US20170156552A1

US20170156552A1 - Towel for Reliably Hanging onto a Fixture

Info

Publication number: US20170156552A1
Application number: US15/203,096
Authority: US
Inventors: Suzanne Kathryn Denihan
Original assignee: Millden LLC
Current assignee: Millden LLC
Priority date: 2014-03-14
Filing date: 2016-07-06
Publication date: 2017-06-08
Also published as: US20150257612A1; WO2015139055A1

Abstract

A towel that can be stably and reliably hung onto a fixture. The towel comprises an opening that allows for the towel to be hung onto a fixture, and an adjustable perimeter around the opening. The adjustable perimeter can be manipulated to adjust the size and/or shape of the opening. The adjustable perimeter may comprise an elastic material or a draw string. The towel may be hung on a fixture such as a hook, a doorknob, or any other protrusion onto which the opening may be placed.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The field of the invention relates to towels for hanging onto a fixture. The towels may be any type of towel that can get wet, including beach towels, bath towels, hand towels, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Towels, such as bath towels or hand towels, require an opportunity to dry after they become wet, such as from use. Towels that remain wet for prolonged periods of time create an environment that promotes the growth of bacteria, fungi, and mold. Such growth can result in an unpleasant odor, as well as cause damage to the fibers of the towel. Hence, it is important to allow towels to dry once they become wet.
However, due to limitations such as a lack of space or a lack of available fixtures, towels are often unable to adequately dry. For example, in urban residences, bathrooms may be small in size, may lack towel racks, may be shared by more than one person, or a combination thereof. Towels may have to be hung on fixtures such as hooks or doorknobs in order to dry, and in some instances multiple towels may have to be hung on the same hook. This can result in towels falling off of the fixtures, and/or towels being hung on top of each other; in either case, there is a risk that the towels do not adequately dry.
For at least these reasons, there is a need for towels that can be stably and reliably hung onto a fixture for drying.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a towel that can be stably and reliably hung onto a fixture. The present invention also relates to a method of hanging a towel of the present invention onto a fixture.
Thus, an aspect of the present invention is directed to a towel comprising an opening that allows for the towel to be hung or fastened to a fixture, and an adjustable perimeter around the opening. The opening and adjustable perimeter may be generally within the plane of the towel, such that the thickness of the adjustable perimeter is generally the same as the thickness of the towel. In some embodiments, the adjustable perimeter may extend outwardly from the plane of the towel, such that the thickness of the adjustable perimeter may be greater than the thickness of the towel.
The adjustable perimeter may alter the size and/or shape of the opening. In certain embodiments, the adjustable perimeter comprises an elastic material that spans around the opening. The elastic material may be stretched or otherwise manipulated to alter the size and/or shape of the opening. In some embodiments, the adjustable perimeter may comprise a “drawstring” or the like, which can be used to help maintain the opening in a certain size and/or shape. In further embodiments, the adjustable perimeter may comprise two ends that can detach from each other. Detachment of these ends may alter the size and/or shape of the opening, or it may create an inlet from the outside of the towel to the opening.
In embodiments of the invention, the opening and adjustable perimeter may be located within the edges of the towel, such that the opening and adjustable perimeter is surrounded entirely by the towel material.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of hanging the towel of the present invention onto a fixture. The method comprises manipulating the adjustable perimeter of the towel so that the opening is of appropriate size and shape to fit the towel onto the fixture. In certain embodiments, the fixture may be a hook, a doorknob, or any other protrusion onto which the opening may be placed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings, as follows:

FIG. 1 is an example of a towel comprising an opening having an adjustable perimeter in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a towel comprising an opening having an adjustable perimeter in accordance with embodiments of the invention, in which the opening and the adjustable perimeter is at the edge of the towel.

FIG. 3 is a view of an opening and an adjustable perimeter in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a cut-away view of an opening and an adjustable perimeter comprising an elastic material in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a cut-away view of an opening and an adjustable perimeter comprising a drawstring in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a view of an opening and an adjustable perimeter comprising two ends that are detachable from each other in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 7 is an example of how towels comprising an opening and an adjustable perimeter in accordance with embodiments of the invention may be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a towel that can be stably and reliably hung onto a fixture. The towel comprises an opening with an adjustable perimeter that can adjust the size and/or shape of the opening.
By hanging the towel on a fixture via the opening, the towel is maintained in a hanging position to facilitate drying without, for example, the risk of the towel falling onto the ground and/or being in a position that is not conducive to adequate drying. The opening also offers adequate space on the fixture for multiple towels to hang together while simultaneously keeping the towels separate enough to allow for efficient drying; otherwise, for multiple towels to be hung on the same fixture, the towels may be hung on top of each other, which does not allow sufficient spacing for the towels to adequately dry. In addition, multiple generic towels on one fixture may become weighted down and slip off the fixture. The adjustable perimeter allows the user to hang towels on fixtures of a variety of sizes, shapes, and orientations (e.g., hooks). Additionally, the opening may be positioned such that it remains discretely disguised when the towel is folded.

Towel

The towel of the present invention is exemplified in FIG. 1. The towel 1 comprises edges 2 and a middle 3 that is within the edges 2. The number of edges 2 will depend on the shape of the towel. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, there are four edges 2 since the towel 1 is rectangular.
The towel 1 comprises an opening 4 through which the towel 1 can be hung onto a fixture. The towel 1 also comprises an adjustable perimeter 5 surrounding the opening 4.
In certain embodiments, the opening 4 and adjustable perimeter 5 may be generally within the plane of the towel 1, such that the thickness of the adjustable perimeter 5 is generally the same as the thickness of the towel 1. In some embodiments, the thickness of the adjustable perimeter 5 may be greater than the thickness of the towel 1.
The opening 4 may be located in the middle 3 of the towel 1, including in the center, near one of the edges 2, near the corners, or a combination thereof. In particular embodiments, the opening 4 may be located in the center of, and close to, a long edge 2 of the towel 1, as demonstrated in FIG. 1. In certain embodiments, the opening 4 may be located at an edge 2 of the towel 1, as shown in FIG. 2
The opening 4 and adjustable perimeter 5 according to embodiments of the present invention is further illustrated in FIG. 3. The adjustable perimeter 5 comprises an outer edge 6, an inner edge 7, a first surface 8 and a second surface (not shown) opposite the first plane 8. This creates an enclosed pocket or space 9 within the adjustable perimeter 5 defined by the outer edge 6, the inner edge 7, the first surface 8, and the second surface. The outer edge 6 may be sewn or otherwise attached to the middle 3 of the towel 1. The inner edge 7 of the adjustable perimeter 5 is adjacent to the opening 4.
The size and shape of the opening 4 may be altered by manipulating the adjustable perimeter 5. For example, by applying a force on the adjustable perimeter 5 (such as a radial force on the inner edge 7 of the adjustable perimeter 5) or by stretching the towel 1 itself, the opening 4 may be enlarged.
In some embodiments, the adjustable perimeter 5 may comprise an elastic material 10 that spans around the opening 4 within the enclosed pocket 9, as shown in FIG. 4. The elastic material 10 may stretch to permit the opening 4 to change in size and/or shape. The elastic material 10 may comprise a natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or other like materials known in the art.
In embodiments of the invention, the adjustable perimeter 5 may comprise a string, rope, or the like 11, that spans around the opening 4, as shown in FIG. 5. The majority of the string 11 may be within the enclosed pocket 9 while two small openings 12 in the first surface 8 and/or second surface of the adjustable perimeter 5 allow the ends of the string 11 to be outside of the enclosed pocket 9 (not shown). The result resembles a draw string associated with the adjustable perimeter 5. In some embodiments, the string 11 may be continuous without ends (not shown), such that the part of the string outside of the enclosed pocket 9 (not shown) is a loop (not shown). The string 11 may be manipulated to alter the size and/or shape of the opening 4 by, for instance, pulling and/or tying the string 11. The string 11 may comprise materials known in the art.
In some embodiments, the adjustable perimeter 5 may comprise a first end 12 and a second end 13 as shown in FIG. 6. The first end 12 and the second end 13 may be fastened to each other by an attachment 14. The attachment 14 may comprise Velcro® or the like. The opening may be altered in size and/or shape by unfastening or detaching the first end 12 and the second end 13. In certain embodiments, the detachment loosens the towel material around the adjustable perimeter 5, which alters the size and/or shape of the opening 4. In some embodiments, in particular when the opening and the adjustable perimeter are at an edge 2 of the towel 1, detachment creates an inlet from the outside of the towel 1 to the opening 4. Moreover, in embodiments set forth in FIG. 6, a portion of the first end 12 overlaps with a portion of the second end 13, and there is an attachment 14 between the overlapping portions. In alternative embodiments not shown, the first end may contact the second end with an attachment therebetween, without any portion of the first end and the second end overlapping.
In its natural state, i.e., when no force is being applied to alter the size or shape of the opening 4, the size of the opening 4 may depend on the general size of the towel 1. As examples, for bath towels, the areal size of the opening 4 may be less than about 100 cm², or less than about 50 cm², or less than about 25 cm². For wash towels, the opening 4 may be less than about 15 cm², or less than about 10 cm².
In its natural state, the opening 4 may comprise any shape that is appropriate for hanging on a fixture. For instance, the opening may be circular or polygonal, including shapes such as a circle, oval, square, rectangle, or combinations thereof.
The towel 1 of the present invention may be of various shapes, such as squares or rectangles. The towel may also vary in size. For instance, the towel may be a size appropriate for a beach towel (e.g., about 30 inches×70 inches), bath sheet (e.g., about 35 inches×60 inches), bath towel (e.g., about 27 inches×52 inches), hand towel (e.g., about 16 inches×30 inches), dish towel (e.g., about 25 inches×14 inches), fingertip towel (e.g., about 11 inches×18 inches), or wash towel (e.g., about 13 inches×13 inches).
The towel 1 can be made of cotton, such as Egyptian cotton, MicroCotton®, Pima cotton, or Turkish cotton. The cotton may be blended with other materials, such as polyester, lycra, etc. The towel 1 may also be made of silk or any other suitable natural fiber, such as Bamboo, or synthetic fiber. In some embodiments, the towel 1 comprises terrycloth. The towel 1 may also be made of other like materials known in the art.
The adjustable perimeter 5 may comprise the same material as the rest of the towel 1. In some embodiments, portions of the inner edge 7 of the adjustable perimeter 5 may comprise a material that has a greater coefficient of friction, which can help maintain the towel 1 on the fixture.

Methods of Use

The present invention also relates to a method of hanging a towel according to the present invention onto a fixture. The method comprises altering the size and/or shape of the opening by manipulating the adjustable perimeter so that the opening can fit onto the fixture. In embodiments of the invention, the manipulation of the adjustable perimeter may comprise applying a radial force, at least in part, onto the inner edge of the adjustable perimeter in order to change the size and/or shape of the opening. In certain embodiments, the manipulation of the adjustable perimeter may comprise applying force onto the rest of the towel such that the opening is coerced onto the fixture. In some embodiments where the adjustable perimeter of the towel comprises a drawstring, the manipulation of the adjustable perimeter may comprise loosening and/or tightening of the drawstring, and optionally tying the ends of the drawstring once the towel is placed on the fixture. In certain embodiments where the adjustable perimeter comprises two ends that may be detached from each other, the manipulation of the adjustable perimeter may comprise detaching the ends to arrange the fixture into/through the opening, and optionally reattaching the ends around the fixture.
A result of hanging the towel 1 on a fixture 15 is exemplified in FIG. 7.
The fixture for use with the present invention may be any physical item onto which a towel can be hung. For instance, the fixture may be a hook, including wooden hooks, decorative hooks, etc.; a doorknob; or any other protrusion onto which a towel may be hung to dry.
Having thus described in detail embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention defined by the above paragraphs is not to be limited to particular details set forth in the above description as many apparent variations thereof are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A towel for hanging onto a fixture, comprising:

(a) an opening for the towel to be hung on the fixture; and

(b) an adjustable perimeter around the opening.

2. The towel of claim 1, wherein the adjustable perimeter may be manipulated to alter the opening's size, shape, or a combination thereof.

3. The towel of claim 2, wherein the adjustable perimeter comprises an elastic material.

4. The towel of claim 2, wherein the adjustable perimeter comprises a drawstring.

5. The towel of claim 2, wherein the adjustable perimeter comprises two ends that can be detached from each other.

6. The towel of claim 1, wherein the opening is located in the middle of the towel.

7. The towel of claim 1, wherein the opening is located in the corner of the towel.

8. The towel of claim 1, wherein the towel is a bath towel.

9. The towel of claim 1, wherein the opening and the adjustable perimeter are within the plane of the towel.

10. The towel of claim 1, wherein the adjustable perimeter comprises a material that is the same as the towel.

11. A towel for hanging onto a fixture, comprising:

(a) an opening for the towel to be hung on the fixture; and

(b) an adjustable perimeter around the opening, wherein the adjustable perimeter comprises an elastic material;

wherein the opening and the adjustable perimeter are within the plane of the towel.

12. The towel of claim 11, wherein the elastic material comprises a natural rubber or a synthetic rubber.

13. The towel of claim 11, wherein the opening is located in the middle of the towel.

14. The towel of claim 11, wherein the opening is located in the corner of the towel.

15. The towel of claim 11, wherein the towel is a bath towel.

16. A method of hanging a towel onto a fixture comprising an opening with an adjustable perimeter around thereof, the method comprising altering the opening's size, shape, or a combination thereof, to fit the opening of the towel onto the fixture.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the opening's size, shape, or a combination thereof, is altered by manipulating the adjustable perimeter.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the fixture is a hook or doorknob.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the adjustable perimeter comprises an elastic material.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the adjustable perimeter comprises a drawstring.