Towel

Abstract

A new towel design is described. The towel includes novel features making it especially suitable for gym and beach use. The towel includes embodiments of a multi-layer structure, indicia to indicated purpose of one side and the other, pocket designs, pocket closure design, a retractable carrying strap, a security strap, closure designs that both help to protect contamination of the closure means as well as provide a smooth wiping surface over the top of the closure means and methods of using the towel in conjunction with security straps.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A towel comprising:
 a) a front surface, a back surface and edges wherein the front surface includes a front label indicia, the back surface includes a back label indicia wherein said indicia are not the same,   b) a pocket incorporated between the front surface and the back surface,   c) a pocket closure means,   d) a carrying strap, said carrying strap retractable into said pocket,   e) a liner located between the front surface and the back surface said liner coextensive with said front and back surfaces wherein said liner prevents transport of moisture between said front and back surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The towel of  claim 1  further comprising a security strap said strap capable of releasable securing to an object to deter theft of the towel. 
     
     
         3 . The towel of  claim 1  wherein the pocket closure means is a zipper said zipper having a width and a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The towel of  claim 3  wherein the zipper is located such that access to the pocket is through an edge of the towel material. 
     
     
         5 . The towel of  claim 3  wherein the zipper is located such that access to the pocket is through an access surface said access surface selected from one of the front and back surface of the towel, access to said zipper is through a slit in said access surface said slit parallel to the longitudinal axis of said zipper, wherein the center of the slit is offset from the center of the zipper by an amount greater than the width of the zipper. 
     
     
         6 . The towel of  claim 3  wherein the zipper is located such that access to the pocket is through an access surface said access surface selected from one of the front and back surface of the towel, further comprising a cover layer over said zipper, said cover layer comprising a sheet of material said cover layer coplanar with the access surface and located between the zipper and the access and covering at least the zipper surface, access to said zipper is through a slit through both said cover layer and said access surface said slit parallel to the longitudinal axis of said zipper, wherein the center of the slit is offset from the center of the zipper by an amount greater than the width of the zipper. 
     
     
         7 . The towel of  claim 1  wherein said carrying strap is attached to an elastic material within said pocket such that when the strap is pulled out of said pocket the elastic material is stretched and when the strap is released the elastic material returns to its original un-stretched dimension thereby retracting the carrying strap into the pocket. 
     
     
         8 . A towel comprising:
 a) a front surface, a back surface and edges wherein the front surface includes a front label indicia, the back surface includes a back label indicia wherein said indicia are not the same,   b) a pocket incorporated between the front surface and the back surface,   c) a pocket closure means,   d) a carrying strap, said carrying strap retractable into said pocket,   
     
     
         9 . The towel of  claim 8  further comprising a security strap said strap capable of releasable securing to an object to deter theft of the towel. 
     
     
         10 . The towel of  claim 8  wherein the pocket closure means is a zipper said zipper having a width and a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The towel of  claim 10  wherein the zipper is located such that access to the pocket is through an edge of the towel material. 
     
     
         12 . The towel of  claim 10  wherein the zipper is located such that access to the pocket is through an access surface said access surface selected from one of the front and back surface of the towel, access to said zipper is through a slit in said access surface said slit parallel to the longitudinal axis of said zipper, wherein the center of the slit is offset from the center of the zipper by an amount greater than the width of the zipper. 
     
     
         13 . The towel of  claim 10  wherein the zipper is located such that access to the pocket is through an access surface said access surface selected from one of the front and back surface of the towel, further comprising a cover layer over said zipper, said cover layer comprising a sheet of material said cover layer coplanar with the access surface and located between the zipper and the access and covering at least the zipper surface, access to said zipper is through a slit through both said cover layer and said access surface said slit parallel to the longitudinal axis of said zipper, wherein the center of the slit is offset from the center of the zipper by an amount greater than the width of the zipper. 
     
     
         14 . The towel of  claim 8  wherein said carrying strap is attached to an elastic material within said pocket such that when the strap is pulled out of said pocket the elastic material is stretched and when the strap is released the elastic material returns to its original un-stretched dimension thereby retracting the carrying strap into the pocket.