U.S. patent application number 14/019201 was filed with the patent office on 2014-03-13 for fastenable exercise mat and towel assembly.
The applicant listed for this patent is David Wambeke. Invention is credited to David Wambeke.
Application Number | 20140068858 14/019201 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50231696 |
Filed Date | 2014-03-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140068858 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wambeke; David |
March 13, 2014 |
FASTENABLE EXERCISE MAT AND TOWEL ASSEMBLY
Abstract
Embodiments of an assembly, including an exercise mat and an
absorbent fabric layer, such as a towel, are generally described
herein. In one example, an exercise mat is configured for temporary
coupling to a towel using corresponding mating components including
dual-purpose snap fastener portions respectively affixed to a top
surface of the exercise mat and a bottom surface of the towel. The
snap fastener portions can be positioned at the corners or sides of
the exercise mat and the towel to provide secure usage of the
assembly during exercise activity. The exercise mat can include an
additional set of mating components including snap fastener
portions located on a bottom surface. The additional set of snap
fastener portions can be configured to mate with one or more of the
snap fastener portions affixed to the top surface of the exercise
mat when the exercise mat is oriented into a rolled-up, folded or
other compact configuration.
Inventors: |
Wambeke; David;
(Minineapolis, MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Wambeke; David |
Minineapolis |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50231696 |
Appl. No.: |
14/019201 |
Filed: |
September 5, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61700085 |
Sep 12, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/420 ;
5/417 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 9/062 20130101;
A63B 2209/00 20130101; A63B 21/4037 20151001; A63B 2210/50
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/420 ;
5/417 |
International
Class: |
A47G 9/06 20060101
A47G009/06 |
Claims
1. An assembly, comprising: an exercise mat including a top surface
and a bottom surface; a towel removably couplable to the exercise
mat, the towel including a top surface and a bottom surface; a
first plurality of fastener portions extending from the top surface
of the exercise mat; a second plurality of fastener portions, lower
in number than the first plurality of fastener portions, extending
from the bottom surface of the exercise mat, the second plurality
of fastener portions configured and positioned to removably couple
to one or more of the first plurality of fastener portions when the
exercise mat assumes a compact configuration; and a third plurality
of fastener portions extending from the bottom surface of the
towel, the third plurality of fastener portions configured and
positioned to removably couple to the first plurality of fastener
portions when the exercise mat assumes a non-compact configuration,
wherein one or more of the first plurality of fastener portions are
configured and positioned for mating with both of the second
plurality of opposing fastener portions and the third plurality of
fastener portions.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the exercise mat further
comprises an indication marking on the top surface.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third
plurality of fastener portions are selected from mateable fastener
pair portions and include least one of: a snap fastener pair
portion, a clasp fastener pair portion, a hook and loop fabric
fastener pair portion, or a hook and eye clasp fastener pair
portion.
4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of fastener
portions include male end snap fastener plugs, and wherein the
second and third plurality of fastener portions include female end
snap fastener receptacles.
5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a cushion coupled
to the towel, the cushion configured to provide cushioning adjacent
to the third plurality of fastener portions.
6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the cushion includes foam.
7. An exercise mat, comprising: a top surface including a
cushioning material; a bottom surface including a non-slip
material; a first set of fastener portions extending from the top
surface, the first set of fastener portions configured to receive
mating fastener portions extending from a surface of an absorbent
fabric layer; and a second set of fastener portions configured to
mate with at least some of the first set of fastener portions, upon
orientating the exercise mat into a compact, rolled-up
configuration.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application claims the benefit of priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
61/700,085, filed on Sep. 12, 2012, which is incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments pertain to an exercise mat and towel assembly
for personal use with exercise disciplines such as Yoga, Pilates,
and the like.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Exercise mats, pads, and cushions are commonly used during
the performance of a variety of exercise activities, such as Yoga,
Pilates, and mat exercises, that are conducted on a floor surface.
Many existing exercise mats are made of rubber, foam, or other
cushioning materials to provide comfort to a user over hard
flooring. For example, a user may position an exercise mat on a
hard floor surface to provide him/her with a more comfortable
experience during various Yoga poses.
[0004] Exercising typically results in perspiration of the user,
which can cause an exercise mat to become wet and slippery.
Further, exercise mats that are made of a non-breathable material
such as rubber, can result in additional heat build-up and
perspiration at the user's point of contact with the exercise mat.
Users, therefore, may find it desirable to use a towel in
conjunction with an exercise mat to capture or absorb the
perspiration. Placement of a towel on a smooth or cushioned surface
of an exercise mat, however, can cause the towel to slip
(especially with the varied types of movements incurred from
changing Yoga and Pilates poses).
[0005] Existing exercise mats do not provide effective usage with a
towel or other removable absorbent fabric layer. Further, many
types of existing exercise mats are not designed for easy
portability and storage or require additional accessories to
achieve portability and storage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates an assembly, including an exercise mat
and a removably coupleable towel, according to one example;
[0007] FIG. 2A illustrates a top surface of an exercise mat for
exposure to personal exercise use, including a plurality of
fastener portions configured and positioned for coupling to a
towel, according to one example;
[0008] FIG. 2B illustrates a bottom surface of an exercise mat for
exposure to a floor surface, including a plurality of fastener
portions configured and positioned for holding the exercise mat in
a rolled-up configuration, according to one example;
[0009] FIG. 3A illustrates an exercise mat being initiated into a
rolled-up configuration with use of an indicator marking to provide
for proper alignment of opposing male and female fasteners,
according to one example;
[0010] FIG. 3B illustrates an exercise mat being completed into a
rolled-up configuration with coupling of mating snap fastener
portions, according to one example;
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates a towel, including a plurality of
fastener portions configured and positioned for coupling to an
exercise mat, according to one example;
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a towel, including cushioning positioned
central to a snap fastener portion according to one example;
and
[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates a towel being positioned for coupling to
a top surface of an exercise mat, with use of mating snap fastener
portions, according to one example.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The following description and the drawings sufficiently
illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art
to practice them. Other embodiments can incorporate structural,
functional, or other changes. Portions and features of some
embodiments can be included in, or substituted for, those of other
embodiments.
[0015] Various structures and techniques of usage for an exercise
mat and an exercise mat assembly having dual-purpose couplings are
generally described herein. One example of an assembly, further
described in detail below, includes an exercise mat with a
plurality of fastener portions extending from a top surface, and a
towel or other absorbent fabric layer configured for coupling to
the top surface of the exercise mat using a plurality of mating
fastener portions extending from a bottom surface of the towel. One
or more of the fasteners provided on the top surface of the
exercise mat can be positioned and configured to establish a
coupling with the towel and also to establish a coupling with other
fasteners located at and extending from a bottom surface of the
exercise mat for folding or storage of the mat (such as orienting
the mat into a rolled-up configuration, generally referred to
herein as a "mat-roll" configuration).
[0016] In a further example, the fastener portions included in the
exercise mat and the towel can be provided in the form of snap-type
fastener portions, having male and female terminals. Male and
female snap fastener terminals can be positioned at appropriate
locations on the exercise mat and the towel, respectively, to
receive an opposite terminal to facilitate the mat-towel coupling
as well as the mat-roll coupling. The fastener portions, however,
can also be provided from other types of fastener or removable
coupling structures, and are not limited to the use of snap-type
fastener arrangements.
[0017] The fasteners provided within the towel can be accompanied
by various positioning and amounts of cushioning, to prevent
interference and discomfort of the user when the user applies
pressure to areas of on or near the fasteners. Further, the
fasteners provided within the exercise mat may be recessed,
integrated, or cushioned into the exercise mat, to allow usage of
the mat in some scenarios without the towel.
[0018] FIG. 1 provides an illustration of an assembly 100,
including an exercise mat 102 and a towel 104 that can be removably
coupled to the exercise mat 102. The exercise mat 102 can be
provided from any number of materials and material combinations,
such as foam, natural or synthetic rubber, latex, silicone, or gel,
and can include cushioning and anti-slip features such as bubbles,
pockets, or the like. The towel 104 can serve to provide additional
cushioning, comfort, and grip, as well as capturing perspiration
from the user and from the exercise mat. The exercise mat 102 and
towel 104 are illustrated in a coupled configuration, coupled by a
plurality of fastener portions located between the exercise mat 102
and the towel 104. The coupling established by the fastener
portions can serve to prevent movement of the towel 104 as the user
conducts exercises and movements above the assembly 100.
[0019] In this configuration of the assembly 100, none of the
fastener portions are directly exposed to the user. Fastener
portions located between the exercise mat 102 and the towel 104 can
be positioned in the corners of the assembly, at cushioned areas
108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d. A layer of cushioning can be provided
above the fasteners at the cushioned areas 108a, 108b, 108c, and
108d, to prevent discomfort from user pressure placed on or
adjacent to the fastener portions.
[0020] The fastener portions can be provided from any number of
fastenable or removably couplable pair portions, for example, a
metallic or plastic fastener pair that includes a male plug and a
female receptacle configured to establish a temporary, yet secure,
connection when pressure is applied thereto. Such fastener pair
portions can be provided from any combination of: a snap fastener
pair portion, a clasp fastener pair portion, or a hook and eye
clasp fastener pair portion. Other types of removably coupling
mechanisms can also or alternatively be used as fasteners,
including magnets, hook and loop fabric fasteners, straps, and the
like.
[0021] The fastener portions can be located at opposing ends of the
exercise mat, positioned such that rolling up the mat causes the
opposing fastener pair members to be positioned for coupling.
[0022] FIG. 2A provides an illustration of a top surface 114 of an
exercise mat 102 for exposure to personal exercise use, according
to one example. The top surface 114 includes a plurality of
fastener portions configured and positioned for coupling to a
towel. As shown, the top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102
includes a plurality of male-end snap fastener plugs 112a, 112b,
112c, 112d positioned at the four corners of the rectangular-shaped
mat. The top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102 further includes
at least one indicator marking 106, configured to guide the user
when orienting the exercise mat into a folded or rolled-up
configuration.
[0023] As shown, the indicator marking 106 can be established in
the form of a line that can be printed onto or embedded into the
surface of the top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102. The
indicator marking 106 can be accompanied by arrows, text, or other
indicating symbols to direct a user how to roll, fold, or otherwise
re-orient the exercise mat 102. Although the top surface 114 of the
exercise mat 102 is illustrated as including only one indicator
marking 106, multiple indicator markings can be provided to enable
the user to fold or roll the exercise mat 102 from multiple sides
or angles (for example, to roll from the opposite side of the
exercise mat 102).
[0024] FIG. 2B provides an illustration of the bottom surface 116
of an exercise mat 102 for exposure to a floor surface, according
to one example. The bottom surface 116 can include a plurality of
fastener portions positioned for coupling the exercise mat 102 in a
rolled-up configuration. As shown, the bottom surface 116 of the
exercise mat 102 can include a plurality of female snap fastener
receptacles 118a, 118b, and mounting plates 112'a, 112'b, 112'c,
112'd, used to mount the male-end snap fastener plugs 112a, 112b,
112c, 112d, respectively, to the exercise mat 102.
[0025] In this example, the female snap fastener receptacles 118a,
118b are positioned within the bottom surface 116 of the exercise
mat 112 to prevent the user from experiencing discomfort during
movements when pressure is applied on the opposite side (the top
surface 114) of the exercise mat 112. As shown, the female snap
fastener receptacles 118a, 118b are recessed into the surface of
the exercise mat 102, to sit flush with the bottom surface of the
exercise mat 112 without protruding through to the top surface 114
of the exercise mat 112.
[0026] The female snap fastener receptacles 118a, 118b can be
located at a position on the exercise mat 102 to enable coupling
with at least some of the male-end snap fastener plugs 112a, 112b,
112c, 112d, upon folding or rolling of the exercise mat 102. For
example, the female snap fastener receptacles 118a, 118b can be
located to align with the position of the male-end snap fastener
plugs 112a, 112b, and are located approximately 80 percent (4/5ths)
of the way between a fastener portion (e.g., fastener portion 112a)
at a first end of the exercise mat 102, and a fastener portion
(e.g., fastener portion 112c) at an opposite end of the exercise
mat 102. The placement of the exercise mat 102 into a folded or
rolled configuration is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 3A,
further detailed below. The coupling that can be established
between the fastener portion upon folding or rolling of the
exercise mat 102 is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 3B, further
detailed below.
[0027] FIG. 3A provides an illustration of an exercise mat 102 that
is initiated by a user into a rolled-up configuration, according to
one example. One or more indicator markings, such as the indicator
line 106, can be provided on the top surface 114 of the exercise
mat to guide the user to a location conducive to rolling or folding
of the exercise mat. As shown in FIG. 3A, the indicator line 106
can provide an indication of the position of a first fold, which
folds the bottom surface 116 of the exercise mat over the top
surface 114. Upon establishment of the first fold to align with the
indicator line 106, additional end-over-end folds or a rolling
motion can be performed by the user to place the exercise mat into
a folded or rolled-up configuration.
[0028] FIG. 3B provides an illustration of an exercise mat that is
completed by a user into a rolled-up configuration, enabling
coupling of a snap fastener arrangement between a male snap
fastener plug 112d (exposed from the top surface 114 of the
exercise mat) and a female snap fastener receptacle 118b (exposed
from the bottom surface 116 of the exercise mat), according to one
example. As shown, the folding or rolling that was oriented
according to the indicator line 106 illustrated in FIG. 3A can
result in a positioning of the male snap fastener plug 112d and the
female snap fastener receptacle 118b to reside in proximity. The
user can therefore secure the exercise mat in the rolled-up or
folded configuration with coupling of the fastener portions.
[0029] FIG. 4 provides an illustration of a bottom surface 120 of
the towel 104, including a plurality of female snap fastener
receptacles 122a, 122b, 122c, 122d positioned for coupling to male
snap fastener plugs of an exercise mat, according to one example.
As shown, the female snap fasteners receptacles 122a, 122b, 122c,
122d are coupled respectively to a plurality of padding sections
124a, 124b, 124c, 124d that are in turn coupled to the bottom
surface 120 of the towel 104. The shape of the padding sections
124a, 124b, 124c, 124d may be provided in a near-square perspective
as shown, or in a rectangular, circular, or any other type of
appropriate shape.
[0030] FIG. 5 provides a close-up illustration of one corner of the
bottom surface 120 of the rectangular-shaped towel 104, including a
female snap fastener receptacle 122d being affixed to a padding
section 124d. The padding section 124d can provide cushioning
positioned central to the snap fastener receptacle, and an
additional layer of cushioning to prevent user discomfort when
applying pressure (such as a direct hand placement) to the towel
location at or adjacent to the snap fastener.
[0031] FIG. 6 provides an illustration of a towel 104 being
positioned for coupling to the top surface 114 of the exercise mat
102, with use of removably coupleable snap fastener portions
(including the coupling of female snap fastener receptacle 122d to
male snap fastener plug 112b), according to one example. As shown,
the bottom surface 120 of the towel 106 can be placed in direct
contact with the top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102. The top
surface 110 of the towel can be exposed for use by a user. Upon
coupling of the snap fastener portions on multiple corners or sides
of the exercise mat assembly, the towel 104 can be secured and
ready for use in an exercise activity.
[0032] Variations of the assembly described herein can include use
and coupling with a variety and combination of fabrics and
surfaces. Further, the assembly can be configured for use with
multiple towels or absorbent fabrics, configured to overlap in
combination, or to reside next to each other to cover a large
exercise mat shape.
[0033] The number and positioning of the fastener portions used in
the assembly can be provided according to standard towel sizes or
to standard exercise mat sizes. The shape of the assembly, however,
is not limited to a rectangular or towel-based shapes, but can be
provided in other shapes including shapes distinctive to the
assembly. Other examples of assembly shapes include circular and
combinations of geometrical shapes.
[0034] The size and placement of the fastener portions and
associated cushioning within the exercise mat and the towel can be
specific to the usage of the assembly, and the various materials
used to construct the exercise mat or towel. For example, a snap
fastener portion can be embedded in one of multiple layers of the
exercise mat during fabrication or molding of the exercise mat. A
snap fastener portion or like fastener portion including a
protruding component can also be recessed within a portion of the
exercise mat, or otherwise designed to minimize exposure of the
fastener portion to user interference. Removable covers to couple
with the fastener portions can also be provided for use of the
exercise mat without the towel. Variations in the size, shape, and
design of the fastener portions can facilitate like adaptations of
the presently described assembly.
[0035] The above description is intended to be illustrative, and
not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one
or more elements thereof) can be used in combination with each
other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary
skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Also,
various features or elements can be grouped together to streamline
the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an
unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather,
inventive subject matter can lie in less than all features of a
particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are
hereby incorporated into the description, with each claim standing
on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the invention
should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along
with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are
entitled.
[0036] The Abstract is provided to allow the reader to quickly
ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted
with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or
limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
* * * * *