Interconnecting mat system
AssigneeSNBC Inc.
InventorsShawn BEAMISH, Marlin BELANGER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mat assembly having a plurality of mats, interconnected with connectors including a cable for passing through a channel of each mat, wherein each end of the cable is secured, and a ratchet or winch mechanism for shortening the effective length of the cable; such that, when shortened, the cable retains abutting mats in contact with each other; and/or 5 including a bridge connector having two or more expandable plugs, spaced apart on the connector, and each expandable plug fits within and expands to securely engage an opening in each of the abutting mats.
Claims15
An assembly of at least two mats or panels, which abut each along a first edge, and each mat or panel has a second edge which forms a corner at an intersection with the first edge, wherein each corner defines a channel between the first edge and the second edge, and the assembly comprises:
- a) a cable passing through the corner channel of each of abutting mat or panel, wherein each end of the cable is secured;
- and
- b) a ratchet or winch mechanism for shortening the effective length of the cable;
- c) wherein the cable, when shortened, retains the abutting mats or panels in contact with each other.
An assembly of at least two mats or panels having adjacent edges, each mat or panel edge defining an opening either in an edge surface and/or a major surface, and the assembly comprises a bridge connector having at least two expandable plugs, spaced apart on the connector, and each configured to fit within and expand to securely engage an opening.
A two-dimensional mat array or a three-dimensional structure formed with mats and connectors comprising:
- a) a cable for passing through a corner channel of each of a mat, wherein each end of the cable is secured, and a ratchet or winch mechanism for shortening the effective length of the cable;
- such that, when shortened, the cable retains abutting mats in contact with each other;
- and/or
- b) a bridge connector having at least two expandable plugs, spaced apart on the connector, and each configured to fit within and expand to securely engage an opening in each of the at least two mats.
An assembly of at least two mats or panels, which abut each along a first edge, each mat or panel defining a channel which aligns with a channel of the abutting mat or panel, and the assembly comprises:
- a) a cable passing through the aligned channels, wherein each end of the cable is secured;
- and
- b) a ratchet or winch mechanism for shortening the effective length of the cable;
- c) wherein the cable, when shortened, retains the abutting mats or panels in contact with each other.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.