Doormat with removable mat insert

Abstract

Doormat assembly comprising a base including a central area and a peripheral area surrounding the central area, a frame assembly formed separately from the base and forming a frame with a central opening for exposing the central area of the base, and a removable insert unsecured to the base and sized to fit within the central opening of the frame assembly so as to cover the central area of the base, wherein the frame assembly comprises a plurality of side members and a plurality of corner portions engaged with the side members to form the frame, and wherein the removable insert is removable through the central opening in the frame and replaceable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Doormat assembly comprising:
 a base including a central area and a peripheral area surrounding the central area;   a frame assembly formed separately from the base and forming a frame with a central opening for exposing the central area of the base; and   a removable insert unsecured to the base and sized to fit within the central opening of the frame assembly so as to cover the central area of the base,   wherein the frame assembly comprises a plurality of side members and a plurality of corner portions engaged with the side members to form the frame, and   wherein the removable insert is removable through the central opening in the frame and replaceable.   
     
     
         2 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises waterproof material and the central area of the base includes a plurality of through openings for draining fluids. 
     
     
         3 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the through openings are hexagonally-shaped openings arranged in a honeycomb pattern throughout the central area of the base. 
     
     
         4 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein each of the through openings includes a beveled edge configured to facilitate draining of fluids. 
     
     
         5 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly overlaps with at least a portion of the peripheral area of the base, and the peripheral area of the base is configured to engage with the frame assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral area of the base and the frame assembly are configured to interlock with one another so as to restrict lateral shifting of the frame assembly relative to the base. 
     
     
         7 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the size of the removable insert corresponds to the size of the central opening of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each side member is configured to engage with a corresponding corner portion by fitting an end of one of the side member and the corresponding corner portion into a recess in an end of the other one of the side member and the corresponding corner portion. 
     
     
         9 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of corner portions forms a space between adjacent side members engaged therewith. 
     
     
         10 . Doormat assembly configured for use with a removable and replaceable insert comprising:
 a base including a central area and a peripheral area surrounding the central area;   a frame assembly formed separately from the base and forming a frame with a central opening for exposing the central area of the base;   wherein the central opening in the frame is configured to receive the removable and replaceable insert so as to cover the central area of the base, and   wherein the base and the frame are shaped to interlock with one another to restrict lateral shifting of the frame assembly relative to the base.   
     
     
         11 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising the removable insert sized to fit within the central opening of the frame assembly and to cover the central area of the base. 
     
     
         12 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , the central area of the base includes a plurality of through openings for draining fluids. 
     
     
         13 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the frame assembly comprises a plurality of side members and a plurality of corner portions engaged with the side members to form the frame. 
     
     
         14 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein one of an upper surface of the base and an abutting surface of the frame assembly includes a channel and the other one of the upper surface of the base and the abutting surface of the frame assembly includes a protrusion configured to engage with the channel so as to restrict lateral shifting of the frame assembly relative to the base. 
     
     
         15 . Doormat assembly configured for use with a removable and replaceable insert comprising:
 a base including a central area and a peripheral area surrounding the central area;   a frame assembly formed separately from the base and forming a frame with a central opening for exposing the central area of the base;   wherein the frame assembly comprises a plurality of side members and a plurality of corner portions engaged with the side members to form the frame,   wherein each of the plurality of corner portions forms a space between adjacent side members engaged therewith, and   wherein the central opening in the frame is configured to receive the removable and replaceable insert so as to cover the central area of the base.   
     
     
         16 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of side members does not overlap with any other of the plurality of side members. 
     
     
         17 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein each side member is configured to engage with a corresponding corner portion by fitting an end of one of the side member and the corresponding corner portion into a recess in an end of the other one of the side member and the corresponding corner portion. 
     
     
         18 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the end of the one of the side member and the corresponding portion is recessed so as to fit into the recess in the end of the other one of the side member and the corresponding corner portion. 
     
     
         19 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of side members includes a rounded outer side edge defining a portion of an outer periphery of the frame assembly and a beveled inner side edge forming a portion of an inner periphery of the frame assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The doormat assembly in accordance with  claim 15 , the central area of the base includes a plurality of through openings for draining fluids.