Abstract:
A yoga mat holder is provided with a diamond-shaped leaf to hold a rolled-up yoga mat. The yoga mat holder has a quick-release buckle and webbing attached to the leaf to fasten the yoga mat to the diamond-shaped leaf. The yoga mat holder also has a shoulder strap and a waist strap attached to an adjustable webbing with another quick-release buckle to secure the holder across the chest of the wearer. The diamond-shaped leaf is folded around the rolled-up yoga mat and worn diagonally across the back of a person. Pockets are provided on the shoulder and waist straps to allow a person to access her belongings without removing or shifting the position of the holder.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an article holder and, more specifically, to a holder for carrying a rolled-up yoga mat on the back of a user. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The main piece of equipment used by the yoga practitioner is a “sticky” mat or yoga mat. The practitioner performs various exercises required of this discipline on the yoga mat. The yoga mat is typically 24″×72″ and is made of a textured rubber material with a special coating to create a slip-free or sticky finish. The yoga mat is usually rolled into a cylinder and carried to and from the center where yoga is practiced. The diameter of the typical rolled-up yoga mat is approximately 4.5 inches and the height remains 24 inches. 
     It is desirable for a yoga mat holder to fulfill the following functions: 
     1. It is desirable to carry a yoga mat in a non-cumbersome manner while leaving the hands free. 
     2. It is desirable to provide a carrier that adequately protects the yoga mat from wear and tear and still exposes the yoga mat to the air for hygienic reasons; 
     3. It is desirable for the yoga mat holder to allow for quick-release of the yoga mat from the holder and the holder from the user; 
     4. It is desirable to provide a carrier that enables the user to easily access her personal belongings without shifting the position of the carrier. 
     Conventional backpacks allow the mat to be transported while leaving the hands free. These backpacks, however, are not feasible in allowing the user to carry the bulky yoga mat in a non-cumbersome manner. By placing a rolled-up yoga mat in a conventional backpack, the yoga mat will stick out of the enclosed area of the bag. The extension of the yoga mat out of the bag creates a problem as the yoga practitioner must account for an additional height added by the protruding mat. In addition, the yoga mat is not firmly secured within the backpack, allowing the yoga mat to be easily jostled in any direction. The protruding portion of the yoga mat is vulnerable to wear and tear caused by contact with other objects. A practitioner may fold the mat so that it will fit within the enclosed area of the backpack. Placing a mat that has recently been in contact with sweat from the practitioner into an enclosed area delays the evaporation of sweat and can create hygiene concerns for both the mat and the backpack. Another problem that exists with the conventional backpack is the accessibility of pockets where personal items are stored. The pockets on a backpack are usually placed on the front of the bag. Consequently, the personal belongings of the user are not easily accessible without shifting the backpack on, or removing it from, its position on the user&#39;s body. 
     Another device that can be used to carry a rolled-up yoga mat is a cylindrical-shaped sack with a top-loading drawstring or side-loading zipper. The sack is strung over the user&#39;s shoulder or across the body with one strap. This device is not feasible in allowing the user to carry the bulky yoga mat in a non-cumbersome manner. If the user bends, reaches or suddenly turns, the yoga mat holder can swing from the body. By placing a rolled-up yoga mat that has recently been in contact with sweat from the practitioner into an enclosed area, the evaporation of sweat is delayed. This creates hygiene concerns for both the mat and the sack. Although several varieties of the sack device include pockets located on the sack, the personal belongings of the user are not easily accessible without shifting the sack on, or removing the sack from, its position on the user&#39;s body. 
     A solitary strap can also be used to hold yoga mats. This strap is wrapped around each end of the mat with two fastening mechanisms. The strap is either strung over the user&#39;s shoulder or across the body. This device is not feasible in allowing the user to carry the bulky yoga mat in a non-cumbersome manner. If the user bends, reaches or suddenly turns, the yoga mat holder can swing from the body. In addition, the mat is fully exposed and, therefore, vulnerable to wear and tear. The solitary strap does not contain pockets for the purpose of holding the user&#39;s personal belongings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is among the main objects of the invention to provide a yoga mat holder which will allow the user to carry a rolled-up yoga mat in a convenient manner without encumbering the user. 
     It is another object of the invention to allow the user to expose the mat to the air while protecting the mat from wear and tear during transport. It is another object of the invention to allow the user to quickly detach the mat from the holder and the holder from herself It is another object of the invention to allow the user to easily access her belongings without shifting the position of the carrier. 
     Briefly, the invention provides a yoga mat holder that includes a diamond-shaped leaf for retaining a rolled-up yoga mat. Webbing and a quick-release buckle are used to firmly secure the rolled-up mat to the diamond-shaped leaf for easy and comfortable transport. Waist and shoulder straps are connected to the diamond-shaped leaf for securing the rolled-up yoga mat in the diamond-shaped leaf to the user. The straps are connected together across the front of the user from shoulder to opposite hip. The securing mechanism uses a quick-release buckle connected to adjustable webbing. The diamond-shaped leaf is also oriented diagonally across the back of the user. 
     The aforementioned objects, and other obvious advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and to the annexed drawings therein. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the yoga mat holder in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a back view of one embodiment of the yoga mat holder in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a back view of a person wearing the yoga mat holder with the rolled-up yoga mat; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of a person wearing the yoga mat holder with the rolled-up yoga mat included; 
     FIG. 5 a  is a detailed view of the shoulder strap with a pocket; 
     FIG. 5 b  is a perspective view of the shoulder strap wrapped around a person wearing the yoga mat holder; 
     FIG. 6 a  is a detailed view of the waist strap with a pocket; and 
     FIG. 6 b  is perspective view depicting the waist strap wrapped around a person wearing the yoga mat holder. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 depict front and back views of the yoga mat holder. Referring to FIG. 1, the yoga mat holder  10  includes a flexible retainer such as a diamond-shaped leaf  12  that will be used to retain a rolled-up yoga mat. The diamond-shaped leaf is made with a non-slip material that is sewn to a padded material. The padded material consists of any type of durable material fused to padding. 
     A webbing  14  with a quick-release buckle  16  is attached to the diamond-shaped leaf  12 . The webbing  14  is aligned along the center line between two opposing corners  18 ,  20  of the diamond-shaped leaf. The quick-release buckles  16  can be of any type of connecting device that allows the adjustment of the length of the webbing  14  and has the strength to remain connected while being carried. 
     A shoulder strap  22  is attached at a third corner  24  of the diamond-shaped leaf  12 . The shoulder strap  22  is composed of the same material as the diamond-shaped leaf. The shoulder strap  22  is attached to a webbing  26  which is attached to a buckle  28 . The shoulder strap can potentially be altered to accommodate different needs by widening the area of the strap that rests on the shoulder or adding more padding to the shoulder area. 
     Located near one edge of the diamond-shaped leaf  12  close to the fourth corner  30 , a waist strap  32  is attached to the diamond-shaped leaf  12 . The waist strap  32  is also connected to a webbing  34  with the quick-release buckle  28 . The waist strap  32  is also constructed of the same material as the shoulder strap and diamond-shaped leaf. Similar to the shoulder strap, the width of the waist strap could potentially be altered. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the front view of the yoga mat holder can be seen. The shoulder strap and the waist strap can have containers to hold personal belongings. On the shoulder strap, a shoulder pocket  36  is sewn directly onto the material of the shoulder strap  22 . A gusset pocket  38  forms the front face of the waist strap  32  to provide storage space. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the operation of the yoga mat holder  10  in retaining a rolled-up yoga mat  42  can be seen. A rolled-up yoga mat  42  is placed along the centerline between the third and fourth corners  24 ,  30  of the diamond-shaped leaf  12 . The diamond-shaped leaf  12  is then wrapped around the mat. The webbing  14  that extends along the centerline, around the diamond-shaped leaf, between the first and second corners  18 ,  20 , is connected by a quick-release buckle to secure the mat. The webbing is then adjusted to tighten the hold on the mat. 
     The diamond-shaped leaf  12  covers much of the mat while still exposing it to the air. In particular, both ends of the cylindrically shaped mat are exposed while a large portion of the circumferential surface of the mat is protected by the diamond-shaped leaf  12 . Exposing both ends of the mat also allows the height of the mat to be adjusted within the holder. Before tightening the buckle, the mat can be shifted within the holder  10  to adjust the portions of the mat that will extend from either side. If a particular user wishes the mat to protrude more from the bottom of the holder than the top, the user can simply move the mat further down in the holder  10  before tightening the buckles. 
     When being retained in this manner, the rolled-up yoga mat is affixed to the holder  10  along the center line of the diamond-shaped leaf  12 . This orientation is secure despite the use of only one buckle  16  to secure the mat because of the non-slip material and the wrapping mechanism of the diamond-shaped leaf  12 . This stabilizes the mat, preventing it from being jostled within the holder  10  during transport. Not only is the tightness of the wrap adjustable, but the wrap is made of non-slip material. Affixing the mat along the center line of the diamond-shaped leaf  12  also allows the orientation of the mat on the user&#39;s body to be fixed when securing the holder  10  to the user. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the manner in which the holder  10  is secured to the user is depicted. The waist strap  32  is wrapped around the waist of the user while the shoulder strap  22  is wrapped over the shoulder of the user. Both shoulder and waist straps meet in the middle of the user&#39;s body and are connected to adjustable webbing. The webbing is fastened by a quick-release buckle  28 . The webbing is then adjusted to firmly secure the holder  10  to the user&#39;s body. Orienting the waist strap  32  and shoulder strap  22  across the body allows the holder to rest comfortably and snugly on the body. In addition, the cross-wise orientation forces the rolled up mat to lie diagonally across the back. By holding the rolled up mat diagonally across the back, the amount of the mat extending beyond the body is minimized. 
     The yoga mat holder is ergonomically designed. Conventional backpacks cause a majority of the weight to be primarily carried on the shoulders. By strapping the holder across the body of the user with the waist and shoulder straps, the weight is more equally distributed across the body. In addition, the holder  10  is also stabilized on the body because both the waist and shoulder straps cause the holder to be held tighter to the body than conventional backpacks and other yoga mat holders on the market. The combination of securely fixing the rolled-up yoga mat to the holder and tightly binding the holder to the person minimizes the awkwardness of carrying the bulky mat by making the carried mat more integral to the body of the carrier. 
     FIG. 5 a  depicts the shoulder strap in greater detail. Shoulder pocket  36  is placed on the end of the strap closer to the webbing  26  and quick-release buckle  28 . The shoulder pocket  36  extends most of the width of the strap. The shoulder pocket uses a velcro strip to close the pocket, but any quick fastener can be utilized. FIG. 5 b  demonstrates the position of the pocket  36  when the yoga mat holder is worn by the user. As depicted, the shoulder pocket  36  rests on the chest of the user. This location makes the pocket and its contents accessible to the user while carrying the yoga mat holder. The user does not have to take off or shift the yoga mat holder to to access the pocket. 
     FIG. 6 a  shows the waist strap with the gusset pocket  38  in greater detail. The gusset pocket  38  extends along the waist strap and spans most of the width of the waist strap. The opening of the pocket is closed by a zipper that also extends along the waist strap. The gusset pocket  38  can expand to provide greater storage space. FIG. 6 b  shows the positioning of the gusset pocket when the yoga mat holder is worn by a user. The gusset pocket  38  wraps around the waist, keeping the pocket (even when expanded) close to the body. Wrapping the pocket around the waist does not decrease the accessibility of the pocket to the user since the zipper tab is located at the front of the strap. 
     The present invention is not to be considered limited in scope by the preferred embodiments described in the specification. Additional advantages and modifications, which will readily occur to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention, are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the following claims.