U.S. patent application number 14/170594 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-07 for exercise accessory.
This patent application is currently assigned to Stick-e Products, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Stick-e Products, LLC. Invention is credited to Elizabeth M. Andrews.
Application Number | 20140215687 14/170594 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51257946 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140215687 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Andrews; Elizabeth M. |
August 7, 2014 |
EXERCISE ACCESSORY
Abstract
An exercise accessory, such as a towel or scarf, includes a
fabric article having a length and a width and at least one slot
formed through the article. An edge of the fabric article is
insertable through the slot to secure the exercise accessory to a
user's body.
Inventors: |
Andrews; Elizabeth M.;
(Flossmoor, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Stick-e Products, LLC |
Chicago |
IL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Stick-e Products, LLC
Chicago
IL
|
Family ID: |
51257946 |
Appl. No.: |
14/170594 |
Filed: |
February 1, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61760513 |
Feb 4, 2013 |
|
|
|
61823751 |
May 15, 2013 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/170 ;
2/207 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 23/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/170 ;
2/207 |
International
Class: |
A41D 23/00 20060101
A41D023/00 |
Claims
1. An exercise accessory, comprising: a fabric article having a
length and a width; and at least one slot formed through the
article, wherein an edge of the article is insertable through the
slot to secure the exercise accessory to a user's body.
2. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of the slots spaced across the width of the
article.
3. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the at
least one slot is centered across the width of the article.
4. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein a
high-friction material is disposed along a portion of the at least
one slot.
5. The exercise accessory according to claim 4, wherein the
high-friction material covers an entire periphery of the at least
one slot.
6. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein a material
of the fabric article cools upon application and evaporation of
water.
7. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the slot is
spaced from an edge of the article in a direction of the length of
the article by approximately one-fourth of the length of the
article.
8. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the article
is a towel.
9. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the article
is made of a sweat-absorbing material.
10. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the
article is approximately four feet in length.
11. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the at
least one slot is oriented parallel to the width of the
article.
12. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the
article comprises at least two slots, wherein the slots are evenly
spaced across the width of the article.
13. The exercise accessory according to claim 2, wherein the
plurality of slots are disposed symmetrically along one of the
width of the article.
14. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the
plurality of slots are disposed asymmetrically along the length and
the width of the article.
15. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, further
comprising: a plurality of slots spaced along the length of the
article.
16. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the at
least one slot is oriented parallel to the length of the
article.
17. The exercise accessory according to claim 1, wherein the
article comprises at least two slots, wherein the slots are evenly
spaced along the length of the article.
18. An exercise accessory, comprising: an article having a length
and a width, the article including a sweat-absorbing material that
cools upon application and evaporation of water; and at least one
slot formed through the article, wherein an edge of the article is
insertable through the slot to secure the exercise accessory to a
user's body, and wherein a high-friction material is disposed along
a portion of the slot.
19. A method of cooling off during or after an exercise, the method
comprising: placing an exercise accessory, including a fabric
article and a slot formed in the fabric article, around a part of a
user's body; and inserting at least a portion of an edge of the
article through the slot to secure the exercise accessory to the
part of the user's body.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the part of the user's body is
a neck, wrist, waist or hips.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 61/760,513, filed Feb. 4, 2013, and to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/823,751, filed May 15, 2013,
the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their
entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present invention relates to a towel or scarf accessory
for exercise, particularly for use during or after performing Yoga,
Pilates, weightlifting, running and other perspiration-causing
exercises.
[0003] Certain types of exercises, such as Yoga, are performed in
hot and humid conditions which cause a significant amount of
perspiration to drip from the body. Other exercise activities also
result in significant perspiration. Towels and scarves are
frequently used during or following such exercises to wipe
perspiration from a user's body.
[0004] Many users keep a towel or scarf around their necks or other
parts of the body during exercise in order to help remain cool and
absorb perspiration. However, such conventional exercise towels and
scarves often fall out of place during exercise. Falling or
slipping towels or scarves distract the user during exercise and
hinder the user's body from properly cooling down.
SUMMARY
[0005] In one embodiment, an exercise accessory comprises a layer
or article (hereinafter collectively referred to as an "article")
having a length and a width, and at least one slot formed through
the article. An edge of the article is insertable through the slot
to secure the exercise accessory to a user's body.
[0006] In another embodiment, an exercise accessory comprises an
article having a length and a width, and at least one slot formed
through the article. The article includes a sweat-absorbing
material that cools upon application and evaporation of water. An
edge of the article is insertable through the slot to secure the
exercise accessory to a user's body. A high-friction material is
disposed along a portion of the slot.
[0007] In another embodiment, a method of cooling off during or
after an exercise comprises placing an exercise accessory,
including an article and a slot formed in the article, around a
part of a user's body, and inserting at least a portion of an edge
of the article through the slot to secure the exercise accessory to
the part of the user's body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a front side of an exemplary towel
embodying the invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a rear side of the exemplary towel
of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a view of the exemplary towel of FIG. 1 worn on a
user.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a view of the user performing an exercise with the
exemplary towel of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a front side of an alternative
embodiment of an exemplary towel embodying the invention
[0013] FIG. 6 is a view of the user performing an exercise with the
exemplary towel of FIG. 5.
[0014] Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in
detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in
its application to the details of construction and the arrangement
of components set forth in the following description or illustrated
in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in
various ways.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exercise accessory in the form
of a towel 10 including a front side 20, a back side 30 opposite
the front side 20, a length 11, and a width 12. Although the term
"towel" is used herein, the present invention is applicable to
other types of articles, including, but not limited to, a scarf,
handkerchief, shawl, or bandana. The illustrated towel 10 may have
a length 11 equal approximately to an elbow-to-elbow length of an
exerciser. An exemplary length 11 is four feet and an exemplary
width 12 is one foot. However, the towel 10 may have other lengths
and widths as appropriate for various sizes of exercisers or other
applications. The towel 10 may have substantially any suitable
thickness, weave, knap length, or color.
[0016] The towel 10 can be made from a variety of materials or
fabrics including cotton, acrylic, and various synthetic blends.
However, in a preferred embodiment, the towel 10 is made from
materials which allow the towel to become cold upon application and
evaporation of water. The towel 10 may include a strap (not shown)
to facilitate transport, as described in U.S. Pat. Application No.
13/028,328, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
[0017] In one embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the towel 10
includes slots 40 disposed on the front side 20 thereof and
extending through the thickness and into the back side 30. The
slots 40 may be substantially centered along the width 12 and may
be formed at approximately one-third to approximately one-fourth of
the lengthwise distance from each edge 13, 14 (i.e., the short
edges 13, 14 across the width 12 in the illustrated embodiment) or
end of the towel 10. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, each
slot 40 has a length of approximately 2'' (which in the illustrated
embodiment is measured in the direction of the width 12 of the
towel 10) and is disposed approximately 11'' from each edge of the
towel 10. The number of slots 40 is not limited to two. Other
configurations of slots 40 are possible, including a single slot,
or more than two slots 40 disposed parallel to each other, evenly
or unevenly spaced along the length 11 of the towel. As shown in
FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the slot(s) 40 can be formed approximately at
the mid-length of the towel 10. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the
slots 40 are disposed symmetrically on the towel 10 along both the
length 11 and the width 12. However, the slots 40 may be disposed
asymmetrically along only one of the length 11 and width 12, or may
be disposed entirely asymmetrical.
[0018] In an alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the
towel 10' may include one or more slots 40' disposed across the
width 12' of the towel 10'. The slots 40' may be spaced evenly or
unevenly along the width 12' and may be disposed linearly or
non-linearly. The slots 40' may be formed near each edge 13', 14'
(i.e., the short edges 13, 14' along the width 12' in the
illustrated embodiment) or end of the towel 10', for example at
approximately one-third to approximately one-fourth of the distance
from the ends 13', 14' along the length 11'. The slots 40' may be
formed near one edge/end or near two opposite edges/ends or
approximately at mid-length as shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6,
in one exemplary embodiment with the towel 10' having three slots
40' spaced equally across the width 12' and at about the mid-length
of the towel 10', a user may fold the towel 10'along fold lines
running lengthwise into segments that are each 1/3 the width of the
towel to overlap and align the slots 40' spaced across the width
12'. Pulling one end of the towel 10' through all three of the
aligned slots 40' secures the towel 10' and allows the towel 10' to
lay comfortably around the neck of a user.
[0019] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5, each slot 40' has a
length of approximately 2'' (which in the illustrated embodiment is
measured in the direction of the width 12' of the towel 10') and is
disposed approximately 11'' from an edge of the towel 10'. The
number of slots 40' is not limited to three. Other configurations
of slots 40' are possible, including a single slot, or more than
three slots 40' disposed linearly, evenly or unevenly spaced along
the width 12' of the towel 10'.
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the slots 40, 40' may be lined
with a high-friction, non-slip material 45, 45' that helps prevent
the portion of the towel inserted through the slot from falling out
of the slot 40, 40'. For example, in alternative embodiments,
high-friction material 45, 45' could be disposed along an entire
perimeter of the slots 40, 40'. Alternatively, two or more
high-friction material 45, 45' areas, for example, could be
disposed extending along the length or the width of the slots 40.
As would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, numerous
other arrangements of high-friction material 45 areas are possible
in accordance with the present invention.
[0021] The non-slip, high-friction material 45, 45' can be any
rubbery substance made from any material such as rubber, plastic,
PVC, silica gel, or any other substance that creates a
high-friction, non-slip finish. Other high-friction rubbery
materials may be used in place of the PVC vinyl material. The
high-friction material 45 preferably forms a smooth finish without
projections.
[0022] To use the towel 10, 10', the exerciser first places the
towel 10, 10' around his or her body, for example, around the neck,
waist, or hips, as shown in FIGS. 3,4, and 6. Then, the exerciser
takes one end of the towel 10, 10' (e.g., including one of the two
short edges and adjacent portions of the long edges), which can be
folded, rolled, or otherwise manipulated, and inserts at least a
portion of the end/edge through at least one of the slots 40, 40',
pulling the end/edge through the chosen slot(s) 40, 40' to secure
the towel against his or her body, as best viewed in FIGS. 3, 4,
and 6. Further exercise may then be performed while the towel 10,
10' is secured to the body, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. During this
time, due to the portion of the towel 10, 10' being pulled through
the slot 40, 40', the towel 10, 10' does not fall from the user's
body during exercise. Further, the high-friction material 45, 45'
lining the slots 40, 40' helps prevent slippage of the end/edge of
the towel 10, 10' back through the slot 40, 40'.
[0023] While embodiments of the invention disclosed herein describe
exercise towels or scarves having at least one slot, one skilled in
art should recognize that alternative configurations may be
employed without deviating from the scope of the invention.
* * * * *