Abstract:
A retractable fitness towel holder includes an elongated flexible band for looping around a user&#39;s arm. A frame disposed on the band is held against the user&#39;s arm with a loop portion extending away from the user&#39;s arm. A retracting mechanism is biased to retract a cord coupled to the towel, and the towel is retractably suspended from the towel channel such that it extends through the loop portion and away from the holder. Pulling the towel through the loop portion and away from the frame, causes the cord to unspool from the retracting mechanism, and releasing the towel causes the retracting mechanism to re-spool the cord, thereby drawing the towel back through the loop portion to rest against the frame, holding the towel in place during exercise.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of provisional application No. 62/320,785, filed on Apr. 11, 2016. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Towels, sweatbands, and similar cloth-like apparatus (collectively ‘towels’) are commonly used in gymnasium settings and fitness facilities, both during and after exercise. Towels are generally necessary for removing perspiration from the person of a user, or residual perspiration left on equipment after use, as a courtesy to the next user. In busy fitness facilities, towels are also frequently necessary for cleaning equipment prior to use. Because towels are not attached to the user or user&#39;s clothing, they are prone to loss and unintentional soiling when set on an unclean surface. Once forgotten or lost, users must use a hand or arm to wipe off equipment, which is unsanitary and frequently inadequate. 
         [0003]    Many products have been developed in an attempt to solve the problem of keeping a towel handy during an exercise routine. User&#39;s commonly wrap a towel around the user&#39;s hand or wrist, but this process is undesirable since the it provides insufficient surface area to absorb adequate sweat during a workout, and may present a hazard due to being cumbersome and interfering with the user&#39;s movement and grip. 
         [0004]    Some products have been developed using a clip or similar attachment mechanism to affix the towel to the user&#39;s shirt or waistline. These mechanisms are disfavored because they adversely impact a user&#39;s workout clothing, and often fail, thus allowing a towel to become soiled when it falls to the floor. Other mechanisms include extendable retracting mechanisms used in connection with a clip. These are also disfavored, since the location used to attach the towel makes them uncomfortable, non-ergonomic, and leaves the towel free to swing about, thus presenting a hazardous condition as a user&#39;s body moves through an exercise 
         [0005]    Thus there is a need for a towel and towel holder that stays with a person during exercise to avoid loss of the towel. There is also a need for a towel holder that prevents a towel from becoming soiled or dirtied while a person is exercising. There is also a need for a towel holder that holds a towel in a conveniently reached, yet out of the way place during exercise. There is also a need for a towel holder that automatically secures the towel out of the way when a person is temporarily finished using the towel. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    A fitness towel holder for installation on a user&#39;s arm includes a flexible band releasably looping the user&#39;s arm. Optionally, a closure may be included to secure the flexible band on the user&#39;s arm. A frame having a projecting loop portion extends away from the user&#39;s arm. The frame, other than the loop portion, is preferably partially coplanar with the user&#39;s arm. A retracting mechanism is disposed proximate the frame and is spaced apart from the loop portion. The retracting mechanism is biased to spool a cord through the loop portion, the cord ending in a towel clasp. The towel clasp is preferably configured to affix to the towel and the retracting mechanism is spaced apart from the loop portion such that the towel clasp pulls the towel partially through the loop portion. 
         [0007]    The flexible band may include cutouts for adjustably looping the flexible band around the user&#39;s arm. Preferably, the closure is a hook and loop or similarly easily engaging and disengaging fastening material. The cord may pass through a cord hole, with the cord hole disposed above the retracting mechanism when the holder is worn on the user&#39;s arm. Preferably approximately two thirds of the towel extends through the loop portion when the retracting mechanism is in its biased position, and approximately one third of the towel extends from the holder when the retracting mechanism is in its biased position. The holder may include a small pocket, with a pocket opening bounded by the frame. The pocket may also be disposed between the retracting mechanism and the loop portion. 
         [0008]    In a second embodiment, the holder and fitness towel comprises an elongated flexible band having a closure for fixedly looping the band around the user&#39;s arm. A frame disposed along the length of the flexible band is held against the user&#39;s arm by the flexible band, and a loop portion extends away from the user&#39;s arm. A retracting mechanism is held in place between the frame and the flexible band. The retracting mechanism is biased to retract a cord extending from the retracting mechanism, with the cord coupled to the towel. The towel is retractably suspended from the frame, extending through the loop portion and away from the frame. Pulling the towel through the loop portion and away from the frame, causes the cord to unspool from the retracting mechanism, and releasing the towel causes the retracting mechanism to re-spool the cord, thereby drawing the towel back through the loop portion to rest against the frame. 
         [0009]    In this embodiment the flexible band may comprise multiple cutouts for adjustably looping the flexible band around the user&#39;s arm. The closure also preferably comprises hook and loop fastening material. The cord passes through a cord hole, with the cord hole disposed above the retracting mechanism when the holder is installed on the user&#39;s arm. A towel clasp connects the cord to the towel. When the retracting mechanism is retracted, approximately two thirds of the towel is held against the frame, and approximately one third of the towel extends from the holder. A small pocket is bounded by the frame, and may be located between the retracting mechanism and the loop portion. 
         [0010]    In a third embodiment, a retractable fitness towel and holder for fixation on a user&#39;s arm includes a frame forming a loop portion extending away from an elongated flexible band, the flexible band having a releasable closure for fixing the flexible band on the user&#39;s arm. A retracting mechanism on the frame is biased to spool a cord coupled to the towel. The towel is disengaged from the loop portion when the cord is unspooled, and the loop portion confines the towel when the cord is spooled, such that approximately two thirds of the towel is disposed along the frame and approximately one third of the towel extends away from the holder. Preferably, the cord extends through a cord hole and the retracting mechanism is located between the cord hole and the loop portion on the frame. A small pocket may be located between the retracting mechanism and the loop portion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a fixed extendable fitness towel and holder; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of the fitness towel and holder; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of the fitness towel and holder, with the towel portion extended downward; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of the fitness towel and holder with the towel portion extended downward, and revealing a small storage pocket. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 1 . A retractable fitness towel and holder apparatus (‘holder’)  10  comprises a flexible band  12 , a towel  14 , a retracting mechanism  16 , and a frame  18 . The flexible band  12  in its preferred embodiment comprises a small patch of hook material  20  and a long strip of loop material  22  extending from the hook material  20  to the frame  18 , the hook material  20  and the loop material  22  together forming a conventional hook-and-loop fastener ( 20 ,  22 ) commonly known in the art. The towel  14  is preferably a super absorbent fabric towel  14 , although any variety of absorptive, cloth-like, towel-like item is contemplated. Optionally, the towel  14  may be omitted from the holder  10  as manufactured and sold, with a user securing a preferred towel  14  and affixing it to the holder  10  prior to use. 
         [0016]    The frame  18  preferably extends up and over the top two thirds of the towel  14  when the holder  10  is worn by a user, preventing most of the towel  14  from touching the user&#39;s arm (not shown) when installed thereon. The frame  18  includes a loop portion  24 , which loops over the towel  14 , restraining it, but preferably allowing approximately the bottom third of the towel  14  to extend below the holder  10  when worn by the user. The frame  18 , including the loop portion  24  is preferably made of a material more rigid than the flexible band  12 , such as plastic or a stiff fabric. 
         [0017]    Underlying the non-looped portion of the frame  18  and sandwiched between the towel  14  and the flexible band  12  there is a layer of stretch material  26  bordered by the frame  18 , excluding the loop portion  24 . This stretch material  26  may be affixed to both the frame  18  and the flexible band  12 , and forms a small pocket  28  with a pocket opening  30  located behind the towel  14  when the towel  14  is retracted through the loop portion  24 . 
         [0018]    The retracting mechanism  16  is located above the pocket  28 , affixed relative to the frame  18  and the flexible band  12 . Extending upward from the retracting mechanism  16  is a cord  32  threaded through a cord hole  34  and attached to a towel clasp  36 . The towel clasp  36  is removably attached to the towel  14 , allowing the towel  14  to be removed from the holder  10  for periodic laundering, and reinstallation. 
         [0019]    A first cutout  38  and a second cutout  40  are provided on the flexible band  12  and are located opposite the hook material  20  and loop material  22  with the towel  14 , frame  18  and related structures located between them. The cutouts  38 ,  40  allow the flexible band  12  to be wrapped around a user&#39;s arm, preferably the user&#39;s bicep, threaded through the cutouts  38 ,  40 , and looped back in the opposite direction. The flexible band  12  can then be manipulated such that the hook material  20  faces and comes into contact with the loop material  22 , thereby fastening the flexible band  12  in place on the user&#39;s bicep. By providing two cutouts  38 ,  40 , in concert with the elongated loop material  22  on the flexible band  12 , the holder  10  can be used on a wide variety of biceps, both large and small. 
         [0020]    Referring lo  FIG. 2  the frame  18  is shown in profile, illustrating loop portion  24 . Thus the frame  18  extends up and over the towel  14  along a user&#39;s bicep, while also looping outward around the towel  14  to hold the towel  14  in position. By looping around the towel  14 , and in concert with the towel clasp  36 , the frame  18  holds the towel  14  in position as a user moves during exercise. Preferably, when fully retracted, approximately two thirds of the towel  14  is located adjacent or approximately adjacent to the frame  18  (and stretch material  26 ), while a third of the towel  14  extends below he looped portion  24 , away from the holder  10 , thereby making the towel  14  easily accessible to the user. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the towel  14  is shown extended from its fully rets acted position away from the frame  18 , as would occur when a user grasps and uses the towel  14  during a workout. In this position, the cord  32  is extended out of the retracting mechanism  16  and can extend an appropriate length for a user to employ the towel  14 . Because the towel  14  is pulled down and away from the frame  18  through the loop portion  24 , the cord  32  remains between the frame  18  and the user&#39;s bicep. When the towel  14  is retracted, it travels under the loop portion  24  of the frame  18  so that the frame  18  and looped portion  24  is once again looped around a major portion of the towel  14 . 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , when the towel  14  is extended, the small pocket  28  is accessible and more visible. The small pocket  28  is preferably sized to receive a small item  42 , such as a key, and card-sized items, such as a credit card or drivers license. Preferably the stretch material  26  is manufactured with sufficient tension to cause the small pocket  28  to retain any small items  42  therein under sufficient pressure to preserve them in the small pocket  28  even during a workout. With the towel  14  in a retracted position covering the small pocket  28  the towel  14  provides extra protection against dislodging of the small items  42  when the towel  14  is retracted. 
         [0023]    The structure of the holder  10  having been shown and described, its method of operation will now be discussed. 
         [0024]    A user may first need to obtain a towel  14  and affix it to the towel clasp  36  as an assembly stage before putting on the holder  10  and fastening it before a workout. Once the towel  14  is affixed to the towel clasp  36 , if necessary, the retracting mechanism  16  will reel in the cord  32 , drawing the towel  14  up against the frame  18  with the loop portion  24  looped around the towel  14 . The holder  10  may then be installed on the user&#39;s arm for use during the user&#39;s workout. 
         [0025]    To install the holder  10 , prior to a workout or at other predetermined time, the user may position the holder  10  on the user&#39;s arm, preferably on the outside of the user&#39;s bicep. The user then wraps the flexible band  12  around the bicep and inserts it through one of the cutouts  38 ,  40  according to preference and the size of the user&#39;s bicep. The flexible band  12  is then wrapped in a reverse direction around the user&#39;s bicep and the hook material  20  pressed into the loop material  22 , thereby fixing the flexible band  12  (and by extension, the holder  10 ) on the user&#39;s bicep and ready for use. 
         [0026]    The user may wish to insert one or more small items  42  such as a car key, credit card, or drivers license into the small pocket  28 . This can be done prior to installing the towel  14 , or after the towel  14  is affixed to the towel clasp  36  by pushing the towel  14  aside and inserting the small items  42  into the small pocket  28 . Removing the small items  42  may be accomplished in the same manner. 
         [0027]    With the holder  10  affixed to the user&#39;s bicep, and small items  42  stored in the pocket  28 , the user may engage in a variety of fitness activities. During these activities, when sweat is produced, the user may wish to towel off the user&#39;s person or fitness equipment. To do so, the user simply pulls down on the towel  14 , using it as desired, most commonly to absorb perspiration as one would use a conventional towel. When the user pulls down on the towel  14 , the towel clasp  36  accompanies it, pulling the cord  32  out of the retracting mechanism  16 . The cord  32  extends out of the retracting mechanism  16  up and through the cord hole  34 , then down through the loop portion  24  of the frame  18 , connecting it to the towel clasp  36 . 
         [0028]    After the towel  14  is used, the user simply releases the towel  14 , allowing the retracting mechanism  16  to pull the cord  32  (and by extension, the towel  14 ) back into the frame  18 . The towel  14  will remain retracted until needed again, and the process can be repeated as many times as necessary during the user&#39;s workout session. 
         [0029]    When the workout session is over, the user simply peels the hook material  20  away from the loop material  22 , and pulls the flexible band  12  through one of the cutouts  38 ,  40 , allowing the holder  10  to be removed from the user&#39;s bicep and stored for future use. Optionally, the towel  14  may be removed from the towel clasp  36  and laundered as necessary before reinstallation. 
         [0030]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the Invention is sufficient in detail to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is understood, however, that the detail of the preferred embodiment presented is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, in as much as equivalents thereof and other modifications which come within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification.