US3408663A - Bath mat - Google Patents

Description

E. E. BUNTING Nov. 5, 1968 BATH MAT Filed Feb. 10, 1966 [25072 6 2472529 BY 2 48/ m zk ATTORNEY United States Patent OfllCe 3,408,663 Patented Nov. 5, 1968 3,408,663 BATH MAT Edison E. Bunting, 8007 Oakleigh Road, Baltimore, Md. 21234 Filed Feb. 10, 1966 Ser. No. 526,593 2 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Bath tubs and shower stalls are frequently provided with rubber or plastic safety mats to prevent the bather from slipping therein and to avoid any possible resultant injuries. After use, the mats are usually left in a wet condition on the bottom of the tub or the floor of the shower stall with the result that the mat soon becomes deteriorated causing an unsightly appearance and resulting in a mat unable to perform its intended function requiring its replacement by a new rnat.

Heretofore, various proposals have been made to suspend bath mats, for purposes of drying the mats when not in use. In one arrangement, a framework including suitable linkage is secured to the wall of the bath tub, and the mat is pivotally connected to the linkage, whereby the linkage and associated mat are swung to an inoperative position when not in use. In another arrangement, the mat is provided with a plurality of suction cups and/or magnets, whereby the mat is adapted to tightly grip the wall of the tub.

While these arrangements have been satisfactory for their intended purposes, they have been subject to certain disadvantages, such as, the cost to manufacture, their bulkiness in design, and in the case where the mat is gripped on the side wall of the tub, the mat will not dry as efliciently as it would if freely suspended; thus, there is a tendency for the mat to deteriorate while on the side of the tub.

The safety mat of the present invention has been devised to overcome the disadvantages experienced in hitherto employed bath mats, and comprises, essentially, a mat having hanger means integrally connected to one end of the mat whereby the mat may be freely suspended from a towel rack, or other suitable support, positioned in proximity to the tub or shower. The hanger means comprises a pair of key-hole slots provided adjacent one end of the mat and a pair of straps formed integrally with the mat and extending from the end of the mat in alignment with the key-hole slots, a head or button member being provided on the end of each strap, whereby the mat, when not in use, may be hung to dry on a towel rack by wrapping the straps around the rack and inserting the button members into the slots.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved bath mat having hanger means for freely suspending the mat from a towel rackor other suitable support to thereby facilitate the drying of the mat when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bath mat having straps integrally connected to one end of the mat and adapted to be wrapped around a towel rack for freely suspending the mat therefrom.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved bath mat having a pair of slots provided adjacent one end of the mat and a pair of straps formed integrally with the mat and extending from the end of the mat in alignment with the key-hole slots, a button member being provided on the end of each strap, whereby the mat may be freely suspended from a rack by wrapping the straps around the rack and inserting the button members into the slots. I

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements, comprising my invention, may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly under stood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical elfect, without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the mat of the present invention suspended from a towel bar;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevatioual view of the mat;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing one of the straps and associated button member secured to a towel bar; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1, the bath mat of the present invention comprises a rubber or plastic mat portion 1 having hanger means 2 integrally connected to one end of the mat for freely suspending the mat from a towel bar 3, to thereby facilitate the drying of the mat while not in use.

As will be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the hanger means comprises a pair of key-hole slots 4 formed in the mat adjacent one end thereof. A pair of spaced, parallel straps 5 are integrally connected to the end of the mat and extend outwardly therefrom in alignment with the key-hole slots 4, the outer end of each strap being provided with a button member 6 having a head portion 6a integrally connected to one side of its respective strap by means of a throat portion 6b.

By the construction and arrangement of the hanger means, it will readily be apparent that when attaching the mat to a towel bar, as illustrated in FIGURES l, 4 and 5, the straps 5 are wrapped around the towel bar 3 and the head portions 6a are inserted through the larger ends of the key-hole slots until the throat portions 6b become aligned with the throat portions of the key-hole slots. A slight tension on the mat 1 will cause the throat portion 6b to slide upwardly into a snug seated position within a the throat portion of the key-hole slot to thereby hold the mat in a freely suspended position on the towel bar. Since the mat is freely suspended on the towel bar, air can circulate completely around the mat to quickly and efiiciently dry the mat while not in use.

By the construction and arrangement of the straps being integrally connected to the mat-and the button members being integrally connected to the straps, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the bath mat of the present invention is characterized by its ease of manufacture since the forming of the mat, straps and buttons can be performed in a one-step molding operation followed by a cutting operation to form the keyhole slots. In View of the ease of manufacture, there results an economical bath mat, simple in design and not likely to deteriorate to any appreciable degree even after long and continued use.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention. I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construc tion herein set forth by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes'and variations maybe made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding appended claims. a 1

I claim: 1

1. A plastic bath mat of the character described comprising, a mat portion, strap means-integrally formedon .2. A bath-mat according to claim- 1, whereinthe strap means comprises a pair of straps integrally formed on the scope of the said one edge, and the button member comprises, a head portionfanfa 'thrfo' at portion integrally"connecting the head portion to one side of-its' respective':strap, said-slot mean compri ing a .pair ofkeyholes,tgrmedninsaid mat portion, the throat. portion ofeach button member being positioned within the slot portion of its respective keyhole when the mat g'is suspended from the t ack.

1 References Cited UNITED STA E; PATENTS 2,081,992 6/1937 Gavlalc c 135.. 2, 00,023 11/1937 Brown. 7 2,515,450 7/1950 Hull 4".'I'85; 2 7 1 3*. T.".'T' I,"- ff."

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

HAROIJDJ.-GR )SS,"AssistanftExanrirwr.

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