FIELD
The field of the invention relates generally to towels which are hung on a hanging support, such as a peg.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
A hanging towel comprising a towel with four generally perpendicular edges formed of a water-absorbing fabric with at least one hanging slit on the towel allowing the towel to be hung on a peg, or similar shaped object. The at least one hanging slit is located in a middle portion of the hanging towel near one of the four generally perpendicular edges.
The at least one hanging slit in an embodiment consists of two hanging slits, the two hanging slits being located on the hanging towel on opposing edges of the hanging towel, each at a location in the middle portion of the hanging towel and proximal the opposing edges.
A slit reinforcing stitching area surrounds each of the two hanging slits. Each of the two slit reinforcing stitching area includes frame stitching, an outside stitch area, a fill stitch area and an inside stitch area, where the frame stitching forms a boundary around the outside stitch area, the fill stitch area and the inside stitch area. In an embodiment, the outside stitch area and the inside stitch area have a zig-zag stitch pattern and the fill stitch area has a grid stitch pattern.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hanging towel hanging on a support according to an implementation;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the hanging towel with the hanging towel laid-out flat illustrating two opposing hanging slits each with a slit reinforcing stitching area according to an implementation;
FIG. 3 is a detail view of the hanging slit and hanging slit reinforcing area for one hanging slit according to an implementation;
FIG. 4 is a detail view of the outside stitch area of the slit reinforcing stitching area according to an implementation;
FIG. 5 is a detail view of the fill stitch area of the slit reinforcing stitching area according to an implementation;
FIG. 6 is a detail view of the inside stitch area of the slit reinforcing stitching area according to an implementation; and
FIG. 7 is a diagram of a method used to manufacture the hanging towel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hanging towel 100 hanging on a hanging towel support 101, such as a peg. The hanging towel 100 may be made from any conventional type of water-absorbing fabric. The hanging towel 100 includes at least one hanging slit 102 with a slit reinforcing stitching area 104. The at least one hanging slit 102 allows the hanging towel 100 to be supported on a hanging towel support, such as a peg, or similar-shaped object. Both the hanging slit 102 and slit reinforcing stitching area 104 have a generally “teardrop” shape. However, the shape of the hanging slit 102 and slit reinforcing stitching areas 104 are not limited to a “teardrop” shape. FIG. 2 is a top view of the hanging towel 100 with the hanging towel 100 laid-out flat illustrating two opposing hanging slits 102 each with a stitched slit reinforcing stitching area 104. The opposing hanging slits 102 are located proximal opposing edges of the hanging towel 100 in a middle portion 107 of the hanging towel 100. However the invention is not limited to two opposing slits 102 with slit reinforcing stitching areas 104. The slit reinforcing stitching area 104 in an embodiment is composed of three stitching areas, namely an outside stitch area 106, a fill stitch area 108 and an inside stitch area 110. However the invention is not limited to three stitching areas 106, 108, 110 for the slit reinforcing stitching area 104.
FIG. 3 is a detail view of the hanging slit 102 and hanging slit reinforcing area 104 for one hanging slit 102. It is noted that both hanging slits 102 and hanging slit reinforcing areas 104 illustrated on FIG. 2 apply to FIG. 3, with the exception that the lower hanging slit 102 and hanging slit reinforcing area 104 will be the “opposite hand” from the upper hanging slit 102 and hanging slit reinforcing area 104. FIG. 3 also illustrates that frame stitching 105 defines boundaries of the outside stitch area 106, the fill stitch area 108 and the inside stitch areas 110. In an embodiment, as illustrated on FIG. 3, the outside stitch area 106 and the inside stitch area 110 are formed as zig-zag stitching. However, the invention is not limited to these types of stitching for the outside stitch area 106 and the inside stitch area 110. In an embodiment, as illustrated on FIG. 3, the fill stitch area 108 is formed as “grid stitching”. However, the invention is not limited to this type of stitching for the fill stitch area 108. In an embodiment, as illustrated on FIG. 3, the grid stitching is oriented substantially parallel and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 111 of the hanging slit 102. However, the invention is not limited to this orientation of the grid stitching.
FIG. 4 is a detail view of the outside stitch area 106 of the slit reinforcing stitching area 104. As illustrated on FIGS. 3 and 4, the stitch pattern is a zig-zag stitch. In a preferred embodiment, a density 112 of the outside stitch area 106 is about 2 millimeters (mm) and a width 114 of the outside stitch area 106 is about 2.5 mm. However the invention is not limited to these values for the outside stitch area 106 width and density.
FIG. 5 is a detail view of the fill stitch area 108 of the slit reinforcing stitching area 104. As illustrated on FIGS. 3 and 5, the stitch pattern is configured as a grid stitch. In a preferred embodiment, a density 116 of the fill stitch area 108 is about 3 millimeters (mm) for both the density substantially parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 111 of the hanging slit 102. However the invention is not limited to these values for the fill stitch area 108 densities 116.
FIG. 6 is a detail view of the inside stitch area 110 of the slit reinforcing stitching area 104. As illustrated on FIGS. 3 and 6, the stitch pattern is a “two-phase” zig-zag stitch. In a preferred embodiment, a run pitch 120 of the inside stitch area 110 is about 2 millimeters (mm) and a density 122 of the inside stitch area 110 is about 2.5 mm. However the invention is not limited to these values for the inside stitch area 110 run pitch 120 and density 122.
FIG. 7 is a diagram of a method 200 used to manufacture the hanging towel 100 of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6. First, in step 202, a towel with two opposing hanging slits 102 is procured or manufactured. The slit reinforcing stitching area 104 for each hanging slit 102 is stitched into the area proximal each hanging slit 102 as follows: First, the frame stitching 105 is formed around the boundaries of the outside stitch area 106, the fill stitch area 108 and the inside stich areas 110 in step 204. After the frame stitching 105 is formed, the fill stitch area 108 is next formed by first stitching substantially perpendicular stitches to the longitudinal axis of the slit 111 in step 206 and then stitching substantially parallel stitches to the longitudinal axis of the slit 111 in step 208 to form a generally-shaped grid pattern as illustrated on FIGS. 3 and 5. Following this, the outside stitch area 106 is formed by stitching zig-sag stitching within the frame stitching 105 in step 210 as illustrated on FIGS. 3 and 4. Finally, the inside stitch area 110 is formed by stitching “two-phase” zig-zag stitching within the frame stitching 105 in step 212 as illustrated on FIGS. 3 and 6.
In use of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, a user procures the hanging towel 100. After use, the user hangs the hanging towel 100 on a hanging towel support 101, such as a peg, or other similar object on one of the two hanging slits 102, as illustrated on FIG. 1. The slit reinforcing stitching area 104 minimizes the possibility of tears, cuts or stretching in the hanging towel 100 proximal the hanging slit 102 that the hanging towel 100 is hung on. During drying of the hanging towel 100, when gravity forces moisture in the hanging towel 100 to the side of the hanging towel 100 opposite from which it is hung, the towel may be turned “upside-down” and then hung from the hanging towel support 101 on the opposing hanging slit 102 in order to facilitate drying of the towel.
As a person skilled in the prior art will recognize after examination of the previous detailed description and the figures and claims, modifications and changes may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
Patent Application
20140366299
