Abstract: The present mat has a textile upper surface that has been thermally modified in a patternwise arrangement, such that the patterned areas have an abrasive feel ideal for scraping dirt from footwear. Such abrasive feel, or harsh hand, is due to the thermal modification of the heat-treated yarns, which may result in fibers having a clubbed end or, in extreme cases, a ball of re-melted polymer on the end of a fiber stalk or fiber. The yarns may be “thermally modified” by shrinking (in which the filaments decrease in size longitudinally, but are still recognizable as separate filaments) and melting (in which the yarns are heated beyond their glass transition point, become molten, and, when cooled, produce a fused yarn bundle). Attached to textile upper surface 10 is a flexible and durable backing material (e.g., 6).

Abstract: A mat having a base layer that is bonded to a top layer. The base layer of the mat includes a plurality of depressions along the bottom surface of the base layer, wherein the depth of the depressions does not exceed the depth of the base layer. The orientation of the depressions on the bottom surface of the mat is such that there is a greater concentration of depressions along the edges of the mat. The top layer of the mat is preferably a layer of carpet tuft. In operation, the depressions of the mat suction the mat to the surface onto which the mat is placed once an initial force is applied to the mat, such as a footstep or vehicular traffic.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a continuous process for making floor mats having a textile upper surface and a rubber or rubber-like backing. In the one embodiment of the present process, a continuous roll of unvulcanized rubber is joined to a continuous roll of textile material during vulcanization. In an alternate embodiment, textile panels are positioned onto a continuous roll of unvulcanized rubber, later being joined during vulcanization. After vulcanization of either a textile roll or textile panels to a rubber backing, the resultant mat composite is cut into individual mat units.