US20160338504A1

US20160338504A1 - Towel Mate

Info

Publication number: US20160338504A1
Application number: US14/719,322
Authority: US
Inventors: Leann L. Bellini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-05-22
Filing date: 2015-05-22
Publication date: 2016-11-24

Abstract

A simple fastening tool to hold a beach towel on a chair using an all-purpose strap is disclosed. The simple fastening tool or device of the invention holds towel to chair in adverse conditions, such as wind, at the beach or poolside, or during sitting or moving in the chair by the user. The fastening device of the invention can be attached to at least one end of the lounge chair or bench. The fastening device has an attached buckle or clip with a quick release mechanism for easy release of the towel when required without any delay or extra effort. The device is provided with pockets to safely hold personnel items or things.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to beach and pool chairs. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for retaining a towel that is covering a beach or pool chair and preventing it from being displaced by the wind or the chair occupant. Specifically, the present invention relates to a device for retaining a towel on a chair, such as a beach chair, such that the towel is maintained in place on a chair even in windy conditions.
(2) Background of Invention
Very few leisure time activities rival that of spending a warm summer day at the beach. Whether the beach is at an ocean or a small lake, the feeling that comes with being outside and near water is enjoyable. Most people usually lie upon a large beach towel when at a beach. Such towels help to insulate them from the ground and keep the user clean and comfortable.
An age-old problem in relaxing at the beach or at a poolside is in maintaining a sufficient level of comfort that allows such an outing to be relaxing. Various types of chairs that are appropriate for the beach or the pool, such as chaise lounges, upright chairs, and so on, are formed from a metal, wood, or plastic frame and include a number of rubber or plastic straps, or cloth or fiber mesh, which act to support the weight of the individual in a relaxing position for reading, listening to music, or sunbathing. Because these chairs are typically left outside, exposed to the elements, the materials that are used to make the chairs are the most resilient, rather than the most comfortable.
However, if such chairs are left in the sun, they may become uncomfortably hot. Alternatively, a person may be wet or covered in sand from the beach and may wish to protect the chair against these elements. Consequently, a large beach towel is often placed on the chair, which provides some measure of comfort for the wet or sandy individual and protection for the chair.
Because of the strong wind on the beach, a towel not held in place by a body and may be easily blown from the chair and lost or soiled. Moreover, natural movement of the individual while sitting or lying on the towel, as well as gravity, may cause the towel to become dislodged and the chair to be made uncomfortable.
Beach and pool lounge chairs that are used on beaches, adjacent swimming pools, and on lawns are often covered by beach towels to provide a more comfortable environment in which to relax, avoid the tacky feeling of plastic and the more harsh feeling of wood, and to absorb any perspiration or dripping water. Also, when the beach chair is not occupied, a gust of wind can blow the beach towel from the chair, or crumple it on the chair, so that it has to be realigned with the top surface of the chair, which can be annoying. Also, loose towels can become easily disarranged in use by the chair occupant and by gravity, and can become dirty by falling off of the chair. Clips have been used to keep the towel on the chair, as well as covers that fit over the chair.
The use of towel fasteners for chairs is known in the prior art. More specifically, towel fasteners for chairs heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art, which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,456, U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,832, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 298,711, U.S. Pat. No. 510,468, U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,126, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,285.
There is a need for an improved system for retaining a beach towel on an unoccupied beach chair. There is also a need for a device to make the chair occupant more comfortable.
A preliminary search of a beach chair towel retainer system invention disclosed the following seven U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,747, entitled Bedclothes Clamp, FIGS. 3 and 4, shows a strap for securing a blanket to a bed to prevent a baby's head from slipping under the blanket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,028, entitled Fitted Sheet for Lounge Chair, FIGS. 1-4, shows a fitted sheet for a lounge chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,094, entitled Expandable Terry Cloth Sand or Lawn Chair Cover Having Integrally Formed Pockets, shows a terry cloth with pockets for beach chairs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,540, entitled Combination Beach Towel and Chair Cover, shows a beach towel with attached straps in order to function as a chair cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,288, entitled Lounge Chair Cover, shows a lounge chair cover with various pockets including a pillow pocket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,463, entitled Cover for Lounge Chair, shows the use of Velcro fasteners for enclosing pillow and flap pockets of a unitary terry cloth beach chair cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,627, entitled Towel with Releasable Attached Pillow, shows a beach pillow Velcro fastener attached directly to a towel with matching Velcro fastener strips.
None of these patents, either alone or in obvious combination, fully satisfies the needs detailed above or discloses the invention as claimed below.
One problem associated with using such towels is that they are prone to blowing away when no one is sitting on them. Even if people are sitting or lying upon them, the slightest breeze can cause corners to blow up and over, forcing a continuous and never ending battle to keep them down by weighting them with shoes, books, purses, and the like.
What is needed, therefore, is a device that serves to retain the towel in place on the chair, even if high winds are present, or if the individual using the chair moves frequently.
While the prior art devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such devices are difficult to install or remove and do not provide a sufficient level of stability once installed. Also, many such devices do not provide a sufficient range of storage, security, protection, and comfort for both a user and their personal effects. Furthermore, many such devices are not adjustable or customizable to accommodate various situations, locations, and preferences. In addition, many such devices do not allow a user to take advantage of the sunny conditions often found at a beach. Accordingly, there exists a need for a beach towel without the disadvantages that are described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and, in doing so, fulfills this need.
In these respects, the towel fastening device for a chair at beach or pool side according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and, in so doing, provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of holding beach towels, in particular, firmly in place on chairs.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, are seen to describe the present invention, as claimed. Thus, a simple device solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter, nor is it to be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented above.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a simple fastening device with elastic, Velcro, and a plastic easy release dip. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new towel fastening device for a lounge chair apparatus and method that has many of the advantages of the towel fastening device for chairs mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new towel fastening device for a lounge chair that is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art towel fasteners for chairs, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To achieve the above objectives, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a range of modular capabilities and configurations particularly adapted for beneficial employment at a beach, i.e. on a sand surface and in sunny conditions.
According to the invention, the objectives of the invention are accomplished by providing a simple device with elastic, Velcro, and a plastic easy release clip for holding a towel at beach or poolside.
The present invention, therefore, has as its principal objective to provide a simple fastening device or tool to hold a beach towel on a chair using an all-purpose strap.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide an all-purpose strap that includes elastic with Velcro attached to an easy release clip.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a simple device or tool to hold a towel to a chair in adverse conditions, such as with heavy wind, at the beach or poolside.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a simple device or tool to hold a towel to a chair during sitting or moving in the chair by the user.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a simple device or tool to hold a towel to a chair with the device attached at the ends of the chair.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a simple fastening device or tool to hold a towel to a chair with an attached buckle or clip with a quick release mechanism for easy release of the towel when required.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a simple fastening device or tool to hold a towel that will be versatile and can be used with any type of towel or any type of chair. It is yet another objective of the invention to provide a simple fastening device or tool to hold a towel with pockets to store personnel things.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description. The invention is capable of other embodiments, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description, and should not be regarded as limiting.
These, together with other objectives of the invention and the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objectives attained by its uses, reference should be had to the descriptive matter, in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that the drawing depicts only illustrated embodiments of the invention, and is, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the top view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates the two finger quick release clip of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates the adjustable Velcro strap of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates the measurements of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates the space for displaying a souvenir, according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates the front view of a chair with the fastening device, according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates the back view of a chair with the fastening device, according to the current invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying figures that form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that the embodiments may be combined, or that other embodiments may be utilized, and that structural and logical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
According to the invention, a simple fastening device with elastic, Velcro, and a plastic easy release clip or buckle for holding a towel in windy conditions on beach is provided.
The present invention provides a range of modular capabilities and configurations particularly adapted for beneficial employment at a beach, i.e. on a sand surface and in sunny conditions. The current invention provides a simple fastening tool to hold the beach towel on the chair using an all-purpose strap. The simple fastening tool or device of the invention holds a towel to a chair in adverse conditions, such as heavy wind, at the beach or poolside, or during sitting or moving in the chair by the user. The fastening device of the invention can be attached to at least one end of the lounge chair or bench. The fastening device has an attached buckle or clip with a quick release mechanism for the easy release of the towel when required without any delay or extra effort. The device is provided with pockets to safely hold personnel items or things.
FIG. 1, illustrates the front view of the device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the device of the invention is made up of a quilted material with piping around the edges to give extra comfort to the users. As shown in the figure, the device has the safety easy release buckle adjustment, Velcro strap, pockets for holding things at beach or pool side, and the part of the device which will go at the back side of the chair. The width of the one-third part of the device is 24 inches, as shown in FIG. 1. Two pockets on the inner side of the device are shown that can be used for putting money, credit cards, lip-gloss, a comb and brush, or any small personnel items.
FIG. 2 illustrates the two finger quick release clip of the present invention. The clip or buckle facilitates the easy release of the fastening device whenever the user wishes to fasten or unfasten the towel from the chair.
FIG. 3 illustrates the adjustable Velcro strap of the present invention. The adjustment feature of the Velcro allows shortening the length of the Velcro to the requirement of the user and according to the chair on which fastening device of the invention is used. The adjustment can be up to a total of 3″. The dimension of the Velcro strip used is length of 26″×2.
FIG. 4 illustrates the measurements of the device of the present invention. The preferable dimension of the fastening device of the current invention is 24″×11(½)″.
FIG. 5 illustrates the space for displaying a souvenir according to the present invention. It could be a souvenir from a vacation spot, State, water park, a person's name, a saying, sport team, etc.
FIG. 6 illustrates the front view of a chair with the fastening device according to the present invention. As shown, the device is placed at the head end or top end of the chair neatly with no fastening mechanism on the front of the chair, thereby not hindering the comfort aspect of the invention.
FIG. 7 illustrates the back view of the chair with the fastening device according to the current invention. With the clip and the set-up of the device, the user can carry towels or a blanket in it rolled up. As shown in FIG. 7, the sides of the device will come around the back of the chair about an inch with the entire fastening mechanism of Velcro and buckle behind the chair.
The advantage of the present invention is that the towel is fastened to the chair even when the user is not sitting on the chair, or even when he is moving in the chair. The tool will be a separate item that can be customized for all types of chairs and all types of towels. The device can be monogrammed with names, fun sayings, sport's team logo, and so on. The device can be placed at both the upper-end (head) and the lower-end (feet end) so that the wind from any direction cannot blow the towel off of the chair.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-discussed embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-discussed embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.
Plural instances may be provided for components, operations or structures described herein as a single instance. Finally, boundaries between various components are somewhat arbitrary, and particular operations are illustrated in the context of specific illustrative configurations. Other allocations of functionality are envisioned and may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter.

Claims

I claim:

1. A fastening device for holding a towel in windy conditions on the beach, wherein said device is comprised of:

a body;

all-purpose strap;

elastic means;

Velcro;

plastic dip or buckle;

at least one pocket.

2. The fastening device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body is made of quilted material.

3. The fastening device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body is attached to at least one end of the lounge chair or bench.

4. The fastening device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clip is a quick release mechanism clip for fast releasing of a towel.

5. The fastening device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device is fastened to the back side of the lounge chair or bench.

6. A method of using a simple fastening device:

Taking an all-purpose strap made up of elastic;

Attaching said strap with Velcro at the ends of the strap;

Attaching the Velcro end with a fastening dip for easy release of the fastening device;

Placing the device on the chair with spread out towel at upper end and lower end of the chair;

Using the Velcro and clip to fasten the device on the chair with the towel on the backside of the chair;

Using said Velcro and clip to unfasten the device from chair with towel.

7. The fastening device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device will be a separate item that can be customized for all types of chairs and all types of towels.

8. The fastening device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device monogrammed with names, fun sayings, sports team logo etc.

9. The fastening device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device is folded using the same clip and the strap for easy carrying.