Patent Publication Number: US-2016235259-A1

Title: Sports towel

Description:
FIELD 
     This disclosure generally relates to a towel that can be worn by a user when engaging in sports or exercise. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Users engaging in physical activities such as exercising at a health club, playing sports, dancing, running, cycling or weight-training, for example, often use a towel to wipe off perspiration. Typically, users wear the towels loosely around their necks which does not adequately secure the towel to the user&#39;s body, resulting in the towel falling off when the user is participating in the physical activity. While a user can tie the towel into a knot to secure it around her body (e.g., neck, waist, etc.) fastening a towel in such a way may interfere with the physical activity, make it difficult for the user to use the towel and/or may be cumbersome to the user because she would need to secure and release the towel during use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The following drawings are illustrative of particular embodiments of the present invention and therefore do not limit the scope of the invention. The drawings are not necessarily to scale (unless so stated) and are intended for use in conjunction with the explanations in the following detailed description. Embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like numerals denote like elements. 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a sports towel according to a first embodiment shown in an unlooped configuration; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the sports towel of  FIG. 1A  shown in a looped configuration; 
         FIG. 1C  is a view of a portion of  FIG. 1C  shown without the fabric member; 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of a sports towel according to a second embodiment shown in an unlooped configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the sports towel of  FIG. 2  shown in a looped configuration; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an end portion of the sports towel of  FIG. 2  showing a looping member according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the end portion of the sports towel of  FIG. 2  showing the looping member according to a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 6A  is a top view of the end portion of the sports towel of  FIG. 2  showing the looping member according to a third embodiment; 
         FIG. 6B  is a top view of an end portion of the sports towel of  FIG. 2  showing the looping member according to a fourth embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of an end portion of the sports towel of  FIG. 2  showing the looping member according to a fifth embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of a sports towel according to a third embodiment; 
         FIG. 9A  is a front perspective view of a sports towel according to a fourth embodiment shown in an unlooped configuration; and 
         FIG. 9B  is a top perspective view of the sports towel of  FIG. 9A  shown in a looped configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides some practical illustrations for implementing exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Examples of constructions, materials, dimensions, and manufacturing processes are provided for selected elements, and all other elements employ that which is known to those of ordinary skill in the field of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many of the noted examples have a variety of suitable alternatives. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate a sports towel  10  according to a first design.  FIG. 1A  shows the towel  52  in an unlooped configuration, whereas  FIG. 1B  shows the towel  52  in a looped configuration. The towel  52  can be worn around a portion of the user&#39;s body  12  during sports or exercise activities for wiping perspiration. Additionally, the towel  52  can be used to wipe down surfaces of exercise equipment (not shown) after a user has operated the exercise equipment and/or to form a barrier between the exercise equipment and the user&#39;s skin. The towel  52  is generally made of a material that is substantially liquid absorbent to absorb perspiration from a user&#39;s body. In some embodiments, the towel  52  is made of at least one of terry fabric, cotton, lycra, polyvinyl alcohol, viscose, polyamides, polyesters and microfiber fabric. For instance, the towel  52  can have microfiber woven with polyester resulting in substantial durability and have substantially liquid-absorbent properties. Additionally, the towel  52  may have anti-microbial properties (e.g., include anti-microbial elements or compounds such as silver ions) so as to prevent microbial growth and/or odor. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the towel  52  comprises a towel body  16 . In some cases, when unfurled and laid flat on a surface, the towel body  16  can be of standard shapes such as rectangular or square. The towel body  16  can have a first surface  20  and a second surface  24  opposite to the first surface  20  when the towel  52  is unfurled and laid flat on a surface. When worn around the user&#39;s neck  28 , for example, the first surface  20  can face generally outward (e.g., away from the user&#39;s body) and the second surface  24  can face generally inward (e.g., toward the user&#39;s body). The user  12  can wrap the towel  52  around their neck and form a loop therewith as will be described below. Once the towel  52  is secured in a looped configuration, it may not loosen and/or be releasable from the user&#39;s neck  28  until the user  12  manually removes the towel  52  from the looped configuration. The looped configuration of the towel  52  can therefore allow the user  12  to continue exercising or playing sports without having to hold on to the towel  52 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1A , the towel body  16  can have a length  32  and a towel width  36 . For instance, in the design illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the length  32  can be measured between a first end  40  located at a proximate end of the towel body and a second end  50  located at distal end and opposite the proximate end, along a direction parallel to a major axis of the towel  52 . The first and second ends can therefore be separated by the length  32 . The towel width  36  can be measured from a first lateral edge  56  to a second lateral edge  60 . As seen in  FIG. 1A , the first and second lateral edges are opposite to each other, and are each substantially parallel to the axis of the towel  52 . In some cases, the first end  40  comprises a first linear edge  62  and the second end  50  comprises the second linear edge  66 . In the illustrated embodiments, the first and second linear edges are both disposed perpendicularly between the first and second lateral edges. While not illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  the towel  52  can have a pocket  70  provided at the second end  50  as shown in the embodiments of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The pocket  70  can be useful for securing a user&#39;s personal belongings (e.g., access cards, keys, phone and the like). 
     The first end  40  of the towel can be formed into an end loop  74  to allow the towel  52  to be formed into a looped configuration. In the illustrated embodiment, the towel  52  is substantially two-dimensional, wherein the thickness of the towel  52  is negligible in comparison to the length  32  and towel width  36 . In such cases, the first end  40  may be formed into an end loop  74  by bringing the first and second lateral edges toward each other such that the first end  40  forms a first portion  78  of the end loop  74 . A fabric  82  coupled to the first and second lateral edges of the towel  52  forms a second portion  82  of the end loop  74 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1A , the first and second lateral edges are folded toward each other such that the first end  40  forms the first portion  78  of the end loop  74  having a substantially semi-circular shape. The fabric is attached (e.g., by sewing or other methods of attaching a fabric) at, or proximal to, the first and second lateral edges, such that the fabric forms the second portion  82  of the end loop  74  and also has a substantially semi-circular shape. Once the fabric is attached, the first end  40  has the end loop  74  having a substantially circular shape. Alternatively, the end loop  74  can be oval or of irregular shapes. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1A , the end loop  74  of the first end  40  can have a first perimeter  86  in the unlooped configuration of the towel  52 . The first perimeter  86  can equal the length of the closed curve of the end loop  74  as shown in  FIG. 1A . In embodiments where the first end  40  is formed into a substantially circular end loop  74 , the perimeter can equal the circumference of the end loop  74 . In some embodiments, the first perimeter  86  can be sufficiently large to allow the second end  50  to pass through the first end  40  to secure the towel around the user&#39;s neck  28 , for example. 
     The first end  40  can have substantially elastic properties. For instance, the first end  40  can be expandable in the widthwise direction  110  to allow passage of the second end  50  having a width  134  greater than the first perimeter  86 . The first end  40  can be collapsible along the widthwise direction  110  once the second end  50  has passed through the first end  40  to securely fasten the towel around a user&#39;s body. 
     As described herein, the first end  40  is formed into an end loop  74  by attaching (e.g., sewing or other methods of connecting a fabric known in the art) a fabric proximal to the first end  40 . In such cases, the fabric comprises an elastic member  90 . Once attached to form an end loop  74 , the elastic member  90  provides the first end  40  with substantially elastic properties. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1A , the elastic member  90  is an elastic ring having a cylindrical shape. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1B , the elastic member  90  is an elastic band having a substantially planar (e.g., rectangular) shape. In some cases, the elastic member  90  comprises an elastomeric fabric. In some cases, the elastic member  90  can be one of polyester, natural rubber, spandex, and neoprene. In some embodiments, the elastic member  90  is at least partially enclosed within the towel body  16  at the first end  40  such that the elastic member  90  is partially unexposed in the looped configuration as shown in  FIG. 1B . Alternatively, the elastic member  90  can be completely enclosed with the towel body  16  such that the elastic member  90  is not visible. Such embodiments can provide a towel  52  that is aesthetically pleasing. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1B , a towel loop  94  is formed in the looped configuration when the second end  50  is passed through the first end  40  and the first end  40  substantially surrounds and/or contacts the towel body  16 . The towel loop  94  has a towel loop perimeter  98  sufficient to allow a user&#39;s head to pass through the towel loop  94 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1B , the towel loop perimeter  98  can equal the length of the closed curve formed by the towel body  16  along the path  100  as illustrated. The towel loop perimeter  98  can be substantially equal to between about 10% and about 90% of the length  32 . The towel loop perimeter  98  can be sufficiently large to allow the towel  52  to be worn around user&#39;s with different neck sizes (e.g., children or adults), or by a user  12  around other parts of their body (e.g., waist, torso, etc.) 
     Prior to attaching the elastic member  90  to the first end  40 , the first and second ends of the towel  52  can both be substantially similar. The first end  40  can resemble the second end  50  illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . For instance, both the first and second ends can be substantially linear edges as described previously, such that the towel  52  is rectangular. As mentioned above, the first end  40  can have elastic properties by attaching the elastic member  90  (e.g., ring or band) to the first end  40 . Prior to attaching the elastic member  90 , the elastic member  90  can be placed proximal to the first end  40  on the first surface  20  of the towel body  16 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1C , the first edge can be folded about itself in a widthwise direction  110  to form a gap  120  therein. In  FIG. 1C , the elastic member  90  is not shown for clarity and to illustrate the gap  120  formed at the first end  40 . The elastic member  90  can be attached by attaching (e.g., by sewing, stapling, with button or snap closures, hook and loop fasteners, and other methods of securing fabrics known in the art) the first edge with the towel body  16 . Once attached, the connection between the first edge and the towel body  16  forms seam-lines  130  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . In such cases, the elastic member  90  can be cylindrical allowing for a narrow seam as illustrated in  FIG. 1A , or the elastic member  90  can be band-shaped as shown in  FIG. 1B , allowing for a wider seam in comparison to the width  134  of the seam in  FIG. 1A , because the width  134  of the band-shaped elastic member  90  shown in  FIG. 1B  is greater than the diameter  138  of the cylindrical elastic member  90  in  FIG. 1A . Once attached, the fabric member can either be substantially exposed and external to the towel body  16  as shown in  FIG. 1A , or can be substantially enclosed within the towel body  16 , with a portion of the fabric member being exposed to the user  12 . 
     In use, a towel  52  can be secured to the user  12  according to a method. The method can involve the step of providing a towel  52  according to the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , positioning the towel  52  in an unlooped configuration around the user&#39;s neck  28 , for example, such that the first and second ends are directed away from the user&#39;s neck  28 , passing the second end  50  through the first end  40  to form a towel loop  94  and securing the towel  52  by positioning the towel loop  94  around and proximate to the user&#39;s neck  28 . Optionally, a user  12  may expand the first end  40  in a widthwise direction  110  (e.g., outwardly along arrows  140  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B ) to accommodate towel  52  widths greater than the first perimeter  86  of the end loop  74 . Once the second end  50  passes through the first end  40 , the user  12  can release the first end  40 , and due to its elastic properties, the first end  40  collapses along the widthwise direction  110  (e.g., inwardly along arrows  150  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B ) and substantially surround and/or contact the towel body  16 . 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate a sports towel  200  according to a second embodiment of the invention. Sports towel  200  can be substantially similar in dimensions, properties and materials as towel  10 . In this embodiment, instead of having an end loop with elastic properties formed at an end, an end loop  210  is attached (e.g., sewn, or by other methods of securing fabrics known in the art) into an end ( 230 ,  240 ) of the towel. For instance, the end loop  210  is sewn into the first end  230 , proximal to the first and second lateral edges  250 ,  260 . The second end  240  can then be passed through the end loop  210 . The second end  240  can be pulled through the end loop  210  to bring the end loop  210  proximal to the user&#39;s body (e.g., neck or waist). Once the end loop  210  is brought proximal to the user&#39;s body, the towel  200  is secured and prevented from falling off when the user engages in sports or exercise. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the end loop  210  can be formed, for instance, by sewing a rectangular looping member  270  to the first end  230  of the towel  200  such that a first edge  280  of the rectangular looping member  270  and a second edge  290  of the rectangular looping member  270  are both sewn to the first end of the towel. Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the first edge  280  can be sewn proximal to the first lateral edge  250  and the second edge  290  can be sewn proximal to the second lateral edge  260  of the towel  200 . The end loop  210  can have any size sufficiently large to allow the second end  240  of the towel to pass through to form a towel loop  294  around a user&#39;s body, while substantially enclosing the user&#39;s body and remaining securely thereon. Alternatively, the looping member  270  can have elastic properties to allow towel widths greater than the perimeter of the end loop to pass through the second end. Other dimensions are within the scope. 
       FIGS. 5-7  illustrate various configurations of the first end  230  and the end loop  210  attached thereon. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the first end  230  comprises a first oblique edge  300  and a second oblique edge  310 . The first and second oblique edges  300 ,  310  are directly in contact with the first lateral edge  250  and the second lateral edge  260 , and form an angle  320  of between about 95 degrees and about 175 degrees therewith. In other words, the first end  230  of the towel  200  is trapezoidal. The looping member  270  is attached to the first edge  280  that forms an angle  324  of between about 95 degrees and about 175 degrees with each of the first and second oblique edges  300 ,  310 . The first edge  330  of the looping member  270  and a second edge  332  of the looping member  270  are attached to the first edge  280  of the towel. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6A , the first end  230  of the towel  200  is trapezoidal. The looping member  270  is attached to the first and second oblique edges  300 ,  310  of the first end  230 , along a first lateral edge  340  of the rectangular looping member  270 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6B , the first and second lateral edges  250 ,  260  are angled at an angle between about 95 degrees and about 175 degrees with the first edge  280 . The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6B  can be formed by bringing the first and second lateral edges  250 ,  260  of the towel  200  such as that illustrated in  FIG. 2  towards each other such that the towel  200  forms crease lines  350  as illustrated in  FIG. 6B , and attaching the crease lines  350  with each other at an attachment region  360  shown by dotted lines. For instance, the crease lines  350  can be sewn with each other at the attachment region  360 . The looping member  270  can then be attached to the first and second lateral edges  250 ,  260  along the first lateral edge  340  and the second lateral edge  370  of the looping member  270 . The embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  can provide an increased surface area of contact between the towel  200  and the looping member  270  than the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , and thereby allow the connection between the towel  200  and the looping member  270  to be secure. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the first end  230  of the towel  200  has an interior surface  400  having an interior edge  410  obliquely disposed between the first lateral edge  250  and the first edge  280  of the towel  200 . The interior surface  400  can be sandwiched between a first surface  420  and the second surface  430  of the towel  200 . The second surface  430  can have a third edge  440  and a third lateral edge  450  shown in dotted lines in  FIG. 8 . The interior surface  400  can be accessed by separating the first surface  420  from the second surface  430  along the seams  460  (e.g., formed along the first lateral edge  250  and the first edge  280 , or the third edge  440  and the third lateral edge  450 ). The looping member  270  can be attached to the interior edge  410  using methods described herein (e.g., sewing). As mentioned previously, the looping member  270  can be rectangular with the first edge  330  and the second edge  332 . In such cases, the first and second edges  330 ,  332  of the looping member  270  can be attached to the interior edge  410 . Alternatively, the looping member  270  can be cylindrical (e.g., ring-shaped). In such cases, a portion of the looping member  270  can be attached to the interior edge  410 . Once the looping member  270  is attached, the first and second surfaces  420 ,  430  of the towel  200  can be left unattached to each other, or reattached along the first lateral edge  250  and the first edge  280  of the towel  200  from a first point  470  to a second point  480 . In such cases, the connection between the interior surface  400  and the looping member  270  (e.g., seams, threads from sewing, fastening members etc.) can be hidden from view so that the towel  200  is aesthetically pleasing. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a sports towel  500  according to a third embodiment. Sports towel  500  can be substantially similar to towel  12  in dimensions, properties and materials. In this embodiment, the towel  500  comprises a body portion  510  having a first end  520  and a second end  530  separated from the first end  520  by a body portion length. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the length  540  represents one half of the body portion length. The towel  500  comprises an end portion  550  attachable to the body portion  510 . The end portion  550  has a first end  560  and a second end  570  separated from the first end  560  by an end portion length. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the length  580  represents one half of the end portion length. The first end  520  of the body portion  510  and the first end  560  of the end portion  550  can be connectable with each other, and the second end  530  of the body portion  510  and the second end  570  of the end portion  550  being connectable with each other, such that when connected the towel  500  is formed into a closed loop around a user&#39;s neck  28 . Once formed into the closed loop, the towel  500  continuously and entirely surrounds the user&#39;s neck  28 . Each of the first and second ends  520 ,  530  of the body portion  510  and each of the first and second ends  560 ,  570  of the end portion  550  can be fixedly or removably connected with each other. For instance, the first and second ends  520 ,  530  of the body portion  510  can be sewn with the first and second ends  560 ,  570  of the end portion  550  respectively. Alternatively, the first and second ends  520 ,  530  of the body portion  510  can be removably connected (e.g., with buttons and snap closures, straps, hook-and-loop fasteners, and the like) with the first and second ends  560 ,  570  of the end portion  550 . As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the end portion  550  can have a width  590  less than the width  592  of the body portion  510 . In such cases, the end portion  550  can be placed proximal to the user&#39;s neck  28 . Alternatively, the body and end portions  510 ,  550  can have any size. In some cases, the end portion  550  can have elastic properties such that the user can stretch the body portion  510  with respect to the end portion  550  to distances away from the user  12 . For instance, the end portion  550  can be sufficiently elastic to allow a user  12  to stretch the body portion  510  toward a user&#39;s legs (not shown) or toward exercise equipment (not shown) so that the user  12  can wipe down perspiration on their legs or on surfaces of the exercise equipment. 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  illustrate a sports towel  600  according to another embodiment. Sports towel  600  can be substantially similar in materials, properties and dimensions to towel  12 . In this embodiment, a towel body  610  comprises an opening  620 , through which a second end  630  of the towel  600  can be looped. The placement of the opening  620  can be such that when an end (e.g., second end  630 ) is pulled through the opening  620 , it forms a towel loop  640  sufficiently large to loop around a user&#39;s neck (not shown) or another part of the body (e.g., waist, not shown). The opening  620  can be positioned centrally in a widthwise direction  650 . Additionally, the opening  620  can be positioned proximal to a first end  660 . For instance the opening  650  can be positioned at a distance  670  of about one-quarter of a length  680  from the first end  660  as seen in the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 9A . While the illustrated embodiments disclose example positions of the opening  620 , other locations which allow a user (not shown) to easily loop an end (e.g., second end  630 ) of the towel  600  through the opening  620  and pull the second end  630  through to form a loop are contemplated. 
     Sports towel as disclosed herein can have one or more advantages. The towel can be secured to a user&#39;s body to prevent the towel from disengaging from the user when the user is exercising or playing sports. The towel can include pockets to store a user&#39;s personal belongings. 
     Thus, embodiments of the invention are disclosed. Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain disclosed embodiments, the disclosed embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation and other embodiments of the invention are possible. One skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes, adaptations, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.