TUCHHALTER

Abstract

When working out at the gym, the question often arises of how to keep a towel, which should be placed underneath you for hygiene reasons, securely in place on the equipment during your workout. This ensures it stays put and doesn't fall off. Individual workout towels with integrated loops or Velcro fasteners are available on the market for easy attachment to the back of the exercise chair. However, due to the varying widths of chair backs, it's often impossible to secure the towels without slipping. Even common towel holders like hooks only secure one end of the towel. This means the towel can slip during your workout because it isn't stretched taut over the chair back. The invention provides a towel holder with a clamping groove into which a corner or edge of the towel can be easily inserted via an insertion funnel and pushed to a stop, where it is clamped. This can also be done with two overlapping edges to store and hold the towel securely along multiple edges. If required, the device can also be used with other types of towels, such as tablecloths or bath towels.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a towel holder for clamping towels to an object such as a sports equipment.

[0002] In the gym, it's important for many people, and in many places, even mandatory, to use fresh towels during training to dry off and absorb sweat, preventing the equipment from getting dirty. However, the question often arises as to how to position the towel during training so that it doesn't slip off, thus no longer serving as a surface, and also getting dirty itself.

[0003] One option is to simply place the towel on the machine. However, this carries the risk of it slipping or even falling off during exercise. This can not only be annoying but also unhygienic, as the towel is intended for use by the user, for example, for wiping their face, and the dropped towel can thus pick up bacteria from the floor.

[0004] Another option is to wrap the towel around the equipment or attach it to a bar or handle. However, this can make the towel uncomfortable during training or interfere with your movement. There's also a risk of the towel falling off or getting tangled. Often, the material of the towel isn't strong enough to adequately cover the equipment.

[0005] However, the problem of holding tablecloths in place is also familiar from other areas. For example, a tablecloth may be draped correctly on the table, but it may become distorted as guests sit and stand up. The dangling edges of the tablecloth can also be distracting, especially if the tablecloth doesn't fit the table perfectly.

[0006] Against this background, the present invention is based on the object of providing a cloth holder which makes it possible to ensure a resilient and reliable holding of a cloth using simple means.

[0007] This is achieved by a towel holder according to the features of independent claim 1. Useful embodiments of such a towel holder can be found in the subsequent dependent claims.

[0008] According to the invention, a cloth holder is provided, comprising a base body with a clamping groove for receiving at least one cloth edge, wherein the clamping groove has two opposite edges which, on the one hand, are connected in a stop of a clamping section and, on the other hand, diverge from the clamping section in such a way that they form an insertion funnel for inserting the cloth edge, wherein the base body can be fastened to a support surface by means of fastening means, so that the clamping section has a defined distance from the support surface.

[0009] The widening shape of the insertion funnel allows the edge of the cloth to be easily inserted into the clamping groove. It is then guided over the preferably tapered clamping section until it reaches the stop, where it is clamped securely. It is possible to secure two opposing cloth edges, especially corners, in the clamping groove. This also allows the cloth to be stretched over a support surface, on the back of which the cloth holder is mounted.

[0010] Such a towel holder is suitable for use in the gym as well as for other occasions. It can be used to attach a towel to a piece of sports equipment, just as it can be used to secure a tablecloth under a tabletop. The insertion funnel is preferably positioned in a direction away from the edge over which the towel is to be pulled. For a piece of sports equipment, this will usually be the top edge of a seat back, so that the insertion funnel points downwards. For a tablecloth, the insertion funnel points under the tabletop toward the center of the table.

[0011] Not only the corners of the cloth can be clamped, but also its edges or central parts. Edges and corners are particularly suitable if they have seams that fit particularly well in the clamping groove. Any number of the inventive towel holders can be used on the same cloth at the same time, although one towel holder should generally be sufficient for a hand towel and two towel holders for a rectangular tablecloth. Other towels can also be held with the towel holder, such as tea towels in the kitchen, as the towel holder is also suitable for pure storage, especially if a towel lacks a hanger.

[0012] The base body can be attached to a surface using fasteners, leaving the clamping section at a specific distance from the surface. This distance serves to create a storage location for the edge of the fabric, so that the edges of the clamping groove do not have to be positioned at the edge of the fabric, but rather in the center of the fabric, which increases the strength of the clamping and facilitates threading.

[0013] Preferably, the clamping groove can be undercut in the area of ​​the clamping section. An undercut in the area of ​​the clamping section has the advantage that the fabric edge adheres more firmly to the base body, since the clamping groove, if present, represents a constriction. If the fabric bunches up in the undercut, it can no longer be pulled through the clamping groove, thus protecting the fabric from accidental removal.

[0014] In a specific design, the base body can have a rear wall to accommodate the fastening elements, with the base body enclosing an interior space between the clamping groove and the rear wall. If the base body has a rear wall, it is easier to attach the clamping section parallel to the support surface. This allows the towel holder to be designed for mobility, especially if the fastening elements are detachable. In such a case, the towel holder can be carried as an object and positioned so that a towel can be attached to a selected and suitable location.

[0015] Particularly preferably, the fastening means can be assigned to the base body on its rear wall, preferably integrated flush with it. If the fastening means are not integrated flush with the rear wall, a protrusion could form that makes it difficult to position the towel holder parallel to the support surface. Under load, the towel holder could easily tip over and the towel fall out. If a magnetic fastening were chosen, which opens up numerous fastening options, especially in fitness studios, if the magnet were not integrated flush, tipping the magnet would cause it to fall off. But it is also helpful for permanently installed towel holders, provided they do not protrude unnecessarily above the support surface.

[0016] In a specific embodiment, the fastening means of the base body can be designed as side tabs, and the base body could have at least one side wall that keeps the clamping section of the clamping groove at a defined distance from the support surface. This stabilizes the towel holder even without a back wall, and the towel ends can be safely stowed. Furthermore, the side walls can serve as a mounting point for the fastening means.

[0017] The fastening elements can be designed as mounting brackets, which, for example, can have drilled holes for attaching the towel holder to a fixed point. This makes it possible to fix the towel holder in a particularly suitable position, eliminating the need to carry it with you. The towel holder can also be permanently installed on a table to hold a tablecloth and used only when needed.

[0018] In a specific design, the insertion funnel can be located outside of a plane of the clamping section. Edges where multiple planes meet may divide the clamping groove into the clamping section and the insertion funnel. The insertion funnel can have a slope relative to the clamping groove to facilitate the lateral insertion of the fabric edges.

[0019] The fastener can be detachably attached to the support surface and preferably be designed as a magnet, a screw opening, or a hook-and-loop fastener; other detachable fastening methods are also possible. It can be advantageous if the towel holder is attached with a detachable connection. This allows the towel holder to be used in different locations. It can be used on multiple machines during a workout in the gym and can be arranged accordingly depending on the size of the user and the size of their towel. Since most training equipment in the gym has metal support surfaces, a magnetic fastening method is a good option.

[0020] However, the fastening means can also be permanently attached to the support surface and preferably be designed as a double-sided adhesive tape or bond, a welded seam, or an integral connection. The towel holder can be permanently attached to the support surface, particularly where positioning does not need to be specifically adapted to the needs of different users. In a gym, a permanently installed towel holder according to the invention could be available on appropriate equipment, allowing users to securely attach their towels to the towel holder.

[0021] The base body of the towel holder can be particularly advantageously made of plastic, preferably polylactide, polypropylene, or polyethylene, using an injection molding process or a 3D printing process. A base body made of a thermoplastic is lightweight and also cost-effective to manufacture. Any plastic that can be used in injection molding and 3D printing would be conceivable. The 3D printing process has the advantage of allowing individual pieces to be constructed quickly and easily, and is particularly advantageous for undercut structures. The injection molding process is characterized by the ability to quickly produce large quantities at low production costs.

[0022] The invention described above is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment.

[0023] It shows Fig. 1 a cloth holder according to the invention in a plan view in a schematic representation, Fig. 2 the towel holder according to Fig. 1 in back view, as well as Fig. 3 the towel holder according to Fig. 1 in a frontal view of the insertion funnel.

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a wipe holder 1 in a schematic plan view. The wipe holder 1 comprises a base body 2, which is manufactured from polylactide using a 3D printing process and has a clamping groove 3. The clamping groove 3 is divided by the edges 4 into a clamping section 5 and an insertion funnel 7 and ends in a stop 6 opposite the insertion funnel 7. The insertion funnel 7 has a wider slot so that the wipe ends can be easily inserted into an interior 12 of the base body 2. The wipe end is securely fastened in the clamping groove 3 by the narrower clamping section 5 and can also be subjected to tensile load without slipping out of the clamping groove 3. The base body 2 is fastened to a support surface 11 using fastening means. The support surface 11 serves as the support surface to which the wipe holder 1 is to be attached in order to hold a wipe in place.

[0025] One possible location for attaching the towel holder 1 can be the backrest of a sports equipment. Since such sports equipment is usually made of iron, the attachment can be detachably made using a magnet 10. This allows, in particular, that the towel holder 1 can be brought along and attached to the backrest as needed. A towel holder 1 with a magnetic attachment means is Fig. 2. The base body 2 has a rear wall 8 into which a magnet 10 is flush-mounted in a receiving recess 13, in particular glued in or, if the cloth holder 1 is manufactured using an injection molding process, optionally also overmolded. The base body 2 is fastened to the metallic support surface 11 via the magnet 10, with the opening of the insertion funnel 7 facing downwards. The cloth to be held is inserted into the insertion funnel 7 with its corners placed on top of one another, and the corners of the cloth are pushed into the clamping groove 5 so far that they can no longer slip out of it. The cloth is then placed over the upper edge of the backrest and is thus correctly positioned and secured against slipping.

[0026] Fig.Finally, Figure 3 shows a side view of the wipe holder 1 with a view of the insertion funnel. The base body 2 comprises side walls 9 and a rear wall 8, so that the wipe ends can be arranged in an interior space 12 and cannot easily slip out of the thus formed undercut of the clamping groove 5. The rear wall 8 lies flat on the support surface 11 and can be connected to it in this position in various ways, in particular held magnetically, but also screwed or glued.

[0027] The above-described cloth holder makes it possible to ensure a resilient and reliable holding of a cloth using simple means. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 1 towel holder 2 basic bodies 3 clamping groove 4 edges 5 clamping section 6 stop 7 insertion funnel 8 Rear wall 9 side walls 10 Magnet 11 Support surface 12 Interior 13 Receiving trough

Claims

[1] Cloth holder, comprising a base body (2) with a clamping groove (3) for receiving at least one cloth edge, wherein the clamping groove (3) has two opposite edges (4) which, on the one hand, are connected to a clamping section (5) in a stop (6) and, on the other hand, diverge from the clamping section (5) in such a way that they form an insertion funnel (7) for inserting the cloth edge, wherein the base body (2) can be fastened to a support surface (11) by means of fastening means, so that the clamping section (5) has a defined distance from the support surface (11). [2] Towel holder according to claim 1, characterized by that the clamping groove (3) is undercut in the area of ​​the clamping section (5). [3] Towel holder according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized bythat the base body (2) has a rear wall (8) for receiving the fastening means, wherein the base body (2) encloses an interior space (12) between the clamping groove (3) and the rear wall (8). [4] Towel holder according to claim 3, characterized by that the fastening means are assigned to the base body (2) on its rear wall (8), preferably integrated flush therewith. [5] Towel holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the fastening means of the base body (2) are designed as side tabs and the base body (2) has at least one side wall (9) which holds the clamping section (5) of the clamping groove (3) at a defined distance from the support surface (11). [6] Towel holder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the insertion funnel (7) lies outside a plane of the clamping section (5). [7] Towel holder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the fastening means can be detachably fastened to the support surface (11), preferably in the form of a magnet (10), screw opening or Velcro fastener. [8] Towel holder according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the fastening means can be permanently fastened to the support surface (11), preferably as a double-sided adhesive tape or adhesive connection. [9] Towel holder according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the base body (2) is made of plastic, preferably of polylactide, polypropylene or polyethylene, using an injection molding process or a 3D printing process.

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