Hygienic Towel

Abstract

A hygienic towel adapted to lay flat on unusually shaped gym equipment is provided. The towel comprises a moisture-wicking, absorbent and quick drying material such as microfiber treated with a wash-resistant antimicrobial solution to effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses on the material. The towel comprises a plurality of flaps extending from a top end that enable the towel to lay flat over the length of an exercise platform such as a Pilates reformer carriage, accounting in particular for shoulder blocks that generally protrude vertically from the carriage. The towel also comprises friction-increasing elements on its underside as well as a means for removably securing the towel to the exercise platform.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hygienic towel, comprising:
 a flat, microfiber sheet treated with a wash-resistant solution of about 4% to about 8% by weight silver chloride, the sheet having
 an upper surface and a bottom surface; 
 a top end and a bottom end spaced apart by parallel first and second side edges, the bottom end defined by a straight edge, and the first and second side edges converging with the bottom end to define first and second bottom corners; 
 a left flap, a right flap and a central flap disposed between the left and right flaps extending outward from the top end; 
 a plurality of friction-increasing elements disposed across the bottom surface of the sheet; and 
 means for removably securing the sheet to a Pilates reformer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The towel of  claim 1 , wherein means for removably securing the sheet to a Pilates reformer comprises elastic straps disposed on the bottom surface of the sheet and spanning the width of one each of the left and right flaps, respectively, and sized to elastically encircle one each of a Pilates reformer shoulder block in combination with a terminal portion of the flap itself. 
     
     
         3 . The towel of  claim 1 , wherein means for removably securing the sheet to a Pilates reformer comprises a first elastic strap disposed on the bottom surface of the sheet diagonally across the first bottom corner and a second elastic strap disposed on the bottom surface of the sheet diagonally across the second bottom corner, the first and second elastic straps sized to elastically encircle one each of a bottom corner portion of a Pilates reformer carriage. 
     
     
         4 . The towel of  claim 1 , wherein the a plurality of friction-increasing elements comprise a plurality of silicone dots adhered to and distributed across the bottom surface of the sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The towel of  claim 1 , wherein the microfiber sheet is microsuede. 
     
     
         6 . The towel of  claim 1 , wherein the left and right flaps are longer than the central flap. 
     
     
         7 . The towel of  claim 1 , wherein the microfiber sheet is treated with a wash-resistant solution of about 6% by weight silver chloride. 
     
     
         8 . A towel, comprising:
 a sheet treated with an antimicrobial agent operative to inhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses on the sheet having
 an upper surface and a bottom surface; 
 a top end and a bottom end spaced apart by parallel first and second side edges, the bottom end defined by a straight edge, and the first and second side edges converging with the bottom end to define first and second bottom corners; 
 a left flap, a right flap and a central flap disposed between the left and right flaps extending outward from the top end; 
 means for increasing friction along the bottom surface of the sheet; and 
 means for removably securing the sheet to an exercise platform. 
   
     
     
         9 . The towel of  claim 8 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is a wash-resistant solution operative to inhibit the growth of at least some microoganisms on the sheet by 90% to 99.99% within a two-hour period. 
     
     
         10 . The towel of  claim 9 , wherein the solution is about 4% to about 8% by weight silver chloride. 
     
     
         11 . The towel of  claim 9 , wherein the solution is operative to reduce any or a combination of bacteria  S. pneumoniae  and  S. Aureus , and viruses Sars-COV-2, H1N1, and H3N3 by about 98% to about 99.99% within a two-hour period. 
     
     
         12 . The towel of  claim 8 , wherein the sheet comprises fabric that is absorbent, moisture-wicking, and quick drying. 
     
     
         13 . The towel of  claim 10 , wherein the fabric is microsuede. 
     
     
         14 . The towel of  claim 8 , wherein means for removably securing the sheet to an exercise platform comprises a plurality of elastic straps disposed along portions of the bottom surface of the sheet and sized to elastically encircle portions of the exercise platform. 
     
     
         15 . The towel of  claim 12 , wherein the exercise platform is a Pilates reformer carriage, and
 wherein elastic straps disposed on the bottom surface of the sheet span the width of one each of the left and right flaps, respectively, and are sized to elastically encircle one each of a Pilates reformer shoulder block in combination with a terminal portion of the flap itself; and   wherein an elastic strap is disposed on the bottom surface of the sheet diagonally across the first bottom corner and another elastic strap is disposed on the bottom surface of the sheet diagonally across the second bottom corner, each elastic strap disposed diagonally across the first and second bottom corners sized to elastically encircle one each of a bottom corner portion of a Pilates reformer carriage.   
     
     
         16 . The towel of  claim 8 , wherein the means for increasing friction along the bottom surface of the sheet comprise a plurality of silicone dots adhered to and distributed across the bottom surface of the sheet. 
     
     
         17 . The towel of  claim 8 , wherein the left and right flaps are longer than the central flap.