Abstract:
The present invention includes a method to sew a “T” shaped pocket into a towel to orient, support and secure a towel draped over a seat back or frame structure which is an capable being accessibly and removably coupled to suitable objects, such as car seats and other seating having back rests or frames used to display advertising messages or items placed on display resting in the T-pocket. The T-pocket component may include a first end and a longer second end, the longer second end employed to provide a level of protection for the underlying seat and comfort to the seated person, but also allow the person to dry himself and maintain warmth.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 35 USC §119(e) 
     Not Applicable 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to sewing patterns to form specifically shaped T-pocket towels, and in particular, T-pockets which provide for orientation, stability, support and other useful benefits to placing, hanging or wearing a towel on an object or a person. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Towels are commonly found in various settings where people work, play and entertain. Towels are used to protect objects from dirt, moisture, cold and wind; used to hide or conceal items or persons; used to dry objects or persons; and, are also used to demonstrate affinity, loyalty or support for teams, brands or products by the color, printed artwork applied or by the shape of the towel. 
     A towel can be flat. It can also be square, round, rectangle or any other shape. Handles, rings or loops can be attached. Towels can be made of thick and plush fabric, thin and sheer fabric and just about any other combination of known materials. 
     U.S. Pub. No.: US 2013/0111645 A1 “ATHLETIC APPAREL” provides an article of athletic apparel comprised of different adjacent materials with one of these materials substantially more hydrophilic than the first material. In the present invention, materials are joined using the sewing method described herein yet the types of materials used for the towel will not affect the usefulness of the resulting T-pocket described herein. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,984 describes a “BEACH TOWEL CAR SEAT COVER” as an apparatus for a seat cover having a moisture impermeable material and a an absorbent material with strategically placed straps providing means for securing the seat cover to a seat. The type of material and the assembly of these materials will not affect the usefulness of the resulting T-pocket described herein; which, by the design of the T-pocket renders the need for straps obsolete for the purpose of stabilizing the towel when draped over a car seat. 
     Towels are difficult to secure to objects. Typically, one can use a belt, rope or another towel to tie a towel to an object. As described above, straps have also been used to secure the position of a towel. The towel can also be wrapped or folded upon itself using tension to hold it in place. Or, a towel can be affixed to an object using snaps, buttons or other fasteners affixed to the object to which the towel is secured. The T-Pocket described herein effectively renders these other fastening mechanisms obsolete for the purpose of draping the towel over an object. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,536 describes a “WIND RESISTANT BEACH TOWEL”. A beach towel made of ordinary, machine washable fabric, together with a plurality of pockets, which may be filled with sand or other material to weigh down the towel is provided. The T-pocket described herein is not a substitute or alternative to the pockets described therein; nor does the T-pocket address the concept of “weighing” down the towel to keep it in place. To the contrary, the T-pocket is s new design which provides a cavity to encompass the shape of an object such as a car seat for retention of position in such situations as described therein. 
     For example, a “BEACH TOWEL WITH POCKETS” is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,467. Beach towel has envelopes attached there to so as to create closeable envelopes on the towel and pockets behind the envelope. The envelopes and/or pockets can be used for storing needed items such as sunscreen lotion, clothing items, or entertainment items such as a book or radio. The envelopes and/or pockets can alternatively be used as a receptacle for sand in order to hold down the beach towel and form a pillow. The T-pocket described herein is not a tainer pocket as described therein. While the T-Pocket does form a “bucket” or “bowl” when draped over a frame assembly in which objects can be placed for display, storage and collection, the “bucket”, “bowl” or “cavity” that is described more below has uses which are more suited to situations like easily displaying candy, coupons, trinkets and the like. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed invention. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     To resolve the problems mentioned above, an object of the present invention is to provide a specific method for sewing the opposing edges of a typical towel in the form of a “T” to create a pocket or cavity. The particular technique creates perpendicular seams that form the “T” shape, which when sewn, forms a pocket on the sewn end of the towel. 
     The sewing technique is preferred to alternatives such as using zippers, loops and rings, snaps or eyelets and string. Sewing eliminates the use of metal or plastic fittings that may scratch, tear or mark fabrics or materials such as wood finishes or leather coverings. Sewing the seams also eliminates some noise and the potential for scratching the finish in washing machines or dryers from the metal or plastics fittings. Sewing also eliminates the potential for burning the skin which may result from using the towel outdoors in sunlight for extended hours, whereby metal or plastic fittings could get hot and burn the skin when touched. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a pocket which will support the towel when the towel is draped over an object, thus allowing the towel to remain in position. Such objects can include car seats, lounge chairs, or any similar back rest. When the towel is draped over a frame structure with a void underneath the horizontal plane defined by the interior space surrounded by the frame members, the pocket will droop within the void space creating a “pocket” or “cavity” in which items can be placed for display or containment. These applications by the user have particular benefit which is found in the present invention. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide stability in position of the towel when draped over a back rest or supporting frame whereby the long face of the towel is suspended allowing the user to apply images or words to the fabric which are displayed as a result of the towel positioning facing outward. This is particularly important for users that want to advertise a brand or message using the towel when draped over a chair, car seat or other similar back rest structure. 
     The present invention comprises a sewing technique which attaches the opposing sides of one end of a towel to form a “T” pattern, which in turn forms a pocket. The manner in which the edges are attached in the “T” shape of the differ from a single seam “hood” formed by sewing the edges of the end of a towel to each other from the outer most edge to the mid-point of the edge of a towel. In the present invention, the seam is started from the outer most corners placed back to back of the edge of the towel and sewn a length less than to the mid-point. For the remaining span, the remaining span is sewn to the opposing side of the same edge segment. This differentiation forms the “T” shape which in turn forms the seam along the top of the pocket which provides for stability, orientation and support not found in other “hood” or cavity designs. 
     The towel which is made of fabric material, for instance machine washable terry cloth provides adequate support to sew a seam to form the “T” pocket. The materials used in the fabric and thread are durable, easily manipulated and coated or formed of materials that reduce the likelihood of causing damage to the objects or persons over which the towel is draped. The materials selected to form the towel may also include properties which provide for the application of ink, stencils or other applied markings which allow the towel to be positioned as a form of advertising when draped over a chair, seat, frame or worn over the head or shoulders of a person. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally may provide seat-covering systems that not only provide a level of protection for the underlying seat and comfort to the seated person, but also allow the person to dry himself and maintain warmth. 
     In another embodiment, the present disclosure may provide a seat-covering system comprising a hood-like component to accessibly and removably couple to a seat. The hood component may comprise a cape-type feature. 
     Finally, the present invention provides carry, storage and transport of the towel in a simple and efficient way: The first the “T” shape of pocket provides a default orientation when the towel is spread flat. Using this orientation, a person can fold the long edges of the towel according to the span of the “T” pocket and then continue folding intermediate sections of the towel starting from the lower unsewn edge of the towel towards the sewn edge of the towel and once folded, tuck the towel underneath the T-pocket for storage. Once complete folded, the T-Pocket retains the shape of the folded towel for display, stacking multiple towel side-by-side or vertically in a stack. These alternate applications provides users more convenient alternatives when using the towel. 
     Still other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described the embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustration of the best modes suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects all without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawing and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or similar components, with reference to the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exemplary illustration of a back view of the T-pocket in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary illustration of flat towel from which the method for sewing the T-pocket is applied in accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is an perspective view of the towel in  FIG. 2  folded vertically exposing the back face of the towel and the horizontal edge seam which forms the base of the T-pocket of  FIG. 1  in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  provides an exemplary illustration of the sewn towel in  FIG. 3  with the perpendicular edge seam which forms the top of the T-pocket of  FIG. 1  in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  provides an exemplary illustration of the sewn towel in  FIG. 4  turned right-side out and forward facing opposite as shown in  FIG. 1  in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the completed T-pocket draped suspended in space to illustrate how the T-pocket will droop into the cavity created by the void of a frame structure for displaying the message or images applied to the front face of the towel and creating a pocket to hold items for display in accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The claimed subject matter is now described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. It may be evident; however, that the claimed subject matter may be practiced with or without any combination of these specific details, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention and the claims. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally may provide seat-covering systems that not only provide a level of protection for the underlying seat and comfort to the seated person, but also allow the person to dry himself and maintain warmth. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a preformed a typical rectangular towel system  10 . In one embodiment, system  10  may have a width (w) measuring about 40 inches represented by two segements of measure “a” and a length (I) measuring about 70 inches represented by one measure “b”. In such embodiments, the width (2×a) and length (b) may be varied. In those embodiments, the T-pocket is not restricted by the variances of width (2×a) to length (b) nor is the method used to form the “T” determined by the length (b) measurement. 
       FIG. 3  depicts the base seam of the T-pocket. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the base seam system  30  may be formed by folding system  10  in half along the midpoint edge shown as  11  with the front or right-side out surfaces inward and opposing each half. Individual stitches  31  are applied along the span  30  of the top edge of folded system  10 . The span length is measurement (c) which is approximately two-thirds the measurement of span (a) shown in  FIG. 2 . The remaining span (d) is approximately one-third the measurement of span (a) shown in  FIG. 2 . When the seam system  30  is completed, the base seam of the T-pocket is formed. 
       FIG. 4  depicts the top seam of the T-pocket. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the top seam systems  40  and  50  may be formed by folding system  10  again along the perpendicular plane to the base seam  30 . Span (d) is folded in half so that the midpoint of span (d) meets the interior end point of seam  30 . Individual stitches  41  and  51  are applied along the spans d left and right along the top edge of folded system  10 . The span length is measurement (d) which is approximately one-third the measurement of span (a) shown in  FIG. 2  and is formed with two equal left and right segments measure (e). The left and right spans (e) are approximately one-half the measurement of span (d) shown in  FIG. 4  and one-sixth the measurement of span (a) shown in  FIG. 2 . When the seam systems  40  and  50  are completed, the top seam of the T-pocket is formed, this forms the competed T-pocket seam. 
     In alternative embodiments, seam  30 ,  40  and  50  may be formed any suitable manner, such as being bonded, glued, stapled, or any other suitable coupling method including using hook-and-loop fasteners, zippers, buckles, button, snap-button, adhesive, permanent adhesive, peel-and-stick material, male and female coupling adapters, other suitable coupling materials, or any combination thereof. 
       FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5  generally illustrate the T-pocket system  20 .  FIG. 1  illustrates the back face of system  20  and  FIG. 5  illustrates the front face of system  20 . It should be understood that system  20  shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5  is for illustrative purposes only and that any other suitable system or subsystem could be used in conjunction with or in lieu of system  20  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     System  20  may generally include hood-like component as depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . Alternatively, system  20  may include a pocket-like component as depicted as  70  in  FIG. 6 . 
     In an embodiment of the present disclosure, hood-like component may be employed to accessibly and removably couple system  20  to an object, such as a seat. A pocket-like component may be employed to accessibly and removably couple system  70  to an object, such as a frame assembly. 
     In operation, hood-like component system  20  may be coupled to an object, such as a seat back, by lifting hood-like component system  20  over the seat back and then hooding the seat back with hood-like component system  20 , such that first end with systems  40  and  50  engages the back of the seat back. In such an orientation, the longer second end of system  10  substantially covers the seat with system  60  displayed if applied to system  10 , thereby providing a layer of protection between the seat and a seated person. 
     In alternate operation shown in  FIG. 6 , pocket-like component system  70  which is essentially hood-like system  20 ,  FIG. 1  inverted, may be coupled to an object, such as a frame assembly, by laying pocket-like component system  70  over the frame assembly and then allowing the system  10  sewn with the T-pocket seams  30 ,  40  and  50  to droop into the void formed by the frame assembly, such that first end with systems  30 ,  40  and  50  of system  10  engages the frame assembly. In such an orientation, the pocket-like system  70  of system  10  substantially covers the frame and forms the pocket, while the long end of system  10  is suspended from the top of the frame assembly and allowed to hang from the frame assembly with system  60  displayed if applied to system  10 , thereby providing a display of system  10  along with system  60 . 
     In one embodiment, hood-like component system  20  or pocket-like system  70  may stretch and expand so as to accommodate objects with varying size and shape. In other embodiments, hood-like component system  20  may compress and tightly secure itself around smaller objects, such as the seat back of a stadium seat. Pocket-like system  70  may stretch and become more shallow or compress and have more depth. 
     Once coupled with an object, hood-like component system  20  or pocket-like system  70  may remain securely in place as a result of seams  30 ,  40  and  50 , which may allow for ample enclosure of an object within hood-like component system  20  or enclosure of an object within pocket-like system  70 . 
     System  10  may be coupled to seats having backs, such as, for example, car seats, beach chairs, stadium seats, airplane seats, house chairs, sofa chairs, patio chairs, lounge chairs, other suitable seats, or a combination thereof. System  10  may also be coupled to frames having square, rectangle, round, conical or triangular voids such as tubes, pipes, canisters, bowls, basins, or a combination thereof. 
     Hood-like component system  20  or pocket-like component system  70  may also be employed to accessibly and removably couple system  10  to any other suitable object. 
     In one embodiment of the present disclosure, system  10  may be employed to clean water, sand, dirt, rain, mud, snow, and/or sweat off of a person, while protecting a seat or other suitable object from becoming dirtied. 
     In another embodiment, system  10  may be employed as a protective barrier for a seated person against a dirty chair. 
     In alternative embodiments, a non-seated person may employ system  10  as a hooded cape to dry and warm himself. 
     In alternative embodiments, system  10  may be employed as a message board as a form of advertising. 
     In alternative embodiments, system  10  may be employed as a display container to hold items for display, give-a-way or for sale. 
     Any of hood-like component system  20  or pocket-like system  70 , system  10  may be made of terry cloth, terry cloth like material, towel-like material, bamboo, silver impregnated material, carbon impregnated material, other materials having natural properties, other materials having infused antimicrobial properties, cotton, polyester, cloth, canvas, jute, hemp, sisal, fiber, natural fiber, synthetic fiber, other suitable material, or any combination thereof. 
     In one embodiment, the exterior surface of any of hood-like component system  20 , pocket-like system  70 , system  10 , seams  30 ,  40   50 , and stiches  31 ,  41  and  51  may be embellished with different colors, patterns, camouflage patterns, patches, fabric paint, novelty items, ornamental items, stickers, removable stickers, text, logos, designs, images, other embellishments, other decorative materials, or any combination thereof to enhance or otherwise achieve a desired design. 
     It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used in this patent document. The term “couple” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not those elements are in physical contact with one another. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. 
     What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further combinations and permutations of such matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. 
     While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.