U.S. patent application number 13/159031 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-15 for wearable towel.
Invention is credited to Derrick Jermaine Blade.
Application Number | 20120060254 13/159031 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45805209 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120060254 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Blade; Derrick Jermaine |
March 15, 2012 |
Wearable Towel
Abstract
Disclosed herein are embodiments for a wearable towel. The towel
may be carried by the user in a manner similar to a shirt. It may
allow for quick access to a towel when needed. Stitching may be
used to taper the towel to a person's body.
Inventors: |
Blade; Derrick Jermaine;
(Stone Mountain, GA) |
Family ID: |
45805209 |
Appl. No.: |
13/159031 |
Filed: |
June 13, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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61382421 |
Sep 13, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/69 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 15/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/69 |
International
Class: |
A41D 1/00 20060101
A41D001/00 |
Claims
1. A wearable towel comprising: a towel-like material; a head
opening, wherein the wearable towel tapers when worn.
2. The wearable towel of claim 1, wherein the tapering is based on
length-wise stitching of the towel.
3. The wearable towel of claim 1, wherein the tapering is based on
a direct shape-type method of manufacturing.
4. The wearable towel of claim 1, further comprising a
fastener.
5. The wearable towel of claim 4, wherein the fastener is
positioned on a shoulder section of the towel.
6. The wearable towel of claim 1, further comprising a shoulder
section cut to give a sleeveless look when the towel is worn.
7. The wearable towel of claim 1, further comprising a shoulder
section elongated cut to cover the arm of the towel wearer when
worn.
8. The wearable towel of claim 1, further comprising detachable
child-safe fasteners.
9. The wearable towel of claim 1, further comprising a chamois-type
material.
10. The wearable towel of claim 1, further comprising a hook and
loop fastener, wherein the hook and loop fastener holds the
wearable towel together when attached, and wherein the hook and
loop fastener may be joined to prevent the towel from unfolding
when folded.
11. The wearable towel of claim 3, wherein the tapering is provided
by stitching selected from the group consisting of width-wise
stitching, double width-wise stitching, V-cut stitching, zig-zag
stitching, diagonal stitching, double diagonal stitching,
length-wise stitching, double length-wise stitching, and
combinations thereof.
12. The wearable towel of claim 2, further comprising a zipper, the
zipper moving length-wise on the towel.
13. The wearable towel of claim 1, further comprising means for
affixing a belt, wherein the means for affixing a belt comprise
holes, loops, or and combinations thereof.
14. The wearable towel of claim 1, wherein the tapering is provided
by length-wise stitching of the towel, wherein the length-wise
stitching is approximately along the same axial line as the head
opening.
15. A method of creating a wearable towel, the method comprising:
cutting a towel in a plurality of sections; reconnecting the cut
towel along cut lines of the plurality of sections, wherein the
reconnection of the towel gives the wearable towel a tapered look
when worn, and wherein a centrally disposed opening is formed to
allow passage of a head.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein reconnecting comprises
stitching.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein reconnecting comprises a
zipper.
18. The method of claim 15, further comprising cutting the towel
widthwise.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising cutting the towel
lengthwise.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising child safe
detachable fasteners attached along the widthwise cut of the towel.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
application No. 61/382,421 filed on Sep. 13, 2010, the contents of
which are incorporated by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a wearable towel
garment.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A towel is a piece of absorbent fabric used for drying.
There are many types of towels, such as bath towels, beach towels,
kitchen towels, sports towels, and the like, which serve different
purposes. Conventional towels, such as those mentioned above, may
be carried by a person by tying the towel around the waist or
torso.
SUMMARY
[0004] Disclosed herein are embodiments for a wearable towel. The
towel may be carried by the user in a manner similar to a shirt. It
may allow for quick access to a towel when needed. Stitching may be
used to taper the towel to a person's body.
[0005] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed
subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not
limited to limitations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in
any part of this disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] A more detailed understanding may be had from the following
description, given by way of example in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary view of a conventional
towel;
[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary view of a wearable
towel;
[0009] FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary front worn view of a
wearable towel;
[0010] FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary back worn view of a
wearable towel;
[0011] FIG. 3C illustrates an exemplary perspective worn view of an
embodiment of a wearable towel;
[0012] FIG. 3D illustrates an exemplary front worn view of an
embodiment of a wearable towel;
[0013] FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with a
neckline opening;
[0014] FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with a
neckline opening;
[0015] FIG. 5A illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with a
fastener;
[0016] FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary close-up view of a wearable
towel with a fastener;
[0017] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary front worn view of a
wearable towel;
[0018] FIG. 7A illustrates an exemplary wearable towel;
[0019] FIG. 7B illustrates an exemplary wearable towel;
[0020] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel;
[0021] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel;
[0022] FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel;
[0023] FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with a
fastener;
[0024] FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel;
[0025] FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with a
belted attachment;
[0026] FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel;
[0027] FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel;
[0028] FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel;
[0029] FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with
buttons;
[0030] FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with
hood;
[0031] FIG. 19 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with
character attachments;
[0032] FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with
pockets; and
[0033] FIG. 21 illustrates an exemplary wearable towel with oxford
collar.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] In describing preferred embodiments of the subject matter of
the present disclosure, as illustrated in the Figures, specific
terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. The claimed
subject matter, however, is not intended to be limited to the
specific terminology so selected, and it is to be understood that
each specific element includes all technical equivalents that
operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
[0035] The wearable towel, as disclosed herein, may allow a person
to have a towel accessible on his/her body. This may create a
usefulness to the wearer. A wearable towel may soak up as much
perspiration as any towel.
[0036] The wearable towel may drape the body to absorb moisture. It
can absorb water, perspiration, and act as a barrier against wind
or sun. The wearable towel, for example, may be used as a
conventional towel, a cover up, and a sun guard garment.
[0037] The wearable towel may be worn from a hotel room directly to
poolside or beachside, for example. It may eliminate the need to
carry both a t-shirt and a towel. It may fully drape the chest to
waist area and the upper back to lower back areas. This may allow
for total moisture absorption and sun protection of these areas.
The wearable towel may be easily removed to absorb moisture from
other parts of the body and placed back in its original position.
For example, it may be removed with a natural overhead motion when
an athlete checks into a sports game.
[0038] Athletes may use the wearable towel during time out,
huddles, halftime, and bench time. The wearable towel may be worn
to maintain body heat and comfort. It may be used while working
out, walking, and jogging. It may be used after getting out of the
shower or bath. The wearable towel may be used at beaches and at
pools. It may be used as a cover up and a towel. The wearable towel
may also provide a comfortable and protective surface for laying
upon or lounging while sun bathing.
[0039] A wearable towel may be used during massage or physical
therapy, wherein the towel may provide easy access to the client's
back and shoulders, while keeping the client warm. A wearable towel
may be used to wipe oils and massage gels from hands during and
after a massage or therapy session, in the same manner as a towel.
The wearable towel may be personalized with the spa or other
establishment's name and/or logo. It offers the wearer the
convenience of wearing one garment for multiple uses. The wearable
towel may offer different moisture absorption selections, which may
be constructed based on the intended use of the wearable towel
(e.g., swimming versus football).
[0040] FIG. 1 illustrates conventional towel 100 laid flat. Towel
100 is in a rectangular form and may be made of absorbent material.
FIG. 2 illustrates a view of an embodiment of a wearable towel 200
laid flat wherein towel 200 has a tailored design and has neck line
220. The neck line area may be made of reinforced, tear resistant
material, piping, or reinforced stitching, which may reduce the
possibility of tearing, for example, due to tugging. The tailored
design of towel 200 may be accomplished by cutting towel 200 down
the middle and stitching towel 200 in a selected, contoured design.
For example, stitching 210 may allow for length sides 212 and width
sides 214 of towel 200 to be tapered. Tapering may allow for towel
200 to be fitted as further described herein. In some embodiments,
towel 200 may be created by obtaining a substantially rectangular
conventional towel and cutting the conventional towel lengthwise.
The conventional towel may then be stitched so that it has a
tapered look as described herein. The cutting and stitching process
may be done so that there is substantially no loss of fabric. The
towel may be folded where cut and then stitched, therefore, leaving
more fabric for absorption of moisture.
[0041] FIG. 3A illustrates a front worn view of an embodiment of
wearable towel 300. Towel 300 may have stitching 310 and opening
320. Opening neckline 320 may be where a head may go through so
that towel 300 may rest on a person's shoulders. Neckline 320 may
be an ending point of stitching 310. In some embodiments, neckline
320 may be made of a material which may have a different texture
than towel 300.
[0042] Stitching 310 may allow for the towel to have a fitted
and/or tapered look. In FIG. 3A, stitching 310 may allow towel 300
to naturally hang down and look like a shirt with sleeves and
tapered to fit the body. The cutting and stitching may be done to
trim away excess material that may cause the wearable towel not to
lay flat.
[0043] FIGS. 3B thru 3D illustrate different views of towel 300.
The stitching as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A thru 3D and described
herein may minimize manufacturing costs while producing a product
that may be tapered and worn comfortably. The wearable towel may be
mass produced in a one-size fits all type fashion with stitching as
described herein.
[0044] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B illustrate wearable towel 400 with a
tapered design with neckline opening 420. Stitching may be done in
a manner so that it blends into the fabric of the wearable towel
and is not easily seen. A stitched wearable towel may, as described
in FIG. 3, look similar to FIGS. 4A and 4B because the stitching
may blend in with the fabric. The tapered design also may be
accomplished without stitching using a direct shape type method.
With a direct shape type method of manufacturing the wearable towel
may be similar in design to FIGS. 4A and 4B. The towel 400, for
example, may be cut out of a larger cloth to yield the tapered
design.
[0045] FIG. 5A illustrates a wearable towel with a tapered design
with a snap button fastener. FIG. 5B illustrates a close-up view of
the wearable towel with a snap button fastener. As shown in FIGS.
5A and 5B, the tapered wearable towel may have fasteners to keep
the sides closed, if needed. In FIG. 5A, towel 500 has neckline
hole 520. Towel 500 may also have male button or snap fastener 530
and female button or snap fastener 532 that may be used to attach
the front and the back of the towel. There may be multiple
fasteners. The fasteners may be clothing cord locks, hooks, hook
and eye tapes, hook and loop tapes, buckles, metal buckles,
buttons, zippers, and the like, without limitation.
[0046] FIG. 6 illustrates a wearable towel with a tapered design.
As shown, towel 600, for example, may be used for infants. Towel
600 may have stitching located in middle 610 and neckline hole 620.
Towel 600 may also have breakaway fasteners 622 which may allow the
towel 600 to be classified as a child safe garment. Breakaway
fasteners 622 may allow for towel 600 to easily breakaway from the
child, if necessary. Breakaway fasteners may include buttons, hook
and loops (e.g., Velcro.RTM.), or other fasteners that may
breakaway under a force that doesn't allow for a child to choke or
have another injury because of the holding or fastening force of
the fastener.
[0047] FIG. 7A illustrates a wearable towel with a tapered design
that may have a sleeveless cut. In FIG. 7A, the towel may have
neckline hole 720 and sleeveless cut 725. With sleeveless cut 725,
the towel may drape close to a person's shoulder blade. FIG. 7B
illustrates a wearable towel with a tapered design that may have an
elongated cut. In FIG. 7B, the towel may have neckline hole 740 and
elongated cut 745. Elongated cut 745 may allow the towel to drape
past a person's elbow and/or cover the person's arms fully (e.g.,
for colder environments).
[0048] FIGS. 8-21 are additional illustrations of exemplary
embodiments of a wearable towel. FIG. 8 illustrates a wearable
towel with a highly absorbent material inside of it. The dotted
lines at 805 illustrate a highly absorbent material (e.g.,
chamois-type towel) that may be placed inside (e.g., in between
layers of another, preferably absorbent material) another outside
absorbent material which may be cotton, for example.
[0049] FIG. 9 illustrates a wearable towel with a with a shoulder
type tailoring. The line at 905 illustrates another possible
position where the wearable towel may be stitched to be more
fitted/tailored. FIG. 10 illustrates a wearable towel with a with a
V-cut type tailoring. The line at 1005 illustrates another possible
position where the wearable towel may be stitched to be more
fitted/tailored.
[0050] FIG. 11 illustrates a wearable towel with Velcro.RTM. straps
(i.e., hook and loops) or regular cord or strings. This may allow
for people to fasten both sides of the wearable towel together. In
FIG. 11, holes for the straps to loop around are shown at 1105 and
Velcro straps or regular cord or strings are shown at 1110. The
hook and loop fastener may also be used to hold the towel together
in a folded position when it is not worn. In other words, the hook
and loop fasteners may be used to prevent the towel from unfolding
when folded.
[0051] FIG. 12 illustrates a wearable towel with zipper 1205 on the
front and back. FIG. 13 illustrates a wearable towel with belt 1310
and loop 1305 for fastening the sides. FIG. 14 illustrates a
wearable towel with a cross top to bottom (diagonal) stitch type
tailoring. The line at 1405 illustrates another possible position
where the wearable towel may be stitched to allow the towel to be
more fitted/tailored.
[0052] FIG. 15 illustrates a wearable towel with a zig-zag stitch
type tailoring. The line at 1505 illustrates another possible
position where the wearable towel may be stitched to be more
fitted/tailored. FIG. 16 illustrates a wearable towel with a double
length-wise stitch type tailoring. The line at 1605 illustrates
another possible position where the wearable towel may be stitched
to be more fitted/tailored.
[0053] FIG. 17 illustrates a wearable towel with a fastener
attached opening. In FIG. 17, buttons or male snaps may be shown at
1705, holes or female snaps may be shown at 1715, and 1710
illustrates an opening which may be in the front and/or back when
the wearable towel is not buttoned. FIG. 18 illustrates a wearable
towel with hood 1805 attached.
[0054] FIG. 19 illustrates a wearable towel with multiple fanciful
or decorative elements attached, such as appendages, as shown. In
FIG. 19, for example, a cartoon-like hand appendage may be at 1905,
a foot appendage may be at 1910 and a tail appendage may be at
1915. These appendages may be useful in many different ways.
Appendage 1905 may be connected to appendage 1910 or 1915 to close
the wearable towel. Attachment of the appendages may be done via
common fasteners, such as any of the variety of fasteners mentioned
herein. The attachment of the appendages may occur by interlocking
the appendages. For example, appendage 1905 (e.g., fingers/toes)
may be interlocked with appendage 1910 (e.g., fingers/toes). In
addition, the appendages may be have suction cups to allow for the
towel to be hung on a wall (e.g., a glass wall or shower door) and
spread out fully to increase exposure of the towel surface to the
air for faster air drying.
[0055] FIG. 20 illustrates a wearable towel with one or more pocket
2005 which may, in some embodiments, be waterproof. Such pockets
may allow for storage of items such as keys and wallets. FIG. 21
illustrates a wearable towel with collar 2105 which may, in some
embodiments, be waterproof.
[0056] Although a wearable towel has been described in connection
with the exemplary embodiments of the various figures, it is to be
understood that other similar embodiments may be used or
modifications and additions may be made to the described
embodiments without deviating from the embodiments. Figures are not
drawn to scale and may be viewed in conjunction with the detailed
description. Although features and elements are described above in
particular combinations, one of ordinary skill in the art will
appreciate that each feature or element can be used alone or in any
combination with the other features and elements. Therefore, the
wearable towel as described herein should not be limited to any
single embodiment, but rather should be construed in breadth and
scope in accordance with the appended claims.
* * * * *