Patent Publication Number: US-2023136783-A1

Title: Wearable Tennis Towel

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to the sport of tennis, particularly to apparel, and more particularly, to a tennis fitness towel adapted to be worn during play. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Tennis is a sport that requires the use of specialized equipment. The equipment includes a tennis racket gripped by a player. However, tennis is a physically demanding sport and players&#39; hands typically sweat heavily during a match, thereby affecting their grip on their racket. There remains a need for additional devices that can be used to dry the players hands during play. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced. 
       In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Some examples are illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of wearable tennis towel consistent with the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is another perspective view of illustrative embodiment of wearable tennis towel consistent with the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a front view of the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . 
         FIG.  4    is a back view of the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of the subject matter disclosed are directed to sportswear that include functional aspects for use in a sport, in particular, tennis. Tennis is a mentally intense sport that requires the player to maintain focus. In a game where minor delays can throw off a game, the last thing a player wants is to worry about keeping their hands dry for maintaining a grip on the tennis racket. Instead of having to go their bag or side-line each time they need to dry their hands, an article of the present disclosure allows a player to dry their hands quickly and conveniently while remaining on the court or field during a game. 
     The description that follows is illustrative of examples of the disclosure. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide an understanding of various examples described herein. It will be evident, however, to those skilled in the art, that examples of the described subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In general, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures, and techniques are not necessarily shown in detail. 
     In accordance with an illustrative example, a wearable tennis towel is provided. The wearable tennis towel includes a length of material having first and second ends defining a length, first and second sides defining a width, and a body extending between first and second ends and first and second sides. The first end of the towel comprising a first fastener portion and second end comprising a second fastener portion, wherein the first fastener portion releasably attaches to the second fastener portion. The body of the towel can have an inner and an outer surface, wherein at least a portion of the inner surface and/or outer surface comprises an area of absorbent material, i.e., an absorbent area. In certain aspects the inner surface and outer surface can comprise an area of absorbent material. In other aspects the body can be inverted so that an initial outer surface is reversed and is in an orientation that it is the inner surface after reversing the configuration of the body. In certain aspects the towel is a single layer or can be 2, 3, 4 or more layers. 
     Referring to the figures, wearable tennis towel  100  is a flexible length of material with a first and second ends  110 ,  112  defining a length, first and second sides,  114 ,  116 , defining a width, that define body  118 . The tennis towel is substantially rectangular in the illustrated example but can be configured in various geometries, such as but not limited to oval, rhombus, parallelogram, pentagon, hexagon, septagon, octagon etc. Shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2    is outer surface  120  and partial view of inner surface  122 . First and second ends  110 ,  112  can be attached to each other to form a loop where, in one example, wearable tennis towel  100  drapes from or encircles (e.g., loops through) a user&#39;s skirt, or shorts. Use and attachment of wearable tennis towel  100  is described further below. 
       FIG.  3    is a top view of an extended wearable tennis towel  100  of  FIGS.  1  and  2    showing further detail. As seen in  FIG.  3   , wearable tennis towel  100  further comprises first and second edges  114 ,  116  of first and second ends  110 ,  112 . 
     Outer surface  120  includes absorbent area  128  and an optional second portion  136 . Absorbent area  128  comprises an area of material comprising absorbent material that a user can wipe their hands to remove sweat sufficient for the user to adequately grip a racket. As shown, absorbent area  128  is substantially the width of the towel and extends along about two-thirds or can be the entire length or any length of the towel there between. In certain aspects the entirety of the body can be an absorbent material. In some examples, inner surface  122  can include an absorbent portion  129  (see  FIG.  4   ), which may be a separate layer or is the reverse side of absorbent area  128 . In certain aspects the inner absorbent area  129  and absorbent area  128  are of unitary construction and is the same piece of material. 
     Wearable tennis towel  100  includes first fastener area or portion  130  at first end  110 . Fastener area  130  comprises at least one fastener zone  132  and/or  134  comprising at least one fastener (“fastener” here is understood to refer to one part of a two-part fastener). In some examples, first fastener area  130  comprises two or more fastener zones  132  and  134 , such as illustrated in  FIG.  3   , wherein first fastener area  130  includes two spaced-apart fastener zones  132 ,  134 , each zone comprising a row of multiple releasable fasteners extending between first and second sides  114 ,  116 . The at least one fastener zone has a mating complementary fastener zone  140  to which it connects on the back surface (shown in  FIG.  4   ) of the second end  112  of wearable tennis towel  100  for releasable attachment. In certain aspects the towel can have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or more complementary fastener zones. In other embodiments the ratio of fastener zones to complementary fastener zones is 1 to 1, 2 to 1, 3 to 1, or 4 to 1. 
     In some examples, fastener area or portion  130  may comprise two fastener zones, three fastener zones, four fastener zones, five fastener zones, six fastener zones, or more. The number of fastener zones may depend on various considerations such as the size of the user. In certain aspects the size of the towel when in use can be adjusted by using different fastener zone complements such as the shortest configuration being the last zone (last zone being furthest from the end) of the first fastener portion affixed to the last zone(last zone being furthest from the end) of the second fastener portion counting the most terminal zone as the first and the longest configuration the longest configuration being the first zone of the first fastener portion affixed to the first zone of the second fastener portion counting the most terminal zone as the first. The towel can be adjusted with different users providing a custom fit for different users. 
     In some examples, a zone comprises at least two releasable fasteners, for example, a fastener zone may comprise two fasteners, three fasteners, four fasteners, five fasteners, six fasteners, or more. The number of releasable fasteners is determined by the need to maintain the towel in place on the user. 
     In some examples, a zone may comprise one releasable fastener that extends substantially across the width of the towel, for instance, a length of a complementary material in a hook-and-loop fastener. 
     Suitable fasteners include hook-and-loop connectors (e.g., Velcro®); snap, clip, or interlocking fasteners; magnetic snap fasteners; clasps; zippers; buttons; and other fasteners known in the art. The fastener will have an appropriate tension strength. Tension strength of an interlocking fastener refers to a tension force required to disengage elements from each other, namely, to disengage the mechanical engagement between two elements. Accordingly, the tension strength of the interlocking fastener can be sufficient to maintain the towel during play and allow its removal after play. As shown in an example illustrated in  FIGS.  1 - 4   , a preferred spacing of fasteners within a fastener zone in the multiple fastener example comprise three snap fasteners, each snap being ⅜ inch in diameter and spaced apart by ⅝ inch, the width of the wearable tennis towel is approximately four inches and its length is about 30 inches. In certain aspects the towel can have a width or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 inches including all values and ranges there between; and a length of 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 or more inches including all values and ranges there between. 
       FIG.  4    is a back view of the illustrative embodiment shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   . Referring to  FIG.  4   , back surface  122  of wearable tennis towel  100  is shown with a two part inner surface having an absorbent portion  129  and an optional second portion  138 .  FIG.  4    illustrates a second fastener area portion  140  with a single fastener zone, which is complementary to the fastener zone  132  or  134  of first end  110 . As shown, fastener area comprises a single row of multiple releasable fasteners along edge  112 . In some examples, second fastener zone comprises a single releasable fastener extending substantially the width of wearable tennis towel  100  along edge  112 , for instance, where that fastener is a complementary portion of a hook-and-loop fastener. As shown, the fastener zone  140  comprises three snap fasteners for attachment to the fastener area  130  of first end  110 . 
     In some examples, wearable tennis towel  100  is reversible with either front or back surface being adjacent to a substantial portion of the user&#39;s body when worn. 
     In one example, a method of wearing the wearable tennis towel comprises passing the first end of the wearable tennis towel down and through one leg of a tennis skirt or shorts and fastening the first or second end to the other end, such that towel portion faces anteriorly with respect to the user and where the towel portion also faces anteriorly, thereby allowing the user to wipe their hand(s) on the towel. The wearable tennis towel therefore extends downwardly and adjacent to the user&#39;s upper thigh, a portion exits down past the bottom of the leg of the skirt or shorts, with a portion extending past the leg bottom that is drawn back upwardly and fastened to the end that is being held by the user so that when first and second ends are releasably connected, the user can let go of the wearable tennis towel to allow it to rest over the upper portion of the skirt or shorts (e.g., the waistband). In this example, the wearable tennis towel is not worn around the leg, arm, waist, or other appendage of the user&#39;s body and the length is at least twice the length between the skirt or short&#39;s waistband and bottom border of the skirt or shorts that it is intended to be worn with. The material of the body of the towel may comprise a fabric, such as natural or synthetic woven fibers. In some examples, moisture-wicking fabrics are desirable. 
     In another examples, the wearable tennis towel may be fastened around a user&#39;s waist, leg, or arm. The material of the body, like above, may comprise a fabric, such as natural or synthetic woven fibers, and in some examples, moisture-wicking or absorbent fabrics are desirable (e.g., terrycloth and the like). In certain aspects, stretch fabrics can be used or comprise a portion of the towel, and in some examples, the fabric is elastane (better known as spandex or Lycra®) but various fabrics are suitable. Examples include, without limitation, stretch fabrics in nylon, elastane, polyester, cotton and polycotton; blends such as cotton/spandex, polyester/cotton spandex, polyester/spandex, poly/viscose/spandex and nylon/spandex; and composite combinations such as nylon polyurethane. 
     In one example, a method of manufacture is provided wherein wearable tennis towel wherein the body  118  of the wearable tennis towel comprises two layers of fabric sewn together and connected to area of absorbent material. The area of absorbent material comprises a border of fabric sewn to it along its first and second sides which are coextensive with the sides of the body  118 . The at least two fastener zones of the first fastener area  130  are attached to the outer surface  120  of the first end  110  and the at least one fastener zone of the second fastener area  140  of the second end  112  is attached to the inner surface  122 . In another example, the body  118  and the absorbent material sections are made from a unitary construction and the at least two fastener zones are attached to the outer surface  120  of the first end  110  and the at least one fastener zone of the second end  118  is attached to the inner surface  122 . In certain aspects a wicking material such as chamois can be positioned between the layers of a towel to form a wicking core. 
     A kit is also provided that comprises a wearable tennis towel described above, for example, that comprises a flexible length of material having first and second ends defining a length, first and second sides defining a width, and a body extending between first and second ends and first and second sides, the first and second ends each comprising a fastener area, wherein the first fastener area releasably attaches to the second fastener area, and a body comprising inner and outer surfaces, wherein the body comprises an absorbent area; and instructions for attaching the wearable tennis towel, the instructions for attaching the wearable tennis towel comprising passing the first end of a wearable tennis towel through a leg of a tennis skirt or shorts; and releasably fastening the second end of the wearable tennis towel to the first end such that the wearable tennis towel passes through the leg of the skirt or shorts and loops over the front of the skirt or shorts, whereby a user wearing the skirt or shorts can dry their hand by wiping it on the absorbent area of the wearable tennis towel. 
     It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises or includes a list of elements or steps does not include only those elements or steps but may include other elements or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by “a” or “an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element. 
     Unless otherwise stated, any and all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. Such amounts are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain. For example, unless expressly stated otherwise, a parameter value or the like, whether or not qualified by a term of degree (e.g. approximate, substantially or about), may vary by as much as ±10% from the recited amount. 
     The examples illustrated herein are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the teachings disclosed. Other examples may be used and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The Detailed Description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of various examples is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.