The present invention relates to a multipurpose mat for sporting, preferably of the type that is used as a landing bed for jumping.

When not in use, such landing mats are mostly kept standing on edge along one of the walls of the gymnasium, or they are in some way suspended. When standing or suspended, the mats are generally not used to any greater extent, which means that they are not put to use during most of the time that the gymnasium is open.

One of the objects of the present invention is to extend the field of application for such mats, so that the investment made when the mat is bought pays off as much as possible, at the same time as the purchase of some supplementary apparatus can be avoided. The mat according to the invention is, in the main, characterised in that the mat which in per se known manner comprises a soft, shock-absorbing core surrounded by a flexible protective cover, is formed in one flat side with a recess which extends through but a part of the thickness of the mat and to the shape of which said protective cover conforms, and has a filling piece which corresponds to the shape of the recess and is preferably made of the same core material as the remainder of the mat, said filling piece having likewise a flexible protective cover, whereby the mat, in lay-flat condition and with its filling piece in position and preferably facing the floor, can serve as a conventional landing bed, and, after removal of said filling piece and in upright condition, can serve as a shock-absorbing goal marker for various types of ball games and the like.

The mat according to the invention may thus serve not only as a conventional landing bed, but for instance also as an efficient goal marker, which means that no

special goal appliances need be acquired.

Here follows a description of an embodiment of the device according to the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the mat according to the invention from one of its sides,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same mat from which the filling piece has been lifted up,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same mat lying on the floor by a vaulting horse, and

Fig. 4 is a view of the mat from which the filling piece has been removed and which is standing on edge to serve as, for instance, a goal marker.

As is best seen from Fig. 2, the mat according to the invention comprises a core 1-3 of a relat vely soft, shock-absorbing material, such as foam rubber. The core is provided with a flexible and durable pro¬ tective cover 4. One side of the core 1-3 is formed with a recess 5 adapted to accommodate a filling piece ι having the same shape as the recess and comprising, like the remainder of the mat, a core 7 of similar material as the rest of the mat and likewise provided with a flexible and durable protective cover 8 similar to the protective cover 4 on the rest of the mat which in its entirety is designated by reference numeral 9. The protective cover 4 has been pulled down into the recess 5 to closely follow the walls of said recess, as can be seen in the drawings. In this manner, the recess 5 is clearly visible in the main part 9 of the mat. In the embodiment illustrated, the recess

5 is open at one longitudinal side edge 10 of the mat, and velcro fasteners 11 are provided on the side edge of the recess furthest away from the side edge 10 of the mat, corresponding velcro fasteners 12 cooperating with the velcro fasteners 11 being provided on the corresponding edge of the filling piece 6. The core layer of prior art mats frequently comprises two soft

elastic layers 1 , 3 disposed each on one side of a tough reinforcing layer 2 which is stronger than the two layers 1 and 3. The reinforcing layer 2 mainly serves to prevent penetration. In the embodiment shown, where the core comprises said three layers, the recess

5 extends down to the reinforcing layer 2. When the mat is used as a landing bed, as is shown in Fig. 3, the reinforcing layer of this embodiment is thus supple¬ mented with the inner part 13a of the protective cover 13 of the filling piece 6, and with the part 4a of protective cover 4 on the main part 9 of the mat that is situated inside the recess 5. Thus, it is possible to further strengthen the reinforcing layer. When the filling piece 6 is relatively large and thus extends across the whole landing area, the ordinary reinforcing layer 2 may in some cases be left out, since the pro¬ tective cover per se serves as a reinforcement. When a mat provided with a filling piece is used as a landing bed, the filling piece should be facing downwards, in order to avoid that someone lands in the gap area between the filling piece 6 and the main part 9 of the mat. Since the boundary between the filling piece

6 and the remainder of the mat will be situated inside the mat, and because of its penetration-preventing function, the core part of the rest of the mat can be produced in a less costly way than is otherwise the case. This natural reinforcement is obtained because the recess 5 into which the filling piece 6 fits, extends through but a part of the thickness of the mat. Naturally, it is possible to arrange other fastenings than the velcro fasteners 11, 12, and the fastenings can be disposed elsewhere in the surface layer between the main part 9 of the mat and the filling piece 6, than is shown in the drawings. When the mat is placed in upright condition, as shown in Fig. 4, and the filling piece has been removed, the recess in the mat can serve as an efficient

goal marker for ball games and the like. Thus, the mat serves as an efficient shock-absorber, a great advantage at ball games because incoming balls stay within the goal area and do not bounce back into the field. In the embodiment shown, where the recess is open at one of the side edges of the mat, it is suitable to use the mat as a goal marker for such ball games as for instance handball, but using the mat for other ball games is, of course, within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the recess may be located elsewhere in the mat, or have another shape.

The present invention is not limited to the above- mentioned embodiment shown in the drawings and chosen by way of example, but can be varied in its details within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.