BABY TOWEL WRAP

Abstract

A towel wrap is provided that includes an absorbent cloth having a neck portion for securing the cloth around a neck of a user, and at least two corner portions, wherein each corner portion is moveable between a wiping configuration and a hood configuration. The neck portion includes two straps operatively engaging each other to hold the cloth on the user. The straps operatively engaging each other using at least one fastener.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to a towel. More particularly, the present invention relates to towel wrap for drying an infant.

RELATED ART

A critical and necessary part of caring for an infant involves periodically bathing the infant. In order to dry the infant, an adult may attempt to use an ordinary towel (i.e., a rectangular piece of cloth similar to, if not the same as, the type of towel that they themselves use for drying their own body after a shower or bath) to dry the infant. Some adults place the open towel on a horizontal surface, lift the infant out of the bath, and then place the infant on top of the towel. The adult then wraps and dries the infant as best they can with the remaining portions of the towel. At some point in the drying process, this may involve lifting and turning the infant which in turn may result in the infant becoming cranky and irritated. Alternatively, an adult may place a towel (i.e., a rectangular piece of cloth) against their chest, and then quickly lift and place the infant against the towel on their chest to sandwich the towel between their chest and the infant. The adult may also try to position a portion of the towel over their shoulder in an attempt to prevent the towel from falling to the ground while the adult lifts the infant from the bath (with the adult hoping that the towel does not fall off their shoulder and onto the infant in the process, causing the infant to become startled, cranky and irritated). Even then, because the adult is using both of their hands to lift the baby, the unsecured towel may start falling towards the ground as the adult is placing the infant against their chest. The adult may then try and hold the infant as best they can with one arm while trying to prevent the towel from falling any further with the other arm. If the towel falls to the ground, the adult is left holding a wet infant which in turn results in the adult getting wet. If the towel comes in contact with the ground, the adult then has to decide if the towel is still clean enough to use to dry the infant (which may require the adult to bend over to pick up the towel with a free hand while holding the infant as best they can with their other arm) or if they need to use another towel to dry the infant (which may require the adult to open a closet or drawer with a free hand to get another towel if a clean towel is not already handy while holding the infant as best they can with their other arm). Meanwhile, the adult is holding a wet infant who may be rapidly becoming cranky and uncomfortable from feeling cold and wet. Even if the adult manages to keep the towel from falling to the floor, the adult must still hold the towel and infant as best they can, without dropping either, as the adult wraps and dries the infant with the towel as best they can.

There is a need for an improved baby towel wrap. There is a need for an improved baby towel wrap that can be securely held on an adult . There is a need for an improved baby towel wrap that frees up a user's hands to hold an infant as the infant is dried. There is a need for an improved baby towel wrap that provides an easy-to-grip, anti-slip means for cradling and drying an infant after a bath. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other related advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A baby towel wrap described herein provides for being secured to a user in a manner that frees up a user's hands to hold and dry an infant. A baby towel wrap described herein provides an easy-to-grip, anti-slip means for cradling and drying an infant after a bath.

In one embodiment, a towel wrap includes an absorbent cloth having a neck portion for securing the cloth around a neck of a user, and at least two corner portions, wherein each corner portion is moveable between a wiping configuration and a hood configuration.

The neck portion includes two straps operatively engaging each other to hold the cloth on the user. The straps operatively engaging each other using at least one fastener.

Each of the at least two corner portions includes a pocket, wherein each pocket includes an orientation defining whether that particular one of the at least two corners is generally in a wiping configuration or generally in a hood configuration. The configuration of the particular one of the at least two corner portions is further defined by orientation of the cloth as a whole.

In another embodiment, a method for drying an infant includes securing straps of an absorbent cloth around a neck of an adult user such that a portion of the cloth covers a portion of a front torso of the adult user. An infant is cradled against the portion of the cloth covering the front torso of the adult user. A side of the cloth is wrapped around the infant. A first hand of the adult user is placed in a pocket of a first corner of the cloth, wherein the first corner is in a wiping configuration. A second hand of the adult user is placed in a pocket of a second corner of the cloth, wherein the second corner is in a wiping configuration. The infant is wiped using either one or both of the corners as a wiping mitten. The second corner is wrapped around the infant. The pocket of the first corner is reversed into a hood configuration; and the first corner is placed over a head of the infant, whereby the head of the infant is partially recessed within the pocket of the first corner such that the first corner acts as a hood at least partially covering the head of the infant.

This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of the invention may be understood quickly. A more complete understanding of the invention can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof concerning the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various present embodiments now will be discussed in detail with an emphasis on highlighting the advantageous features with reference to the drawings of various embodiments. The illustrated embodiments are intended to illustrate, but not to limit the invention. These drawings include the following figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one side of a baby towel wrap embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the baby towel wrap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an opposite side of the baby towel wrap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the baby towel wrap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the baby towel wrap of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view of a user wearing an embodiment of the baby towel wrap, with left and right hands of the user engaging respective upper corner portions of the baby towel wrap;

FIG. 7 is a view of a user wearing an embodiment of the bath towel wrap, with the user holding a partially-wrapped infant with one of the user's hands operatively engaging an upper corner portion of the towel wrap, and another of the user's hands operatively engaging another upper corner portion of the towel wrap; and

FIG. 8 is a view of a user holding the infant after having reversed the configuration of the upper corner portion closest to the infant's head to serve as a hood over the infant's head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description describes the present embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, reference numbers label elements of the present embodiments. These reference numbers are reproduced below in connection with the discussion of the corresponding drawing features.

As shown in FIGS. 1-8 for purposes of illustration, a baby towel wrap 10 includes a single-piece cloth 12. The cloth 12 is generally rectangular in shape. Alternatively, the cloth 12 may be generally triangular, circular, oval, ovoid, quadrilateral, pentagonal, or any other generally polygonal shape. The cloth 12 may be made from one or more absorbent fabrics including, without limitation, terrycloth, wool, linen, bamboo, hemp, fleece, sherpa, velour, cotton materials, cotton/polyester blend materials, or the like. The cloth 12 has a soft texture that is easy-to-grip and slip-resistant. The cloth 12 includes a front side 14 having a surface and a rear side 16 having a surface. The cloth 12 further includes upper left and right corners 18, 20 and lower left and right corners 22, 24. The upper left and right corners 18, 20 are reversible between wiping and hood configurations, as described in more detail below. The upper left and right corners 18, 20 of the cloth 12 have a gathered, shirred appearance. The cloth 12 also includes a neck portion 26 disposed between the upper corner portions 18, 20 along an upper edge 28 of the cloth 12. The cloth 12 further includes a trim 30 extending along a perimeter of the cloth 12. The trim 30 may be made various materials including, without limitation, a soft, minky plush polyester, a 100% cotton jersey, or the like.

The neck portion 26 includes a pair of straps or tabs 32, 34 of sufficient length for engaging an adult user's neck. The straps 32, 34 engage each other about the adult user's neck using fasteners 36 located on the straps 32, 34. The fasteners 36 may be located in various positions (e.g., along the straps 32, 34 as shown in FIGS. 1-5; at distal ends of the straps 32, 34; with a first fastener 36 at a distal end of one strap while a second fastener 36 which matingly engages the first fastener 36 is located along the other strap; etc.). Alternatively, the straps 32, 34 may be of sufficient length that the adult user may tie the straps 32, 34 together around their neck, allowing the straps 32, 34 to engage each other without the use of fasteners 36 (in this manner, the straps 32, 34 can be tied together independent of whether the straps 32, 34 do or do not include fasteners 36). The straps 32, 34 may be of single-piece construction with the cloth 12, or formed separately before being fixedly attached to the cloth 12. If the straps 32, 34 are formed separately before being fixedly attached to the cloth 12, the straps 32, 34 may be made from the same as the cloth 12 or a different material (absorbent or non-absorbent) from the cloth 12. The straps 32, 34 extend upwardly away from the main body of the cloth 12, and designed in such a way as to curve around the user's neck to removably engage each other, forming a loop around the user's neck, when the baby towel wrap 10 is worn by the user. The ends of the straps 32, 34 may overlap when the straps 32, 34 engage each other. Various types of mechanical fasteners 36 may be used in conjunction with the straps 32, 34 including, without limitation, hook and loop fasteners (i.e., VELCRO fasteners), snaps (male and female), buttons and button holes, or the like. Fastening the baby towel wrap 10 around the user's neck frees up both of the user's hands to hold the infant. In another alternative, a single strap may be used instead of two separate straps, with one end of the single strap fixedly connected to the cloth 12 and a distal end of the single strap removably engaging the cloth 12 via fasteners (e.g., hook and loop fasteners (i.e., VELCRO fasteners), snaps (male and female), buttons and button holes, or the like). In a further alternative, a single strap may be used where both ends of the single strap are connected to the cloth (the single strap being of single-piece construction with the cloth 12, or formed separately before being fixedly attached to the cloth 12), and the single strap acts as a collar which the user places around their neck.

As mentioned above, the upper left and right corners 18, 20 are reversible between wiping and hood configurations. The corners 18, 20 may be formed using a sewing technique called shirring, which gathers the fabric of the cloth 12 and creates a recess or pocket in each corner 18, 20. Other construction techniques may be used to achieve the same or similar structural effect whereby each corner 18, 20 is reversible between wiping and hood configurations by allowing the orientation of a recess or pocket to be changed so as to be on one side 14 of the cloth 12 or the other side 16 of the cloth 12 by folding or inverting the corner 18, 20. The orientation of the recess or pocket of the reversible corner 18, 20, as well as the orientation of the cloth 12 as a whole, determines whether a particular corner 18, 20 is in a wiping configuration or a hood configuration. Each pocket includes an orientation defining whether that particular corner is generally in a wiping configuration or generally in a hood configuration. Folding over or inverting a corner 18, 20 in a direction towards one side 14 of the cloth 12 from the other side 16 ‘reverses’ the orientation of the pocket of that corner 18, 20, thereby changing the configuration of that corner 18, 20. As seen in FIG. 6, when the upper left corner 18 and upper right corner 20 are folded towards the side 16 of the cloth 12 facing the adult user, the adult user is able to fit their hands into a recess or pocket of a respective one of the upper corners 18, 20 such that the upper corner 18, 20 acts as a wiping/drying mitten for the adult user's hand when the upper corner 18, 20 is in this configuration. The adult user can fold the upper corner 18, 20 towards the side 14 of the cloth 12 facing the infant such that a recess or pocket of the upper corner 18, 20 formed thereby fits over the baby's head such that the baby's head is at least partially received within the recess or pocket such that the upper corner 18, 20 acts as a hood when the upper corner 18, 20 is in this configuration. The construction of the corners 18, 20 allows the corners 18, 20 to maintain the configurations they are in until the user folds the corners 18, 20 into a different configuration (e.g., the upper corner 18, 20 will stay in a wiping configuration until a user folds the corner 18, 20 into a hood configuration, the upper corner 18, 20 will stay in a hood configuration until a user folds the corner 18, 20 into a wiping configuration). The user may fold each corner 18, 20 independent of the other corner 20, 18 (e.g., folding one corner 18 from a wiping configuration into a hood configuration, for example, does not affect the configuration of the other corner 20. Whether the upper left corner 18 or upper right corner 20 is used as a hood for the infant depends on whether the adult is left-handed or right-handed and/or on whether the adult user is cradling the infant on the left (as seen in FIGS. 7-8) or right side of the adult user's body. The side of the user's body against which the infant is being cradled may or may not be related to whether the adult user is left-handed or right-handed. The selection of which side of the adult user's body against which the infant is being cradled is a choice of comfort and convenience that depends on the individual adult user. If the upper left corner 18 is in a configuration where the upper left corner 18 is used as a hood for the infant's head, the upper right corner 20 is available for configuration as a wiping/drying mitten. Similarly, if the upper right corner 20 is in a configuration where the upper right corner 20 is used as a hood for the infant's head, the upper left corner 18 is available for configuration as a wiping/drying mitten.

Alternatively, the lower left and right corners 22, 24 may also be constructed such that each corner 22, 24 includes a recess or pocket allowing that corner 22, 24 to be reversible between wiping and hood configurations. In another alternative, a baby towel wrap otherwise similar to the baby towel wrap 10 may be constructed such that only the lower left and right corners 22, 24 include recesses or pockets allowing the corners 22, 24 to be reversible between wiping and hood configurations, while the upper left and right corners 18, 20 do not include recesses or pockets. In yet another alternative, all four corners 18, 20, 22, 24 may be constructed such that each corner 18, 20, 22, 24 includes a recess or pocket allowing that corner 18, 20, 22, 24 to be reversible between wiping and hood configurations. It should be noted that a corner 18, 20, 22, 24 in a hood configuration may still be used to wipe the infant (e.g., at least a portion of the interior surface of a corner in the hood configuration is in contact with the infant's head and wipes up moisture from the infant; an adult user may still be able to insert their hand into a corner when that corner is in a hood configuration (i.e., when the pocket or recess is on the same side 14, 16 of the cloth 12 as the infant's head) and wipe the infant's head with the “exterior” of the “hood”; etc.), and so the terms “wiping configuration” and “hood configuration” should not be viewed as limiting the functionality of the corner 18, 20, 22, 24 when the corner 18, 20, 22, 24 is in a particular configuration (e.g., to only being able to act as a hood when in the hood configuration; to only being able to act as a wiping mitten in a wiping configuration; etc.). In a further alternative, corners moveable between wiping and hood configurations can be formed where any two sides of the cloth come together at an angle (e.g., corner 18 is formed where a generally horizontal side and a generally vertical side of the cloth 12 would otherwise meet at a generally ninety degree angle, as seen in FIG. 6). For example, when the cloth is generally triangular, up to three corners can be formed with pockets or recesses such that the corners are moveable between wiping and hood configurations. Likewise, corners moveable between wiping and hood configurations can be formed on a cloth in a generally quadrilateral shape (e.g., up to four corners), generally pentagonal shape (e.g., up to five corners), generally hexagonal (e.g., up to six corners), or any other generally polygonal shape. Likewise, one or more “corners” moveable between wiping and hood configurations may be formed at various locations along an edge of a cloth that does not have distinct sides coming together at an angle (e.g., a cloth that is generally circular, oval, ovoid, etc.).

In addition to the upper left and right corners 18, 20 being reversible between wiping and hood configurations, the baby towel wrap 10 itself is completely reversible. This is partially due to the reversible functionality of the upper left and right corners 18, 20 of the cloth 12, and partially due to the functionality of the fasteners 36 on the straps 32, 34. This allows either side 14, 16 of the cloth 12 to face the adult user or face the infant. There is no designated side which must face the adult user or which must face the infant. Thus, an adult user may fasten the cloth to them such that it does not matter which side 14, 16 of the cloth faces them or the infant. Depending on the side 14, 16 of the cloth facing them after securing the baby towel wrap 10 around their neck, the adult may or may not need to adjust the configuration of the upper corners 18, 20. FIG. 6 illustrates the upper corners 18, 20 in a wiping configuration after the adult user has secured the baby towel wrap around their neck.

In use, an adult user secures the baby towel wrap 10 to their body by placing the straps 32, 34 around their neck and engaging the straps 32, 34 to each other, as seen in FIG. 6. For example, if the straps 32, 34 include hook and loop fasteners 36, the user matingly engages the hook and loop fastener component on one of the straps 32, 34 to the hook and loop fastener component on the other strap 34, 32. Once the straps 32, 34 are secured to each other about the adult user's neck, the baby towel wrap 10 is secured to the adult user and covers the front of the adult user's torso (i.e., the chest of the adult user). This leaves both of the adult user's hands free to bathe and/or dry the infant. The adult user may secure the baby towel wrap 10 to their body (i.e., the adult user's body) at any time before, during, or after the infant is bathed. An adult user may prefer to wear the baby towel wrap 10 during the actual bathing of the infant in order to shield their body (i.e., the adult user's body) from getting wet during the bathing process. The adult user can lift a wet infant from a bath, cradle and rest the infant against the portion of the baby towel wrap 10 covering their chest (i.e., the adult user's chest). As seen in FIG. 7, if the user cradles the infant on the left side of their body using their left arm, the user may wrap the left side of the cloth 12 around the infant, and place their left hand in the pocket of the upper left hand corner 18 (with the upper left corner 18 being in a wiping configuration). The user then slips their right hand into the pocket of the upper right corner 20 (with the upper right corner 20 being in a wiping configuration), and wipes the infant dry using the upper right corner 20 as a wiping mitten to dry the infant's body. The user can then wrap the upper right corner 20 and right side of the cloth 12 around the infant's body. With the right side of the cloth wrapped around the infant, the user then reverses the pocket of the upper left corner 18 into a hood configuration and places the upper left corner 18 over the infant's head where the upper left corner 18 acts as a hood, as seen in FIG. 8. Alternatively, if the user cradles the infant on their right side using their right arm, the user may wrap the right side of the cloth around the infant, and place their right hand in the pocket of the upper right hand corner 20 (with the upper right corner 20 being in a wiping configuration). The user then slips their left hand into the pocket of the upper left corner 18 (with the upper left corner 18 being in a wiping configuration), and continues wiping the infant dry using the upper left corner 18 as a wiping mitten to dry the infant's body. The user can then wrap the upper left corner 18 and left side of the cloth around the infant's body. With the left side of the cloth wrapped around the infant, the user then reverses the pocket of the upper right corner 20 into a hood configuration and places the upper right corner 20 over the infant's head where the upper right corner 20 acts as a hood. However, the foregoing are merely illustrative examples and the exact manner of drying the infant is up to the individual adult user.

The cloth 12 may include various patterns, features, designs, logos, cartoons or the like for ornamental purposes. The trim 30 may be monochromatic, or include various patterns (e.g., multi-color stripes, polka dots or the like), features, designs, logos, cartoons or the like for ornamental purposes.

Although the present invention has been discussed above in connection with drying infants, the present invention is not limited to use with infants and may also be used to dry other animals (e.g., chimpanzees, gorillas, canines, felines, or the like) as well as older humans.

In addition, the claimed invention is not limited in size and may be constructed in various sizes in which the same or similar principles of operation as described above would apply. Furthermore, the figures (and various components shown therein) of the specification are not to be construed as drawn to scale.

Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.

The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on”, “engaged to”, “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to”, “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Spatially relative terms, such as “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “inner,” “outer,” “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “lateral”, “longitudinal” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

The above description presents the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use this invention. This invention is, however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from that discussed above that are fully equivalent. Consequently, this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. On the contrary, this invention covers all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as generally expressed by the following claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention.

Claims

1. A towel wrap, comprising:

an absorbent cloth having a neck portion for securing the cloth around a neck of a user, and at least two corner portions, wherein each corner portion is moveable between a wiping configuration and a hood configuration.

2. The towel wrap of claim 1, wherein the neck portion comprises two straps operatively engaging each other to hold the cloth on the user.

3. The towel wrap of claim 2, wherein the straps operatively engage each other using at least one fastener.

4. The towel wrap of claim 1, wherein each of the at least two corner portions includes a pocket, wherein each pocket includes an orientation defining whether that particular one of the at least two corners is generally in a wiping configuration or generally in a hood configuration.

5. The towel wrap of claim 4, wherein the configuration of the particular one of the at least two corner portions is further defined by orientation of the cloth as a whole.

6. A method for drying an infant, comprising:

securing straps of an absorbent cloth around a neck of an adult user such that a portion of the cloth covers a portion of a front torso of the adult user;

cradling an infant against the portion of the cloth covering the front torso of the adult user;

wrapping a side of the cloth around the infant;

placing a first hand of the adult user in a pocket of a first corner of the cloth, wherein the first corner is in a wiping configuration;

placing a second hand of the adult user in a pocket of a second corner of the cloth, wherein the second corner is in a wiping configuration;

wiping the infant using either one or both of the corners as a wiping mitten;

wrapping the second corner around the infant;

reversing the pocket of the first corner into a hood configuration; and

placing the first corner over a head of the infant, whereby the head of the infant is partially recessed within the pocket of the first corner such that the first corner acts as a hood at least partially covering the head of the infant.