DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns defrosting and heating devices in general and in particular it concerns a new removable thermal walking carpet or mat for cold surfaces in general.

During the winter or at particular latitudes or altitudes the atmospheric temperature often drops below 0°C, and at this temperature water changes state and freezes. At these temperatures and in the presence of atmospheric conditions like high humidity, fog, rain and snow, causing water molecules to be deposited on the exposed surfaces, ice formation takes place.

The presence of a layer of ice on walking surfaces or surfaces suitable for vehicles like pavements, roads, paths, slopes, etc. is very dangerous both for pedestrians, who run the risk of slipping and falling down, and for the circulation of any kind of vehicle or motor vehicle, from bicycles to cars.

For example, a car may lose grip and the driver may lose control of the vehicle at any moment, even if running at a very low speed, causing accidents that may cause serious personal injuries and damage to things. In particular, some types of tiled surfaces, which can often be found in garden paths, pavements, parking areas, become extremely slippery also in the presence of very thin ice layers.

This problem is particularly felt, furthermore, on floors or surfaces that are even slightly inclined, as the ice layer makes it even more difficult not to lose balance or to control a vehicle. Even steps or external staircases of houses or buildings, if they are not coated with anti-slip material or properly protected from weather agents, become extremely dangerous when they are covered with ice.

In order to eliminate this drawback, substances that increase the freezing temperature of water are currently spread on floors or paving surfaces in general.

Common kitchen salt is normally used that, once spread on the floor, prevents the formation of ice.

This method, however, doesn't eliminate or eliminates only to a minimum extent the ice layers that are already present on the surfaces and that must be removed mechanically or by means of other substances or methods.

Furthermore, in case of heavy snowfalls, the snow layer that accumulates on the surface and that can even be very high, must be removed immediately at least from roads, pavements and vehicle or pedestrian passageways, before the low temperatures cause the freezing of the snow, making the successive removal operations even more difficult.

In order to overcome the drawbacks described above, a new type of thermal removable and modular walking carpet or mat for any type of surface has been designed and produced, suited to prevent the formation of ice on a surface or to defrost said surface. The main object of the present invention is to prevent the formation of ice on the surface on which it is laid and to melt the snow layer. Another object of the present invention is to cause the melting of the ice and snow present on the surface where it is laid, at the same time also allowing water (in the liquid state) to be drained towards peripheral areas. Another object of the present invention is to provide a carpet or mat that can be applied to any type of surface, paved or not, pavements, roads, slopes, garden paths or garden areas, parking areas, etc..

A further object of the present invention is to provide a carpet or mat that, being extremely flexible, can be adapted also to extremely irregular or discontinuous surfaces, like for example staircases.

One of the advantages offered by the present invention lies in that it can be manufactured in any shape or dimension and can also be made to size. Another advantage offered by the present invention lies in that it is modular, and therefore can be joined or simply positoned beside other modules in order to cover larger surfaces having any shape and size.

A further advantage offered by the present invention is represented by the fact that it is simple and economic to produce, as well as easy and intuitive to use, since the new carpet or mat, in order to be set in operation, simply needs to be connected to a power supply network, for example via a common connector to a common power outlet.

A further advantage offered by the present invention lies in that the carpet or mat is portable and transportable.

Another advantage offered by the present invention lies in that it can be folded or rolled up, in such a way as to be stored or stacked occupying a minimal space.

These and other direct and complementary objects have been achieved by the new removable modular thermal walking carpet or mat for any type of surface, suited to prevent the formation of ice on said surface or to defrost it. The new removable thermal walking carpet or mat comprises, in its main parts, one or more electric resistances, that is, conductor or resistor cables, preferably made of a metallic material like copper, properly insulated, for example covered with plastic sheaths, which, connected to two opposite poles and to a power supply or power supply network, dissipate electric energy and produce heat owing to the Joule effect. Thermal carpet or mat to be laid on any type of surface, suited to prevent the freezing of the water that is deposited on the surface due to atmospheric conditions like humidity, fog, rain or snow.

Furthermore, if said carpet is laid on surfaces where a layer of snow or ice is already present, its operation causes the snow to melt or the ice to defrost. According to the invention, said resistors can be distributed in such a way as to form a net or grid, preferably with square or rectangular meshes, for example.

According to the invention, further non-conductive fibres or cables can be used, for example in a synthetic material, in order to reinforce the weft of the grid, so as to give the carpet or mat a higher mechanical resistance.

According to the invention, it is also possible to use a continuous support to which said conductor grid can be fixedly or removably applied, said support comprising for example a sheet or layer made of a synthetic or non synthetic material, for example plastic or rubber, which can have anti-slip properties or be properly corrugated.

According to the invention, said supporting sheet may also be provided, at least on its walking surface, a plurality of anti-slip projections and grooves, having also the function to drain the water, which thus is conveyed towards the peripheral areas outside the carpet. Alternatively, or in addition to said projections and/or grooves, said sheet may also be provided with water drainage holes.

The natural gradient of the surface on which the carpet or mat is laid will guarantee the water outflow.

Said carpet or mat can be produced in any shape and size. Said carpet or mat has preferably modular shape and dimensions, for example it is square or rectangular and can be positioned beside or joined to other modules, in order to cover surfaces of any size.

Two or more of said modules can be joined in a simply mechanical way, for example using hooks or by means of a joint, or they can be electrically connected, in series, to the same power supply by means of suitable connectors.

In the case where two or more of said modules are electrically connected to each other, for example in series, the new thermal carpet or mat will comprise means suited to prevent or reduce electric energy dissipation along the distribution line between the various modules, for example by means of peripheral lines.

According to the invention, at least one parallel power supply line is used, suited to progressively supply power to all of said connected modules.

Always according to the invention, said new thermal removable carpet or mat can be activated or deactivated by simple connection to or disconnection from the electric network, by means of manual switches, or it can be automatically activated or deactivated, for example in a programmed and timed manner.

The new removable and walking carpet or mat also comprises all the electric and/or electronic devices suited to ensure the correct operation of the circuit. The characteristics of the new carpet will be highlighted in greater detail in the following description with reference to the attached drawings, which are provided as non-restrictive examples.

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a possible embodiment of the new thermal carpet or mat (T), comprising for example a plurality of linear parallel conductor or resistor cables (C), connected in series to corresponding conductors (P, N) for connection to the power supply network or to an electric power supply in general, not illustrated in the figures. Said resistors (C) are electrically insulated, being covered, for example, by a sheath (G) made of an electrically insulating material, for example rubber. Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a further possible embodiment of the new thermal carpet or mat (T), comprising a plurality of linear parallel resistors (C) and a plurality of reinforcing threads or fibres (F), arranged crosswise with respect to said resistors (C) to form a network or grid with square or rectangular meshes. Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a possible further embodiment of the new thermal carpet or mat (T), comprising a first series of linear parallel resistors (Cl), connected in series to corresponding conductors (Pl, Nl) for connection to a power supply, and a second series of linear parallel resistors (CT), arranged orthogonal to said resistors (Cl) of the first series and connected in series to corresponding conductors (P2, N2) for connection to said power supply, said resistors of the first series (Cl) and of the second series (C2) being properly insulated from one another. The carpet (T) can have any shape and size, and the same applies to the shape and size of the meshes (Tl) formed by said resistors (Cl, C2) and/or by said resistors (Cl) together with said reinforcing threads or fibres (F). Said meshes (Tl) are preferably square or rectangular in shape, with size smaller than 2 cm x 2 cm.

Figure 4 shows a schematic view of a further possible embodiment of the new thermal carpet or mat (T) comprising at least one series of said resistors (Cl) embedded in a supporting sheet or layer (S) made, for example, of a plastic anti-slip and electrically insulating material.

The walking surface (Sl) of said supporting sheet or layer (S) is preferably corrugated and/or provided with grooves and/or projections (S3) with anti- slip and water drainage properties. Alternatively, or in addition to said projections and/or grooves, said sheet may also be provided with water drainage holes (S4).

Alternatively, as schematically shown in Figure 5, said resistors (Cl, C2) can be applied to a surface of said sheet (S), for example to the surface (S2) that rests on the surface to be defrosted and/or to the walking surface (Sl), wherein said sheet (S) also has the function to insulate the two circuits of said resistors of the first (Cl) and second series (C2), forming a sort of sandwich. According to the invention, said sheet (S) can also be removable, for example it can be withdrawn. Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are expressed.