`MacNeil et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,899,655 B1
`Dec. 2, 2014
`
`US008899655B1
`
`(54) MANUFACTURING VEHICLE FLOOR TRAYS
`(71) Applicant: MacNeil IP LLC, Bolingbrook, IL (US)
`
`(56)
`
`(72) Inventors: David F. MacNeil, Hinsdale, IL (US);
`Scott A. Vargo, Lombard, IL (US)
`(73) Assignee: MacNeil IP LLC, Bolingbrook, IL (US)
`(*) Notice:
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by O days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 14/452,637
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Aug. 6, 2014
`
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`Husky Liner for 1999 Ford Super Duty, downloaded from http://
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`(Continued)
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`which is a division of application No. 10/976,441, filed
`Jefferson Perkins
`ABSTRACT
`on Oct. 29, 2004, now Pat. No. 7,316,847.
`(57)
`(51) Int. Cl.
`The three-dimensional positions of points on a Surface of a
`B6ON3/04
`vehicle foot well are digitally measured and are stored in a
`B29C 45/76
`memory. The stored points are used to construct an electronic
`G06F 17/50
`model of the vehicle foot well surface. The electronic model
`(52) U.S. Cl
`of the vehicle foot well surface in turn is used to construct an
`CPC
`electronic three-dimensional image of the vehicle floor tray.
`A vehicle tray data file is created from the electronic three
`dimensional image. The data file is in turn used to make a
`mold for a vehicle floor tray, and vehicle floor trays are
`manufactured by molding polymer material in the mold.
`6 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`B29C 45/76 (2013.01); G06F 17/50
`- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (2013.01); B29K 202306 (2013.01)
`USPC
`•
`u. fs
`296/97.23
`(58) Field fo - - - - - ificati- - - - - -s - - - - - - - h- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
`ise." SSCO Sea 296/9723: 15/215 217
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`
`
`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 1
`
`
`
`US 8,899.655 B1
`Page 2
`
`(56)
`
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`
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`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Autofomi Trunk Liner, English web page, downloaded from http://
`www.autoform.se/eng/products trunk liners.htmon Oct. 20, 2004.
`“Installation Instructions for Your F-150/F-250 Ford Truck Front
`Floor Liners', Winfield Consumer Products, Feb. 1, 2001, down
`loaded from http://www.huskyliners.com on Jan. 3, 2005.
`Husky Deep Tray Floor Liner, downloaded from http://www.
`truckstuffusa.com/cusfitdeeptr.html on Jan. 3, 2005.
`Webpages featuring products from 3D Carpet Liners, Weatherboots,
`Nifty Products, Inc. and Husky, downloaded from http://www.
`premiermotoring.net on Aug. 11, 2004.
`WeatherTech Floor Mat and Cargo Liner Product Sheets, MacNeil
`Automotive Products Limited, Downers Grove, IL, Nov. 1994, 4 pp.
`Faro Laser ScanArm, downloaded from http://www.faro.com/Prod
`ucts/ScanArm.asp on Sep. 23, 2004.
`Faro Scan Arm Product Techsheet, downloaded from http://www.
`faro.com/Products/Product Techsheet.asp? techsheet id=106 on
`Oct. 11, 2004.
`“CMM Produces Bikes With Custom-Look', downloaded from
`http://manufacturingcenter.com/man/articles/0604/0604CMM.asp
`on Oct. 11, 2004.
`"Stereolithography (SLA) for Rapid Precision Prototypes', p. 1,
`downloaded from http://www.boedeker.com/sla.htm on Oct. 12,
`2004.
`"About Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM), downloaded from
`http://cmm...globalspec.com on Oct. 11, 2004.
`"Bagagerumsmattor', downloaded from http://www.autoform.se/svt.
`produkter bagagerumsmattor.htm on Oct. 20, 2004.
`Strictly Catalog for Explorer/Mountaineer/Expedition/Navigator.
`MacNeil Automotive Products Limited, Downers Grove, IL, 1999,
`pp. 1-2 and 4-7.
`British Patent Office, Search Report on GB Patent Applin. No. GB
`0522091.8, Claims 47-66, 77 and 78, Jun. 23, 2006.
`British Patent Office, Search Report on Patent Applin. No. GB
`0522091.8, Claims 67-70, Jun. 26, 2006.
`British Patent Office, Search Report on Patent Applin. No. GB
`0522091.8, Claims 71-73, Jun. 27, 2006.
`British Patent Office, Search Report on Patent Applin. No. GB
`0522091.8, Claims 79-84 and 101-105, Jun. 23, 2006.
`
`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 2
`
`
`
`US 8,899.655 B1
`Page 3
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`British Patent Office, Search Report on Patent Applin. No. GB
`522091.8, claims 85-100, Jun. 27, 2006.
`British Patent Office, Search Report on Patent Applin. No. GB
`05220918, claims 1-46 and 74-76, Feb. 14, 2006.
`Canadian Intellectual Property Office, Requisition by Examiner
`issued on Canadian Application No. 2.524.795 on Apr. 23, 2008.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Office Action issued on U.S. Appl.
`No. 1 1/463,215 on Nov. 27, 2007.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Office Action issued on U.S. Appl.
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`British Patent Office, Search Report issued on GB Application No.
`0625354.6 dated Nov. 6, 2007.
`British Patent Office, Search Report on GB Applin. No. 0625354.6
`dated Mar. 3, 2008.
`Japanese Patent Office, Rejection issued in connection with Japanese
`Patent Application No. 2005-317635 dispatched on Jan. 5, 2011.
`Canadian Intellectual Property Office, Requisition by the Examiner
`issued in connection with Canadian Patent Application No.
`2,672,095, Jan. 14, 2011.
`Photographs of Ford Windstar floor mat with unknown manufacture
`date, obtained by Applicant in 2010, and believed to be on sale and in
`public use prior to Oct. 29, 2003.
`Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Requisition by the Examiner
`issued in connection with Canadian Patent Application No.
`2,672,423, Dec. 14, 2010.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Office Action issued on U.S. Appl.
`No. 1 1/463,203 on Aug. 13, 2009.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Office Action issued on U.S. Appl.
`No. 1 1/934,320 on Jun. 10, 2009.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Office Action issued on U.S. Appl.
`No. 12/332,757 on Jun. 11.2009.
`Canadian Intellectual Property Office, Requisition by the Examiner
`dated Dec. 17, 2009 on Canadian Patent Application No. 2,672,116.
`Canadian Intellectual Property Office, Requisition on CA2,672,095,
`dated Jan. 14, 2011.
`German Patent and Trademark Office, Official Action on DE 10 2005
`063 533.4-21, dated Sep. 1, 2011.
`Canadian Intellectual Property Office, Requisition on CA2,672,097.
`dated on Dec. 19, 2011.
`Photographs of a Highland Floor Guard with unknown date of manu
`facture, obtained by Applicant in 2010, and believed to be on Sale and
`in public use prior to Oct. 29, 2003.
`American Specialty Equipment Corp., "Big Book” catalog for "Per
`formance Parts, Truck Accessories, and Sport Compact Equipment.”
`2000, p. 366.
`Add-On 2002-2003 Automotive Accessory Catalog, 2002, pp. 192
`and 447.
`Floor Mat Comparison Chart, Stylinconcepts.com, Jun. 2, 2002.
`Advertisement for Highland's BlackArmor Floor Guard, Stylin Con
`cepts “Custom Truck Accessories' catalog, 2003, pp. 1, 2 and 109.
`Image from advertisement for Black Armor Floor Guard,
`Stylinconcepts.com; Apr. 3, 2002, recovered from http://webarchive.
`org/20020403230231/stylinconcepts.com/Images/
`BlackArmorWLogo.jpg.
`List of "front custom auto floor mats', etrailer.com (as downloaded
`by web.archive.org), Jun. 4, 2004.
`Description and illustration of “Front Custom Auto floor Mats”;
`etrailer.com (as downloaded by web.archive.org), Jun. 4, 2004.
`Advertisement for Highland floor guards, Counterman Info Pages,
`prior to Nov. 2002, p. 27.
`
`Highland Catalog and Jobber sheet; prior to 2004.
`Highland Application Guide, 2004.
`Volvo Accessories brochure, 1990, pp. 1 and 23.
`Volvo 760 GLE Accessories Brochure, 1983, pp. 1-3.
`Volvo Accessories brochure, 1981, pp. 1, 27.
`Volvo Accessories brochure, 1983, p. 1, 11, 16.
`Photographs of Volvo floor mat with unknown manufacture date,
`obtained by Applicant in 2010, and believed to be on sale and in
`public use prior to Oct. 29, 2003.
`Photographs of a Husky Liner floor tray with unknown manufacture
`date, obtained by Applicant in 2010, and believed to be on sale and in
`public use prior to Oct. 29, 2003.
`Husky Liners Product Catalog, 2001, pp. 1-2.
`Husky Liners Product Catalog, 2002, selected pages.
`Husky Liners Product Catalog, 2003 /2, SEMA Show Edition,
`selected pages.
`Photographs of Winfield's Husky Liner Model 3780 for 2000-2001
`BMW X-5 possessed by Applicant, believed to be on sale and in
`public use prior to Oct. 29, 2003.
`1998 Lund Product Catalog, p. 24, Lund SportMat Molded Floor
`Trays.
`Web advertisement for Fox Weatherboots, foxweatherboots.com (as
`downloaded by web.archive.org), Mar. 3, 2000.
`Nifty Products Catalog, 2003-2004, selected pages.
`Advertisement of unknown publication date for Husky Liner 3D
`Molded Carpeted Front Floor Liners, obtained by Applicant in 2010,
`and believed to be on sale and in public use prior to Oct. 29, 2003.
`Photographs of Husky Liner 3D Floor Liners manufactured Aug.
`2010, in possession of Applicant, and believed to be on sale and in
`public use prior to Oct. 29, 2003.
`Geomagic Press Release, “Geomagic, Inc. Wins Second Computer
`Graphics World Innovation Award.” Dec. 10, 1998.
`Geomagic Press Release, “Geomagic to Introduce Unique Solution
`for 3D Content Creation at SIGGRAPH '99.” Aug. 3, 1999.
`Geomagic Press Release, "Geomagic Announces Geomagic Studio
`2.0.” Jan. 14, 2000.
`Geomagic Press Release, “Geomagic, QTE Offer RevCuick, Auto
`matic Surface Generation for Mastercam.” Sep. 25, 2000.
`Advertisement, “Third Party Options (Romer, A CimCore Com
`pany).” 2000.
`Son, Seokbae; Park, Hyunpung; and Lee, Kwan; "Automated laser
`scanning system for reverse engineering and inspection.” Int. J.
`Machine Tools & Manufacture, 42, 889-897 (2002).
`“Competition Rising in Portable CMMs,” Quality Magazine, May 5,
`2003.
`Press Release by Brown and Sharpe, "Portable K Series Optical
`CMMs.” Sep. 1, 2002.
`“CAM2 software,” as downloaded from http://web.archive.org/web/
`20040215065613/www.faro.com/Products on Nov. 4, 2010.
`“Laser Scanner edges out CMM in the race to market.” Machine
`Design.com, Feb. 5, 2004.
`“Highres Delivers Complete Reverse EngineeringSoftware Suite for
`SolidWorks 2001 Plus.” Reverse Engineering.com, Apr. 25, 2002.
`“HighRes Provides 3D Reverse Engineering Software to Higher
`Education Learning Institutions'. ReverseEngineering.com, May 21,
`2002.
`“High Res Reverse Engineering Software now Ships with Every
`Romer 3000i and Stinger II Portable CMM in North America.”
`ReverseEnginering.com, Oct. 14, 2002.
`Press Release, "FARO Debuts Affordable "Advantage' Line of Mea
`surement Products.” Sep. 4, 2003.
`Canadian Intellectual Property Office, Requisition by the Examiner
`in connection with Canadian Patent Application No. 2,672,423 dated
`Dec. 14, 2010.
`
`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 3
`
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 2, 2014
`
`Sheet 1 of 12
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`US 8,899,655 B1
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 4
`
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 2, 2014
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`Sheet 2 of 12
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`US 8,899,655 B1
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`
`
`|
`
`n W N W
`
`w
`V
`V
`W
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`:
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`E
`
`ENE
`
`E V-E
`
`E
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`W
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`M
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 5
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 2, 2014
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
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`Page 6
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`U.S. Patent
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 2, 2014
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`Sheet 5 of 12
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`s
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 8
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 2, 2014
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`Sheet 6 of 12
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`US 8,899,655 B1
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`606
`
`-
`
`600-77 777 777 777 a N 604 -14 4 44 4 44 4 44 42 -
`
`300
`
`FIG. 6
`
`700
`
`701
`
`702
`
`CMM VEHICLE FOOTWELL
`POINTAOUISITION
`
`SPLINES
`
`VEHICLE FOOTWELL
`SURFACE MODEL
`
`703\ Top. Bottomsketch PLANEs
`
`ADJUST FOR SURFACE I-707
`RREGULARITIES
`
`TOP SKETCHPLANE LOCUS
`
`Mr.SFOR 709
`
`720
`
`722
`
`704
`
`724
`
`726
`
`BOTTOM SKETCHPLANE LOCUS
`
`
`
`DRAW LINES BETWEEN LOC
`
`
`
`LOFT SIDEWALL AREAS
`
`705
`
`FIT CURVES
`
`TRAY DATA FILE
`
`SLA
`
`711
`
`708
`
`710
`
`712
`
`MOLD
`
`TREXTRUSION
`SHEETS
`
`VEHICLE FLOOR TRAYS
`
`714
`
`FIG. 7
`
`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 9
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 2, 2014
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`Sheet 7 of 12
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
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`Page 10
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 2, 2014
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`Sheet 8 of 12
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
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`Page 11
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
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`Page 12
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`Dec. 2, 2014
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 13
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 2, 2014
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`Sheet 11 of 12
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`US 8,899,655 B1
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`se S 3
`C s
`
`o c
`
`S
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 14
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 2, 2014
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`Sheet 12 of 12
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`US 8,899,655 B1
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`802
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 15
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`US 8,899,655 B1
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`1.
`MANUFACTURING VEHICLE FLOOR TRAYS
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional
`application Ser. No. 13/773,706 filed Feb. 22, 2013, which in
`turn is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser.
`No. 13/595,703 filed on Aug. 27, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No.
`8,382, 186, which is in turn a continuation of U.S. Nonprovi
`sional application Ser. No. 12/879,899 filed on Sep. 10, 2010,
`now U.S. Pat. No. 8.267,459, which is in turn a continuation
`of U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 1 1/463,203 filed
`on Aug. 8, 2006, now abandoned, which is in turn a division
`of U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 10/976,441 filed
`on Oct. 29, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,847. The disclo
`Sures and drawings of those applications are fully incorpo
`rated by reference herein.
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`surface of a vehicle foot well has proven to be difficult, and
`the products currently in the marketplace have limited con
`Sumer acceptance because of their loose fit inside the foot
`well. There is often, and in many places, a considerable space
`between the exterior wall of these conventional trays and the
`interior surface of the foot well. This causes the wall to
`noticeably deform when the occupants foot contacts it.
`Vehicle owners have a tendency to dislike floor trays which
`rattle, deform, shift and flop about. A need therefore persists
`for a floortray that will have a more exact fit to the vehicle foot
`well for which it is provided, that stays in place once it is
`installed, and that provides a more solid and certain feel to the
`occupants’ feet.
`Some vehicle floor mats that are now on the market have
`fluid reservoirs built into them. Particularly in cold or wet
`climates, dirty water has a tendency to be shed onto the floor
`mat, where it persists until it evaporates. If there is enough of
`it, it will leak off of the floor mat and stain the carpeting of the
`foot well that the mat was meant to protect. These reservoirs
`typically are recessed areas in the mats that provide the mats
`with an enhanced ability to retain snow-melt and the like,
`until the water evaporates or can be disposed ofby the vehicle
`owner or user. One advanced design places treads in the
`middle of the reservoir, such that the feet of the occupant are
`held above any fluid that the reservoir collects. But including
`such a reservoir within a floor tray that otherwise has an
`acceptable fit to the surface of a vehicle foot well has not yet
`been done, since there are problems in incorporating a three
`dimensional liquid-holding vessel into a product that ideally
`conforms, on its lower surface, to the surface of the foot well.
`Further, a reservoir which collects drip water from a large
`surface, such as a vehicle floor tray, will exhibit more prob
`lems in keeping the collected fluid from sloshing about in a
`moving vehicle.
`Conventional vehicle floor mats and trays are molded from
`a single rubber or plastic material. The selection of this mate
`rial is controlled by its cost, its resistance to shear forces, its
`tensile strength, its abrasion resistance, its ability to conform
`to the surface of the vehicle foot well, its sound-deadening
`properties and how slippery or nonslippery it is relative to the
`occupants’ feet, with nonslipperiness (having a relatively
`high coefficient of friction) being advantageous. Often the
`designer must make tradeoffs among these different design
`constraints in specifying the material from which the tray or
`mat is to be made.
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`Motor vehicles are almost always operated in the out of
`doors and are frequently parked there. It is therefore very
`common for their occupants to have wet or muddy feet if
`the occupants have not just finished an outdoor activity, at
`least they have had to walk across a possibly wet, Snowy or
`muddy surface to access their vehicles. For decades, there
`fore, vehicle owners have been attempting to protect the
`enclosed interiors of their vehicles (cars, trucks, SUVs) from
`what they themselves track into them. The conventional solu
`tion to this has been to provide a vehicle floor mat which may
`be periodically removed by the owner and cleaned.
`Human beings have a tendency to move their feet around,
`and foot motion is an absolute requirement in operating most
`vehicles. This has caused a problem, in that the occupants of
`a vehicle have a tendency to push around the floor mats with
`their feet. The floormats end up not being centered on the area
`protected, or pushed up so as to occlude the gas, brake or
`clutch pedals, or bunched up or folded over—all undesirable
`conditions. One objective of floor mat manufacturers has
`therefore been to provide a floor mat that will stay put and
`which will not adversely affect vehicle operation.
`The foot wells of cars, trucks and SUVs vary in size in
`shape from one model of vehicle to the next. Floormat manu
`facturers have noticed that floor mats which at least approxi
`mately conform to the shape of the bottom surface of the foot
`well stay in place better and offer more protection. It is also
`common for such floor mats, where provided for front seat
`foot wells, to have portions which are meant to lie against the
`firewalls or front surfaces of the foot wells. Even as so
`extended it is not too hard to provide a floor mat of flexible
`material that will approximately conform to these two Sur
`faces, as the designer only has to mark a two-dimensional
`periphery of the mat in providing one which will fit reason
`ably well.
`More recently, vehicle floortrays have come onto the mar
`ket. Most front-seat vehicle foot wells are actually three
`dimensional concave shapes, typically with complex curved
`surfaces. Floor trays have sidewalls that offer enhanced pro
`tection to the Surfaces Surrounding the vehicle floor, as might
`be needed against wearers with very muddy or Snowy shoes.
`Conventional vehicle floor trays try to fit into these three
`dimensional cavities, but so far their fit to the surfaces that
`they are Supposed to protect has been less than optimum. A
`conventional vehicle floortray is typically molded of a single
`ply rubber or plastic material, exhibits enough stiffness to
`retaina three-dimensional shape, but is also at least somewhat
`flexible. Fitting such a tray to the complex three-dimensional
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided
`a vehicle floor cover, mat or tray which is removably install
`able by a consumer and which is formed of at least three
`layers that are bonded together, preferably by coextrusion.
`The three layers include a central layer whose composition is
`distinct from a bottom layer and a top layer. Preferably, all
`three layers are formed of thermoplastic polymer materials.
`In another aspect of the invention, the top layer exhibits a
`kinetic coefficient of friction with respect to a sample meant
`to emulate a typical shoe outsole (neoprene rubber, Shore A
`Durometer 60) of at least about 0.82.
`Preferably, a major portion of the central layer is a poly
`olefin. More preferably, the polyolefin is either a polypropy
`lene or a polyethylene. Most preferably, the polyolefinis high
`molecular weight polyethylene (HMPE) as herein defined. In
`an alternative embodiment, the central layer can be a styrene
`acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) or an acrylonitrile-butadiene
`styrene (ABS) polymer blend.
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 16
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`US 8,899,655 B1
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`Preferably, a majorportion of the top layer is a thermoplas
`tic elastomer, Such as one of the proprietary compositions
`sold under the trademarks SANTOPRENER), GEOLASTR
`and VYRAMR). VYRAMR) is particularly preferred. In
`another embodiment, a major portion of the top layer can be
`an ABS polymer blend. Where ABS is used in both the top and
`central layers, it is preferred that the amount of the polybuta
`diene phase in the top layer be greater than the amount of this
`phase in the central layer.
`It is further preferred that a major portion of the bottom
`layer likewise beathermoplastic elastomer, and conveniently
`it can be, but does not have to be, of the same composition as
`the major portion of the top layer.
`Preferably one or more of the layers is actually a polymer
`blend, in which a minor portion is preselected for its coextru
`sion compatibility with the adjacent layer(s). Thus, a minor
`portion of the top and bottom layers can consist of a polyole
`fin, while a minor portion of the central layer can consist of a
`thermoplastic elastomer. In each case, it is preferred that the
`minor portion be no more than about one part in four by
`weight of each layer, or a weight ratio of 1:3. Where all three
`layers are preselected to be ABS blends, the amount of polyb
`utadiene preferably is decreased in the central layer relative to
`the top and bottom layers.
`While the preferred embodiment of the vehicle floor cover
`consists of three integral layers, any one of the recited layers
`can in fact be made up of two or more Sublayers, such that the
`total number of Sublayers in the resultant mat or tray can
`exceed three.
`In another embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer con
`stituent of the top, central and/or bottom layers described
`above can be replaced with a natural or synthetic rubber,
`including styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, acry
`lonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) or ethylene propylene rub
`ber (EPDM).
`According to a related aspect of the invention, a vehicle
`floor cover is provided that has three layers bonded together,
`preferably by coextrusion. Major portions of the top and
`bottom layer consist of thermoplastic elastomer(s). The top
`and bottom layers have compositions distinct from the central
`layer, which can be chosen for its relatively low expense. It is
`preferred that a major portion of the central layer be a poly
`olefin and that major portions of the top and bottom layers be
`one or more thermoplastic elastomers. The polyolefin may be
`selected from the group consisting of polypropylene and
`polyethylene, and preferably is a high molecular weight poly
`ethylene (HMPE). The thermoplastic elastomer can, for
`example, be SANTOPRENER), GEOLASTR or VYRAMR,
`with VYRAMR) being particularly preferred. It is also pre
`ferred that each of the layers be a polymer blend, with a minor
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`portion of each layer being chosen for its coextrusion com
`patibility with adjacent layers. For example, the top and bot
`tom layers can consist of a 3:1 weight ratio of VYRAMR/
`HMPE, and the central layer of a 3:1 weight ratio of HMPE/
`VYRAMCR).
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`In an embodiment alternative to the one above, the top and
`bottom layers can consist of ABS polymer blends and the
`central layer can consist of SAN or an ABS in which the
`polybutadiene phase is present in a smaller concentration
`than in the top and bottom layers.
`In yet another embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer
`recited in this aspect of the invention may be replaced with a
`natural or synthetic rubber, such as styrene butadiene rubber
`(SBR), butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber
`(NBR) or ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM).
`In a further aspect of the invention, a vehicle floor tray or
`mat according to the invention is made of three layers,
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`wherein a top layer and a bottom layer have composition(s)
`distinct from the central layer, and wherein at least one of the
`shear strength per cross-sectional area, tensile strength per
`cross-sectional area and stiffness per cross-sectional area is
`greater than any one of the layers from which the tray or mat
`is composed. It has been found that a triextruded vehicle mat
`or floor tray according to the invention exhibits a tensile
`strength at yield, a tensile stress at break, a tensile modulus, a
`shear strength and a flexural modulus (stiffness) which are
`Superior to either a polyolefin-dominated single extrusion or
`a thermoplastic elastomer-dominated single extrusion. The
`triextrusion tray demonstrates these enhanced physical prop
`erties while at the same time affording an enhanced coeffi
`cient of friction to the feet of the occupant and improved
`tactile properties. By presenting such a Surface to the shoe of
`the driver or passenger, the footing of the driver or passenger
`will be more sure and comfortable.
`In a further aspect of the invention, a vehicle foot well tray
`is provided as a part of a system that has the vehicle foot well
`as its other main component. The tray has a greatly enhanced
`conformance to the surface of the vehicle foot well for which
`it is provided. At least two upstanding walls of the tray, both
`extending from the tray floor to a top margin, conform to
`respective surfaces of the vehicle foot well such that at least
`within that one-third of the area of the outer surface of these
`upstanding walls of the tray which is adjacent the top margin,
`90% of that top third area departs by no more than about
`one-eighth of an inch from the foot well surfaces to which
`they mate. These upstanding tray Surfaces may be opposed
`Surfaces or adjacent Surfaces, and preferably are both. In a
`preferred embodiment, the tray departs from a door sill sur
`face of the vehicle foot well, and/or a sill curve of the vehicle
`foot well, by about 0.025 inches. The upstanding sidewalls of
`the floor tray conform to the foot well surfaces which they
`cover, even where such foot well surfaces present both con
`cave and convex surface elements.
`In a still further aspect of the invention, a top margin of a
`vehicle floor tray is substantially coplanar on at least two
`upstanding sidewalls thereof. Preferably, the top margin of
`the tray is substantially coplanar through three or even four
`continuous upstanding sidewalls. This eases the design of the
`floor tray, increases hoop strength and assures that all
`upstanding surfaces of the vehicle foot well will receive
`adequate protection from muddy footwear. In a particularly
`preferred embodiment, the plane of the top margin is for
`wardly and upwardly tilted relative to a horizontal floor. This
`provides enhanced protection to the vehicle foot well pre
`cisely in the place where muddy footwear are likely to be,
`near the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals or the firewall. In
`a preferred embodiment, the tray is at least five inches deep at
`its deepest part.
`In a further aspect of the invention, the above mentioned
`tight tolerances are made possible by a novel vehicle floortray
`manufacturing method. In a first step according to the inven
`tion, points on a surface of the vehicle foot well are digitally
`measured with a coordinate measuring machine (CMM).
`These points are stored in a computer memory. A foot well
`Surface is generated which includes these points, preferably
`by connecting linear groups of the points together by using
`B-splines, and lofting between the B-splines to create areal
`portions of the foot well surface. Using this typically complex
`three-dimensional, predominately concave Surface, which
`may have several concavely and convexly curved portions, a
`corresponding Substantially convex outer floor tray Surface is
`built up Such that in many regions, the distance between the
`outer surface of the tray and the surface of the foot well is no
`more than about one eighth of an inch, insuring a Snug fit.
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`MacNeil Exhibit 2044
`Yita v. MacNeil IP, IPR2020-01139
`Page 17
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`In an embodiment of the invention, a process for manufac
`turing a vehicle floor tray includes a step of digitally measur
`ing the three-dimensional position of a plu