configured to clamp an edge of the second floor mat. The first mat retaining member has a first protruding portion protruding beyond the mat boundary line to one side in the second direction, and the second mat retaining member has a second protruding portion protruding beyond the mat boundary line to the other side in the second direction. An axle portion is protruded from either the first protrusion or the second protrusion along an axis extending in a first direction, and a bearing portion is provided on the other of the first protrusion or the second protrusion to rotatably support the axle portion around the axis. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, the floor mat connecting portion can be smoothly bent. [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 an 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 an 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 an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [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 7A] 1 is a side view showing a pair of left and right floor mats connected together by a floor mat connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7B] Enlarged view of part B in Figure 7A. [Figure 8A] 1 is a side view showing an example of application of a floor mat connector according to an embodiment of the present invention when a pair of floor mats intersect at an angle of 45°. FIG. [Figure 8B] 1 is a side view showing an example of application of a floor mat connector according to an embodiment of the present invention when a pair of floor mats intersect at an angle of 90°. FIG. [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. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. Figure 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of application of a floor mat connector 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention to floor mats 201 and 202. For convenience, only the outline of 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. The surface portion 200B is made of pile fabric in which pile fibers 211 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 surfaces of the floor mats 201, 202 refer to the bottom surfaces of the back surface portion 200A through the edge portion 200C, and the surface surfaces refer to the top surfaces of the surface portion 200B through the edge portion 200C.

[0011] 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, the edge portions 200C of the floor mats 201, 202 are formed with an overlocking thread in a continuous loop, forming an overlocking portion 215 around the entire periphery 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 211 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.

[0012] 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.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the floor mat connector 100 according to this embodiment, FIG. 4 is a side view (view along arrow IV in FIG. 3), and FIG. 5 is a plan view. Hereinafter, for convenience, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined as shown. The front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction correspond to the width direction, length direction, and height direction 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.

[0014] 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.

[0015] 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.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 4, the first mat retaining member 1 is generally C-shaped and has a substantially constant thickness 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. Meanwhile, the first front surface portion 12 extends at a downward slope from the right end to the left end. A first protrusion 14 having a generally triangular tip protruding downward is provided at the left end of the first front surface portion 12. A tapered surface 14a is formed on the left surface of the first protrusion 14, which slopes downward to the right. 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 substantially equal to the height of the edge overhang portion 215 (FIG. 2) of the first floor mat 201. The length in the left-right direction from the lower end of the first protrusion 14 to the left end of the first connection portion 13 is approximately equal to the length in the left-right direction of the edge stitching portion 215 of the first floor mat 201.

[0017] The first mat retaining member 1 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 can 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.

[0018] 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.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4, the second mat retaining member 2 is generally C-shaped and has a substantially constant thickness from the right end of the second back surface portion 21 to the second connecting portion 23 and the right end of the second front surface portion 22. The second back surface portion 21 extends horizontally. Meanwhile, the second front surface portion 22 extends at a downward slope from the left end to the right end. A second protrusion 24 having a generally triangular tip protruding downward is provided at the right end of the second front surface portion 22. A tapered surface 24a is formed on the right surface of the second protrusion 24, sloping downward to the left. 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 substantially equal to the height of the edge overhang portion 215 (FIG. 2) of the second floor mat 202. The length in the left-right direction from the lower end of the second protrusion 24 to the right end of the second connection portion 23 is approximately equal to the length in the left-right direction of the edge overhang portion 215 of the second floor mat 202.

[0020] The second mat retaining member 2 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 6B , 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 (shaft portion 420, described later) into the through-hole 310. A substantially cylindrical shaft portion 320 is provided at the rear end surface 32b of the protrusion 32 and is centered on the axis CL1 to protrude rearward. The diameter of the shaft portion 320 is equal to or approximately 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 (through-hole 410, described later).

[0027] 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.

[0028] The floor mat connector 100 is manufactured, for example, as follows. First, mat retaining members of the same shape that will become the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 are formed by injection molding. Next, as shown in FIG. 5 , the protruding portion 42 of the second mat retaining member 2 is fitted into the recessed portion 33 of the first mat retaining member 1, and the protruding portion 32 of the first mat retaining member 1 is fitted into the recessed portion 43 of the second mat retaining member 2. Then, while the first mat retaining member 1 and the second mat retaining member 2 are pressed against each other, they are connected via the connecting portion 3.

[0029] At this time, the tip end of shaft portion 320 abuts against front end surface 41b of protrusion 41 via chamfered portion 321 (FIG. 6B) of shaft portion 320 and the chamfered portion of protrusion 41, and while protrusion 41 is deflected outward in the width direction (rearward), shaft portion 320 approaches through-hole 410 of protrusion 41. Also, the tip end of shaft portion 420 abuts against rear end surface 31b of protrusion 31 via the chamfered portion of shaft portion 420 and the chamfered portion 311 (FIG. 6B) of protrusion 31, and while protrusion 31 is deflected outward in the axial direction (frontward), shaft portion 420 approaches through-hole 310 of protrusion 31.

[0030] 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.

[0031] Fig. 7A is a side view showing a pair of left and right floor mats 201, 202 connected by the floor mat connector 100. As shown in Fig. 7A, the edge portion 200C of the first floor mat 201 is inserted into the space SP1 inside the first mat holding member 1. For example, as shown in Fig. 7B, which is an enlarged view of part B in Fig. 7A, the user lifts the left end of the first front surface 12 upward with their fingers, and in that state, slides the upper surface of the first back surface 11 along the bottom surface of the first floor mat 201 to insert the edge portion 200C into the space SP1.

[0032] When the user releases the pressure of his / her fingers after inserting the edge portion 200C, the first mat holding member 1 returns to its original state due to its elastic force, and the first protrusion 14 engages with the recess 216 of the overlock portion 215. This causes the edge of the first floor mat 201 to be held by the first mat holding member 1. Similarly, the edge portion 200C of the second floor mat 202 is inserted into the space SP2 inside the second mat holding member 2 with the user lifting the right end of the second surface portion 22 upward. Thereafter, when the user releases the pressure of his / her fingers, the second protrusion 24 engages with the recess 216 of the overlock portion 215, and the edge of the second floor mat 202 is held by the second mat holding member 2.

[0033] This allows a pair of floor mats 201, 202 to be easily connected via the floor mat connector 100, without the need to provide additional holes or the like in the floor mats themselves for connector attachment. The floor mat connector 100 is attached by lifting the first protrusion 14 and the second protrusion 24 upward and engaging the first protrusion 14 and the second protrusion 24 with the recesses 216 in the edge portions 200C of the floor mats 201, 202. This allows the floor mats to be connected more firmly than when connecting floor mats using adhesive such as Velcro (registered trademark).

[0034] When inserting the edge portions 200C of the floor mats 201, 202 into the spaces SP1, PS2 inside the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2, the edge portions 200C may be pushed into the spaces SP1, PS2 without lifting the tips of the first surface portion 12 and the second surface portion 22 upward with fingers. When the edge portions 200C are pushed in, the first protrusions 14 and the second protrusions 24 elastically deform upward while the tapered surfaces 14a, 24a abut against the upper surfaces of the overhanging portions 215. Then, once the first protrusions 14 and the second protrusions 24 climb over the overhanging portions 215, they engage with the recesses 216. This facilitates attachment of the floor mat connector 100 to the floor mats 201, 202.

[0035] 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.

[0036] In this regard, in this 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.

[0037] 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. Figures 8A and 8B are side views showing such an example.

[0038] 8A shows an example in which the first floor mat 201 and the second floor mat 202 intersect at a 45° angle, and FIG. 8B shows an example in which they intersect at a 90° angle. The first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 are connected to each other via the floor mat connector 100 so that they can rotate about the axis CL1. This prevents stress from concentrating on the connecting portion 3 of the floor mat connector 100, allowing the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 to rotate smoothly. Therefore, regardless of the intersecting angle between the pair of floor mats 201 and 202, the pair of floor mats 201 and 202 can be connected in a stable state via the floor mat connector 100.

[0039] 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 250 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 vehicle's front-rear direction to pass through. The tunnel 250 is provided behind a console box 251 and in front of a rear seat 252, 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 250. 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 250. Therefore, the first floor mat 201 and 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 to connect these floor mats 201, 202.

[0040] According to this embodiment, the following 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 has a predetermined width extending in the front-rear direction parallel to the mat boundary line LN1 and a predetermined length extending in the left-right direction beyond the mat boundary line LN1 (FIG. 3). The floor mat connector 100 further includes a flexible first mat holding member 1 that extends from the back surface (lower surface) to the front surface (upper surface) of the first floor mat 201 and is configured to clamp an edge portion 200C of the first floor mat 201, and a flexible second mat holding member 2 that extends from the back surface (lower surface) to the front surface (upper surface) of the second floor mat 202 and is configured to clamp an edge portion 200C of the second floor mat 202 (FIG. 3). The first mat holding member 1 has protrusions 31, 32 that protrude to the right beyond the mat boundary line LN1, and the second mat holding member 2 has protrusions 41, 42 that protrude to the left beyond the mat boundary line LN1 (FIG. 5). Shafts 320, 420 protrude from the protrusions 32, 42 along an axis CL1 that extends in the front-to-rear direction, and through holes 310, 410 are provided in the protrusions 31, 41 to support the shafts 320, 420 rotatably about the axis CL1.

[0041] With this configuration, the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 are connected to each other so that they can rotate about the axis CL1. This allows the floor mat connector 100 to be smoothly bent via the connector 3, and when the surfaces of the 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.

[0042] (2) The first mat holding member 1 includes a pair of protrusions 31, 32 that are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and protrude rightward beyond the mat boundary line LN1 (FIGS. 3 and 5). The second mat holding member 2 includes a pair of protrusions 41, 42 that are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and protrude leftward beyond the mat boundary line LN1 (FIGS. 3 and 5). The pair of protrusions 31, 32 and the pair of protrusions 41, 42 are arranged alternately in the front-rear direction (FIG. 5). The protrusions 32 and 42 have shafts 320, 420 that protrude along the axis CL1, respectively, and the protrusions 31 and 41 have through-holes that rotatably support the shafts 320, 420 around the axis CL1 (FIGS. 5, 6A, and 6B). This allows the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 to be firmly connected via the pair of shafts 320, 420. Furthermore, since the protrusions 31, 32 and the protrusions 41, 42 are arranged alternately in the front-to-rear direction, the gap in the left-to-right direction between the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 can be narrowed, and the pair of left and right floor mats 201, 202 can be held in close proximity to each other.

[0043] (3) The pair of protrusions 31, 32 each have a pair of opposing surfaces, i.e., rear end surface 31b and front end surface 32a, facing each other, and a pair of non-opposing surfaces, i.e., front end surface 31a and rear end surface 32b, on the opposite sides of the opposing surfaces (FIG. 5). The pair of protrusions 41, 42 each have a pair of opposing surfaces, i.e., front end surface 41b and rear end surface 42a, facing each other, and a pair of non-opposing surfaces, i.e., rear end surface 41a and front end surface 42b, on the opposite sides of the opposing surfaces (FIG. 5). Shafts 320, 420 are respectively provided along axis CL1 on the rear end surface 32b, which is the non-opposing surface of protrusion 32, and the front end surface 42b, which is the non-opposing surface of protrusion 42 (FIGS. 5 and 6B). This allows the length from the front end surface of front shaft 420 to the rear end surface of rear shaft 320 to be set long. Therefore, even if the floor mats 201, 202 are pulled in different directions, or if the floor mat connector 100 is subjected to an impact from above, such as when the floor mat connector 100 is stepped on by an occupant or an object falls on the floor mat connector 100, a stable connection state between the first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 can be maintained.

[0044] (4) The first mat retaining member 1 has a first back surface portion 11 that faces the back surface of the first floor mat 201 and extends in the left-right direction, a first surface portion 12 that faces the front surface of the first floor mat 201 and extends in the left-right direction and is shorter in length in the left-right direction than the first back surface portion 11, and a first connecting portion 13 that connects the right end of the first back surface portion 11 to the right end of the first surface portion 12 (FIG. 3). The second mat retaining member 2 has a second back surface portion 21 that faces the back surface of the second floor mat 202 and extends in the left-right direction, a second surface portion 22 that faces the front surface of the second floor mat 202 and extends in the left-right direction and is shorter in length in the left-right direction than the second back surface portion 21, and a second connecting portion 23 that connects the left end of the second back surface portion 21 to the left end of the second surface portion 22 (FIG. 3). Protrusions 31 and 32 protrude rightward from first connection portion 13, and protrusions 41 and 42 protrude leftward from second connection portion 23 (FIG. 3). This allows first mat holding member 1 and second mat holding member 2 to cover edge portion 200C of floor mats 201 and 202. Therefore, floor mats 201 and 202 can be well held by floor mat connector 100 without providing through-holes or the like in the floor mats themselves for connector attachment.

[0045] (5) A first protrusion 14 is provided at the left end of the first front surface 12 to protrude toward the first back surface 11, and a second protrusion 24 is provided at the right end of the second front surface 22 to protrude toward the second back surface 21. As a result, the first protrusion 14 and the second protrusion 24 are engaged with the recesses 216 of the floor mats 201, 202, and the floor mat connector 100 can be securely attached to the floor mats 201, 202 without falling off.

[0046] (6) The first mat holding member 1 and the second mat holding member 2 are the same member (FIGS. 3 to 5). This allows the two members to be molded using a single mold, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the floor mat connector 100.

[0047] This embodiment can be modified in various ways. Some modified examples are described below. The first mat retaining member 1 is provided with a pair of protrusions (first protrusions) 31, 32 that are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction (first direction) and protrude to the right (one side in the second direction), and the second mat retaining member 2 is provided with a pair of protrusions (second protrusions) 41, 42 that are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction and extend to the left (the other side in the second 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.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the shafts 320, 420 are provided on the rear end surface 32b (first non-opposing surface) of the protrusion 32 and the front end surface 42b (second non-opposing surface) of the protrusion 42, respectively, along the axis CL1. However, the shafts may also be provided on other surfaces (e.g., the first opposing surface where the protrusions 31, 32 face each other, or the second opposing surface where the protrusions 41, 42 face each other). In the above embodiment, the shafts 320, 420 are rotatably supported by the through holes 310, 410 provided in the protrusions 31, 41, but the configuration of the bearings is not limited thereto. In the above embodiment, the protrusions 31, 32, 41, 42 are provided on the first connecting portion 13 and the second connecting portion 23, respectively, in the left-right direction. However, the first protrusions and the second protrusions may also be provided on other positions, such as the first back surface 11, the second back surface 21, the first front surface 12, and the second front surface 22.

[0049] 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]

[0050] 1 First mat holding member, 2 Second mat holding member, 3 Connecting portion, 11 First back surface portion, 12 First surface portion, 13 First connecting portion, 14 First protrusion portion, 21 Second back surface portion, 22 Second surface portion, 23 Second connecting portion, 24 Second protrusion portion, 31, 32 Protrusion portion, 41, 42 Protrusion portion, 100 Floor mat connecting device, 200A Back surface portion, 200B Surface portion, 200C Edge portion, 201 First floor mat, 202 Second floor mat, 310, 410 Through hole, 320, 420 Axis portion, LN1 Mat boundary line, CL1 Axis line

Claims

1. A floor mat connector configured to connect a first floor mat and a second floor mat arranged adjacent to each other via a mat boundary line, the floor mat connector having a predetermined width extending in a first direction parallel to the mat boundary line and a predetermined length extending beyond the mat boundary line in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a first mat holding member having flexibility, the first mat holding member extending from the rear surface to the front surface of the first floor mat and configured to hold an edge portion of the first floor mat; a flexible second mat holding member extending from the back surface to the front surface of the second floor mat and configured to hold an edge of the second floor mat; the first mat holding member has a first protruding portion protruding beyond the mat boundary line to one side in the second direction, the second mat holding member has a second protruding portion protruding beyond the mat boundary line to the other side in the second direction, A floor mat connector characterized in that an axis portion protrudes from either the first protrusion portion or the second protrusion portion along an axis extending in the first direction, and a bearing portion is provided on the other of the first protrusion portion or the second protrusion portion to rotatably support the axis portion around the axis.

2. 2. The floor mat connector according to claim 1, The first protrusions include a pair of first protrusions spaced apart from each other in the first direction and protruding beyond the mat boundary line to one side in the second direction, The second protrusions include a pair of second protrusions spaced apart from each other in the first direction and protruding beyond the mat boundary line to the other side in the second direction, the pair of first protrusions and the pair of second protrusions are arranged alternately in the first direction, A floor mat connector characterized in that the shaft portion protrudes along the axis from one of the pair of first protrusions and one of the pair of second protrusions, respectively, and the bearing portion that supports the shaft portion rotatably around the axis is provided on the other of the pair of first protrusions and the other of the pair of second protrusions, respectively.

3. The floor mat connector according to claim 2, The pair of first protrusions each have a pair of first opposing surfaces that face each other and a pair of first non-opposing surfaces opposite the first opposing surfaces, The pair of second protrusions each have a pair of second opposing surfaces that face each other, and a pair of second non-opposing surfaces that are opposite the second opposing surfaces, A floor mat connector characterized in that the shaft portion protrudes along the axis from the first non-opposing surface of one of the pair of first protrusions and the second non-opposing surface of one of the pair of second protrusions.

4. The floor mat connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The first mat retaining member has a first back surface portion facing the back surface of the first floor mat and extending in the second direction, a first front surface portion facing the front surface of the first floor mat and extending in the second direction and having a length in the second direction shorter than that of the first back surface portion, and a first connecting portion connecting one end of the first back surface portion in the second direction to one end of the first front surface portion in the second direction, The second mat retaining member has a second back surface portion facing the back surface of the second floor mat and extending in the second direction, a second front surface portion facing the front surface of the second floor mat and extending in the second direction and having a length in the second direction shorter than that of the second back surface portion, and a second connecting portion connecting one end of the second direction of the second back surface portion to one end of the second direction of the second front surface portion, A floor mat connector characterized in that the first protrusion protrudes from the first connection portion to one side in the second direction, and the second protrusion protrudes from the second connection portion to the other side in the second direction.

5. 5. The floor mat connector according to claim 4, A floor mat connector characterized in that a first convex portion protrudes toward the first back surface portion at the other end of the first surface portion in the second direction, and a second convex portion protrudes toward the second back surface portion at the other end of the second surface portion in the second direction.

6. The floor mat connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The floor mat connector is characterized in that the first mat holding member and the second mat holding member are the same member.

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