Vehicle Floor Mat Fastening With Welded Hook-and-Loop Anchoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor mat arrangements for vehicles fail to provide a simple, visually appealing, and secure attachment method that allows easy removal for cleaning while preventing pedal interference and maintaining a uniform appearance when the doormat is removed.
Innovation Solution
A floor mat arrangement featuring a first Velcro element firmly attached to the floor unit via a thermal or adhesive connection, preferably welded, and a second Velcro element on the doormat, allowing for a reliable and visually cohesive attachment that can be prefabricated as a vehicle part, ensuring secure fixation and easy removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a floor mat is securely fixed to the vehicle floor, then the floor mat is prevented from shifting and obstructing pedals, but the floor mat becomes difficult to remove for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The floor mat system is segmented into a permanent floor unit with integrated hook-and-loop fasteners and a removable floor mat with corresponding fasteners. This allows the floor mat to be easily detached for cleaning while the floor unit remains securely anchored to the vehicle floor.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system transitions from a static permanent bond to a dynamic removable connection using hook-and-loop fasteners. The floor mat can be easily attached and detached multiple times, providing both secure fixation during use and easy removal for cleaning.
2Ease of operation
If the floor mat is easily removable for cleaning, then cleaning access is improved, but the floor mat may shift and obstruct pedals when in use
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the permanent floor unit with integrated fasteners from the removable floor mat, allowing the mat to be easily detached for cleaning while maintaining secure attachment during use through the hook-and-loop connection system.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical anchoring system is replaced with a hook-and-loop fastening system that provides both easy removal and secure fixation through material properties rather than mechanical interlocking, eliminating the trade-off between ease of removal and secure attachment.
3Reliability
If a traditional attachment method is used, then the floor mat can be securely fixed, but the footwell appearance is inconsistent and visually unappealing when the floor mat is removed
Solution Approach 1:
The hook-and-loop fasteners are merged into the floor unit itself rather than being separate components. This integration ensures that when the floor mat is removed, the footwell maintains a consistent and visually appealing appearance without exposed attachment mechanisms or incomplete impressions.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor unit is designed with homogeneous material composition and surface characteristics that match the surrounding footwell interior. The integrated fasteners are flush with the surface, ensuring visual consistency whether the floor mat is present or removed.
4Reliability
If the floor mat is tightly secured to prevent shifting, then pedal obstruction is prevented, but the floor mat becomes difficult to attach and detach
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical anchoring system is replaced with a hook-and-loop fastening system that achieves secure fixation through material adhesion rather than mechanical interlocking. This allows the floor mat to be tightly secured to prevent pedal obstruction while remaining easy to attach and detach through simple pulling motion.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure, easy-to-clean, and visually appealing floor mat attachment that prevents pedal interference and maintains a uniform appearance, achieved through a reliable and cost-effective welded connection using plastic materials for the Velcro elements and base components.
Implementation Method 1
The first Velcro element is firmly attached to the floor unit, in particular by a bonded connection, in particular by a welded connection
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a floor mat arrangement (14) comprising a floor unit (16) and a floor mat (18) attachable to the floor unit (16). The floor mat (18) is attached to the floor unit (16) by means of a hook-and-loop fastener. The hook-and-loop fastener has a first hook element (24a) which is attached to the floor unit (16) by a material bond, in particular by a welded connection (28). The first hook element (24a) may be made of looped material (36). The first hook element (24a) is preferably attached to an attachment. The attachment and/or a carpet (22) may be attached to a floor element (26) of the floor unit (16), in particular by a material bond. The invention further relates to a vehicle with such a floor mat arrangement (14) and to a method for manufacturing the floor unit (16) of such a floor mat arrangement (14).