Anti-skid mat

Abstract

An anti-skid mat 10 according to the present invention is characterized by comprising a mat body 11, a plurality of protrusions 13 protruding from the surface of the mat body 11, and a plurality of grooves 15 formed between the protrusions 13 and connected to peripheral edge ends of the mat 10, and is characterized in that: each of the protrusions 13 has a planar end surface 131 substantially parallel to the surface of the mat body 11; the outer shape of the end surface 131 has at least two recesses 133 in a plan view; and two points positioned farthest from each other on the outer peripheral line of said outer shape are included in an inscribing circumcircle 30 and the length of the outer periphery of the end surface 131 is equal to or greater than the length of the circumference of the circumcircle 30.

Description

Anti-slip mat

[0001] The present invention relates to an anti-slip mat for placement on a wet or submerged floor surface.

[0002] Conventionally, when bathroom floors, the bottom of bathtubs, poolsides, the bottom of swimming pools, toilet floors, kitchen floors, etc. are wet, people may slip and fall, and to prevent this, anti-slip mats have been used.Anti-slip mats usually have a non-slip surface on the floor side that has multiple protrusions for point or line contact with the wet floor surface, and grooves formed between the protrusions for use in drainage.

[0003] Known anti-slip mats have various projections with various planar shapes, cross-sectional shapes, and arrangement patterns (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 5).

[0004] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-99183 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-161363 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-46152 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2018-175668 Registered Utility Model No. 3226677

[0005] As described above, the convex portions of the non-slip surface of known non-slip mats have drainage channels that allow water to escape from the floor and a contact surface with the floor. Although the drainage channels and contact surface shapes are well-designed, the convex portions may peel off from the contact surface, resulting in insufficient non-slip performance, particularly under conditions such as flooding or submersion in water. For example, when elderly people use a bathtub to bathe, they may sunk the non-slip mat into the bottom of the bathtub. The first step onto such a non-slip mat places a relatively low load on the mat, and the force exerted on it is also weak, making the mat prone to slipping. Furthermore, after bathing, when one foot is removed from the bathtub, the load from the foot remaining on the mat is also relatively low, making the non-slip mat prone to slipping. An object of the present invention is to provide an anti-slip mat that is unlikely to slip sideways even when a low load of 50 grams or less per area (20 mm x 20 mm) is applied to the surface (the surface that comes into contact with the human body) of a mat of a specific size (50 mm x 50 mm) when placed on a floor surface wet with water or a floor surface submerged in water.

[0006] The inventors discovered that the above problem can be solved by giving the convex portions on the floor-side anti-slip surface of an anti-slip mat having a mat main body and multiple convex portions protruding from its surface a specific configuration, and thus completed the present invention.

[0007] The present invention is described as follows: [1] A sheet-like anti-slip mat comprising: a mat main body; a plurality of convex portions protruding from the surface of the mat main body; and a plurality of grooves formed between the plurality of convex portions and communicating with the peripheral edge of the mat, wherein the convex portions have a planar end face substantially parallel to the surface of the mat main body, the outer shape of the end face in plan view has at least two concave portions, and two points on the outer periphery of the outer shape that are furthest apart from each other fall within a circumscribed circle, and the length of the outer periphery of the end face is equal to or greater than the length of the circumference of the circumscribed circle. [2] The anti-slip mat according to [1], wherein, in side view, the outer peripheries of the convex portions extending from the center of the end face and then toward the mat main body are angular, and the angular shape is formed in a shape that approximates an R-shape with a radius of 0.5 mm or less. [3] The anti-slip mat according to [1] or [2], wherein the outer shape of the end face is a shape formed by superimposing a plurality of at least one figure selected from polygons, circles, and ellipses while shifting them in the rotational direction around the center of the circumscribing circle to form the recess, or a modified shape thereof. [4] The anti-slip mat according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the ratio of the area of ​​the end face to the area of ​​the circumscribing circle is 40 to 95%. [5] The anti-slip mat according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the ratio of the total area of ​​the end faces of the convex portions to the total area of ​​the mat in a plan view is 40 to 90%. [6] The anti-slip mat according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the total length of the outer peripheries of the convex portions contained in a 20 mm x 20 mm area of ​​the mat is 30 mm or more. [7] The anti-slip mat according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the distance from the surface of the mat main body to the end face is 0.3 mm or more. [8] An anti-slip mat described in any one of [1] to [7], in which the end surface is placed in contact with the bathroom floor or the bottom of the bathtub.

[0008] According to the present invention, an anti-slip mat placed with its non-slip surface (the surface facing the floor) facing a wet or submerged floor is resistant to sideways slippage even under low loads, making it suitable for installation on bathroom floors, bathtub bottoms, poolsides, pool bottoms, toilet floors, kitchen floors, etc. For example, when an elderly person or the like takes a bath with an anti-slip mat placed on the bottom of a bathtub, the load on the mat at the first step onto the anti-slip mat is relatively low compared to their body weight, and the force pushing against the mat is also weak, which can make the mat prone to sideways slippage.Furthermore, when one foot is removed from the bathtub after bathing, the load from the foot remaining on the mat is also relatively low, which can also make the mat prone to sideways slippage. However, the use of the anti-slip mat of the present invention prevents such problems.

[0009] 4A and 4B are schematic plan views illustrating the convex pattern (partially enlarged view) of the non-slip surface (floor-side surface) of the anti-slip mat used in Examples 1 and 3, respectively. FIG. 4B is a schematic plan view illustrating the end face of the convex portion of the anti-slip mat of the present invention. FIG. 4C is a schematic plan view illustrating another example of the external shape of the convex portion of the non-slip surface of the anti-slip mat of the present invention. FIG. 4D is a schematic plan view illustrating another example (partially enlarged view) of the convex pattern of the non-slip surface of the anti-slip mat of the present invention. FIG. 4E is a schematic plan view illustrating a part (convex pattern) of the non-slip surface of the anti-slip mat used in Comparative Example 2.

[0010] 1 and 4, the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention comprises a mat main body 11, a plurality of convex portions 13 protruding from the surface of the mat main body 11, and a plurality of grooves 15 formed between the plurality of convex portions 13 and connected to the peripheral edge (not shown) of the anti-slip mat, the convex portions 13 having a convex end face 131 that is a plane substantially parallel to the surface of the mat main body 11, the outer shape of the convex end face 131 in plan view having at least two concave portions 133, and the two most distant points (P1 and P2 in FIG. 2) on the outer periphery of the outer shape of the convex end face 131 are included in the inscribed circumscribed circle 30, and the length of the outer periphery of the convex end face 131 is equal to or greater than the length of the circumference of the circumscribed circle 30. Here, the outer periphery line and the circumscribed circle 30 are references used to design the outer shape of the convex end face 131 of the present invention, and do not represent the shape of the convex end face 131 or the shape of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention. In this specification, the surface of the mat body 11 on the side having the convex portion 13 of the anti-slip mat 10, i.e., the surface facing the floor, will be referred to as the "anti-slip surface 111" (FIG. 4), and the other surface of the mat body 11 will be referred to as the "second surface 112" (FIG. 4). The second surface 112 is the surface that the user touches and steps on.

[0011] The pattern of the convex portions 13 on the non-slip surface 111 of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention is, for example, as illustrated in Figures 1A and 1B, and includes at least a plurality of convex portions 13 protruding from the mat main body 11 on the non-slip surface 111 and groove portions 15 connected to the peripheral edge of the anti-slip mat 10. Therefore, when the anti-slip mat 10 is placed on a wet floor surface or a floor surface submerged in water, water between the mat 10 and the floor surface that abuts the convex portions 13, i.e., water contained in the groove portions 15, can be easily drained. The groove portions 15 are formed between the convex portions 13 on the non-slip surface 111 and are therefore part of the anti-slip mat 10.

[0012] In the present invention, the convex portion 13 has a convex end surface 131 that is approximately parallel to the surface of the mat main body 11. To explain this structure, when the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention is viewed in a cross-sectional view as shown in FIG. 4, the surface of the mat main body 11 is defined as the baseline, and the surface of the convex end surface 131 is defined as the first line. The baseline and the first line are approximately parallel. Therefore, when the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention is placed on a bathroom floor, the bottom of a bathtub, or the like, the convex end surface 131 of the convex portion 13 of the anti-slip mat 10 can reliably abut the floor or bottom surface, thereby achieving an anti-slip effect. Furthermore, the convex portion 13 has a convex side surface 132 ( FIG. 4 ) that protrudes from the mat main body 11 and is connected to the convex end surface 131. From the standpoint of drainage, it is preferable that the convex side surface 132 protrude approximately perpendicular to the surface of the mat main body 11.

[0013] When a user straddles the wall of the bathtub and places one foot on the anti-slip mat 10, which is placed so that the convex end surface 131 is in contact with a wet or submerged floor surface, for example, when the anti-slip mat 10 is placed on the bottom of a bathtub, and applies force to the foot placed on the mat to maintain balance under a low load, the force is applied to the anti-slip mat 10 in the direction in which the foot is placed, as seen from the user. As seen from the anti-slip mat 10, a force that slides the mat in a direction away from the user, a so-called lateral sliding force, is applied to the anti-slip mat 10, and a stress that resists the lateral sliding force is applied to the convex portions 13 and the convex end surface 131 due to friction with the floor surface. For example, if the outer shape of the convex end face 131 is circular in plan view (i.e., the convex portion 13 is a cylindrical protrusion), the maximum lateral sliding stress is concentrated at a single point at the tip of the apex of the circular convex end face 131 in the sliding direction, and the area of ​​the convex end face 131 that acts as an anti-slip surface against the concentrated stress (hereinafter also referred to as the "effective anti-slip area") is substantially small, and the mat's contact surface (convex end face 131) may not be able to withstand the concentrated stress, causing separation between the mat's contact surface and the floor surface, resulting in slippage of the anti-slip mat 10. On the other hand, in the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention, as shown in Figure 2, the convex end face 131 has an outer shape of multiple recesses 133 and multiple protrusions 134. Therefore, under the same low load and when the same sliding force is applied, the stress is distributed to each of the multiple recesses 133 and protrusions 134 of the outer shape of one convex end face 131, resulting in a substantially larger effective area involved in the anti-slip effect. In other words, if the convex end face 131 has an outer shape with multiple concave and convex shapes so that the outer periphery of the outer shape of the convex portion 13 is longer, the stress applied to the convex portion 13 and the convex end face 131 due to the lateral sliding force is more easily dispersed, resulting in a larger effective anti-slip area and a higher anti-slip effect of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention. Therefore, the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention has the following characteristics with respect to the area and outer periphery of the outer shape of the convex end face 131: (1) As shown in Figure 2, the outer shape of the convex end face 131 in a plan view has at least two concave portions 133, and the two points on the outer periphery of the outer shape of the convex end face 131 that are furthest apart fall within the inscribed circumscribed circle 30. In other words, the area of ​​the convex end face 131 is smaller than the area of ​​the circumscribed circle 30.(2) The outer circumferential length of the convex end face 131 is equal to or greater than the circumferential length of the circumscribed circle 30 .

[0014] Regarding (1) above, as shown in FIG. 2 , the number of recesses 133 in the external shape of the convex end face 131 is preferably two or more, more preferably four or more, from the viewpoint of anti-slip effect. On the other hand, since too many recesses 133 cause the external shape of the convex end face 131 to become closer to a circle, the number is preferably ten or less, more preferably eight or less. The recesses 133 may have either acute or obtuse angles in a plan view, or a combination of these. Furthermore, a circumscribed circle 30 can be drawn inscribed by two points (P1, P2) located farthest apart on the outer periphery of this external shape. These two points are preferably at least a portion of two convex portions 134 in the external shape. Note that, in the present invention, all of the vertices of the convex portions 134 seen in the external shape of the convex end face 131 may be tangent to the circumscribed circle 30.

[0015] Here, the external shape of the convex end face 131 having two or more recesses 133 can be a shape obtained by superimposing a plurality of at least one shape selected from polygons, circles, and ellipses while shifting them in the direction of rotation around the center of the circumscribing circle 30 as an axis (see (1) and (2) in Figures 6A and 6B), or a modified shape thereof. Figure 6A shows a shape obtained by superimposing two squares with rounded corners inscribed in the circumscribing circle 31, one of which is fixed and the other is shifted 45 degrees around the center of the circumscribing circle 31 as an axis. Figure 6B shows a shape obtained by superimposing four circles, each with a diameter equal to the radius of the circumscribing circle 32, all inscribed in the circumscribing circle 32, one of which is fixed in position, and the other three circles are rotated 90 degrees around the center of the circumscribing circle 32 as an axis. Examples of deformed shapes include a shape in which a plurality of arbitrary shapes are superimposed and combined, and then an irregularly shaped recess 133 is provided, or a shape in which a plurality of polygons are superimposed and combined, and then the corners are rounded, etc. If the outer shape of the convex end face 131 created by such means is symmetrical in the X and Y directions as viewed from the center of the circumscribed circle 30, as shown in Figure 2, stress can be distributed evenly in all directions of sliding force in a plan view, and an excellent anti-slip effect can be achieved.

[0016] Regarding (2) above, the perimeter of the convex end face 131 is characterized by being equal to or longer than the circumference of the circumscribing circle 30. The perimeter of the outer shape of the convex end face 131 is a factor directly related to the effective anti-slip area of ​​the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention, and the longer the perimeter, the greater the expected effective anti-slip area. The convex portions 13 of the present invention show that the perimeter of the outer shape of the convex end face 131 is longer than the "ratio of the circumference to the area" of the circumscribing circle 30 relative to the area of ​​the convex end face 131. In other words, compared to the circumscribing circle 30 (so-called cylindrical protrusion), the effective anti-slip area of ​​each convex portion 13 is larger, providing excellent anti-slip performance. Furthermore, a higher ratio of the area of ​​the convex end face 131 to the area of ​​the circumscribing circle 30 increases the contact area (convex end face 131) between each convex portion 13 and the floor surface. On the other hand, if the proportion of the area of ​​the convex end face 131 is reduced, the circumferential length of the convex end face 131 can be increased. From the viewpoint of achieving both the contact area and the circumferential length, the proportion of the area of ​​the convex end face 131 to the area of ​​the circumscribed circle 30 is preferably 40 to 95%, more preferably 50 to 80%. The diameter of the circumscribed circle 30 is preferably 2 to 100 mm, more preferably 3 to 80 mm, and even more preferably 4 to 50 mm. If this diameter is less than 2 mm, the area of ​​one convex end face 131 becomes too small, and the sliding stress generated in one convex end face 131 becomes large. On the other hand, if the diameter exceeds 100 mm, the circumferential length per area of ​​one convex end face 131 becomes short, and the anti-slip effect is reduced.

[0017] An example of the outer shape of the convex end face 131 that satisfies the above (1) and (2) is shown in FIG. 2. This FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an outer shape having eight recesses 133. The two points on the outer periphery of the outer shape of the convex end face 131 that are furthest apart from each other are P １ and P ２ When the circumscribing circle 30 indicated by the dotted line is drawn, the other convex portions 134 on the outer periphery of the external shape other than P1 and P2 are tangent to the circumscribing circle 30 or are inside the circumscribing circle 30. In other words, the area of ​​the convex end face 131 is smaller than the area of ​​the circumscribing circle 30. When the outer periphery length of the convex end face 131 is measured, it is equal to or greater than the circumference of the circumscribing circle 30.

[0018] The circle 40 in Figure 3 depicts an inscribed circle that is inscribed within the outer periphery of the outer shape of the convex end face 131 and is concentric with the circumscribed circle in Figure 2. The inscribed circle 40 is used as a reference for designing the outer shape of the convex end face 131 of the convex portion 13 of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention, but is not the shape of the convex portion 13 or the convex end face 131 of the present invention. The tangent point between the outer periphery of the outer shape of the convex end face 131 and the inscribed circle 40 may be one or multiple points. In Figure 3, there are eight points. The size of the inscribed circle 40 is one factor that determines the area of ​​the convex end face 131. Increasing the area of ​​one convex end face 131 increases the contact area between the convex end face 131 and the floor surface, improving the anti-slip effect. On the other hand, if the inscribed circle 40 becomes too large, the outer shape of the convex end face 131 becomes closer to a circle. Therefore, from the viewpoint of reducing the anti-slip effect of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention, the diameter d of the inscribed circle 40 is preferably at least 1 / 2 of the diameter of the circumscribed circle 30, more preferably at least 2 / 3, even more preferably at least 3 / 4, and particularly preferably at least 4 / 5.

[0019] In the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention, the shortest distance from the center of the external shape of the convex end face 131 (the center of the circumscribed circle 30 in FIG. 2 ) to the concave portion 133 is preferably 1 mm or more, more preferably 1.3 mm or more, from the viewpoint of increasing the area of ​​the convex end face 131. Also, it is preferably 5 mm or less, more preferably 4 mm or less.

[0020] The outer circumferential length of the convex end face 131 of one convex portion 13 is preferably 9 mm or more, more preferably 15 mm or more, and even more preferably 25 mm or more. Also, it is preferably 250 mm or less, and more preferably 150 mm or less.

[0021] In the anti-slip mat of the present invention, which is characterized in that the perimeter of each protrusion end face 131 is long, the total perimeter of the protrusion end faces 131 included in the mat 10 per 20 mm x 20 mm indicates the number of protrusions 13 per unit area of ​​the anti-slip mat 10, i.e., the density. From the viewpoint that the longer the perimeter, the higher the density and the greater the anti-slip effect, the total perimeter of the protrusion end faces 131 included in the mat 10 per 20 mm x 20 mm is preferably 30 mm or more, more preferably 50 mm or more, even more preferably 100 mm or more, and particularly preferably 120 mm or more. From the viewpoint of drainage, the upper limit is preferably 500 mm or less, more preferably 400 mm or less, even more preferably 350 mm or less, and particularly preferably 250 mm or less.

[0022] The surface configuration of the side circumferential surface of the convex portion 13 is not particularly limited, and may be any of a flat surface, a curved surface, and a rough surface.

[0023] The arrangement pattern of the convex portions 13 on the anti-slip surface 111 of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention in a plan view is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the convex portions 13 are arranged in a lattice or non-lattice pattern so that the area ratio of the convex end faces 131 of the convex portions 13 is constant per unit area of ​​the anti-slip surface 111. In the case of a lattice arrangement, the angle of the triangle formed by connecting the centers of three adjacent convex portions 13 (for example, the center of the circumscribed circle 30 in Figure 2) is preferably 30 to 90 degrees, more preferably around 60 degrees, in order to fully obtain the anti-slip effect of the present invention.

[0024] The distance between the closest adjacent protrusions 13 is preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 0.7 mm or more, and even more preferably 1 mm or more, and is preferably 5 mm or less, more preferably 3 mm or less, and even more preferably 2 mm or less.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 4, when the protrusions 13 are viewed from the side, the outer periphery of the protrusions 13 extending from the center of the protrusion end surface 131 toward the mat body 11 is angularly contoured. That is, the protrusions 13 have a protrusion end surface 131 and a protrusion side surface 132, and the corner formed by the protrusion end surface 131 and the protrusion side surface 132 has a structure in which the periphery of the protrusion end surface 131 is angularly contoured (hereinafter also referred to as the "angular structure r"). The angular structure r is important for ensuring that the outer periphery of the external shape of the protrusion end surface 131 abuts against the floor surface. As shown in Fig. 5, in side view, the angular structure r is a portion of the circumference of a circle 50 inscribed by the protrusion end surface 131 and the protrusion side surface 132, and the length of the angular structure r is the radius of the circle 50. 5, the angle formed by the three points of contact between the circle 50 and the convex end face 131, the center of the circle 50, and the contact between the circle 50 and the convex side face 132 is shown as 90 degrees, but it may be greater or smaller than 90 degrees. The angular structure r is preferably 0.5 mm or less, more preferably 0.3 mm or less, and even more preferably 0.1 mm or less.

[0026] In order to ensure both the contact area between the convex end surface 131 of the anti-slip mat 10 and the floor surface and the area of ​​the groove portion 15 of the anti-slip mat 10 in a planar view, the ratio of the total area of ​​the convex end surface 131 of the convex portion 13 to the total area of ​​the anti-slip mat 10 in a planar view of the present invention is preferably 40 to 90%, more preferably 50 to 80%.

[0027] In another embodiment of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention, as shown in Figure 7 (C), a portion of the convex portion 13 shown in Figure 1 (B) and its convex end face 131 are divided to form convex portions 13A and 13B, and a groove portion 16 is provided between them to make it easier for water to drain between the floor surface and the convex end face 131.

[0028] Regarding the convex portions 13 of the non-slip surface 111 of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention, the distance between the surface of the mat main body 11 and the convex end faces 131 (hereinafter referred to as the "convex portion height") is preferably 0.3 mm or more, more preferably 0.4 mm or more, from the viewpoint of facilitating water drainage between the floor surface and the convex end faces 131. On the other hand, if the convex portion height is too high, the convex portions 13 are easily deformed when a load is applied to the mat main body 11. For example, the convex portions 131 undergo shear deformation so that the non-slip surface 111 shifts parallel to the convex end faces 131. As a result, the stress applied to the convex end faces 131 is concentrated in specific areas, making it easier for the convex end faces 131 to peel off from the floor surface. Therefore, from the viewpoint of anti-slip effect, the upper limit of the convex portion height is preferably 5 mm or less, more preferably 2 mm or less, and even more preferably 1 mm or less.

[0029] The material constituting the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ensuring contact with uneven or curved floor surfaces against which the convex end faces 131 abut, it is preferable that at least the convex portions 13 be made of an elastic resin material having a Type A durometer hardness measured in accordance with JIS K 6253 of 20 to 90 points, more preferably 40 to 80 points. All of the convex portions 13 may be made of the same material, or they may be made of multiple materials, for example, adjacent convex portions 13 may be made of different materials. Furthermore, adjacent convex portions 13 may have different Type A durometer hardnesses.

[0030] The elastic resin material may be, for example, a resin composition primarily composed of a thermoplastic elastomer or rubber, or a mixture of these with a thermoplastic resin. Examples of thermoplastic elastomers include olefin-based elastomers, styrene-based elastomers, diene-based elastomers, hydrogenated diene-based elastomers, vinyl chloride-based elastomers, chlorinated polyethylene-based elastomers, ethylene-vinyl acetate-based elastomers, polyester-based elastomers, polyamide-based elastomers, and fluorine-based elastomers. Examples of rubbers include ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, nitrile rubber, and butadiene rubber.

[0031] The elastic resin material may contain, as necessary, a reinforcing material, an inorganic filler, a softener, a weather resistance imparting agent, an antioxidant, an antistatic agent, a flame retardant, an antifungal agent, a colorant, etc., in order to adjust the specific gravity, flexibility, elasticity, etc.

[0032] In the present invention, the constituent materials of the mat body 11 and the convex portions 13 may be the same or different. In the present invention, the mat body 11 and the convex portions 13 are preferably an integrated body consisting of a continuous phase of the same material. The anti-slip mat of the present invention may be either a single-layer type made entirely of the same material or a laminate type in which different materials are layered in the thickness direction of the mat 10.

[0033] The surface configuration of the second surface 112 of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may have an uneven structure with, for example, a grid-type, concentric circle-type, or dot-type pattern, a decorative pattern, etc. Figure 4 shows the convex portions corresponding to the decorative layer 18.

[0034] In the present invention, the thickness of the mat 10 (t in Figure 4), including the height of the convex portions, can be set to any thickness within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention, but if it is too thin, the strength of the mat itself against tearing and breaking will decrease. On the other hand, if it is too thick, the weight will be heavy and the mat itself will be difficult to bend to conform to the curved floor surface. From this viewpoint, the thickness of the mat 10 is preferably 1 mm or more, more preferably 1.5 mm or more, and even more preferably 2 mm or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the thickness of the mat 10 is preferably 10 mm or less, more preferably 5 mm or less, and even more preferably 4 mm or less.

[0035] The planar size of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention is appropriately selected depending on the application and is not particularly limited. For example, from the viewpoint of the weight of the mat 10, the size can be set to 20 to 100 cm x 30 to 90 cm.

[0036] From the viewpoint of being submersible in water, the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention preferably has a specific gravity of more than 1.0 as measured in accordance with JIS K 7112. The upper limit is preferably 4 or less, more preferably 3 or less, and even more preferably 2.5 or less, from the viewpoint of facilitating the handling of the mat 10 during transportation and installation. As long as the specific gravity is within the preferred range, the anti-slip mat 10 may be configured and made of a foam to provide cushioning properties. Furthermore, the mat body 11 of the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention may have through-holes that penetrate through its thickness.

[0037] There are no particular limitations on the method for manufacturing the anti-slip mat 10 of the present invention. When the mat body 11 and the protrusions 13 are made of the same elastic resin material, they can be manufactured by a conventionally known resin molding method such as injection molding, extrusion molding, or press molding.

[0038] The anti-slip mat of the present invention is suitable for placement on wet surfaces such as bathroom floors, bathtub bottoms, poolsides, pool bottoms, toilet floors, kitchen floors, etc. Without being limited to the constituent materials and roughness of these floors and bottoms, the anti-slip mat can be placed with its anti-slip surface aligned with the above-mentioned wet floors and bottoms, and can achieve the effect of preventing skidding even when a low load of 50 grams or less per area (20 mm x 20 mm) is applied to the surface of a mat of a specific size (50 mm x 50 mm). According to the present invention, for example, when an elderly person or the like takes a bath in a bathtub with an anti-slip mat sunk into the bottom, when they take their first step onto the anti-slip mat, the load on the mat is relatively low compared to their body weight, and the force pushing against the mat is also weak, which can make the mat prone to slipping sideways.Furthermore, after bathing, when they take one foot out of the bathtub, the load from their foot remaining on the mat is also relatively low, which can also make the anti-slip mat prone to slipping sideways.However, using the anti-slip mat of the present invention can prevent such problems.

[0039] The present invention will be specifically described below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0040] 1. Molding material for anti-slip mat A thermoplastic styrene-based elastomer composition having a type A durometer hardness of 60 measured in accordance with JIS K 6253 and a specific gravity of 1.7 measured in accordance with JIS K 7112 was used.

[0041] 2. Production and Evaluation of Anti-Slip Mat The above thermoplastic styrene-based elastomer was subjected to injection molding using an injection molding die (draft angle for convex portion 13: 2 degrees) that would form the convex portions 13 described in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, to produce test pieces (size: width 50 mm × length 50 mm, thickness of mat body: 4 mm), and then a slip test was performed.

[0042] Example 1 A test piece having a convex portion 13 with the pattern shown in FIG. 1(A) was manufactured. The outer shape of the convex portion end surface 131 of the convex portion 13 was a composite shape formed by combining two squares with rounded corners inscribed in a circumscribing circle 31, as shown in FIG. 6(1), with one square fixed and the other square shifted 45 degrees around the axis of the center of the circumscribing circle 31. The length of the outer periphery (perimeter) of this outer shape was 37.9 mm, the diameter of the circumscribing circle 31 of the outer shape was 7.3 mm, the length of the cornering structure r was 0.05 mm, and the convex portion height was 0.5 mm (see Table 1). The lines connecting the centers of three adjacent convex portions 13 were all equilateral triangles of the same shape, and the shortest distance between two adjacent convex portions was 1.5 mm.

[0043] The sliding test was carried out in the following manner, and the results are shown in Table 1. A stainless steel bat was filled with room temperature water, and the test piece was submerged so that the convex part of the test piece was facing the bottom of the bat. Next, a 50 gram metal plate (size: 20 mm x 20 mm) was placed in the center of the test piece, and the center of one edge of the test piece was pinched with the fingertips and slowly pulled along the bottom of the pad to evaluate the degree of sliding. ◯: Strong resistance. Δ: Resistance was felt. ×: Sliding without resistance.

[0044] Example 2 A test piece was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the length of the squaring structure r was set to 0.4 mm, and a sliding test was carried out (see Table 1).

[0045] Example 3: A test specimen was manufactured having a convex portion 13 with the pattern shown in FIG. 1(B). The outer shape of the convex portion was formed by overlapping four circles. As shown in FIG. 6(2), four circles, each with a diameter equal to the radius of the circumscribing circle 32, were inscribed in the circumscribing circle 32, with one circle fixed in position and the other three circles rotated 90 degrees around the center of the circumscribing circle 32. The length of the outer periphery (perimeter) of this outer shape was 18.8 mm, the diameter of the circumscribing circle 32 of the outer shape was 6.0 mm, the length of the angular structure r was 0.05 mm, and the height of the convex portion was 0.5 mm (see Table 1). The lines connecting the centers of three adjacent convex portions 13 were all isosceles right-angled triangles of the same shape, and the shortest distance between two adjacent convex portions was 1.5 mm. A sliding test was then performed (see Table 1).

[0046] Comparative Example 1 A test specimen was manufactured in which the convex portions 13 were patterned as cylinders (diameter: 7.3 mm). The length of the angular structure r was 0.05 mm, and the convex portion height was 0.5 mm (see Table 1). The lines connecting the centers of three adjacent convex portions 13 were all equilateral triangles, and the shortest distance between two adjacent convex portions was 1.5 mm. A sliding test was then performed (see Table 1).

[0047] Comparative Example 2 A test piece 20 was manufactured that had protrusions 21 in the pattern shown in Figure 8 (Bishamon tortoiseshell pattern). The length of the outer peripheral line (perimeter) of this outer shape was 37.2 mm, the diameter of the circumscribed circle 33 of the outer shape was 12.5 mm, the length of the angular structure r was 0.05 mm, and the height of the protrusions was 0.5 mm (see Table 1). Thereafter, a sliding test was conducted (see Table 1).

[0048]

[0049] In Examples 1 to 3, the ratio of the outer periphery length of the convex end face to the circumferential length of the circumscribed circle of the convex exceeds 1, and the ratio of the area of ​​the convex end face to the area of ​​the circumscribed circle of the convex is less than 1. Comparative Example 1 is a comparative example in which the outer periphery of the convex end face is the same as the circumscribed circle of the area, since it is a cylindrical protrusion. Comparative Example 2 is a comparative example in which the ratio of the outer periphery length of the convex end face to the circumferential length of the circumscribed circle of the convex is less than 1. Examples 1 and 3 obtained excellent results in the sliding test, and even Example 2, in which the length of the angular structure r was longer than Example 1, performed well in the sliding test. On the other hand, Comparative Examples 1 and 2 did not meet the outer shape of the convex end face of the present invention, and therefore the sliding test results were inferior to Examples 1 to 3.

[0050] The anti-slip mat of the present invention is suitable for placement on bathroom floors, bathtub bottoms, poolsides, pool bottoms, toilet floors, kitchen floors, and other surfaces that will become wet with water.

[0051] 10: Anti-slip mat 111: Anti-slip surface 112: Second surface 11: Mat main body 13: Convex portion 131: Convex portion end surface 132: Convex portion side surface 133: Concave portion 15: Groove portion 20: Anti-slip mat 21: Convex portion 23: Groove portion

Claims

1. A sheet-like anti-slip mat, comprising: a mat body portion; a plurality of convex portions protruding from the surface of the mat body portion; and a plurality of groove portions formed between the plurality of convex portions and communicating with the peripheral edge of the mat. The convex portion has an end face in a plane substantially parallel to the surface of the mat body portion. In plan view, the outer shape of the end face has at least two concave portions, and two points on the outer peripheral line of the outer shape, which are at the positions farthest from each other, are inscribed in a circumscribed circle, and the length of the outer periphery of the end face is equal to or greater than the circumference of the circumscribed circle. An anti-slip mat characterized by this.

2. The anti-slip mat according to claim 1, wherein, in a side view of the convex portion, the outer periphery of the convex portion extending from the central portion of the end face and then extending in the direction of the mat body portion is angled, and the shape of the angle is formed into a shape approximating an R shape with a radius of 0.5 mm or less.

3. The anti-slip mat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer shape of the end face has a shape formed by overlapping and synthesizing a plurality of at least one figure selected from polygons, circles, and ellipses while shifting in the rotational direction with respect to the center of the circumscribed circle to form the concave portion, or a deformed shape thereof.

4. The anti-slip mat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the area of the end face to the area of the circumscribed circle is 40 to 95%.

5. The anti-slip mat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the total area of the end faces of the convex portions to the total area of the mat in plan view is 40 to 90%.

6. The anti-slip mat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total length of the outer peripheries of the end faces included per 20 mm × 20 mm of the mat is 30 mm or more.

7. The anti-slip mat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance from the surface of the mat body portion to the end face is 0.3 mm or more.

8. The anti-slip mat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the end face abuts against and is disposed on the floor surface of a bathroom or the bottom surface of a bathtub.

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