Importance

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Abstract

A floor mat for an automotive vehicle is provided having a relatively thin, flexible sheet-form main body and a rigidifying sheet-form element formed with or secured thereto in fixed relationship. The rigidifying element is fabricated from or formed by sheets of material that are effectively rigid in thin sheet-form and thereby render the otherwise flexible main body essentially inflexible. The materials selected to form the rigidifying elements preferably have a resilient characteristic, such as spring steel wire rod or inherent resilient rubber or plastic materials to enhance the mat's ability to maintain itself in a desired smooth, flat configuration on a vehicle's floor. The rigidifying element is of a configuration to rigidify the main body throughout most of its vehicle floor contacting area to resist displacement in all directions through the essential, rigidified portion of the mat encountering of any obstructions associated with the vehicle floor and the resilient characteristic of the rigidifying element accommodating excessive displacing forces and tending to return the main body of the mat to its original configuration. The rigidifying elements may be rod-like elements or thin, flat sheets of material either integrally embedded in or formed with the sheet-form main body or they may be mechanically secured thereto.

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First Claim