Magnetically Attached Floor Covering for a Boat

Abstract

A magnetically attached carpeting or other covering for a floor of a boat includes a set of magnetic elements connected to the floor and another set of magnetic elements connected to the carpeting. Wherein, the location of the magnetic elements of the floor and carpeting generally match each other. When the carpeting is installed on the floor, the magnetic elements of the floor and carpeting attract each other thereby promoting attachment of the carpeting to the floor. The carpeting can be removed from the floor by overcoming the magnetic attraction between the matching magnetic elements. Effectiveness of the attachment is not diminished by repeated installation and removal of the carpet from the boat floor.

1 . A magnetically attached floor covering system for covering a floor of a boat, the magnetically attached floor covering system comprising:
 a set of magnetic floor elements including a plurality of magnetic floor elements, the set of magnetic floor elements connected to and positioned on the floor of the boat according to a first layout; and   a removable floor covering including a tread surface and a set of magnetic floor covering elements, the set of magnetic floor covering elements including a plurality of magnetic floor covering elements;   wherein the magnetic floor covering elements are connected to and positioned below the tread surface according to a second layout;   wherein the first layout and the second layout generally position the magnetic floor elements and the magnetic floor covering elements at matching locations when the removable floor covering is installed over the floor; and   wherein the set of magnetic floor elements and the set of magnetic floor covering elements magnetically attract each other thereby promoting the attachment of the removable floor covering to the floor of the boat.   
     
     
         2 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetic floor elements are magnets. 
     
     
         3 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnetic floor covering elements are magnets. 
     
     
         4 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of magnetic floor elements are additional magnets. 
     
     
         5 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 2 , wherein the magnets include magnetic segments arranged in a Halbach array. 
     
     
         6 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 3 , wherein the magnets include magnetic segments arranged in a Halbach array. 
     
     
         7 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 4 , wherein the magnets and the additional magnets include magnetic segments arranged in a Halbach array. 
     
     
         8 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of magnetic floor elements is attached to the floor of the boat by adhesively bonding the magnetic floor elements to the floor of the boat. 
     
     
         9 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of magnetic floor elements is attached to the floor of the boat by molding the magnetic floor elements to the floor of the boat during the manufacture of the floor. 
     
     
         10 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 9 , wherein uncured resin of the floor wets the magnetic floor elements and bonds the magnetic floor elements to the floor during the manufacture of the floor. 
     
     
         11 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein tops of the magnetic floor elements are recessed below a top surface of the floor. 
     
     
         12 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein tops of the magnetic floor elements are substantially flush with a top surface of the floor. 
     
     
         13 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic floor elements are positioned within pockets of the floor. 
     
     
         14 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 13 , wherein tops of the magnetic floor elements are recessed below a top surface of the floor. 
     
     
         15 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 13 , wherein tops of the magnetic floor elements are substantially flush with a top surface of the floor. 
     
     
         16 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 14 , wherein the magnetic floor covering elements of the removable floor covering extend below a bottom surface of the removable floor covering and are positioned within the pockets of the floor when the removable floor covering is installed over the floor of the boat. 
     
     
         17 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 15 , wherein the magnetic floor covering elements of the removable floor covering are substantially flush with a bottom surface of the removable floor covering. 
     
     
         18 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein the removable floor covering can be uninstalled from the floor of the boat by peeling. 
     
     
         19 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein the removable floor covering includes a high friction bottom surface that grips the floor of the boat when the removable floor covering is installed over the floor of the boat. 
     
     
         20 . The magnetically attached floor covering system of  claim 1 , wherein the removable floor covering is bounded by a perimeter matching at least a portion of a perimeter of the floor of the boat when the removable floor covering is installed over the floor of the boat, and wherein the matching perimeters cooperate with the set of magnetic floor elements and the set of magnetic floor covering elements in promoting the attachment of the removable floor covering to the floor of the boat.