Nestable multi use floor protector apparatus

Abstract

The present invention concerns a set of pads quickly interchangeable, which can fit to furniture or appliances. The set is composed of a round cup in which a textured rubber puck and a felt puck are inserted. These three elements can be arranged in such a manner to offer several functions: protection of floors against surface scratch due to furniture or appliances movement; slipping of furniture on hard and smooth surfaces or on carpet; anti-slipping on smooth surfaces, anti-vibration and sound proofing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of pads for furniture intended to protect flooring against furniture and appliance movement, in residential and industrial environments.

PRIOR ART

Our research among patents revealed some systems that caught our attention:

CA 2107814—A floor protector that prevents damages caused by heavy objects sitting or slipping on a floor surface and reduces efforts required for displacing such objects.

CA 1180518—A seat or isolating mount for supporting an object on a surface floor. The structure is composed of an elastomer-type cover which adapts to the floor. The base of the shaft can adapt laterally and angularly and allows an object to sit on the floor surface even if this surface is irregular.

CA 2485555—A round furniture slide allows at least one movement of at least one furniture, appliance and movable wall structure and as a protective pad for floors; the apparatus is placed between such furniture, appliance and movable wall structure to be moved. The apparatus is composed of a cup in which is deposed a compressible material whose perimeter can adapt to the one of the cup and is glued using an adhesive.

CA 2278061—A glide assembly is constructed with a shell which includes a circumferential flange which is crimped around a base which includes an impact pad. The shell further includes the male portion of a ball joint with a relatively small aperture at a central portion. A ferrule includes a cup shaped portion for receiving a furniture leg. The base of the ferrule includes the female portion of a ball joint with a relatively large aperture at a central portion. A rivet swivelably attaches the male portion of the ball joint from the shell to the female portion of the ball from the ferrule.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,744 The invention describes a rubber base on a surface floor for preventing slipping.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,925,766 The invention describes several elements for preventing slipping.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,513 The invention describes multiple connecting boards which combine in a floor.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,560 The invention relates to an anti-fatigue flooring article having inherent properties of electrostatic dissipation.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,215 The invention describes a composite component having at least one felt layer as reinforcement when used for crash and/or noise management applications and including one reinforcement fibre layer. The reinforcement layer may be formed into a preform which is placed into a mould of suitable shape to form the component.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,160 The invention describes a method for delineating zones on the surface of thermoplastic gratings.

OBJECTIVES AND ADVANTAGES

A general objective of this invention is the protection of floor surfaces.

One of the objectives is the protection of floor surfaces against scratches due to the movement of furniture and appliances successively over flooring such as linoleum, high-density wood, laminate, carpets, ceramic tiles or others.

A specific objective is to make easy the movement of furniture and appliances on the floors when moving from hard to soft surfaces.

Another specific objective is the anti-slipping of furniture or appliances against hard surfaces.

A further objective is the reduction of vibrations of appliances on a floor.

Another specific objective is the sound proofing, i.e. the noise reduction caused by movement of furniture such as the movement of the legs of a chair.

Some of the objectives can look contradictory between them, but the invention consists in the mixing of the three elements of a set for obtaining completely different functions. The element combinations are described further in the text.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1A is a cross-section of three elements of the apparatus.

FIG. 1B is a section view of the elements of FIG.1 when joined.

FIG. 2A is an elevation view of one anti-slipping element.

FIG. 2B is a back view of the element of FIG.2A.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the element of FIG.2A.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of a felt element of FIG.1A.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of felt assembly under furniture.

FIG. 6 is a view of a combination of felt and anti-slipping elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1A shows the set of elements which constitute a nestable and multi-use floor protector apparatus. A cup 24 is a container made of a predetermined solid material, of predetermined diameter and thickness. The cup possesses an outer surface 42 with a smooth texture in order to slip on irregular surfaces such as a carpet. The area of the surface 42 with regard to the weight and volume of the object to be moved determines the easiness with which the object will be displaced. The inner surface 44 of the cup allows nesting of the other elements of the set. The anti-slipping element 22, of predetermined thickness, is composed of an elastomer or rubber like material, or having similar properties. Its diameter adapts to the one of the cup 24 and allows its nesting within the inner surface 44. The textured surface 28 of the anti-slipping element 22 possesses a fine texture with embossment points allowing grabbing to fibres of the bottom felt surface 48 in order to enhance the skid resistance of the element, whereas a smooth surface 30 is placed neither on the floor surface to be protected or on the inner surface 44 of the cup. The felt element 20 of a predetermined thickness is composed of a material such as felt or another material having the same slipping and sound proofing properties. Its diameter can adapt to the one of the cup 2 4 and allows nesting within the inner surface 44. On the top surface 46 of the felt element, an adhesive material is injected by pressure injection (see FIG.4), whereto is deposed a protective film that can be removed as desired. This outer surface 46 of the felt element is auto-adhesive and can stick to furniture and appliances. The bottom surface 48 of the felt element 20 is smooth and allows slipping on hard surfaces.

FIG. 1B shows the nested apparatus 26 with the anti-slipping element 22 which is deposed onto the inner surface 44 of the cup 24 and the felt element 20 is placed on the top of the anti-slipping element 22; this combination of the three elements of the set offers different functions such as sound proofing, movement and anti-vibration on a surface such as carpet. The top surface 46 of the felt element 20 is glued to a piece of furniture.

FIG. 2A shows a textured surface 28 of the anti-slipping element 22. The texture 32 is moulded on the textured surface 28 in order to allow the sticking to the felt element. A pattern composed of a series of embossment points which penetrate the bottom surface 48 of the felt element 20 allows a skid resistance between the two elements 20 and 22.

FIG. 2B shows the smooth surface 30 of the anti-slipping element 22.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the anti-slipping element 22 which has a thickness 50 and a type of pattern being a moulded texture 32 formed of small embossed points.

FIG. 4 shows a fine coating of adhesive material 36 injected into the felt 34 between a dotted line and a protective film 38 of the felt element 20.

FIG. 5 shows the felt element 20 glued to the legs of furniture 40 which allows the movement on hard surfaces and sound proofing.

FIG. 6 shows the felt element 20 glued to furniture 40 and under which the textured surface 28 of the anti-slipping element 22. Thus the smooth surface 30 of the anti-slipping element 22 will be on the floor surface. The friction of the smooth surface of the anti-slipping element is greater on a surface such as tile, linoleum or wood than the friction resulting from the sole contact of the textured embossed points 32 of the surface 28.

In contrary, when the small embossed points of the moulded texture 32 are in contact with a porous surface, such as felt, they encounter more friction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a set of pads quickly interchangeable, which can adapt to furniture or appliances. The set is composed of a round cup in which a textured rubber puck and a felt puck are inserted. This invention relates to the protection of floor surfaces against scratches or wear due to movement of furniture or appliances. The set of three elements offers a quick adaptation of the nesting elements without adjustment of dimensions or thicknesses. The different elements of the set can be combined quickly and easily since all elements are simply laid down one over the other. All the elements are reusable according to the needs. The multi use characteristic of the set is a definite advantage; it can be used on smooth and irregular surfaces such as carpet.

The efficiency of the set is based on the aspects of interchange ability, simplicity, rapidity and polyvalence.

The efficiency is also based on the quality of materials used for each element of the set; these elements have to be wear resistant. The set can be composed of elements of any geometry for adaptation to shape of furniture or appliances, according to the geometry of their supporting elements.

APPLICATIONS

A nestable and multi use floor protector apparatus 26 comprising:

(a) a cup 2.4 having the shape of a container having a perimeter and a thickness and being of a solid material, the cup comprising an outer surface 42 having a smooth texture for slipping on a surface such as that of a carpet and an inner surface 44 used for receiving other elements of the apparatus;

(b) an anti-slipping element 22, of a solid material, having a perimeter compatible with that of the cup 24 and having a smooth surface 30 on one side and a textured surface 28 on the other side;

(c) a felt element 20, having a perimeter compatible with the cup 24 and having a thickness of raw felt 34 between a bottom 48 and a top felt surfaces 46, the felt element composed of a material comprising fibres allowing slipping of the element on a hard floor surface and which adapts to the anti-slipping element 22, the felt element attached to one of the support or leg of furniture with an adhesive material which has been deposited on the felt. The anti-slipping element is composed of an anti-slipping material (ex. elastomer material such as TPR or other similar materials), which can adapt to the inner surface 44 of the cup 24 in order to provide a protection and an anti-slipping property over a hard floor surface, the perimeter of the anti-slipping element being adapted to the other elements for nesting in the cup.

The felt element 20 is attached to a support or leg of furniture using an adhesive previously deposited on the felt.

The adhesive is a type previously injected in the felt element 20 and applied against the leg.

The adhesive is replaced by attachment means coming from a group comprising a Velcro™ type material, a nail or a screw. The felt element 20 is held in place under a leg of furniture or under furniture or an appliance with the help of the Velcro™ type material of which one side is attached to the furniture and the other side is attached to the felt element 20.

The attachment means is a nail which passes through the felt element into the furniture wood leg or a screw which can be directly screwed into the felt element in the furniture wood leg, the felt element being intended to be combined to the anti-slipping element 22 and/or to the cup 24.

The cup 24 possesses a perimeter with a rounded edge of contact with the floor to ease slipping of the cup 24 on a floor surface having irregularities, the edge of contact being generally circular.

Other materials may also prove to be advantageous to use in certain applications.

It is to be clearly understood that the instant description with reference to the annexed drawing is made in an indicative manner and that the preferred embodiments described herein are meant in no way to limit further embodiments realizable within the scope of the invention. The matter which is claimed as being inventive and new is limited only by the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

20—Felt element

22—Anti-slipping element

24—Cup

26—Nestable and multi use floor protector apparatus

28—Textured surface

30—Smooth surface

32—Moulded texture

34—Raw felt

36—Injected adhesive material

38—Protective film

40—Furniture

42—Outer cup surface

44—Inner cup surface

46—Top felt surface

48—Bottom felt surface

50—Thickness

Claims

1. A nestable and multi use floor protector apparatus (26), said apparatus comprising:

(a) a cup (24) having the shape of a container having a perimeter and a thickness and composed of a solid material, said cup comprising an outer cup surface (42) having a smooth texture for slipping on a surface such as that of a carpet and comprising an inner cup surface (44) used for receiving another element of said apparatus;

(b) an anti-slipping element (22) made of a semi rigid material and having a perimeter compatible with said cup (24) and a smooth surface (30) on one side and a textured surface (28) on the other;

(c) a felt element (20) having a perimeter compatible with said cup (24) and having a thickness of felt (34) between a bottom (48) and a top surface (46), said bottom (48) comprising fibres allowing slipping when moved against a hard floor surface, said top surface (46) comprising an adhesive material for being attached to one support or leg of furniture by adhesive means thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said anti-slipping element is part of a group comprising an elastomer material such as TPR or other similar materials, which can adapt to said inner surface of said cup (24) in order to provide a protection and an anti-vibration property on a hard floor surface, said perimeter of said anti-slipping element being adaptable to another element for nesting in said cup.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said felt element (20) is attached to a support or leg of furniture using an adhesive previously injected into said felt element.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said adhesive previously deposited on said felt is injected in said felt element.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said adhesive is replaced by an attachment means coming from a group comprising a Velcro™ type material, a nail or a screw.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said felt element (20) is held in place under a leg of furniture or under furniture or an appliance by means of a Velcro™ type material of which one side is attached to said furniture and the other side is attached to said felt element.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said attachment means is a nail which can be nailed through said felt element in said furniture wood leg or a screw which can be directly screwed in said felt element, said felt element being intended to be combined to said anti-slipping element (22) and/or to said cup (24).

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cup (24), said anti-slipping element (22) and said felt element (20) have appropriate dimensions in order to nest and to combine in an interchangeable manner.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said cup (24) possesses a perimeter of which the surface in contact with the floor is rounded in order to ease slipping of said cup (24) against a floor surface having irregularities.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said cup (24), said anti-slipping element (22) and said felt element (20) have a predetermined perimeter generally circular.