Vehicle Mat Holder With Flexible Flaps for Secure Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle mats are either permanently fixed and costly to replace or inadequately secured, leading to inefficiencies and safety concerns, particularly in service garages and dealerships, where easy and secure mat replacement is needed to protect vehicle floors from contaminants.
Innovation Solution
A holder for replaceable mats featuring a base with integral flaps, flexible materials, and attachment means that allow easy installation and secure mat placement, including anti-slip features and containment channels, to facilitate efficient and safe mat replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If disposable paper-based mats are used, then replacement cost is reduced, but securing reliability deteriorates causing crumpling and folding
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is divided into a base portion and a flap portion that can be separately manufactured and then assembled. The base portion includes receiving walls while the flap portion includes securing walls that fold over to secure the mat. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently and simplifies manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The flap portion is designed to be flexible and movable, allowing it to be folded back during mat installation and then folded forward to secure the mat. This dynamic structure enables the holder to adapt to different states (open for insertion, closed for securing) while maintaining reliability with disposable mats.
2Productivity
If replaceable mats are made disposable, then replacement time increases, but cost is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is pre-configured with the flap portion in a positioned state that guides mat insertion. The base portion includes receiving walls that preliminarily position the mat before the flap is folded over to secure it. This preliminary structuring eliminates the need for complex alignment operations during replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder's segmented design with a base portion and a flap portion allows for rapid mat replacement. The mat can be quickly inserted into the base portion and then secured by simply folding the flap portion over, enabling efficient replacement without time-consuming adjustments.
3Reliability
If mat holder provides secure containment, then safety improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holder merges the base portion and flap portion into a single integrated structure that provides both containment and securing functions. The receiving walls of the base portion and the securing walls of the flap portion work together as a unified system to contain contaminants and secure the mat, eliminating the need for separate containment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic flap structure provides secure containment through a simple folding motion rather than complex mechanical fasteners. The flap portion folds over the mat to create an enclosed space that contains contaminants, achieving reliable containment with minimal structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A holder for a replaceable mat used in a vehicle having a base and at least one flap with a free edge that secures the replaceable mat. The flap may be integral to the base and may also be flexible to improve the efficiency of loading the replaceable mat. In other embodiments the flap is independent from the base and operatively secured by an attachment device to the base. Other features improve the ease of use and protective capabilities of the holder. The holder also improves safety for use in vehicles and is inexpensive to manufacture. The replaceable mat is preferably absorbent and freely disposable.