FIELD OF ΊΉΕ INVENTION

The invention relates to towels and more particularly to a hygienic towel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the context of the present specification, a towel is an absorbent cloth used for drying an object, an animal or a human body. Towels are provided in different sizes including those which are primarily for the hands, face, beach or bath. Accordingly the word 'towel' in this specification will be used to describe all of the aforementioned variations. Common towels are made from cotton, rayon, bamboo fibres or non woven fibres.

An individual bath towel may be used to clean or dry all areas of the human body. The same towel may be used repetitively by the same or different individuals. Thus, the ordinary use of a towel may be unhygienic.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

It is an object of the invention to provide a towel that is more sanitary than a conventional towel.

It is another object of the invention to provide a towel that is

bifurcated.

In some embodiments of the invention, one or both bifurcations are re- attachable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

In order that the invention be better understood, reference is now made to the following drawing figures in which:

Figures 1(a )-(d) are prospective views of towels in accordance with the teachings of the specification.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a towel having one bifurcated end.

Figure 3 is a side view of a towel having two bifurcated ends and two removable tails.

Figure 4 is a side view of a towel having a single bifurcated end.

Figure 5 is an end view of a towel having a bifurcated end and one removable tail.

Figure 6 is a side view, partially cross-sectioned, illustrating a towel having a bifurcated end and one removable tail where one or both fastener components are concealed by a decorative band.

Figure 7 is a side view, crass-section to illustrate the

concealment of a fastener backing by a decorative band. BEST MODE AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS

As shown in Figure 1, a hygienic towel 10 comprises a primary body portion 11 and a bifurcated end 12. The towel may be fabricated from any member of textile materials, both woven and non woven. In preferred embodiments, the towel 10 includes two transverse decorative bands 13, 14. The decorative bands may be the same material as the remainder of the towel but woven differently and generally more compacted. The decorative bands 13, 14 may also be applied or stitched to a towel as is well known in the art. The bifurcated end 12 of the towel 10 is in the form of two flaps or tails, 15, 16 preferably of the same sue. The tails 15, 16 need not be the same size. The tails may be of the same materia] and colour as the body 11, or they may be different in material or colour. The provision of two tails allows each of the tails to be used exclusively on different parts of the body.

As shown in Figure lb, one or both tails 15, 16 may be detachable from the main body 11. As will be explained, this may be accomplished with many forms of common fasteners such as studs, snaps, buttons or Velcro.

When towels are folded for storage or hanging on a towel rack, the bifurcated end may be difficult to distinguish from the other end.

Accordingly, and as shown in Figure 1 (c), the bifurcated end or ends 12 may be longer than the other end of the towel. By 'end of the towel' the

specification refers to that part located between the outside edge of a decorative band 17 or 18 and the nearest longitudinal edge of the towel 19. 20.

As shown in figure 1 (d) there are other ways of distinguishing the bifurcated end from the other end of the towel. One way is to provide a physical indentation 21 in the side edge 23 of the decorative band 22 to which one or both tails 15, 16 are attached. Another way is to make the decorative band 22 at the bifurcated end wider or larger then the other decorative band 24. Another way of distinguishing the bifurcated edge is to provide the decorative band 22 in a different colour, material or visually distinguishable weave from the other band 24.

As shown in Figure 2, one or both tails 15, 16 may be attached to the body of the towel, preferably at and along the decorative band 25. In this particular example, two tails 26, 27 are attached to the main body portion 28 with re-attachable fasteners 29. Although the snaps or fasteners 29 may be superimposed, the example of Figure 2 illustrates how the fasteners 30 that attach one tail can be off-set or interdigitated with the fasteners 31 that are used to attach the other tail 27.

This arrangement is also depicted in Figure 3. In some embodiments, the decorative band 25 have the bifurcated end of the towel body extends inwardly past the inside edges 32 of the one or both tails 26, 27. In other embodiments, the tails 26, 27 may incorporate the decorative band feature 33. i Figure 3 also suggests that both ends of the towel may be bifurcated and that the bifurcation of the second end may be accomplished in a different manner than the first bifurcation.

In the example of Figure 4, the towel body 40 has 2 decorative bands 41, 42. One of the decorative bands 42 is itself bifurcated. The one or both tails 43, 44 ma be permanently attached, each to one leg, 45 of the bifurcated decorative band 42. In the alternative, one or both tails 43, 44 may be removably attached to the bifurcated decorative band by the appropriate fastener 46.

As shown in Figure 5, a towel body 50 has at least one decorative band 51 in this example, the towel body 50 extends beyond the decorative end 51 and forms a length that is approximately equal to the length of a tail 52. In this example, the tail 52 is attached by a snap fastener 53 to the decorative band 51. As illustrated, it is preferred that any exterior portion of the fastener that is used be smooth or capped, in the interest of user comfort.

As shown in Figure 6, the decorative band 60 of a towel 61 may be used to conceal the backing, plate or rivet 62 associated with the fastener component that is affixed to the towel. Similarly, the tail 63 may have its own decorative band 64. This decorative band 64 may be used to conceal the backing, head, or rivet 65 associated with the fastener that is affixed to the tail 63. It will be appreciated that the use of a decorative band to conceal either the towel's or tail ^' s fastener component may be combined with any of the previously described embodiments.

As shown in Figure 7, a fastener 70 may be affixed to a decorative band 71 on a tail or on a towel so that the fasteners backing, stitching, rivet or stud 72 is located between the decorative band 71 and the towel or tail 73. This has the affect of concealing the backing 72 and exposing only the coupling part 74 of the fastener.

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics maybe combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Similarly it should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim.

While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to particular details of construction, these should be understood as having been provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope of the invention.