ROLL-UP MAT
A mat comprising an array of elongated buoyant elements enclosed in a casing or cover that may be waterproof or porous. The mat may be readily rolled into a cylindrical shape up for purposes of transportation and storage. A pillow may be removably encased in a pocket in the mat, and the pillow may be removable as desired. The pillow may be inflatable, whereby the user may select the extent of inflation (i.e., the hardness of the pillow) in order to provide a desired level of comfort.
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This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/797,408 entitled “ROLL-UP MAT,” filed on Jan. 28, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a portable mat for use at the beach, in a pool, on a boat, at a park, or on a variety of other surfaces. The mat is constructed of an array of lightweight, elongated buoyant members, such as rods or tubes of closed cell EPE foam, held within a casing or cover. A pillow may be enclosed in a pocket within the casing. The mat may be rolled into a cylindrical shape and then secured by straps affixed to the mat; a handle affixed to the mat allows for easy transportation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONInflatable mats and mattresses for sunbathing, lounging, or floating on water are popular recreational devices. Sometimes, however, carrying the inflated device, and/or inflating and deflating it, can be annoying, inconvenient, and even problematical. The instant invention provides a mat comprising an array of elongated buoyant members, such as foam rods or tubes, that do not require inflation. The array of buoyant members is enclosed in a casing or cover that may be waterproof or porous. The mat may be readily rolled into a cylindrical shape up for purposes of transportation and storage. A pillow may be incorporated in the mat, and the pillow may be removable—for example, to allow easy cleaning. The pillow may be inflatable, whereby the user may select the extent of inflation (i.e., the hardness of the pillow) in order to provide a desired level of comfort.
Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, which are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the figures, each identical or nearly identical component illustrated is typically represented by a single numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure, nor is every component of each embodiment of the invention shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention. In the figures:
A roll-up mat 10 constructed in accordance with one aspect of the instant invention is depicted in
A pillow 22 may be removably enclosed in a pocket 20 located at an end of the mat. (See
A side view of the mat 10 is shown in
As depicted in
Buoyant elements 14 may comprise rods of solid EPE foam and may have, for example, a diameter of 1.25 inches and a length of about 23 inches. Alternatively, elements 14 may comprise tubes of foam, as shown in
The casing or cover 12 may be constructed of fabric material such as conventional polyester materials, or of nylon. One or both layers of the casing may be comprised of mesh material, such as polyester mesh. To provide additional comfort, the top layer of casing 12 may be comprised of hydrophobic fabric. The casing may, for example, be about 76 inches in length and about 26 inches wide. The upper and lower layers of casing 12 are bound together at their perimeters in conventional fashion.
Those skilled in the art may readily recognize various alterations, modifications, and improvements. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting.
Claims
1. A roll-up mat comprising:
- a plurality of elongated, buoyant elements arrayed side-by-side,
- a casing comprising a rectangular top layer having two long sides and two short sides, affixed at its outer edges to the corresponding outer edges of a rectangular bottom layer having two long sides and two short sides of length, said layers encasing the elongated, buoyant elements between them, the elements being spaced-apart and parallel to the short sides of the layers.
2. The roll-up mat of claim 1, wherein the top and bottom layers are affixed to each other between each adjacent pair of foam rods.
3. The roll-up mat of claim 1, wherein said casing further comprises a pillow and a pocket formed at one end of the roll-up mat between said layers for receipt of said pillow.
4. The roll-up mat of claim 2, wherein said casing further comprises a pillow and a pocket formed at one end of the roll-up mat between said layers for receipt of said pillow.
5. The roll-up mat of claim 3, wherein said pillow comprises an inflatable bladder.
6. The roll-up mat of claim 4, wherein said pillow comprises an inflatable bladder.
7. The roll-up mat of claim 3, wherein said pocket comprises a re-sealable opening that allow insertion and removal of the pillow into and out of the pocket.
8. The roll-up mat of claim 4, wherein said pocket comprises a re-sealable opening to allow insertion and removal of the pillow into and out of the pocket.
9. The roll-up mat of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of elongated ties attached at a short side of the casing whereby the mat may be secured in a rolled-up position along its length.
10. The roll-up mat of claim 2, further comprising a u-shaped handle attached at a short side of the casing to facilitated transport of rolled up mat.
11. The roll-up mat of claim 1 wherein said elongated buoyant elements are comprised of closed cell EPE foam.
12. The roll-up mat of claim 2 wherein said elongated buoyant elements are comprised of closed cell EPE foam.
13. The roll-up mat of claim 11, wherein said elongated buoyant elements have a hollow core.
14. The roll-up mat of claim 12, wherein said elongated buoyant elements have a hollow core.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 24, 2020
Publication Date: Jul 30, 2020
Applicant: Aqua-Leisure Industries, Inc. (Avon, MA)
Inventor: Scott R. de Grasse (Marshfield, MA)
Application Number: 16/752,021