Woven textile article with woven-in signature space

Abstract

A textile article includes a main body comprising yarns woven in a first weave pattern forming the majority of the total surface of the textile article. Woven into the textile article is a signature space comprising yarns woven in a second weave pattern different from the first weave pattern such that the surface of the signature space is relatively smooth in comparison with the main body and is readily written upon by hand with an ink pen. Preferably the signature space is woven in a flat weave pattern. The signature space can comprise a denser weave than that of the main body, and finer weft yarns can be used than those in the main body. The main body can be woven in a non-flat weave pattern.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A woven textile article, comprising: 
 a woven fabric having a main body woven in a non-flat weave pattern such that the main body is relatively rough and not readily written upon by hand with an ink pen, the main body occupying a majority of the total surface of the textile article; and    a signature space woven into the textile article adjacent the main body, the signature space being woven in a flat weave pattern with a substantially greater number of picks per inch than in the main body so as to define a substantially smooth surface readily written upon by hand with an ink pen.    
     
     
         2 . The woven textile article of  claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises terry loops.  
     
     
         3 . The woven textile article of  claim 1 , wherein the main body and the signature space are of different colors from each other.  
     
     
         4 . The woven textile article of  claim 1 , wherein the signature space is surrounded on all sides by the main body.  
     
     
         5 . The woven textile article of  claim 4 , wherein the signature space is rectangular.  
     
     
         6 . The woven textile article of  claim 1 , wherein the textile article includes an identifying design located outside the signature space.  
     
     
         7 . The woven textile article of  claim 6 , wherein the identifying design is woven into the textile article.  
     
     
         8 . The woven textile article of  claim 1 , wherein the signature space is woven with a different type of yarn from that used for weaving the main body.  
     
     
         9 . The woven textile article of  claim 8 , wherein weft yarns used for weaving the signature space are finer than those used for weaving the main body.  
     
     
         10 . The woven textile article of  claim 1 , wherein the textile article comprises a towel.  
     
     
         11 . The woven textile article of  claim 1 , further comprising an ink pen operable for writing on the signature space, and an attachment system for releasably attaching the pen to the textile article.  
     
     
         12 . The woven textile article of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment system comprises a piece of hook material attached to the pen, the textile article having loops that are releasably engageable with the hook material for attaching the pen to the textile article.  
     
     
         13 . The woven textile article of  claim 12 , wherein the loops comprise terry loops forming at least a portion of the main body of the textile article.  
     
     
         14 . The woven textile article of  claim 13 , wherein the loops are formed on a separate piece of loop material affixed to the textile article.  
     
     
         15 . A woven textile article, comprising: 
 warp yarns extending a length of the textile article and weft yarns woven with the warp yarns and extending a width of the textile article, the textile article comprising a main body occupying a majority of the length of the textile article, and a signature space occupying a minor part of the length of the textile article, the main body comprising weft yarns of a first size, the main body having terry loops, the signature space comprising weft yarns of a second size smaller than the first size, the signature space being woven in a flat weave pattern.    
     
     
         16 . The woven textile article of  claim 15 , wherein there is a substantially greater number of picks per inch in the signature space than in the main body.  
     
     
         17 . The woven textile article of  claim 16 , wherein the signature space has at least about twice as many picks per inch as the main body.  
     
     
         18 . The woven textile article of  claim 16 , wherein the signature space has about 3 to 4 times as many picks per inch as the main body.  
     
     
         19 . The woven textile article of  claim 15 , wherein the flat weave pattern of the signature space comprises a plain weave.  
     
     
         20 . The woven textile article of  claim 15 , further comprising an ink pen and an attachment system for attaching the pen to the textile article.  
     
     
         21 . A towel comprising: 
 a main body having terry loops substantially entirely covering at least one side thereof, the towel having opposite ends and having a width; and    a transversely extending stripe woven into the towel in a flat weave pattern, the stripe extending the width of the towel;    wherein a portion of the stripe comprises a signature space woven in a plain weave with finer weft yarns than those of the main body and having a substantially greater number of picks per inch than the main body, whereby the signature space has a smooth surface readily written upon by hand with an ink pen.    
     
     
         22 . The towel of  claim 21 , wherein the signature space is generally centrally located within the stripe and is flanked on opposite sides by portions of the stripe that are woven in a sateen weave.  
     
     
         23 . The towel of  claim 21 , wherein the signature space has at least about twice as many picks per inch as the main body.  
     
     
         24 . The towel of  claim 21 , wherein the signature space has about 3 to 4 times as many picks per inch as the main body.  
     
     
         25 . The towel of  claim 21 , wherein the main body comprises 20 s 2-ply weft yarns and the signature space comprises 24 s 2-ply weft yarns.