WO2017146747A1

WO2017146747A1 - Securing tote bag with detachable towel

Info

Publication number: WO2017146747A1
Application number: PCT/US2016/024979
Authority: WO
Inventors: James MINTEN; June MINTEN
Original assignee: Minten James
Priority date: 2016-02-22
Filing date: 2016-03-30
Publication date: 2017-08-31
Also published as: US20170238663A1

Abstract

A tote bag and detachable towel assembly for providing a readily portable towel that may be selectively secured to a seating structure, such as a chair, includes a tote bag having a plurality of external and internal fasteners, a towel base adapted to be stored in the tote bag and selectively attach to the internal fasteners of the tote bag, and a seat securing member adapted to be stored in the tote bag and selectively attach to the external fasteners of the tote bag. When the seat securing member is attached to the tote bag, it may be wrapped around the back of a target seat so as to secure the tote bag to the target seat. The towel member may then be spread out over the target seat and secured to the tote bag to prevent the towel member from blowing away.

Description

PATENT COOPERATION

TREATY APPLICATION

SECURING TOTE BAG WITH DETACHABLE TOWEL

INVENTORS :

SECURING TOTE BAG WITH DETACHABLE TOWEL

By James Minten and June Minten

CROSS- REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present PCT patent application claims priority benefit of the U.S. Utility patent application 15/049,388 filed on 22-FEB-2016 entitled "SECURING TOTE BAG WITH DETACHABLE TOWEL" under 35 USC 111(a). The contents of this related Utility application are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes to the extent that such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith or limiting hereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to outdoor accessories and, more particularly, to a tote bag and detachable towel assembly which can be used for releasably securing the towel to a chairs.

Description of the Prior Art

[0003] The use of beach style towels for drying off after swimming and for placing on beach and/or pool adjacent surfaces is well known. Indeed, it is common for users in swimming, boating, and/or sunbathing environments to line their seating with a towel in addition to using it to dry themselves off when needed. A problem which still exists, however, is that in windy conditions, a towel placed over a chair can easily be blown off of the chair (when the user is not in place thereon), which may render it unsuitable for subsequent use in drying off. Thus, there remains a need for a tote bag and detachable towel assembly which allows the towel to be secured to a chair so it will not blow off. It would be helpful if such a tote bag and detachable towel assembly employed a tote bag design operative to be secured to any chair and a towel which could be secured to the tote bag. It would be additionally desirable for such a tote bag and detachable towel assembly to employ a towel which could additionally be secured directly to a chair.

[0004] The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a tote bag and detachable towel assembly adapted to allow a user to selectably secure a beach style towel to their seat as well as transport the towel when not in use. The primary components in Applicant's tote bag and detachable towel assembly are a tote bag, towel member and securing member. When in operation, the tote bag and detachable towel assembly provides ease of storage/transport of a towel and prevents a towel from blowing away when in use. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by prior art structures are removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A tote bag and detachable towel assembly for providing a readily portable towel that may be selectively secured to a seating structure, such as a chair. The tote bag and detachable towel comprises a tote bag having a plurality of external and internal fasteners, a towel base adapted to be stored in the tote bag and selectively attach to the internal fasteners of the tote bag, and a seat securing member adapted to be stored in the tote bag and selectively attach to the external fasteners of the tote bag. When the seat securing member is attached to the tote bag, it may be wrapped around the back of a target seat so as to secure the tote bag to the target seat. The towel member may then be spread out over the target seat and secured to the tote bag to prevent the towel member from blowing away.

[0006] It is an object of this invention to provide a tote bag and detachable towel assembly which allows the towel to be secured to a chair so it will not blow off. [0007] It is another object of this invention to provide a tote bag and detachable towel assembly which employs a tote bag design operative to be secured to any chair and a towel which could be secured to the tote bag.

[0008] It is yet another object of this invention to provide a tote bag and detachable towel assembly which employs a towel which could additionally be secured directly to a chair.

[0009] These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00010] Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a towel member of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly built in accordance with the present invention.

[00011] Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of an attachment strap of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly built in accordance with the present invention

[00012] Figure 3A is a side elevational view of the pocket side of a towel member of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly built in accordance with the present invention.

[00013] Figure 3B is a side elevational view of the seat securing side of a towel member of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly built in accordance with the present invention.

[00014] Figure 3C is a top plan view of a towel member of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly built in accordance with the present invention.

[00015] Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly built in accordance with the present invention in place on a conventional upright chair. [00016] Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly built in accordance with the present invention in place on a conventional lounge chair

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[00017] Referring now to the drawings and in particular Figure 1, a towel member 10 of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly is shown as a towel base 11 having a plurality of top edge towel fasteners 12, a plurality of side edge fasteners 13, and a plurality of corner fasteners 14. In the preferred embodiment, two top edge towel fasteners 12, two side edge fasteners 13, and four corner fasteners 14 (collectively, towel fasteners 12, 13, 14) are located on the same surface of the towel base 11, with the top edge towel fasteners 12 defining male portions of a conventional snap fastener, the side edge fasteners 13 defining male portions of a conventional snap fastener, and the pair of corner fasteners 14 together in each corner of the towel base 11 defining opposing portion of a conventional snap fastener.

[00018] Referring now to Figure 2, a seat securing member 20 of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly is shown as an elongated, elastic strap having a strap fastener 21 adjacent to each end. In the preferred embodiment, the strap fasteners 21 each define a male portion of a conventional snap fastener.

[00019] Referring now to Figures 1, 2, 3 A, 3B, and 3C a tote bag 30 of a tote bag and detachable towel assembly is shown having a container body which includes a plurality of pockets 31 on a first side and a plurality of external securing fasteners 32 on a second side which is opposite the first side. On an internal surface of the tote bag 30 are a plurality of internal securing fasteners 33.

[00020] The tote bag 30 additionally includes a carrying strap 34 operative to provide a handle to allow it to be grasped while being transported. In some embodiments, the tote bag 30 additionally includes an integrated speaker system which includes a speaker 35 operatively connected to a wireless communication module 36, such as a Bluetooth receiver so as to allow music or other media content from an electronic device paired with the wireless communication module 36 to be played over the speaker 35.

[00021] In the preferred embodiment, the external fasteners 32 each define a female portion of a conventional strap fastener so as to allow the strap fasteners 21 at the ends of the seat securing member 20 to attach to the exterior of the tote bag 30. Similarly, the internal securing fasteners 33 each define a female portion of a conventional strap fastener so as to allow the top edge towel fasteners 12 of the towel member 10 to attach to an interior surface of the tote bag 30.

[00022] Referring now to Figures 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4, 5, when the tote bag and detachable towel assembly 40 is not in use, it is appreciated that the towel member 10 and the seat securing member 20 may be stored inside the tote bag 30. When the tote bag and detachable towel assembly 40 is desired to be deployed to secure the towel member 10 to a conventional seating structure 50, 50', the seat securing member 20 is attached to the second side of the tote bag 30 through the corresponding fasteners on the seat securing member 20 and tote bag 30 and the seat securing member 20 is placed around the back of the seating structure 50, 50'. Through this action, the tote bag 30 is attached to the back of the seating structure 50, 50'.

[00023] In addition, the towel member 10 is attached at one end to the tote bag 30 by way of the top edge towel fasteners 12 engaging the internal securing fasteners 33. With the end of the towel member 10 containing the top edge towel fasteners 12 in place inside the tote bag 30 the remaining portion of the towel member 10 extends over the back and along the surface of the seating structure 50, 50' so that the towel member 10 substantially covers the seating structure 50, 50'. [00024] In embodiments where the seating structure 50, 50'includes its own fasteners, such as seats on certain watercraft, it is appreciated that the two side edge fasteners 13 may be secured to such seat integrated fasteners.

[00025] Referring now to Figures 1 and 4, it is contemplated that the corner fasteners 14 may be employed in addition to or in the alternative to the top edge towel fasteners 12 and/or the side edge fasteners 13 in seating structures 50 that have narrow legs. As the two corner fasteners 14 in each corner of the towel member 10 may be secured together with one another, the corner fasteners 14 operate to attach the towel member 10 around the front legs 51 of a seating structure 50 by simply folding the corner of the towel member 10 around the legs 51 and attaching the two corner fasteners 14 in the corner being wrapped together.

[00026] It is contemplated that regardless of how the towel member 10 is attached, it may be selectively removed and used to dry a user (or other object) at any point, and then re-attached when desired.

[00027] It is appreciated that in other embodiments, alternate fasteners which employ corresponding locking portions (as the male and female portion of a snap fastener) may be employed.

[00028] The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A tote bag and detachable towel assembly, comprising:

a tote bag defining a container having with an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein said tote bag is adapted to be secured to a seating structure;

at least one first securing fastener integrated with said tote bag;

a towel member defining a towel base having a proximal edge; and

at least one top edge towel fastener integral with the proximal edge, wherein said top edge towel fastener and said at least one first securing fastener are adapted to be releasably secured together, thereby enabling the towel member to be coupled with the tote bag.

2. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 1, additionally comprising a seat securing member configured to selectively attach to said tote bag, wherein said seat securing member adapts the tote bag to be secured to a seating structure.

3. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 2, wherein said seat securing member defines an elongated, elastic strap.

4. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 2, additionally comprising: at least one strap fastener integral with said seat securing member; and at least one second securing fastener integrated with said tote bag, wherein said seat securing member is configured to selectively attach to said tote bag by the at least one strap fastener integral engaging the at least one second securing fastener.

5. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 4, wherein said at least one second securing fastener is disposed on said exterior surface.

6. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 5, wherein said at least one first securing fastener is disposed on said interior surface.

7. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one first securing fastener is disposed on said interior surface.

8. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 1, wherein the towel member is configured to additionally attach to legs of a seating structure when the towel member has been coupled with the tote bag.

9. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 8, additionally comprising: said towel base including a left side edge, a right side edge and a distal edge;

a pair of corner fasteners integral with at least one of a first corner formed from the left side edge and the distal edge and a second corner formed from the right side edge and the distal edge; and

said pair of corner fasteners operative to configure the towel member to legs of a seating structure when the towel member has been coupled with the tote bag.

10. A tote bag and detachable towel assembly, comprising:

a tote bag defining a container having with an exterior surface and an interior surface; at least one first securing fastener integrated with said tote bag;

at least one second securing fastener integrated with said tote bag;

a towel member defining a towel base having a proximal edge;

at least one top edge towel fastener integral with the top edge, wherein said top edge towel fastener and said at least one first securing fastener are adapted to be releasably secured together, thereby enabling the towel member to be coupled with the tote bag; a seat securing member configured to selectively attach to said tote bag, wherein said seat securing member adapts the tote bag to be secured to a seating structure;

at least one strap fastener integral with said seat securing member, wherein said seat securing member is configured to selectively attach to said tote bag by the at least one strap fastener integral engaging the at least one second securing fastener; and

said tote bag adapted to be secured to a seating structure through said seat securing member.

11. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 10, wherein said seat securing member defines an elongated, elastic strap.

12. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 10, wherein said at least one second securing fastener is disposed on said exterior surface.

13. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 12, wherein said at least one first securing fastener is disposed on said interior surface.

14. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 10, wherein said at least one first securing fastener is disposed on said interior surface.

15. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 10, wherein the towel member is configured to additionally attach to legs of a seating structure when the towel member has been coupled with the tote bag.

16. The tote bag and detachable towel assembly of claim 15, additionally comprising: said towel base including a left side edge, a right side edge and a distal edge;

a pair of corner fasteners integral with at least one of a first corner formed from the left side edge and the distal edge and a second corner formed from the right side edge and the distal edge; and said pair of corner fasteners operative to configure the towel member to legs of a seating structure when the towel member has been coupled with the tote bag.