US20230029550A1

US20230029550A1 - Absorbent Towel with Pockets for Drying Hair

Info

Publication number: US20230029550A1
Application number: US17/389,388
Authority: US
Inventors: Pamela Jane Hogstad
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-07-30
Filing date: 2021-07-30
Publication date: 2023-02-02

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an absorbent towel for drying hair which comprises one or more pockets disposed on a surface along one or more edges such that when a user wraps the towel about their wet hair and twists the loose end, the loose end can be inserted into one of the exposed pockets effectively, rather than having to find a place to tuck it from which it may come loose. In this manner the towel of the present disclosure provides a firm fit on the head and stays in place, and users do not have to repeatedly reposition the hair on the head. A method of manufacture of the towel is also provided herein.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. provisional application No. 63/718,889, filed Jul. 30, 2020.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of household items. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved design for a towel.

BACKGROUND

A common way for an individual having long hair is for them to wrap a common household towel around their head, since this leads to a slow and gentle dry which is beneficial for hair health, and also prevents wet hair from dripping during the drying process. This is done by wrapping the towel around the head so that a loose end remains, and twisting this loose end so that the portion of the towel wrapped around the head tightens to a point where it grips the head and can be left without being held. The loose end is then tucked in as best it can be.
An issue with this method is that even gentle activity from the user can dislodge a portion of the towel, usually the tucked loose end, which leads to a loss of friction and for the wrap to come loose meaning they fall off or need constant repositioning. This can be frustrating for users.
Some efforts have been made to address this problem, but they have their own drawbacks. Common household towels are simply rectangular pieces of absorbent fabric, but some hair towels have been introduced to the market which comprise an elastic loop which initially holds the towel wrap firm, but the pull of the elastic cannot be easily adjusted and when too strong or incorrectly positioned, can cause the towel to ride up the head exposing wet hair. Furthermore, the elastic can wear and stretch out over time, compromising the functionality.
Another solution that has been proposed is towels having a loop and button configuration for wrapping, however these also cause the towel to ride up the head and also require careful thought in how to initially wrap the towel so that the loop and button can be used effectively.
It is within this context that the present invention is provided.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides an absorbent towel for drying hair which comprises one or more pockets disposed on a surface along one or more edges such that when a user wraps the towel about their wet hair and twists the loose end, the loose end can be inserted into one of the exposed pockets effectively, rather than having to find a place to tuck it from which it may come loose. In this manner the towel of the present disclosure provides a firm fit on the head and stays in place, and users do not have to repeatedly reposition the hair on the head. A method of manufacture of the towel is also provided herein.
Thus, according to one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a towel comprising an absorbent piece of fabric having opposing first and second surfaces defined by one or more edges, wherein one or more pockets are disposed on the first surface, the one or more pockets being oriented such that the closed end of each pocket is adjacent to and parallel with one of the edges of the towel, such that when the towel is twisted about the head of an individual, the twisted end may be wrapped about and inserted into a pocket to secure it in place.
In some embodiments, the one or more pockets are sewn onto the first surface by thread.
In one embodiment, the one or more pockets are formed of the same piece of absorbent fabric, folded at one or more of the edges.
In another embodiment, the one or more pockets are formed from one or more second pieces of fabric overlaid on the piece of fabric forming the towel.
In some embodiments, the towel comprises two or more pockets.
In such embodiments, the two or more pockets may be formed on two or more different edges of the towel.
Alternatively, the one or more pockets may all be formed along one edge of the towel in a sequence.
In some embodiments, the edges of the towel upon which pockets are disposed are sewn or serged.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacture of a towel comprising one or more pockets, the method comprising the steps of:
a. cutting a piece of absorbent fabric to a desired size and proportion;
b. folding the fabric along one edge to a desired pocket depth; and
c. creating a series of pockets along the folded length by sewing the folded portion to the unfolded portion in lines perpendicular to the edge along which the fold was made.
In some embodiments, the method further comprises the step of sewing or serging the folded edge along which the pockets are formed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of a first example configuration of a hair towel according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric view of a second example configuration of a hair towel according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a piece of absorbent fabric in the process of being made into a towel according to the present disclosure.

Common reference numerals are used throughout the figures and the detailed description to indicate like elements. One skilled in the art will readily recognize that the above figures are examples and that other architectures, modes of operation, orders of operation, and elements/functions can be provided and implemented without departing from the characteristics and features of the invention, as set forth in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following is a detailed description of exemplary embodiments to illustrate the principles of the invention. The embodiments are provided to illustrate aspects of the invention, but the invention is not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalent; it is limited only by the claims.
Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The present disclosure provides a hair towel having one or more pockets disposed upon its surface so that, unlike current hair towels on the market which become loose and fall off requiring constant repositioning, a user is able to insert a loose end into one of the pockets when wrapped around the head so that the towel stays firmly in place. A method of manufacture of the hair towel is also disclosed.
Referring to FIG. 1 , an isometric view of a first example configuration of a hair towel 100 according to the present disclosure is shown.
The hair towel 100 is formed of a piece of absorbent fabric having a first surface 102 upon which a number of pockets 104 are disposed along one edge, in this case one of the lengthwise edges of the towel.
The pockets are sewn onto the first surface 102 using parallel seams 106 running perpendicular to the edge along which they are sewn, and with the openings 108 of the pockets thus facing inwards away from the edge, resulting in a configuration which allows a wearer having the towel wrapped around their head to firmly tuck the loose end into one of the exposed pockets for a firm grip that does not easily come loose.
The pockets may be formed by folding over a portion of the main fabric piece 110 along one edge as they have in the present example. Subsequent to folding, the edges of the pockets themselves may be formed by sewing or serging their edges 112.
As can be seen, this folding process of edge 110 forms a series of pockets along the folded length of the towel 100, however other configurations and methods of manufacture are also possible.
Referring to FIG. 2 , an isometric view of a second example configuration of a hair towel 100 according to the present disclosure is shown to illustrate this.
In the second configuration, a different set of edges 110 have been folded over, the edges forming the shorter widths of the towel, and this has been done on each side of the towel 100 to create a series of pockets 104 on each opposing side.
Furthermore, a set of middle pockets 114 have also been formed by other pieces of absorbent material which are sewn as an additional layer on top of surface 102.
Thus a number of different arrangements and configurations of the pockets are possible. The pockets can also vary in depth, width, length, and proportions as desired.
The towel itself can also vary in size, shape, material, and colour.
While other methods of manufacture are possible, the method of folding over one or more edges of a single piece of fabric to from a series of pockets is the most practical and convenient.
Thus, a method of manufacture is also provided herein, the method comprising the steps of:
a. cutting a piece of absorbent fabric to a desired size and proportion;
b. folding the fabric along one edge to a desired pocket depth; and
c. creating a series of pockets along the folded length by sewing the folded portion to the unfolded portion in lines perpendicular to the edge along which the fold was made.
Referring to FIG. 3 , step (b) is shown in progress, with folded edge 110 being brought around to lie flat against surface 102 of the main body of the fabric piece to from a series of pockets along that folded length by sewing.
In some examples, the method further comprises the step of sewing or serging the folded edge along which the pockets are formed for structural integrity.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
The disclosed embodiments are illustrative, not restrictive. While specific configurations of the hair towel and method of manufacture have been described in a specific manner referring to the illustrated embodiments, it is understood that the present invention can be applied to a wide variety of solutions which fit within the scope and spirit of the claims. There are many alternative ways of implementing the invention.
It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A towel comprising an absorbent piece of fabric having opposing first and second surfaces defined by one or more edges, wherein one or more pockets are disposed on the first surface, the one or more pockets being oriented such that the closed end of each pocket is adjacent to and parallel with one of the edges of the towel, such that when the towel is twisted about the head of an individual, the twisted end may be wrapped about and inserted into a pocket to secure it in place.

2. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the one or more pockets are sewn onto the first surface by thread.

3. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the one or more pockets are formed of the same piece of absorbent fabric, folded at one or more of the edges.

4. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the one or more pockets are formed from one or more second pieces of fabric overlaid on the piece of fabric forming the towel.

5. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the towel comprises two or more pockets.

6. A towel according to claim 5, wherein the two or more pockets are formed on two or more different edges of the towel.

7. A towel according to claim 5, wherein the one or more pockets are all formed along one edge of the towel in a sequence.

8. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the edges of the towel upon which pockets are disposed are sewn or serged.

9. A method of manufacture of a towel comprising one or more pockets, the method comprising the steps of:

a. cutting a piece of absorbent fabric to a desired size and proportion;

b. folding the fabric along one edge to a desired pocket depth; and

c. creating a series of pockets along the folded length by sewing the folded portion to the unfolded portion in lines perpendicular to the edge along which the fold was made.

10. A method of manufacture according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises the step of sewing or serging the folded edge along which the pockets are formed.