Patent Application
20200230476
Many outdoor activities benefit from the use of a towel. In fact, many golfers carry a golf towel with them during rounds of golf. A golf towel may be used to clean and dry golf clubs, golf balls, and other golf accessories and also a golfer may desire to use their golf towel to dry their hands and face while out on the golf course. Embodiments of the golf towel comprise a textured fabric side specifically designed for cleaning and drying golf clubs, golf balls, and other golf accessories and a softer fleece side specifically design for wiping and/or drying the golfer's hands and/or face.
Golf towels may be carried by golfers for cleaning and drying golf clubs and golf balls on a golf course. A typical golf towel may be stored in a golf bag or fastened to the exterior of the golf bag for easy access and to allow the towel to dry more easily.
Golfers often fasten a towel to their golf bag or golf cart with a clip or strap. The towel can be used to clean anything, however, a towel is most often used to clean the club face of a golf club to ensure appropriate contact with the ball. With each golf shot, grass, moisture and dirt may be collected on the face and in the grooves of a golf club. However, the face and grooves of a golf club serve a distinct purpose. The face and grooves of the club face “grab” the golf ball surface to allow the golfer to impart the desired spin to the golf ball. Imparting spin on the ball allows better shot control on the golf course. Golfers will clean the grooves and club face of the club before each swing so that the face will consistently grab the surface of the ball to improve their play.
A properly used golf towel will collect dirt, moisture, grass, pesticides and fertilizers from cleaning the club face and other accessories. In addition to using golf towel for cleaning golf clubs, golf balls, and other accessories, golfers will use a towel to dry the grips of their golf clubs, their hands and their face of sweat or other moisture. Many golfers do not wish to wipe their face or hands on these dirty portions of the towel to avoid transferring the contaminants from their towels to their face. Therefore, some golfers may carry two golf towels, one for their clubs and one for the sweat on their hands and faces.
There is a need for a golf towel that has a surface for cleaning the face of a golf club and a separate surface for drying the face and hands of the golfer.
Embodiments of a golf towel comprise a first cloth connected to a second cloth to provide a dual sided multiple function towel. The towel may comprise a more textured or abrasive surface for cleaning golf clubs, golf balls, and other golfing accessories and an opposite plusher and more absorbent surface for cleaning of the golfer's face, hands, and glasses, for example. In an embodiment, the first cloth has a woven waffle pattern having raised portions and recessed portions on a front side to provide the club cleaning surface. The second side of the first cloth opposite of the front side may comprise a surface that is smoother than the front side to facilitate adhering the first cloth to the second cloth.
The second cloth may be a fleece towel, for example. In some embodiments, the second cloth may be a single sided coral fleece with a back side opposite not comprising the fleece. The coral fleece side will be exposed opposite the woven waffle pattern of the first cloth. The golf towel may also comprise an adhesive layer between and connecting the first cloth to the second cloth.
The waffle pattern may be a honeycomb pattern, for example. An example of a honey comb pattern is shown in
Fleece is a woolen-type fabric that can be made from synthetic fibers such as, but not limited to, polyester, polyamide, spandex, rayon or combinations thereof, for example. Such fleece fibers can also be combined with natural fibers such as, but not limited to, wool and cotton. The first cloth and the second cloth may be woven from synthetic microfibers comprising polyester and polyamide polymers, for example.
In embodiments of the golf towels comprising an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer may comprise a polyurethane based adhesive, for example, or another water-resistant fabric adhesive. In a more specific embodiment, the polyurethane based adhesive comprises a polyurethane, toluene, and a carbonic acid fat.
In further embodiments, the golf towel may comprise a connector for attaching the golf towel to a golf bag or a golf cart.
Other aspects and features of embodiments of the towels and the method of constructing a towel will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, upon reviewing the following description of specific, exemplary embodiments of the present invention in concert with the figures. While features may be discussed relative to certain embodiments and figures, all embodiments can include one or more of the features discussed herein. While one or more embodiments may be discussed herein as having certain advantageous features, each of such features may also be integrated into various other of the embodiments of the invention (except to the extent that such integration is incompatible with other features thereof) discussed herein. In similar fashion, while exemplary embodiments may be discussed below as system or method embodiments it is to be understood that such exemplary embodiments can be implemented in various systems and methods.
An embodiment of the towel of the present invention may be used for any activity including, but not limited to, sports, outdoor activities, gardening, car repair, or household projects, for example. The towel comprises two different surfaces, one for cleaning objects and one for wiping sweat or dirt from your face, for instance. One of such towels may be particularly useful as a golf towel during a round of golf. Embodiments as a golf towel provide a revolutionary two-in-one sport towel. Embodiments of the golf towel are a dual sided (two different surfaces on the towel) towel provide a textured side for cleaning golf clubs, golf balls, and other golfing accessories and a soft, absorbent side for cleaning and drying a golfer's hands, face, and glasses, for example. The golf towels may have numerous uses but can be used in specific ways per each side so that the dirt from one activity does not prevent the other actions be performed.
In one embodiment of the golf towel, one side of the golf towel comprises fleece. Fleece is durable fabric that is also delicate enough for cleaning and/or drying of most anything from skin to eyeglasses. The fleece may be a plush fleece. In one embodiment, this plush fleece side is woven from microfibers. The pile of the fleece side allows for ample water absorption while the feel of the towel itself stays soft and plush throughout uses.
The other side of an embodiment of the golf towel may be for other uses. The opposite side of the golf towel may comprise a woven waffle pattern, for example. The woven waffle pattern side may comprise a honeycomb patterned microfiber side. A waffle pattern comprises raised portions and recessed portions to allow for deep cleaning, more abrasion, and clearing debris from within the grooves of the club head.
In some embodiments, the waffle pattern may comprise a textured textile fabric. The grooved textile fabric or other waffle patterned fabric permits intense, yet smooth, cleaning. Golf clubs, divot tools, and other sporting equipment can be deep cleaned using embodiments of the golf towel in either a wet or dry fashion. The towel resists mold and mildew while still being able to absorb many times its weight in water. The textured textile fabric may be jacquard terry cloth. As used herein, Jacquard fabrics are woven fabrics manufactured by using the Jacquard attachment on the loom. The Jacquard attachment provides versatility in designs and individual control of each of the warp yarns. Thus, fabrics of almost any type or complexity can be made. Thus, the terry cloth portions may be appropriately textured to provide enhanced cleaning.
Waffle cloth, also known as waffle weave fabric or honeycomb fabric, is a woven fabric that has a recessed pattern created by cords running either vertically, horizontally or both, creating a design (the design may be in the general shape of a honeycomb).
Embodiments of the towels are large enough to clean larger clubs such as irons and woods. In one particular embodiment, the golf towel may have a length between 24 inches and 40 inches and a width between 10 and 24 inches.
In further embodiments, the golf towel may comprise a connector for attaching the golf towel to a golf bag or a golf cart. Therefore, the golf towel may comprise a grommet, hook, loop, tie, clip, strap that can be closed upon itself to form a loop, or other fastener for attaching the golf towel to a golf bag or golf cart. The golfer will often want to clean his putter and ball after reaching the green, therefore, a releasable connector may be used. The loop can be formed by various fasteners such as a Velcro™ fastener.
Embodiments of the golf towel are shown in
The first cloth 1 comprises a more textured or abrasive surface for deeper cleaning of tools and accessories. The second cloth 3 comprises a plusher and more absorbent surface for cleaning of the golfer's face, hands, and glasses, for example. In an embodiment, the first cloth 1 has a woven waffle pattern 1A having raised portions 1B and recessed portions 1C on a front side to provide the club cleaning surface. The second side (not shown in
The second cloth 2 may be a fleece towel, for example. In some embodiments, the second cloth may be a single sided coral fleece. A back side opposite the fleece side would not comprise fleece to facilitate adhering the two cloths together. The coral fleece side 2A will be exposed opposite the woven waffle pattern 1A of the first cloth 1. The golf towel 10 also comprises the adhesive layer 2 between and connecting the first cloth 1 to the second cloth 2.
The waffle pattern 1A may be a honeycomb pattern, for example, as shown in
The first cloth 1 and second cloth 2 may be connected face to face by sewing, quilting or with an adhesive, for example. In embodiments comprising an adhesive layer 2, the adhesive layer 2 may comprise a polyurethane based adhesive, for example, or other water-resistant fabric adhesive. In one embodiment, the polyurethane based adhesive comprises a polyurethane, toluene, and a carbonic acid fat.
In another embodiment, the golf towel may comprise a water impermeable layer between the first cloth and the second cloth. The water impermeable layer may be a plastic film or sheet, for example. The impermeable layer will prevent water and other liquids from penetrating through the towel from one of the first cloth or the second cloth to the other of the first cloth and the second cloth. Such a towel will result in further separation of the materials cleaned from the textured side, such as dirt, mud, water, fertilizers, and pesticides, to penetrate through the towel to the terry cloth side. In such an embodiment, the golf towel will comprise a first cloth, a second cloth, a water impermeable layer and two adhesive layers. A first adhesive layer connecting the first cloth to the water impermeable layer and a second adhesive layer connecting the second cloth to the water impermeable layer.
Embodiments of the invention also comprise a method of making a golf towel. Embodiments of a method of making a golf towel comprise weaving a waffle pattern fabric from at least one microfiber to produce a waffle or textured pattern cloth. The waffle pattern fabric will comprise one surface of the golf towel. The waffle pattern fabric may be dyed the desired color or have an image stenciled, printed, or dyed into the fabric.
The method may also comprise weaving a single sided fleece fabric and adhering the single side fleece fabric to the waffle pattern cloth to produce a two-sided golf towel having the waffle pattern fabric on one side and the coral fleece fabric on the other. Finally, the edges of the golf towel may be finished. In one embodiment, the method comprises weaving a honeycomb pattern in the waffle pattern fabric. The waffle pattern and fleece may be woven from microfibers comprising polyester and polyamide polymers. The fibers may be of any desired composition such as those previously described.
The fleece may also be dyed the desired color or have an image stenciled, printed, or dyed into the fabric before or after attachment to the waffle pattern cloth. An embodiment of the method of adhering the single side coral fleece to the to the waffle pattern fabric comprises applying an adhesive layer of a polyurethane based adhesive to at least one of the single side coral fleece or the waffle pattern fabric. A polyurethane based adhesive may comprise a polyurethane, toluene, and a carbonic acid fat. One embodiment of the polyurethane base adhesive comprising toluene in the range of 0% to 10%, Carbonic Acid Fat in the range of 20% to 35%, and polyurethane in the range of 60% to 75%.
An embodiment of the golf towel 20 is shown in
The embodiments of the described golf towels and method are not limited to the particular embodiments, components, method steps, and materials disclosed herein as such components, process steps, and materials may vary. Moreover, the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing exemplary embodiments only and the terminology is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
Therefore, while embodiments of the invention are described with reference to exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that variations and modifications can be affected within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention should not be limited to the above discussed embodiments and should only be defined by the following claims and all equivalents.
