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Exercise towelRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, MiscellaneousExercise towel description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060189463, Exercise towel. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 29/217,584 Nov. 19, 2004. STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention is directed to exercise equipment and accessories. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an article for storing at least one personal item therein and promoting cleanliness of an exercise apparatus. [0004] The popularity of the fitness industry in the United States has ballooned in recent years. Currently, it is common to find exercise gymnasiums (gyms) in several areas of any given city. In fact, many of the gyms are owned and operated in chains regionally and/or across the United States. Typically, a gym will issue a membership card to each member which must be presented to gym personnel in order to gain access to the gym. Such a card may include a photo I.D. of the member as well as other identifying information. [0005] Once inside the gym, the member may use numerous exercise machines and have access to other facilities such as pools, basketball courts, racquetball courts, just to name a few. The gym may also be divided up into a weight room and a cardio center. The weight room may include "free weights" used in conjunction with adjustable flat, decline, and incline benches and seats. Additionally, the weight room may have resistance machines that utilize a pulley and cable with stacked weights. The cardio center typically includes cardiovascular equipment such as stationary bicycles, elliptical trainers, and treadmills. [0006] In both the weight room and the cardio center, members may often sweat rigorously and frequently come in full or partial body contact with the exercise equipment. For example, sweat accumulates on the weight room benches, seats and other supports because members typically position their body against them in order to perform the exercise. Due to concerns for maintaining a clean and sanitary gym, members have been encouraged to bring exercise towels to clean up any sweat residue that may accumulate on the equipment as they use it. Preferably, the fitness towel is positioned against the exercise equipment prior to use such that the fitness towel absorbs the sweat of the member when the member rests against it. [0007] Although the introduction of the fitness towel has provided a helpful solution to the cleanliness issue, it often becomes more of a bother than a blessing. Specifically, the configuration of many of the exercise machines does not facilitate the use of a basic towel. For example, it may often be very difficult to position a towel so that it stays on a non-horizontal back and/or seat support of many exercise machines and inclined/declined benches. More often than not, the towel may slide down the surface of the exercise machine/bench and fall onto the floor, which may be even dirtier than the bench itself. [0008] In addition to carrying a towel at the gym, each member may also be required to carry their membership card/fitness pass. In addition, each member often carries personal items such as keys, a radio, food, water, and/or weight lifting gloves. During the course of a workout, it may often be cumbersome for the member to gather up all of their personal belongings, fitness towel, and membership card each time they move to a different exercise machine. As a result, members frequently leave membership cards, keys, and other small items lying near the exercise machines or in corners of the gym, and often forget these items. [0009] There exists a need in the art for an improved fitness towel including a configuration that allows members to utilize fitness towels on any exercise machine. There also exists a need in the art for a convenient tool that allows members to organize and tote all of their gym items and personal items in a compact, convenient unit. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an article is provided for storing at least one personal item therein and promoting cleanliness of an exercise apparatus. The article comprises a main body including a top surface and a bottom surface, the main body being configured as a sheet and defining a distal end; a sleeve portion being attached to the main body at the distal end and being disposed upon the bottom surface thereof, the sleeve portion defining a cavity with the exercise apparatus removably engageable therein, the sleeve portion supporting at least the distal end of the main body on the exercise apparatus; and at least one pocket being disposed upon the sleeve portion and defining a pocket opening, the pocket being sized and configured with the personal item being receivable therein. [0011] The main body may define a distal edge and according to an implementation of the present invention, the pocket opening is substantially parallel to the distal edge. The pocket opening may be located adjacent the distal edge. The pocket may further include a closure member being disposed about the pocket opening and being selectively operative to close up the pocket opening. The closure member may be a zipper. The main body may define a rectangular periphery and a portion of the rectangular periphery may be hemmed. The sleeve portion may be unitarily formed with the main body. The sleeve portion may define opposing sleeve side edges being hemmed together with the rectangular periphery of the main body. The main body may be moisture-absorbent. [0012] According to another embodiment of the present invention, an article is provided for storing at least one personal item therein and promoting cleanliness of an exercise apparatus, the article comprising: a main body including a top surface and a bottom surface, the main body being configured as a sheet and defining a distal end, a distal edge, and a rectangular periphery, at least a portion of the rectangular periphery being hemmed; a sleeve portion being unitarily formed with the main body at the distal end and being disposed upon the bottom surface thereof, the sleeve portion defining a cavity with the exercise apparatus removably engageable therein and further defining opposing sleeve side edges being hemmed together with the rectangular periphery of the main body, the sleeve portion supporting at least the distal end of the main body against the exercise apparatus; at least one pocket being disposed upon the sleeve portion and defining a pocket opening, the pocket being sized and configured with the personal item being receivable therein, the pocket opening being substantially parallel to the periphery of the distal end and being located adjacent the distal edge; and a zipper being disposed about the pocket opening and being selectively operative to close up the pocket opening. [0013] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided of utilizing an article including a main body including a top surface and a bottom surface, the main body being configured as a sheet and defining a distal end; a sleeve portion being attached to the main body at the distal end and being disposed upon the bottom surface thereof, the sleeve portion defining a cavity with the exercise apparatus removably engageable therein, the sleeve portion supporting at least the distal end of the main body against the exercise apparatus; and at least one pocket being disposed upon the sleeve portion and defining a pocket opening, the pocket being sized and configured with the personal item being receivable therein, the method comprising: inserting at least one personal item within the pocket; engaging the exercise apparatus within the cavity of the sleeve portion; and positioning the main body against the apparatus. [0014] In yet another embodiment, the pocket further includes a closure member being disposed about the pocket opening and being selectively operative to close up the pocket opening, and the method further comprises: closing up the pocket opening utilizing the closure member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] An illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: [0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article including a main body and a sleeve portion with an exemplary exercise apparatus being removably engageable within the sleeve portion; [0017] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof showing a bottom surface of the main body, the sleeve portion attached to a distal end of the main body, and a pocket opening with a closure member disposed upon the sleeve portion; [0018] FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof showing a top surface of the main body and illustrating exemplary hemming of a rectangular periphery of the main body; [0019] FIG. 4 is left side elevational view thereof; Continue reading about Exercise towel... Full patent description for Exercise towel Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Exercise towel patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Exercise towel or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Lumbar stretching machine v1-4 Next Patent Application: Machine tool with tool magazine Industry Class: Exercise devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Exercise towel patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.50107 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Medical: Surgery , Surgery(2) , Surgery(3) , Drug , Drug(2) , Prosthesis , Dentistry 174 |
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