Abstract:
A velcro athletic belt with velcro backed clips for securing a workout towel to the torso of a person. This “hands free” belt, clip and towel assembly allows the person to exercise, jog, run or lounge with the towel securely attached on his waist. A different embodiment utilizes clips which attach the towel directly to the person&#39;s clothes.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to athletic gear and more particularly to a velcro workout belt with velcro backed clips for securing a workout towel to the torso of a person. This “hands free” belt, clip and towel assembly allows a person to exercise, jog or run with the workout towel securely attached to the waist. A different embodiment utilizes clips which attach the workout towel directly to the person&#39;s clothes. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    Exercise is a popular and necessary part of today&#39;s active lifestyle. It promotes health and emotional well-being. 
         [0003]    For cardiac health, it is recommended that a person exercise for an uninterrupted, thirty minute session at least three times a week. 
         [0004]    However, with this increase in cardiac rate, the person begins to perspire quit heavily. Therefore, it is necessary and desirable to wipe the face and body of sweat during the exercise session. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, athletic clubs supply workout towels to all their patrons for “sweat management”. However, it is burdensome to lug these workout towels around during the exercise session; ie: from workout station to workout station, and machine to machine. Additionally, there is a tendency to forget one&#39;s workout towel somewhere along the way or inadvertently pick up someone else&#39;s towel. 
         [0006]    An additional problem with the workout towel is there is no appropriate place to set it. Accordingly, it is usually thrown on the floor next to the person exercising simply because there is no other place to put it. Throwing the workout towel on the dirty floor and then wiping one&#39;s face and body is not a particularly hygienic practice, but it is a common everyday occurrence. at the “health” clubs. 
         [0007]    In order to solve the, “what to do with the workout towel” problem, people sometimes try to tie the towel around their waist. However, it constantly falls off and is much too cumbersome to wear while exercising, so once again it is tossed on the dirty floor. 
         [0008]    Some people attempt to keep the workout towel off the floor by draping the towel over the exercise equipment. However, this often interferes with the person trying to exercise. Additionally, a towel is a rather personal item for most people. Even though the athletic clubs supply clean workout towels to their patrons, many people would prefer to bring and use their own towel. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, an object of this invention is to design a “hands free” workout towel so people can exercise, jog or run without need to hand carry their workout towel. 
         [0010]    Another object of this invention is to design a belt and clip assembly for securing a workout towel to the waist of the person in order to keep it off the dirty floor. 
         [0011]    Still another object is to design a belt and clip assembly for securing a workout towel that utilizes an easy-on, easy-off clip for quick towel accessibility. 
         [0012]    It is a further object to design a belt that is highly adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of waist sizes and assembly styles. 
         [0013]    It is a further object to design a belt that is comfortable and not cumbersome to wear during workout sessions. 
         [0014]    Still another object is to design a belt and towel workout assembly that is an attractive fashion accessory. 
         [0015]    It is a further object to design a velcro belt and mated clips to accommodate both the towels supplied by the athletic clubs, as well as personal towels that a person may prefer to use during their workout session. 
         [0016]    A further object is to utilize a belt, clip and towel assembly to compliment beach wear and to cover a portion of the swimsuit to make one more publicly presentable during trips to and from the beach or pool. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    In keeping with an aspect of the invention, these and other objects are accomplished by use of a velcro belt with velcro-backed clips for securing a workout towel, to the belt. Preferably, the belt is made of industrial strength velcro in which the back sides of the hook strip and loop strip are fused or sewn together to form an approximate four foot long belt. Accordingly, one side of the four foot long belt will comprise hook velcro for the entire four foot span of belt and the other side will comprise loop velcro for the entire four foot span of belt. This way when the belt is wrapped around the waist, the loop side easily mates to the hook side no matter what a person&#39;s waist size. 
         [0018]    Attached to the velcro belt are plastic clips with velcro on the back side of each clip for easy attachment to the velcro belt. 
         [0019]    In operation, a towel is slid into the plastic clip. Then the velcro backed clip secured to any desired location on the belt. 
         [0020]    This way the towel may be hung from one side of the belt for easy access, ie: especially for wiping perspiration from a person&#39;s brow while exercising or running. 
         [0021]    Additionally, the towel may be wrapped around a person to cover their lower torso or as a cover over swim wear, by attaching the clips to opposite ends of the towel and then attachment to the velcro belt. 
         [0022]    Additionally, the belt may be fashioned as a sash around one&#39;s shoulder for a change in style and function. 
         [0023]    Still a different embodiment of the invention utilizes two mated clips for securing the workout towel directly to a person&#39;s clothes. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The preferred embodiments of the invention may become more apparent from the following specification, taken with the attached drawings, wherein: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a person wearing the athletic belt, clips and towel; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  schematically shows the inner and outer sides of the velcro athletic belt with clips attached, thereto; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of a clip to better show the inside tabs which grip the towel; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  shows an alternate means for attaching a workout towel to the belt; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  shows alternate clips for securing a towel directly to the person&#39;s clothing without utilizing a belt; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  shows a magnetic means incorporated into the clip for an alternate attachment means; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a diagram of a person wearing the velcro belt as a sash for a change in style and function. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    In greater detail,  FIG. 1  shows a person wearing velcro athletic belt  10 . The velcro athletic belt  10  contains easy-on, easy-off clips  12  and  14 . The backs of clips  12  and  14  contain velcro strips  40  (as seen in  FIG. 3 ), which affix onto velcro athletic belt  10 . A workout towel  16  is secured onto the velcro athletic belt  10  via clips  12  and  14 . 
         [0033]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , workout towel  16  may hang from the left side of a right handed person for easy access during exercise. This side location allows a person to conveniently wipe sweat from their face and body without interrupting one&#39;s workout. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of both sides of velcro athletic belt  10  with clips  12  and  14  shown attached, thereto. Velcro athletic belt  10  is preferably at least four feet in length to accommodate a wide range of waist sizes or shoulder strap styles. If desired, the person may easily trim the velcro athletic belt  10  to a more exact fit. 
         [0035]    The width of velcro athletic belt  10  is approximately 1¾ inches wide to accommodate clips  12  and  14  which are 1¾ inches long. However, it is understood that any size belt, clip and towel can be used to form the inventive instrument. Also, the belt, clip and towel can come in a multitude of colors and even designs for fashionable workout and beach wear. 
         [0036]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , velcro athletic belt  10  comprises an outer hook side  20  which is bonded together with an inner loop side  22 . The inner loop side  22  is worn against the body of the person due to its soft texture. Velcro athletic belt  10  is preferably made of industrial strength velcro, for its strength and durability, as well as the fact that the hook side is not course in nature, like the old hook velcro used to be. 
         [0037]    Clips  12  and  14  may be affixed to any desired location on velcro athletic belt  10  by attaching them onto outer hook side  20 . 
         [0038]    The free ends  24  and  26  of velcro athletic belt  10  may be cross-crossed as seen at  28  to form an attractive closure, which is especially important when the belt is worn as a fashion accessory. The free ends  24  and  26  may, also, be fastened in a standard overlap closure. 
         [0039]    Additionally, free ends  24  and  26  may be rounded as illustrated in  FIG. 2  to eliminate any pointed ends and to further add an attractive appearance to the velcro athletic belt  10 . 
         [0040]    Additionally, stitching may be added around free ends  24  and  26  to add more fashion flare, as well as durability to the ends. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  shows the side view of clip  12 . (Clip  14  is constructed identical to clip  12 .) 
         [0042]    In greater detail, clip  12  is basically a tight U-shaped design. Clip  12  contains two parallel walls  32  and  34  attached together by a bridge  36 . Area  38  is open space to accept an edge of workout towel  16 . 
         [0043]    The back side of parallel wall  32  contains a velcro strip  40 . Velcro strip  40  is a loop design to mate with the outer hook side  20  of athletic belt  10 . 
         [0044]    The inside of parallel wall  34  contains several round tabs  42  which contact opposite inner wall  33 . This contact ultimately provides the grip needed to secure workout towel  16  within open area  38 . 
         [0045]    Preferably, clips  12  and  14  are made of a plastic material with a flat, rounded contour for optimal comfort during on the floor workout routines. 
         [0046]    In operation, the velcro athletic towel  10  is fastened around the waist of a person. An edge of workout towel  16  is slid into open area  38  of clip  12 . The round tabs  42  on the inside of parallel wall  34  grip workout towel  16 , securely holding it within clip  12 . Clip  12  is then attached to any desired area on the velcro athletic belt  10  via the velcro strip  40  contained on the back side of Clip  12 . 
         [0047]    Accordingly, during an exercise session, a person may easily separate clip  12  from velcro athletic belt  10  to wipe their face and body with very little interruption to the workout/exercise routine. After the person is finished wiping their brow, the workout towel  16  may easily be attached back onto the velcro athletic belt  10 . 
         [0048]    Clips  12  and  14  may both be utilized to more securely hold workout towel  16  to velcro athletic belt  10 , especially during strenuous exercise or running. 
         [0049]    Additionally, clips  12  and  14  may be used to create various draped fashion styles and designs for workout towel  16 . For example, workout towel  16  may be fashionably, wrapped around a person&#39;s backside, draped at the midriff, or used as a cover over a swimsuit. 
         [0050]    The easy-slide on, easy-slide off design of clips  12  and  14  works well with all towels whether it be hand size, bath size or beach size. 
         [0051]      FIG. 4  shows an alternate towel  50  for attachment without clips to velcro athletic belt  10 . Here a long velcro strip  52  is sewn along one side of towel  50 . Velcro strip  52  comprises a soft loop velcro so it will not scratch a person&#39;s face or skin. 
         [0052]    In operation, the velcro strip  52  of towel  50  simply fastens onto velcro athletic belt  10  without the need for clips. Accordingly, towel  50  may be expanded its entire width or gathered for a more unique towel design. 
         [0053]      FIG. 5  shows an alternate embodiment for securing workout towel  16  directly to the workout clothes of the person without need for a belt. 
         [0054]    In greater detail, clip  60  contains a velcro hook strip  64  glued to back side  66  of clip  60 . The other clip  62  contains a velcro loop strip  68  glued to back side  70  of clip  62 . The inside of clips  60  and  62  both contain round tabs  72 ,  73  respectively for gripping fabric contained within open areas  74  and  76 . 
         [0055]    In operation, a portion of workout clothing is slid into open area  74  of clip  60 . Round tab  72  holds the workout clothing taught within clip  60 . Then a end of workout towel  16  is slid into open area  76  of clip  62 . The round tab  73  holds workout towel  16  securely within clip  62 . Clips  60  and  62  are then pressed together to hang the workout towel  16  directly from the person&#39;s workout clothes. 
         [0056]      FIG. 6  shows an alternate means for attaching the two clips together. In greater detail, clips  80  and  82  have magnets  84  and  85  incorporated into back sides  86  and  88  of clips  80  and  82 . Magnets  84  and  85  have different polarities for attraction and attachment to each other. 
         [0057]    In operation, clip  80  is secured to a person&#39;s workout clothes and clip  82  secured to workout towel  16 . Then clips  80  and  82  are attached with magnetism via magnets  85  and  86 . 
         [0058]    This embodiment may be desirable if one wants to temporarily remove workout towel  16  and attach it to the metal exercise equipment. 
         [0059]      FIG. 7  shows a diagram of a person wearing velcro athletic belt  10  converted into a sash design  90 . A workout towel  92  via clips  94  and  96  is attached to sash design  90 . This sash design  90  may be particularly advantageous when utilizing upright exercise equipment in order to wipe the brow without slowing the cardiac workout. 
         [0060]    All the features disclosed herein may easily be substituted and combined with each other. Also, those skilled in the art will perceive still other minor changes to the invention. For example, other flat clips could be utilized and areas of elastic could be added to the velcro athletic belt. Therefore, the appended claims are to be construed broadly enough to cover all equivalent structures falling within the scope and spirit of this invention.