Floor mat with improved rigidity and non-slip backing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective floor mats in automobiles lack rigidity, leading to bending or curling, and often slip or slide laterally, potentially obstructing brake or accelerator pedals.
Innovation Solution
A protective floor mat with increased rigidity and a non-slip surface, featuring a planar shape with a friction surface and a bottom surface design incorporating interior walls and nubs that provide stability and prevent sliding, made from materials like rubber polymer or PVC through injection molding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the floor mat is made flexible for comfort, then ease of operation is improved, but rigidity deteriorates causing bending and curling
Solution Approach 1:
The floor mat is divided into multiple cells formed by transverse and longitudinal walls, creating a honeycomb-like structure. This segmentation provides rigidity to prevent bending and curling while maintaining overall flexibility for comfort, as each cell can independently deform slightly under load.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor mat incorporates regions of different stiffness through the cellular structure, where the walls provide localized rigidity support while the cell spaces maintain flexibility. This allows different zones of the mat to have optimized properties for both comfort and structural stability.
2Ease of operation
If the floor mat surface is smooth for ease of cleaning, then ease of operation is improved, but friction deteriorates causing lateral sliding
Solution Approach 1:
The floor mat features a dual-surface design where the top surface is smooth for easy cleaning while the bottom surface has a textured pattern with protrusions and recesses. This local differentiation allows each surface to optimize its function: smoothness for hygiene and texture for friction-based stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire mat surface smooth or textured, the invention inverts the approach by making the contact surface with the vehicle floor textured while the top surface remains smooth. This inversion allows the functional requirements of each surface to be independently optimized.
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 prevents bending or curling and ensures the floor mat remains securely in place, reducing the risk of obstructing pedals and enhancing safety by maintaining its position effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The friction surface (102) includes a series of raised linear lines (103) that are parallel to each other
Implementation Method 2
A non-slip surface or backing to prevent the floor mat from laterally sliding or shifting from its intended position
Data Source
AI summary
A floor mat with improved rigidity and non-slip surfaces is disclosed. The floor mat includes a bottom surface with an interior cavity that has within it a plurality of interior walls that intersect with one another, thereby increasing rigidity of the floor mat. The floor mat also includes a plurality of nubs at the intersections of the interior walls that increase friction with the flooring of an automobile, thereby improving the non-slip characteristics of the floor mat.