Carpet mat retainer clip

A clip for retaining a mat in stationary relationship with respect to an underlying carpet, said underlying carpet having a backing layer with carpet fibers attached thereto, said clip comprising:

• a single piece main body having a substantially U-shaped configuration, said substantially U-shaped configuration having a converging opening for receiving said mat, said main body being made of a resilient material and further having a means for biasing said converging opening towards a substantially closed position when said U-shaped configuration is in a relaxed state;
• at least one tooth integrally connected to one end of said main body, said at least one tooth protruding into said converging opening of said substantially U-shaped configuration of said main body for communicating with said mat when said mat is inserted into said opening;
• and
• a pair of prongs integrally connected with said main body, each prong of said pair of prongs being in substantially mutual parallel alignment, each said prong having an anchorage portion which is oriented in a substantially parallel relationship with an adjacent portion of said main body, each said prong having a substantially pointed end facing in a direction away from said opening, said pair of prongs providing selective anchorage of said clip with respect to said underlying carpeting, said anchorage portion of each said prong being displaced from said main body a distance such that said anchorage portion of each said prong may penetrate said backing layer and rest adjacent said backing layer and said main body will rest on said carpet fibers of said underlying carpet.

A method for forming a clip for retaining a mat in stationary relationship with respect to an underlying carpet, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a main body having a substantially rectangular shape, said main body being composed of a blank of resilient material;
• die cutting a first portion of said main body to provide a central cut-out, said central cut-out having at least one V-shaped cut near one end thereof and a control member projecting thereinto at the other end thereof and further die cutting a second portion of said main body to provide a pair of cuts, each cut being located near an opposite side of said main body, each said cut forming a pointed member, the portion of said main body between each said pointed member forming a base portion;
• stamping said blank to form at lest one tooth by bending said one end of said blank to cause said at least one V-cut to erupt as at least one tooth and further stamping said blank to form a pair of prongs by bending a portion of each said pointed member away from said main body so that a portion of each said prong is displaced from said base portion in parallel relation thereto;
• and
• bending said main body into a U-shaped configuration having an opening such that said at least one tooth projects into said opening, said pair of prongs remain substantially parallel with said base portion and outside said U-shaped configuration, and said control member is upstanding in relation to said base portion.