Towel with transformable edge

Abstract

The present invention relates to a towel with a transformable edge that is mainly intended for use on a surface, such as the beach, and comprises a central body (1) made of flexible laminar material having a variable shape and on which the user can lie down. The towel further comprises an edge (2), running along the perimeter of said central body (1) on at least one portion thereof, which is transformable, changing from being flexible in a non-use position to being substantially rigid and higher than the central body (1) in a use position, so that said transformable edge (2) in the use position keeps at least part of the central body (1) outstretched and without wrinkles, while forming an edge that prevents sand from entering when the towel is used on the beach.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TOWEL WITH TRANSFORMABLE BORDER

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention, as expressed in the title of this specification, relates to a towel with a transformable border that provides, for its intended purpose, advantages and characteristics, which are described in detail below.

[0005] The object of the present invention lies in a towel, in particular a beach towel, that is to say, one intended primarily for lying on a surface such as the beach, which, comprising a central body of variable shape and flexible sheet material, for example textile, has the particularity of having a perimeter edge to said body that, at least in a portion of the same, is of a transformable nature, specifically, it is capable of transforming, when the user so desires, into substantially rigid, and keeping at least part of the central body stretched, and to increase its height with respect to the surface of the central body generating a rim around it that prevents the entry of sand when the towel is used on the beach. To this end, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, said transformable rim comprises, at least, one unreliable element.

[0006] FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The field of application of the present invention falls within the sector of furniture, articles or appliances for domestic use, especially bedspreads, duvets, travel blankets, mats or the like, focusing particularly on the manufacture of towels, and more particularly, beach towels.

[0008] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention arose from the discomfort many people experience when lying on a towel at the beach and ending up covered in sand. Furthermore, the towel tends to wrinkle and crease, which exacerbates the initial problem.

[0009] Therefore, it would be desirable to have a towel that prevents sand from getting inside and sticking to people's bodies when they lie down on it, as well as eliminating the hassle of dealing with wrinkles caused by moving, keeping them clean and comfortable.

[0010] The objective of the present invention is, therefore, to provide the market with a product that meets these premises by developing a towel with transformable edges to achieve the objectives of preventing sand from entering and wrinkles when the user wants to lie down on it on the beach or wherever and which, at the same time, remains a flexible and soft body, to fulfill the function of a towel for drying or wrapping oneself as well as being able to fold it, wash it and store it taking up less space when not in use.

[0011] On the other hand, and as a reference to the current state of the art, it should be noted that, at least on the part of the applicant, the existence of any other towel, or any other invention of similar application, that presents technical, structural and constitutive characteristics equal to or similar to those claimed here, is unknown.

[0012] EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The towel with a transformable edge that the invention proposes is configured as an optimal solution to achieve the objectives previously indicated, the characterizing details that make it possible and that distinguish it being conveniently collected in the final claims that accompany this description.

[0014] Specifically, what the invention proposes, as has been previously indicated, is a towel, in particular a beach towel, that is to say, one intended primarily to lie on on a surface such as the beach, which, formed in a conventional manner from a central body of flexible sheet material, normally of textile material, for example terry cloth, and which can have any plantar shape, such as rectangular, square, round or others, has the innovative particularity of having a perimeter edge to said central body which, at least in a portion thereof, is of a transformable nature, that is to say, capable of being transformed, when the user so desires, to go from being a flexible edge like the central body to being an edge of a substantially rigid nature and of greater height than that of the central body, such that said transformation to greater rigidity allows to keep at least part of the central body stretched,and this increase in its height with respect to the surface of the central body creates a rim around it that prevents sand from entering when the towel is used on the beach.

[0015] To this end, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transformable perimeter edge of the towel comprises at least one unreliable element that, when inflated, allows the edge to be stiffened or tightened in at least a portion of the central body, preventing it from wrinkling and, at the same time, generating a higher rim that acts as a barrier against the entry of sand or external agents into the central body for greater user comfort.

[0016] This unreliable element is preferably made up of a piece of flexible, impermeable sheet material, such as PVC, thermoplastic polyurethane or polyester, which defines a hollow chamber suitable for filling with air, either using an air pump or by blowing air into it through a valve provided at some point accessible to the user.

[0017] However, in an alternative embodiment, the unreliable element is of the self-inflating type and comprises a sheet piece with an impermeable external coating, for example made of polyester, and an internal foam core, for example made of polyurethane foam, with a specific structure provided with channels to allow the entry of air through a valve with a specific mechanism, to inflate autonomously.

[0018] In any case, in an embodiment of the invention, the transformable perimeter edge may comprise a single unreliable element as described, whether conventionally inflated or self-inflating, which covers the entire perimeter of the central element of the towel, or it may comprise several independent unreliable elements, with their respective valves, which cover the entire perimeter of the central element of the towel.

[0019] On the other hand, in an embodiment option where the central body of the towel is quadrangular in shape, the transformable perimeter edge comprises two portions that cover two opposite sides of the same, each of said portions being able to have, in turn, one or more unreliable elements.

[0020] However, preferably, the transformable perimeter edge comprises a portion that covers three sides of the same. Even more preferably, the transformable perimeter edge is complete and covers all four sides of the central body of the towel.

[0021] In any case, in one embodiment of the invention, the unreliable element or elements of the transformable edge of the towel are an integral part of the towel, that is, they are incorporated into it in a permanent and integral manner.

[0022] However, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the unreliable element or elements may consist of elements that are attached to the central body in a removable manner, for example to be able to wash the towel or to use them or not, as appropriate, or even, when the transformable edge only covers a portion of the central body of the towel, to be able to place it on one side or the other of the same, or, when the transformable edge of the towel comprises more than one unreliable element, to be able to place only some of them or to place all of them.

[0023] In any case, the unreliable element of the transformable edge, in the case of being removable to separate from the central element and be able to be replaced when desired, has non-permanent means of attachment to the central body such as zippers, toggles, pressure clips, buttons or others, which allow said removal and placement.

[0024] With all this, the invented towel solves the problem many people experience when lying on a towel at the beach and ending up covered in sand, while also preventing the inconvenience of a wrinkled towel. This feature allows the towel to be kept fully extended without having to worry about it wrinkling.

[0025] Additionally, the unreliable element(s) are designed to provide a raised edge around the towel, providing greater comfort and acting as a barrier against external agents, such as sand and moisture.

[0026] One of the advantages of this towel is that it is lightweight and easy to carry, making it perfect for taking to the beach.

[0027] To use the towel, the user simply spreads it on the sand, inflates the edges to create a raised area, and then deflates them when finished. As mentioned, the transformable edge can have one or several air chambers and form a single air chamber, or chambers. In the case of chambers, these can be straight or have corners. In either case, they can also be used uninflated, like a normal beach towel.

[0028] After deflating the edges, the towel can be folded or rolled for compact and convenient storage, making it an attractive option in terms of both functionality and style.

[0029] DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] To complement the description being made and in order to help better understand the characteristics of the invention, a sheet of drawings is attached to this specification, as an integral part thereof, in which the following has been represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes:

[0031] Figure 1.- Shows a schematic perspective representation of an example of the towel with a transformable edge that is the object of the invention, showing the main parts and elements that it comprises.

[0032] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In view of the described figure 1 and only one, and in accordance with the adopted numbering, it can be observed in it a non-limiting embodiment of the towel with transformable edge of the invention, which comprises what is described in detail below.

[0033] Thus, as can be seen in said figures, the towel of the invention, intended primarily for use on a surface such as the beach, and conventionally comprising a central body (1) made of flexible sheet material of variable shape on which the user can lie down, has the particularity of comprising an edge (2), perimeter to said central body (1) in at least a portion thereof, which is transformable in nature, going from being flexible in a position of non-use to being substantially rigid and with greater height than that of the central body (1) in a position of use, such that, said edge (2) transformable in the position of use keeps at least part of the central body (1) stretched and without wrinkles, while generating a rim that prevents the entry of sand when the towel is used on the beach.

[0034] Preferably, said transformable edge (2) comprises at least one unreliable element.

[0035] In one embodiment, the unreliable element of the transformable edge (2) is formed by a piece of flexible and impermeable laminar material, such as PVC, thermoplastic polyurethane or polyester, which defines a hollow chamber suitable for filling with air through a valve (2.1) provided for this purpose.

[0036] In an alternative embodiment option, the unreliable element of the transformable edge (2) is of the self-inflating type and comprises a laminar piece of impermeable external coating, for example made of polyester, and an internal foam core, for example made of polyurethane foam, with a specific structure provided with channels to allow the entry of air through a valve (2.1) with a specific mechanism, to inflate autonomously.

[0037] In any case, in one embodiment of the invention, the transformable edge (2) comprises a single non-returnable element with a single valve (2.1) that covers the entire perimeter of the central body (1) of the towel. And, in an alternative embodiment, the transformable edge (2) comprises two independent non-returnable elements, with their respective valves (2.1), that cover the entire perimeter of the central element (1) of the towel.

[0038] In an embodiment option where the central body (1) of the towel is quadrangular in shape, which is the most common shape of towels, the transformable edge (2) comprises two portions that cover two opposite sides of the same, each of said portions being able to be formed, in turn, by one or more unreliable elements.

[0039] However, preferably, the transformable edge (2) of the towel comprises a portion covering three sides of the central body (1) of the towel, such as that shown in Figure 1. And, even more preferably, the transformable edge (2) is complete and covers all four sides of the central body of the towel. And, in both cases, the portion of the transformable edge (2) may, in turn, be formed by one or more unreliable elements.

[0040] In any case, in one embodiment of the invention, the portion or portions of the transformable edge (2) of the towel are an integral part of the towel, that is, they are incorporated into it in a permanent and integral manner.

[0041] And, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the portion or portions of the transformable edge (2) are joined to the central body (1) in a removable manner by means of non-permanent joining means such as zippers, magnets, pressure clips, buttons or others, which allow said removal and placement at will.

[0042] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the manner of putting it into practice, it is not considered necessary to make its explanation more extensive so that any expert in the field understands its scope and the advantages derived from it.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.- Towel with transformable edge, intended primarily for use on a surface such as the beach, and comprising a central body (1) made of flexible sheet material of variable shape on which the user can lie down, is characterized by comprising an edge (2), perimeter to said central body (1) in at least a portion thereof, which is transformable in nature, going from being flexible in a position of non-use to being substantially rigid and with greater height than that of the central body (1) in a position of use, such that, said edge (2) transformable in the position of use keeps at least part of the central body (1) stretched and without wrinkles, while generating a rim that prevents the entry of sand when the towel is used on the beach. 2.- Towel with transformable edge, according to claim 1, characterized in that the transformable edge (2) comprises at least one unreliable element. 3.- Towel with transformable edge, according to claim 2, characterized in that the unreliable element of the transformable edge (2) is formed by a piece of flexible and impermeable laminar material, such as PVC, thermoplastic polyurethane or polyester, which defines a hollow chamber suitable for filling with air through a valve (2.1) provided for this purpose. 4.- Towel with transformable edge, according to claim 2, characterized in that the unreliable element of the transformable edge (2) is of the self-inflating type, comprising a laminar piece of impermeable external covering, such as polyester, and an internal foam core, such as polyurethane foam, with a specific structure provided with channels to allow the entry of air through a valve (2.1) with a specific mechanism, to inflate autonomously. 5.- Towel with transformable edge, according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the transformable edge (2) comprises a single unreliable element with a single valve (2.1) that covers the entire perimeter of the central body (1) of the towel. 6.- Towel with transformable edge, according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the transformable edge (2) comprises several independent unreliable elements, with their respective valves (2.1), which cover the entire perimeter of the central element (1) of the towel. 7.- Towel with transformable edge, according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the central body (1) is quadrangular in shape and the transformable edge (2) comprises two portions that cover two opposite sides thereof, each of said portions being formed, in turn, by one or more unreliable elements. 8.- Towel with transformable edge, according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the central body (1) is quadrangular in shape and the transformable edge (2) comprises a portion that covers three sides of the central body (1), being formed, in turn, by one or more unreliable elements. 9.- Towel with transformable edge, according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the central body (1) is quadrangular in shape and the transformable edge (2) comprises the four sides of the central body (1) and is formed, in turn, by one or more unreliable elements. 10.- Towel with transformable edge, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portion or portions of the transformable edge (2) are an integral part of the towel, which are incorporated into it in a solidary and permanent manner. 11.- Towel with transformable edge, according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the portion or portions of the transformable edge (2) are joined to the central body (1) in a removable manner by means of non-permanent joining means such as zippers, handles, pressure clips, buttons or others, which allow said removal and placement at will.

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