Vehicle Floor Mat Hook-and-Loop Welding for Secure Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foot mat arrangements in vehicles fail to provide a simple, visually appealing, and secure fastening solution that allows easy removal for cleaning while maintaining a uniform and attractive appearance when the mat is not in use, and are not cost-effective or structurally simple.
Innovation Solution
A foot mat arrangement featuring a first hook-and-loop element materially bonded to the floor unit using a welded connection, preferably made of plastic, with a second hook-and-loop element on the foot mat, ensuring a reliable and visually cohesive attachment that can be recycled, and allowing for prefabrication of the attachment with the hook-and-loop element before vehicle assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a foot mat is fastened using a hook-and-loop connection without material bonding, then the foot mat can be easily removed for cleaning, but the foot mat lacks secure fixation and may slip affecting pedals
Solution Approach 1:
The hook-and-loop elements are pre-bonded to the floor unit and foot mat respectively during manufacturing, creating a ready-to-use fastening system that requires no additional installation steps while providing both ease of removal and secure fixation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces purely mechanical fastening systems with a hybrid system combining material bonding (thermal or adhesive) and hook-and-loop connection, substituting the need for complex mechanical anchoring while maintaining secure fixation and ease of removal
2Reliability
If a complex fastening system is used to securely fix the foot mat, then the foot mat remains stable during use, but the structure becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the bonding function and fastening function into a single integrated hook-and-loop system that is materially bonded to the substrates, eliminating the need for separate anchoring mechanisms and reducing overall structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The hook-and-loop elements serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide secure mechanical interlocking, enable easy removal and reattachment, and when materially bonded, ensure permanent stability during use, replacing the need for multiple specialized fastening components
3Shape
If the floor unit and foot mat have different appearances when the foot mat is removed, then the foot space lacks visual appeal, but achieving uniform appearance increases manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The hook-and-loop elements are designed to match the visual characteristics (color, texture, height) of the floor unit carpet, creating a homogeneous appearance when the foot mat is removed, while being manufactured using the same or similar materials and processes
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 foot mat arrangement that is cost-effective and structurally simple, ensuring the foot mat remains securely fixed during use and maintains a uniform appearance when removed, enhancing the driver's foot space in vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
The first hook-and-loop element (24a, 24b) is fastened to the floor unit (16) with a material bond, in particular, by a welded connection (28, 46)
Implementation Method 2
the foot mat can be fastened to the floor unit by a hook-and-loop connection (20a, 20b) that can be formed between the first hook-and-loop element (24a, 24b) and the second hook-and-loop element (32a, 32b)
Data Source
AI summary
A foot mat arrangement with a floor unit and a foot mat can be fastened to the floor unit. The foot mat can be fastened to the floor unit by means of a hook-and-loop connection. The hook-and-loop connection has a first hook-and-loop element, which is fastened to the floor unit by material bonding, in particular, by a welded connection. The first hook-and-loop element can have a loop pile fabric. The first hook-and-loop element is preferably fastened to an attachment. The attachment and/or a carpet can be fastened to a floor element of the floor unit, in particular, by a material bond. A vehicle may have such a foot mat arrangement and a method for producing the floor unit of such a foot mat arrangement is disclosed.