Connectable floor mats for gymnastic and athletic purposes

Abstract

Abstract GYMNASTIC AND ATHLETIC FLOOR MATS ARE DISCLOSED COMPOSED OF A SUCCESSION OF ABUTTING RECTANGULAR MAT SECTIONS, EACH INDIVUDUAL SECTION CONSISTING OF SHOCK ABSORBING FILLER MATERIAL ENCLOSED BY FLEXIBLE SHEET COVERS AND PERMANENTLY JOINTED TO ITS NEIGHBOR BY THE TOP COVERS ONLY OF THE TWO. TWO OR MORE SUCH MATS, EACH HAVING SEVERAL SUCH SECTIONS, MAY BE QUICKLY AND EASILY REMOVABLY CONNECTED TOGETHER, BOTH END-TO-END AND/OR SIDE-TO-SIDE, TO FORM LARGE EXPANSES OF RELATIVELY UNBROKEN MAT TOP SURFACE. THE LATTER IS ACCOMPLISHED BY JOINING THE TOP COVERS ONLY OF THE RESPECTIVE INDIVUDUAL ABUTTING SECTIONS OF THE COMPONENT MATS BY REMOVABLE SLOTTED TUBULAR CONNECTORS, GENERALLY C-SHAPED IN CROSS SECTION, WHICH ENGAGE AND EMBRACE PROJECTIONS FORMED ALONG THE EDGES OF THE RESPECTIVE ABUTTING TOP COVERS, THE CONNECTORS BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE ABUTTING SIDE WALLS OF THE RESPECTIVE CONNECTED MAT SECTIONS. THE CONNECTOR BETWEEN EACH PAIR OF SUCH SECTIONS IS READILY SLIPPED ON OR OFF ENDWISE THEREOF WHEN ONE COMPONENT MAT IS FLOPPED OVER ONTO ANOTHER. THE FOREGOING CONNECTORS ARE PREFERABLY EMPLOYED IN COMBINATION WITH ONE OR MORE SUCH COMPONENT MATS IN WHICH THE LENGTHS OF THE INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS OF EACH COMPONENT MAT ARE A FUNCTION OF THEIR THICKNESS SUCH THAT EACH COMPONENT MAT CAN BE "ROLL-FOLDED" UP INTO A SINGLE, COMPACT STACK FOR READY TRANSPORT AND STORAGE WITHOUT THE NEED FIRST TO SEPARATE IT INTO ITS INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS OR GROUPS OF SECTIONS. ONE OR MORE SUCH MATS ARE THEN REMOVABLY JOINED TO EACH OTHER, END-TO-END AND/OR SIDE-TO-SIDE, BY THE AFORESAID CONNECTORS IN ORDER TO PERMIT A WIDE RANGE OF MAT SIZE AND SHAPES TO BE ASSEMBLED FROM A FEW BAISC "ROLL-FOLDABLE" MATS. THE REMOVABLY JOINED MATS CAN BE "ROLL-FOLDED" TOGETHER AS ONE MAT AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALLY "ROLL-FOLDED" WHEN DISCONNECTED.

Inventors

• 👤 George P Nissen

Bibliographic Details