Washable Floor Mat With Reinforcement Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Floor mats in high-traffic areas undergo deformation during laundering due to physical stretching and high temperatures, resulting in permanent rippling and waviness, especially along the edges, which affects their appearance and functionality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a reinforcement layer, such as a textile substrate or elastomeric material, into the textile component of the floor mat to provide additional stability during the washing process, which can be combined with a base component using surface attachment means like magnetic attraction or mechanical fastening systems, resulting in a stronger, flatter, and more durable mat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If floor mats are laundered to clean soiled mats in high-traffic areas, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but permanent deformation and rippling occur due to physical stretching and high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The floor mat uses a composite structure combining a textile component (tufted pile carpet with primary backing layer) and a base component (elastomeric material or vulcanized rubber), which can be joined together or releasably attached. This composite construction allows the textile component to be cleaned while the base component provides stability, resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and shape maintenance during laundering.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a reinforcement layer is incorporated into the textile component, then stability and resistance to deformation are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement layer is integrated as part of the textile component's composite structure, combining textile substrate or elastomeric material with the existing tufted pile carpet and primary backing layer. This integration strengthens the textile component against deformation during laundering while maintaining a unified, manageable structure rather than adding separate complex systems.
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 reinforced floor mat exhibits minimal to no rippling after laundering, maintaining its shape and functionality, and can withstand multiple wash cycles, making it suitable for repeated use in high-traffic areas.
Implementation Method 1
the textile component and the base component are releasably attachable to one another via magnetic attraction
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a washable floor mat comprising a reinforcement layer. The floor mat includes a textile component and a base component. The textile component contains a reinforcement layer which dramatically reduces and/or eliminates edge deformation that often occurs as a result of the washing process. The textile component and the base component may be joined together to form a single piece floor mat. Alternatively, the textile component and the base component may be releasably attachable to one another by at least one surface attraction means to form a multi-component floor mat. The floor mat is designed to be soiled, washed, and re-used, thereby providing ideal end-use applications in areas such as building entryways.