Air-Permeable Tufted Insert Mat for Vehicle Floor Carpets

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing floor mats for motor vehicles compromise the sound absorption capacity of vehicle carpets due to lack of air permeability and adhesion, and are not sufficiently tread-resistant or moisture-proof, making them unsuitable for use as inlay mats.

Innovation Solution

A three-layer insert mat structure featuring a decorative tuft layer, a fleece carrier layer, and a tuft adhesive layer, with a high air-permeable fleece middle layer and reduced adhesive weight, allowing for deformability and moisture resistance while maintaining sound absorption and non-slip properties without additional fastening means.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a thick layer of adhesive is used to fix the floor mat to the vehicle floor, then adhesion is improved, but air permeability deteriorates and sound absorption capacity is impaired

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadhesionVSAvoidsound absorption capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive layer is designed as a porous structure with air channels that extend through the entire thickness of the adhesive layer. This allows air to pass through the adhesive layer, maintaining air permeability and sound absorption capacity while still providing sufficient adhesion to secure the floor mat to the vehicle floor structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

2Reliability

If an air-permeable structure is used to maintain sound absorption, then sound absorption capacity is improved, but adhesion deteriorates and the mat slips on the carpet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound absorption capacityVSAvoidadhesion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive layer exhibits spatially varying properties: it has porous regions with air channels for sound absorption and adhesion-promoting regions with higher adhesive content for securing the mat. This local differentiation allows the same layer to simultaneously provide both sound absorption and adhesion functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If a complex manufacturing process with vacuum application is used to create air ducts, then air permeability is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair permeabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Air channels are incorporated into the adhesive layer during the adhesive formulation and application process, before the final assembly is complete. This preliminary incorporation of air channels eliminates the need for subsequent vacuum application steps to create the porous structure, simplifying the manufacturing process while ensuring consistent air permeability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If reduced adhesive weight is used to improve air permeability, then sound absorption is improved, but adhesion deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound absorption capacityVSAvoidadhesion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive layer functions as a composite material combining adhesive substances with air channels. This composite structure provides both bonding functionality (from the adhesive components) and air permeability (from the channel structure), allowing reduced overall adhesive weight while maintaining sufficient adhesion strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 insert mat maintains sound absorption and is impermeable to water while being highly air-permeable, allowing it to be used without impairing the vehicle's sound absorption capacity and providing effective non-slip properties on existing vehicle carpets.

Implementation Method 1

the adhesive layer is designed as an air-permeable adhesive layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir permeability: Porosity

Implementation Method 2

The carrier layer (3) has a hydrophobic finish

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrophobic effect: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 3

a tufted decorative layer (2) which, when the insert mat (1) is used as intended, faces a vehicle interior

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSound absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Data Source

PatentEP2855143B1Insert mat for motor vehicles for laying on a floor carpet structure of the motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2016.03.02 IDEAL AUTOMOTIVE OELSNITZ GMBH
  • EP2855143B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2855143B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2855143B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an insert mat (1) for motor vehicles for laying on a sound-absorbing floor carpet structure of the motor vehicle, having an at least three-layer construction, wherein the construction has a decorative layer (2), which faces a vehicle interior when the insert mat (1) is used as intended and which is connected to a top face (3a) of a carrier layer (3) that faces the vehicle interior during use as intended, and an adhering layer (4), which is connected to a bottom face (3b) of the carrier layer (3) when the insert mat (1) is used as intended and which is designed to interact with a floor carpet of a vehicle in a gripping manner, wherein the entire construction is air-permeable, wherein the decorative layer (2) is a tuft, the carrier layer (3) is a nonwoven fabric, and the adhering layer (4) is a tuft.