Patent Application
20180235288
This invention relates to bra fitment, and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for providing the ability to enhance the flexibility of a bra's fitment.
A bra or brassiere is a form-fitting garment designed to support a woman's breasts. Bras are not anatomically required, but are typically worn in response to cultural influences to achieve a desired positioning and shape for the breasts. Women's choices about what bra to wear are consciously and unconsciously affected by social perceptions of the ideal female body shape, which changes over time. As lingerie, bras are also about expressing female sex appeal and expressions of sexual fantasy. Regardless of underlying rationale for her use of a bra, achieving a wearer's desired “look” is frequently critical to their self-image and confidence.
Proper bra fitment is a problem. Women are of infinitely variable shapes and sizes. However, mass-produced bras are typically manufactured to fit a prototypical woman standing with both arms at her sides. Bra design assumes a woman generally articulated and dimensioned in accordance with this prototypical woman. Further, bra design assumes both breasts are equally sized and symmetrical. They frequently are neither. Further, bras typically don't have an infinite range of adjustment and are constrained by their configuration as manufactured.
Proper fitment is made more complicated because bras are complex garments made of many parts and come in dozens of sizes and configurations. This results in a large number of women getting their bras fit by professionals. In one survey from the United Kingdom, 60% of over 2,000 women between the ages of 16 to 75 said they had a bra fitting at one point in their life. The remainder of the population fits themselves or have friends or relatives fit them. When a woman fits herself, the fitting is frequently less than perfect. Even if a woman is once properly sized and fitted for a bra, finding subsequent bras that are correctly fitted without a professional can still be difficult. Both the methods of measurement and the manufacturing standards vary widely between manufacturers. Further, a woman's shape changes over time due to fluctuations in weight, the aging process as well as other factors. As a result, it is estimated that up to 85 percent of women may be wearing the wrong size bra. These improperly fitted bras can cause unwanted positioning, movement and/or shaping of the breasts. Further, even when properly fitted, a bra may not provide the desired shaping for a user's tastes or may not integrate well into a particular outfit. This lack of desired positioning and/or shaping can have a negative effect on a woman's self-image and confidence. Similarly, unwanted movement can create insecurities that negatively affect self-image and confidence.
For these reasons, among others, a need exists for apparatus and method to enhance the range of adjustability and flexibility in breast shaping and support for a user.
Bras are also very expensive and, even if initially properly fit, can tend to fatigue and misshape over time. Their expense and/or the emotional attachment a woman can develop for her favorite bra can lead to her using a bra beyond its optimum lifespan. To allow continued use and desired shaping for such fatigued and/or misshapen bras, a need exists for an apparatus and method to assist the bra in positioning and/or shaping her breasts as she desires.
Apparatus and methods in accordance with the present inventions may resolve many of the needs and shortcomings discussed above and will provide additional improvements and advantages that may be recognized by those skilled in the art upon review of the present disclosure.
In application of the methods, a woman would be provide and put on a bra. The bra would have a first cup to receive her right breast and a second cup to receive her left breast. Each cup would define a medial edge. The medial edge would be the edge of the cup adjacent the woman's cleavage. The bra would also typically have a pair of shoulder straps. Whether for being misfit, worn, or simply aesthetically not pleasing to the woman, her breasts they are supported by the bra 90 may be considered to be in a first undesirable position at the woman's discretion. In order to change the position without changing bra, the woman would provide a bra fitment apparatus. The bra fitment apparatus would include a first clip secured at a first end to a strap and a second clip secured at a second end to the strap. The first clip and the second clip are configured to be removably secured to the medial edges of the first cup and the second cup. The first clip has a first inner jaw and a first outer jaw. The second clip has a second inner jaw and a second outer jaw. The first inner jaw and the first outer jaw of the each clip are configured to receive and secure the first clip to the first medial edge of a cup. The first inner jaw and the first outer jaw are generally configured to secure the medial edges of the cups without generating substantial wear to a material of the first cup and the second cup. The inner jaws and outer jaws of clips may frictionally secure the clips to the material of the bra. With a frictionally secured clip, the inner jaw generating friction against the inner surface and the first outer jaw generating friction against the outer surface to secure the clip to the medial edge of the cup. Alternatively or in addition, the inner jaws and outer jaws of clips may mechanically secure the clips to the bra. With a mechanically secured clip, the inner jaws and the outer jaws receive and mechanically engage a hem on the medial edge of the cups to secure the clips to the medial edge of the cups. To reposition her breasts, the woman may first repositioning her breasts from the first undesirable position to a second desired position. To achieve the second desired position, the woman selects a first selected position on a first medial edge of the first cup above the bridge of the bra to secure the first clip. The woman then secures the first clip of the bra tensioning apparatus to the first medial edge of the first cup. The bra tensioning apparatus is generally secured to the material of the cups by applying pressure between the first outer jaw positioned against a first outer surface of the first cup and the first inner jaw positioned against a first inner surface of the first cup at the first selected position along the first medial edge. The clips are configured so that they may be removably secured to the cups so that the clips may be initially secured to the cups and, if the desired breast repositioning is not achieved, clips may be released and removed from the cups to allow them to be attached to a different location on the cups or to the cups of a different bra. Based on estimates to achieve the second desired position and/or the aesthetic desired by the woman for an outfit, the woman secures the first clip of the bra tensioning apparatus to the first medial edge of the first cup. The securing of the first clip typically includes applying pressure between the first outer jaw positioned against a first outer surface of the first cup and the first inner jaw positioned against a first inner surface of the first cup at the first selected position along the first medial edge. Again based on estimates to achieve the second desired position and/or the aesthetic desired by the woman, the woman selects a second selected position along the second medial edge of the second cup above the bridge of the bra to secure the second clip. Woman then secures the second clip of the bra tensioning apparatus to the second medial edge of the second cup above the bridge of the bra. The second clip is secured by applying pressure between the second outer jaw positioned against a second outer surface of the second cup and the second inner jaw positioned against a second inner surface of the second cup at the second selected position along the second medial edge. Once the bra fitment apparatus is properly positioned and secured to bra, the bra fitment apparatus generates a tension through its strap between the first clip and the second clip to draw the first cup toward the medial line and the second cup toward the medial line of the woman wearing the bra to hold the breasts in the second desired position.
All Figures are illustrated for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the present invention only; the extensions of the Figures with respect to number, position, relationship and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiment will be explained or will be within the skill of the art after the following description has been read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similar requirements for various applications will likewise be within the skill of the art after the following description has been read and understood.
Where used in various Figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms “upper,” “lower,” “medial,” “lateral,” “forward,” “rear,” “first,” “second,” “inside,” “outside,” and similar descriptive and relative terms are used, the terms should be understood to reference only the structure shown in the drawings and utilized only to facilitate describing the illustrated embodiments. Further, the term “top” and “side” are used differently in describing the Figures showing the bra fitment apparatus in isolation and the bra fitment apparatus secured to a bra on a user. The differences in nomenclature will be understood by those skilled in the art upon review of the present disclosure.
The Figures generally illustrate exemplary embodiments of a bra fitment apparatus 10 and methods that include aspects of the present inventions. The particularly illustrated embodiments of the bra fitment apparatus 10 have been chosen for ease of explanation and understanding of various aspects of the present inventions. These illustrated embodiments are not meant to limit the scope of coverage but, instead, to assist in understanding the context of the language used in this specification and in the appended claims. Accordingly, the appended claims may encompass variations of bra fitment apparatus 10, its components and methods of use that differ to varying degrees from the precisely illustrated embodiments.
The present inventions provide a bra fitment apparatus 10 for use in association with adjusting the fitment of a bra 90 and associated methods for use in shaping, positioning and/or constraining the movement of a wearer's breasts. The bra fitment apparatus 10 is generally configured to be secured in tension between the first cup 94 and the second cup 94 of a bra 90 being worn by a user 100. The bra fitment apparatus 10 generally includes a first clip 14 and a second clip 16 that are connected to one another by a band 16. The clips 14, 16 are generally configured to be secured to opposing medial edges 148 of the cups 94, 96. The positioning of the clips 14, 16 and tension in the band 12 being selected by the user 100 to reposition and/or reshape her breasts relative to her breasts' original position in the bra 90 alone. The first clip 14 and the second clip 16 are generally configured to maintain sufficient tension in the band 12 between first cup 94 and the second cup 96 to hold the breasts in the desired position. The clips 14, 16 are generally configured to maintain this tension without damaging the material of the bra 90 or slipping or otherwise releasing from the medial edge 148 of the cups 94, 96 of the bra 90.
As shown in
In application of the methods, a woman 100 would be provide and put on a bra 90. The bra 90 would have a first cup 94 to receive her right breast and a second cup 96 to receive her left breast. Each cup 94, 96 would define a medial edge 148. The medial edge 148 would be the edge of the cup 94, 96 adjacent the woman's cleavage 190. The bra 90 would also typically have a pair of shoulder straps 98. Whether for being misfit, worn, or simply aesthetically not pleasing to the woman, her breasts they are supported by the bra 90 may be considered to be in a first undesirable position at the woman's discretion. In order to change the position without changing bra 90, the woman 100 would provide a bra fitment apparatus 10. The bra fitment apparatus 10 would include a first clip 14 secured at a first end to a strap 12 and a second clip 15 secured at a second end to the strap. The first clip 14 and the second clip 16 are configured to be removably secured to the medial edges 148 of the first cup 94 and the second cup 96. The first clip 14 has a first inner jaw 22 and a first outer jaw 24. The second clip 16 has a second inner jaw 22 and a second outer jaw 24. The first inner jaw 22 and the first outer jaw 24 of the each clip 14, 16 are configured to receive and secure the first clip to the first medial edge 148 of a cup 14, 16. The first inner jaw 22 and the first outer jaw 24 are generally configured to secure the medial edges 148 of the cups 14, 16 without generating substantial wear to a material 150 of the first cup 14 and the second cup 16. The inner jaws 22 and outer jaws 24 of clips 14, 16 may frictionally secure the clips 14, 16 to the material 150 of the bra 90. With a frictionally secured clip 14, 16, the inner jaw 22 generating friction against the inner surface 152 and the first outer jaw 24 generating friction against the outer surface 154 to secure the clip 14, 16 to the medial edge 148 of the cup 94, 96. Alternatively or in addition, the inner jaws 22 and outer jaws 24 of clips 14, 16 may mechanically secure the clips 14, 16 to the bra 90. With a mechanically secured clip 14, 16, the inner jaws 22 and the outer jaws 24 receive and mechanically engage a hem 144, 146 on the medial edge 148 of the cups 94, 96 to secure the clips 14, 16 to the medial edge 148 of the cups 14, 16. To reposition her breasts, the woman 100 may first repositioning her breasts from the first undesirable position 110 to a second desired position 120. To achieve the second desired position 120, the woman 100 selects a first selected position on a first medial edge 148 of the first cup 14 above the bridge 92 of the bra 90 to secure the first clip 14. The woman 100 then secures the first clip 14 of the bra tensioning apparatus 10 to the first medial edge 148 of the first cup 14. The bra tensioning apparatus is generally secured to the material 150 of the cups 14, 16 by applying pressure between the first outer jaw 24 positioned against a first outer surface 154 of the first cup 14 and the first inner jaw 22 positioned against a first inner surface 152 of the first cup 14 at the first selected position along the first medial edge 148. The clips 14, 16 are configured so that they may be removably secured to the cups 14, 16 so that the clips 14, 16 may be initially secured to the cups 14, 16 and, if the desired breast repositioning is not achieved, clips 14, 16 may be released and removed from the cups to allow them to be attached to a different location on the cups 94, 96 or to the cups 94, 96 of a different bra 90. Based on estimates to achieve the second desired position and/or the aesthetic desired by the woman 100 for an outfit, the woman 100 secures the first clip 14 of the bra tensioning apparatus 10 to the first medial edge 148 of the first cup 94. The securing of the first clip 14 typically includes applying pressure between the first outer jaw 24 positioned against a first outer surface 154 of the first cup 94 and the first inner jaw 22 positioned against a first inner surface 152 of the first cup 94 at the first selected position along the first medial edge 148. Again based on estimates to achieve the second desired position 120 and/or the aesthetic desired by the woman 100, the woman selects a second selected position along the second medial edge 148 of the second cup 16 above the bridge 92 of the bra 90 to secure the second clip 16. Woman 100 then secures the second clip 16 of the bra tensioning apparatus 10 to the second medial edge 148 of the second cup 16 above the bridge 92 of the bra 90. The second clip 16 is secured by applying pressure between the second outer jaw 24 positioned against a second outer surface 154 of the second cup 16 and the second inner jaw 22 positioned against a second inner surface 152 of the second cup 16 at the second selected position along the second medial edge 148. Once the bra fitment apparatus 10 is properly positioned and secured to bra 90, the bra fitment apparatus 10 generates a tension through its strap 12 between the first clip 14 and the second clip 16 to draw the first cup 94 toward the medial line and the second cup 96 toward the medial line of the woman 100 wearing the bra 90 to hold the breasts in the second desired position 120.
The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary embodiments of the present inventions. Upon review of the specification, one skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying figures and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. This includes but is not limited to the order of the steps of the methods for using the bra fitment apparatus 10.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62462674 | Feb 2017 | US |
