Abstract:
A toga towel and method for donning the same. The toga towel comprises a large piece of flexible sheet material that has an opening cut in an upper quadrant. The toga towel is wrapped around the torso of the wearer and the opening is used in a variety of ways to aid in securing the towel to the wearer.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional of U.S. Ser. No. 60/988,566, filed Nov. 11, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates in general to a toga towel, and more particularly to a toga towel with an opening, enabling the toga towel to be more securely held in place. 
         [0003]    Prior to the present invention an individual would wear a large solid rectangular piece of cloth, wrapping it around him or herself as a covering or as clothing. However, these towels fall off easily and require a certain level of expertise to put on. They are also awkward and incapable of being removed or applied to the wearer quickly. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    One aspect of the present invention is directed to a toga towel comprising a sheet of flexible material and an opening in the sheet disposed entirely within a first upper quadrant of the towel. 
         [0005]    Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of donning a toga towel having an opening disposed adjacent one corner of the towel. The method involves using the opening to secure the towel to the body of a wearer in a position in which the towel wraps around a torso of the wearer. 
         [0006]    Other features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a first embodiment of a toga towel of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of a portion of the toga towel taken on line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIGS. 3A-3F  are sequential views illustrating how the toga towel of  FIG. 1  can be donned; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a second embodiment of a toga towel of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of a portion of the toga towel taken on line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0012]      FIGS. 6A-6D  are sequential views illustrating how the toga towel of  FIG. 4  can be donned. 
       
    
    
       [0013]    Corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numbers throughout the drawing. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    Referring to the drawings and specifically to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first embodiment of the toga towel of this invention is designated in its entirety by reference number  10 . The towel comprises a large piece of flexible sheet material such as terry cloth or other suitable material. 
         [0015]    The towel  10  has an upper edge  12 , a lower edge  14 , a left edge  16  and a right edge  20 . The towel  10  also has a central horizontal axis  22  extending midway between the upper and lower edges of the towel and a central vertical axis  26  extending midway between the left and right edges of the towel. The two axes  22 ,  26  divide the towel into four quadrants, namely, an upper left quadrant  28 , an upper right quadrant  30 , a lower left quadrant  32 , and a lower right quadrant  36 . The vertical axis  26  also divides the towel into a left half (upper and lower left quadrants  28 ,  32 ) and a right half (upper and lower right quadrants  30 ,  36 ). An arm opening  40  is located entirely in the upper right quadrant  30  of the towel. A binding  42  surrounds the opening. The binding  42  can be made of any general use fabric and preferably one that will not irritate the wearer&#39;s skin. 
         [0016]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the towel  10  is generally rectangular and sized to fit a person wearing the towel. By way of example but not limitation, the towel may have dimensions of about 70 inches by about 39 inches to fit a person of ordinary height and weight (e.g., about 70 in. tall and about 160 lbs). These dimensions will vary according to the size of the person and the desired fit of the towel on the person. The opening  40  is generally circular and is sized to loosely receive a person&#39;s arm. By way of example, the opening  40  may have a diameter in the range of about four to eight inches. In one particular embodiment, the distance D 1  between the upper edge  12  of the towel and the opening  40  is in the range of about one to eight inches and more preferably in the range of about two to four inches (e.g., about three inches), and the distance D 2  between the right edge  20  of the towel and the opening  40  is in the range of about 8-25 inches and more preferably in the range of about 14-17 inches (e.g., about 17 inches). More generally, the distance D 1  is in the range of about 1-20 percent of the overall height of the sheet and the distance D 2  is in the range of about 10-35 percent of the overall width of the sheet. 
         [0017]      FIGS. 3A-3F  illustrate an exemplary method of donning the toga towel  10 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , the towel is first oriented such that the length of the towel is generally parallel to the ground with the opening  40  positioned for insertion of the wearer&#39;s right arm through the opening. The right arm is fully inserted into the opening until a right portion  45  of the towel (from the perspective of the wearer) is in contact with the front of the wearer&#39;s body and the remaining length of the toga towel is positioned such that a middle portion of the towel is behind the torso of the wearer and a left portion  51  of the towel is at the left side of the wearer ( FIG. 3B ). The left side of the towel is pulled across the front of the torso and lapped over the right portion of the towel. An upper free end corner portion  55  of the towel is then inserted through the opening  40 , as shown in  FIG. 3C . The towel is secured in position by pulling the corner portion  55  of the towel extending through the opening back across the front of the torso ( FIG. 3D ) and then tucking the corner portion  55  under a portion  61  of the towel extending over the right shoulder of the wearer, as shown in  FIGS. 3E and 3F . It is anticipated that the towel may be donned in the opposite direction of that shown, i.e., with the wearer&#39;s left arm, rather than the right arm, inserted into the opening  40 . 
         [0018]    The arm opening  40  may have a shape other than that shown, such as oval or polygonal. Alternatively, the arm opening may be a slot or a slit to reduce the entry of sand or other material through the opening when the towel is placed on the ground. 
         [0019]    Referring to the drawings and specifically to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a second embodiment of the present invention is designated in its entirety by reference number  110 . The towel has an upper edge  112 , a lower edge  114 , a left edge  116 , and a right edge  120 . The towel  110  also has a central horizontal axis  122  extending midway between the upper and lower edges of the towel and a central vertical axis  126  extending midway between the left and right edges of the towel. The two axes  122 ,  126  divide the towel into four quadrants, namely an upper left quadrant  128 , an upper right quadrant  130 , a lower left quadrant  132  and a lower right quadrant  136 . An opening  140  is located entirely in the upper right quadrant  130  of the towel. A binding  142  surrounds the opening. 
         [0020]    The materials and outer dimensions of the second embodiment are identical to those disclosed above. Unlike the embodiment disclosed above, the opening  140  of this embodiment is formed as a narrow opening or slit that is sized to receive an end of the towel. By way of example, the opening  140  may be a vertical slit having a length of about one to four inches (e.g., about two inches). In one particular embodiment, the distance D 1  between the upper edge  112  of the towel and the top of the opening  140  is in the range of about one to eight inches and more preferably in the range of about two to four inches (e.g., about three inches), and the distance D 2  between the right edge  120  of the towel and the opening  40  is in the range of about 8-25 inches and more preferably in the range of about 14-17 inches (e.g., about 16 inches). More generally, the distance D 1  is in the range of about 1-20 percent of the overall height of the sheet and the distance D 2  is in the range of about 10-35 percent of the overall width of the sheet. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 6A-6D  illustrate an exemplary method of donning the toga towel  110 . As shown in  FIG. 6A , the towel is first oriented such that the length of the towel is generally parallel to the ground and located behind the wearer. The right portion  145  of the towel containing the opening  140  is then wrapped around the front of the body of the wearer and the remaining length of the toga towel is positioned such that a middle portion of the towel is behind the torso of the wearer and a left portion  151  of the towel is at the left side of the wearer ( FIG. 6B ). The left portion of the towel  151  is pulled across the front of the torso and lapped over the right portion of the towel. An upper free end corner portion  155  of the towel is then inserted through the opening  140  as shown in  FIG. 6C . The towel is secured in position by pulling the corner portion  155  of the towel through opening  140  until snug as shown in  FIG. 6D . 
         [0022]    It is anticipated that the towel may be worn in the opposite direction of that shown, i.e. the wearer orients the opening on his or her left side rather than the right side. 
         [0023]    In other embodiments, the opening  140  may have a shape other than that shown, such as oval or polygonal. Likewise, in other embodiments the opening may have an orientation other than that shown, such as horizontal. 
         [0024]    The toga towel of this invention may be used on the beach or at a pool, e.g., places where a beach towel would normally be used. The existence of the opening ( 40  or  140 ) allows the toga towel to be easily put on or taken off when entering or exiting the water. Further, the opening allows for the toga towel to be more securely fastened to the wearer so that accidental unwrapping does not occur. 
         [0025]    While the invention is described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not the intent to limit the invention to this embodiment. On the contrary, it is the intent to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0026]    When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
         [0027]    In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. 
         [0028]    As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.