US20160038843A1

US20160038843A1 - Towel whistler

Info

Publication number: US20160038843A1
Application number: US14/816,261
Authority: US
Inventors: John Lyles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-08-07
Filing date: 2015-08-03
Publication date: 2016-02-11

Abstract

A novel electronic whistling towel device which serves the purpose of emitting a loud audible sound of cheering or booing or other noise while displaying a team logo or the like. An electronic voice/cheering sound is emitted from the electronic whistle placed in a cloth handle pouch at one corner of one end of a terry cloth or a towel material.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 62/034,440, filed Aug. 7, 2014.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to amusement devices and, more particularly, toward the combination of electronic noisemakers and team logo flags for use at sporting events.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is common at sporting events for the fans to cheer on their team by shouting and waving flags and the like. Various types of mechanical or electrical noisemakers are also frequently utilized by fans. All of this is done to cheer on a team or, not uncommonly, to psych out or attempt to disrupt communications between members of the other team.
The present invention is intended to combine the above two concepts. That is, the invention provides a novel noisemaking device which serves the purpose of emitting a prerecorded or other electronic audible sound while displaying a team logo or the like on a flag-like towel that can be waved.
The invention includes a towel or other similar piece of cloth which may be made of towel-like material such as terry cloth or other moisture absorbent material. In one embodiment, the towel has a handle pouch for grasping one end for waving. In another embodiment, the whistle or other noisemaker is located in the handle-like pouch. The noisemaking article is preferably capable of making a cheering/booing sound via electronic sound/voices that are prerecorded in the whistle device.
The whistle or other acoustic device is especially configured to produce a relatively loud cheering/booing sounds with no movement needed of the towel. To that end, the electronic whistle may be relatively small and may have several acoustic sounds prerecorded in the electronic whistle device. Alternatively, one electronic whistle may be employed at a time but several models with prerecorded sounds and voices will be available. The battery-powered noisemaking electronic device may be located in the web or cloth-like material with no airflow needed for acoustic sound. As stated, the electronic acoustic device is of a battery-powered electronic device which does not require motion and will only emit a cheering or a booing sound when the sound button is pushed.
The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a new noisemaking device and method which has many of the advantages over prior art devices with features that result in a new electronic whistle with a prerecorded acoustic cheering or booing which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is a general object of this invention to provide a noisemaking device having means for producing a relatively loud cheering or booing sound with no movement of the main body of the device needed, but can do so.
It is another object of the invention to provide a noisemaking device which has a relatively large towel display area for a team logo, advertising, or other indicia.
The present invention meets or exceeds all the above objects and goals as can be seen from further study of the specification and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings one form which is presently preferred; it being understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the present invention showing an acoustic device inserted in the specifically designed web or pouch-like handle of the towel;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the electronic noisemaking device used with the invention, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, the apparatuses and method of the present invention are illustrated. The device is used to produce a relatively loud sound (which may be prerecorded) with minimal effort on the part of the user. To that end, a main body of towel or cloth material 110 is employed to serve as the main body of the device. The web or sheet material 110 is preferably terry cloth or other highly absorbent cloth material which can be used in the same manner as a conventional towel. The material 110 may also be a composite material, with a highly reflective material on one side for displaying indicia/logos (such as shown at 112), and a highly absorbent material on the opposing side. The material preferably has a substantially rectangular shape, but may of course be practically any shape, with dimensions convenient for portability. Preferably, the towel 110 is of a regular shape which is defined herein as square, rectangular, round, oval or triangular.
An electronic acoustic whistle device 120 is inserted into the special designed handle sleeve, pocket or pouch 130 made of the same terry cloth or web material 110, the pouch 130 with the device 120 therein is designated as a grasping portion or handle, so that a maximum quantity of the cloth or web material 110 exists between the grasping portion and towel area 110. The acoustic device is thereby placed in the cloth handle sleeve and held in one's hand when twirling the sheet material 110.
The electronic whistle acoustic device 120 is preferably in the form of an electronic whistle 120 and is housed within an open-ended tubular sleeve handle attached to one end of the towel 110 enclosure in 130. The enclosure 130 essentially functions as a handle and is waveable. The electronic whistle 120 is selected so as to emit a relatively loud sound that may be prerecorded when the user presses the sound switch or button 122 while effectively twirling the towel in a circular movement of the cloth material 110. The tubular sleeve enclosure 130, which may alternatively be of rectangular shape may include several models of the electronic whistle device. Although the term “whistle” is used herein, this is intended to encompass any loud noise.
In operation, the user grasps the grasping end or pocket 130 of the material 110, and twirls the material 110 while pressing the sound button 122 on device 120. The absorbent material 110 may be used as any towel is used. It is, of course, possible to press the button 122 to have the device 120 emit noise even if the towel is not being waved or twirled.
The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is similar to that shown in FIG. 1. The only difference being that the pocket or pouch 130′ lies within the outer periphery of the towel 110′ so that the final product is still rectangular or other regular shape. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the pouch 130 lies outside of the periphery of the towel 110.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the electronic whistle is in a cylindrical housing 140 that functions as a handle. Extending upwardly from the top 150 of the housing is a rigid rod 160. The rod carries spring clips or clamps or other cloth attaching means 170 and 180 adjacent the end thereof and adjacent the midpoint, as shown. The attaching means could be, for example, similar to those shown in U.S. Published Application No. 2013/0205625. The attaching means could also be simple loops or openings into which two ends of the towel 110 are inserted.
From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A noisemaking device comprising:

a sheet of cloth in the form of a flag including a grasping handle pouch portion, and

an acoustic means inserted in the pouch, said acoustic means including a switch and is capable of emitting a loud sound when said button is depressed.

2. The noisemaking device of claim 1 wherein said switch of said acoustic means includes a button capable of being depressed to activate said acoustic means.

3. The noisemaking device of claim 2 wherein said acoustic means is battery operated.

4. The noisemaking device of claim 1 wherein said pouch is made of the same material as said sheet of cloth.

5. The noisemaking device of claim 1 wherein said sheet of cloth has indicia printed thereon.

6. The noisemaking device of claim 1 wherein said sheet of cloth is of a regular shape including a periphery defining said regular shape.

7. The noisemaking device of claim 6 wherein said pouch is located within the periphery of said sheet of cloth.

8. The noisemaking device of claim 6 wherein said pouch is located outside of the periphery of said sheet of cloth.