CONTAINER TO HOLD A TACKY, MULTI-LAYER DEBRIS COLLECTOR MAT

Abstract

A container for a tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat is disclosed. The container may include tabs to non-permanently secure a tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat. The container may be split into multiple sections for ease of use and transportation. A unique method of connecting the container sections together is also disclosed.

Description

BACKGROUND

Home owners around the world love having clean living environments, but hate the effort, time, and expense to keep their homes clean. Many products aid in cleaning, but few do so while simultaneously minimizing effort and cost. Home owners need easy to use products that reduce the cost and effort of keeping their homes clean and sanitary.

For decades, tacky, multi-layer debris collector mats have been used by commercial and industrial industries to keep cleanroom environments clean and sanitary. These mats are easy to use and effective at stopping dirt from being tracked inside sterile rooms. These mats have not successfully made the transition to consumer applications, though, because of the lack of an effective, consumer-friendly container to securely hold the mats in a home environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates multiple embodiments of a mat-like container to hold the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat according to example embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates the function and placement of one or more tabs on a container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention wherein the container is divided into multiple sections according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a unique connector system for the container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth.

However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “various embodiments,” etc., indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.

As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

Multiple embodiments of a container to hold a tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat are disclosed.

FIG. 1 illustrates a multi-layer debris collector mat 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Mat 100 may be rectangular or square in shape, as illustrated. An upper and outer layer 110 includes an adhesive side 120 and a non-adhesive side 130. Adhesive side 120 is on the exposed and upper most side of tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat 100 to collect debris. Upper and outer layer 110 may be removed, exposing a similar layer 140 underneath. Layer 140 also includes an adhesive side and a non-adhesive side in similar orientation to layer 110. Layer 140 is of a similar orientation as layer 110, such that an adhesive side is exposed to collect debris when layer 110 is removed. Tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat 100 may include many layers, for example, 36, such that mat 100 may collect debris for many months, for example, removing a layer every week to expose a fresh layer of adhesive.

Multi-layer debris collector mat 100 has a bottom and outer layer 150. Bottom layer 150 may have one or more adhesive portions enabling mat 100 to adhere firmly to a surface, for example a floor or a container, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, mat 100 has an adhesive portion covering the entire bottom and outer layer 150 of mat 100. In another embodiment, mat 100 has two adhesive strip-shaped portions along opposing sides of bottom layer 150.

FIG. 2 illustrates multiple containers 200 for the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat 100, wherein the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat is placed in and on top of depression 205 in the container.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the bottom and outer layer 150 of the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat attaches to container 200 to non-permanently secure mat 100 to container 200 and provide additional structure to both.

Container 200 may include one or multiple tabs 210, 220 or 230 to hold tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat 100 and keep it in place. As shown in FIG. 2, tabs 210, 220 or 230 may be any of a number of shapes, including, for example, half-moon shaped, rectangular, or triangular. FIG. 2 illustrates one or more tabs 210 located at the inner corners of container 200. Alternately, container 200 may have one or more tabs located in alternate locations, for example, along the straight edges of depression 205 as shown by tabs 220. In another embodiment, one large tab strip-shaped tab 230 may be used to secure mat 100 in container 200.

According to alternate embodiments, container 200 may be rectangular, oval, half-moon shaped, or shaped into a recognizable object or animal as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates the function of one or more tabs 310 according to an embodiment of the present invention. One or more tabs 310 non-permanently secure to the top layer of the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat 100 to aid in preventing movement of mat 100 and to provide additional structure.

In one embodiment of the present invention, tab 310 may have a tacky bottom to further adhere to the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat.

Alternate embodiments of the invention may have tab 310 made of alternate materials, including, for example, plastic, a waterproof, flexible material, or a non-skid material, that adheres to the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat. While tab 310 non-permanently secures the mat in place, the mat may be removed easily when the top layer of the debris collector mat is ready for disposal, and then replaced when the next layer of the debris collector mat is ready for use.

According to alternate embodiments, container 300 may be made of plastic, a waterproof, flexible material, or a non-skid material. In an embodiment of the present invention, the container is preferably made of a material that adheres to a bottom, lower-most tacky portion of mat 100.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the container 400 may be separated into multiple sections 410 as illustrated in FIG. 4 for ease of transporting and packaging. In an embodiment of the present invention, container 400 may have two or four sections 410.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, one or more adhesive portions of bottom and outer layer 150 of mat 100 adheres to the multiple sections 410, adhering the multiple sections securely and non-permanently together, providing additional structure to container 400.

FIG. 5 illustrates a unique connector system for container 500 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, each of section 510, 511, 512 and 513 of container 500 includes one or more connector holes 520 and one or more connector tubes 530. Connector holes 520 may be positioned on a corner edge of first section 510 such to fit connector tubes 530 on second section 511. Connector holes 520 on second section 511 may fit connector tubes 530 on third section 512, and so on, until the container unit is connected together.

The tacky portion(s) of bottom layer 150 of tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat 100 may provide further connection to secure the sections 510, 511, 512 and 513 of container 500 together.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the container may have a non-slip bottom.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat and container may be placed adjacent to a kitty litter box, such that any loose or stray litter may be collected by the tacky mat as a cat exits the box, keeping the adjacent areas clean and sanitary. Although embodiments may include the use of the mat and container in such a manner, other uses may include other pets and locations, such as in an entry area to collect dog hair and any dirt or other debris from a dog's paws collected as the dog enters a home, keeping the entryway and rest of home clean and sanitary.

Realizations in accordance with the present invention have been described in the context of particular embodiments. These embodiments are meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. Accordingly, plural instances may be provided for components described herein as a single instance. Finally, structures and functionality presented as discrete components in the various configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A mat-like container for a tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat comprising:

a rectangular depression on the upper surface of the container configured to non-permanently hold a tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat.

2. The container as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more tab structures for holding the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat in place.

3. The container as recited in claim 2 wherein the one or more tab structures comprise a single strip-shaped tab along one edge of the rectangular depression.

4. The container as recited in claim 2 wherein the one or more tab structures comprise four triangular tabs located in each corner of the rectangular depression.

5. The container as recited in claim 2 wherein the one or more tab structures adhere to an adhesive side on an exposed and uppermost side of the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat.

6. The container as recited in claim 2 wherein the one or more tab structures have a tacky bottom to adhere to the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat.

7. The container as recited in claim 1 further comprising a non-slip bottom surface.

8. The container as recited in claim 1 comprises a material conducive for one or more adhesive potions of the bottom and out layer of the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat to adhere to the rectangular depression.

9. The container as recited in claim 1 comprising multiple sections.

10. The container as recited in claim 9 wherein the multiple sections comprise two same-sized sections.

11. The container as recited in claim 9 wherein the multiple sections comprise four sections.

12. The container as recited in claim 9 wherein the multiple sections join together securely, forming the depression on the upper surface of the container.

13. The container as recited in claim 9 wherein each of the multiple sections has one or more connector holes and one or more connector tubes to join the multiple sections together.

14. The container as recited in claim 13 wherein connector holes are located at a corner of each of the multiple sections and connector tubes are located at an opposite corner of each of the multiple sections.

15. The container as recited in claim 9 wherein one or more adhesive portions of the bottom and out layer of the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat to adhere to each of the multiple sections, non-permanently securing the multiple sections together.

16. The container as recited in claim 9 further comprising at least one tab structure on one of the multiple sections for holding the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat in place.

17. The container as recited in claim 1 wherein the tacky bottom of the multi-layer debris collector mat adheres to the container and provides additional structure to the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat and the container.

18. The container as recited in claim 1 wherein the depression is configured to non-permanently hold the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat such that a tacky upper and outer layer of the multi-layer debris collector mat may be removed exposing a similar layer underneath.

19. The container as recited in claim 1 wherein the depression is configured to non-permanently hold the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat such that the tacky, multi-layer debris collector mat may be replaced with another multi-layer debris collector mat.