This application is related to co-pending U.S. Design Pat. Application No. 29/464,793,filed Aug. 21, 2013.
This disclosure is related to foundation garments, particularly brassieres. More particularly, this disclosure provides for a bra, primarily an athletic bra, having improved comfort and/or support.
Brassieres, particularly athletic or sports brassieres are available in a variety of constructions. Generally, these sports bras are designed to provide increased levels of support to a woman's breasts, often by compression, in order to reduce movement of the breasts during exercise. In some cases, women have been known to require the simultaneous use of more than one bra in order to provide their desired level of support and control. Even for women with smaller breasts, shifting of the wearer's torso, especially during athletic endeavors, can create circumstances where the wearer's bra becomes uncomfortable. Common complaints include chaffing of brassiere material against the wearer's skin, undesired movement of a torso band up or down, as well as failure to manage perspiration.
There remains a need for a bra, particularly, an athletic bra, that provides improvements over the prior art in one or more of the problem areas discussed above.
In at least a first embodiment, the present disclosure provides for a bra having a front portion configured to cover the breasts of a wearer; a back portion connected to the front portion to surround the torso of the wearer; and a torso band attached along a bottom edge of the front portion and the back portion. In at least this first embodiment, the bra includes a ply of supportive fabric disposed between inner and outer plies forming the front portion of the bra. The supportive fabric ply includes at least one first portion positioned at the top of the front portion and a pair of second portions positioned to correspond with the lateral sides of the wearer's breasts.
In at least a second embodiment, the present disclosure provides for a bra having a front portion configured to cover the breasts of a wearer; a back portion connected to the front portion to surround the torso of the wearer; and a torso band attached along a bottom edge of the front portion and the back portion. In at least this second embodiment, the back portion of the bra includes a torso encircling portion and a connector portion. The torso encircling portion has a bottom edge attached to the torso band and a top edge spaced from the torso band. The torso encircling portion is disposed along the torso band to join with each lateral side of the front portion. The connector portion projects upwardly from the torso band and is sewn at the torso and the upper edge of the torso encircling portion.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiments, when considered in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
Explanatory embodiments of this disclosure are described below and illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. The embodiments described provide examples and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments, and modifications and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such other embodiments, modifications and improvements are within the scope of the present invention. Features from one embodiment or aspect may be combined with features from any other embodiment or aspect in any appropriate combination. For example, any individual or collective features of method aspects or embodiments may be applied to apparatus, product or component aspects or embodiments and vice versa.
As used here, the terms “inner” and “inside” are used to describe items or features intended to be relatively near the body or skin of the wearer. By contrast, the terms “outer” or “outside” are used to describe items or features intended to be located away from the body or the skin of the wearer relative to other elements. Further, terms such as “upper,” “upward,” “top,” “above” and the like are used to describe items or features intended to be located in the relative direction of the wearer's head or shoulders. By contrast, terms such as “lower,” “downward,” “bottom,” “below” and the like are used to describe items or features intended to be located relatively toward the waist or hips of the wearer when in use.
With reference to the drawings, in particular
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As may be appreciated, the intermediate fabric ply 125 includes a greater percentage of nylon than the inner fabric ply 120 and the outer fabric ply 115. The mesh structure, coupled with the increased percentage of nylon, can provide the intermediate fabric ply 125 with a higher modulus of elasticity i.e., a greater resistance to stretching, than that of the inner fabric ply 120 and outer fabric ply 115. In other words, the intermediate fabric ply 125 should have a lesser degree of stretch. The higher modulus of elasticity of the intermediate fabric ply 125 increases the ability of the intermediate fabric ply 125 to provide support to the breasts of the wearer of bra 1. Each mesh structure results in a relative coarse fabric and is disposed between the inner and outer fabric plies to reduce contact with the skin of the wearer, thereby avoiding chaffing.
With continued reference to
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The front portion 100 further comprises shoulder portions 170. The shoulder portions 170 can include the outer fabric ply 115 and the inner fabric ply 120 extending from the bust region 110. Preferably a single piece of fabric will form the outer fabric ply 115 for the bust region 110 and both shoulder portions 170; however multiple pieces could be sewn or otherwise bonded together. In one embodiment, the shoulder portions 170 include a gel layer 175 disposed between the outer fabric ply 115 and the inner fabric ply 120. The gel layer 175 acts as a cushion at or near the uppermost shoulder portion of the bra 1 when worn.
The front portion 100 may further comprise a pair of lateral regions 180 respectively disposed laterally outward of the bust region 110, and optionally, the brace region 150. The lateral regions 180 act as the transition between the front portion 100 and the back portion 200. In some embodiments, the fabric forming the lateral regions 180 may be laminated in order to increase stability. One possible laminate is Delnet® Film available from DelStar Technologies, Inc. of Middletown, Del. as product number #PQ218NAT.
Referring to
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The connector portion 240 is configured to have a narrow width adapted for a comfortable placement between the shoulder blades of the wearer and further reducing the likelihood of chaffing. The connector portion 240 may also include a two-ply construction, each ply comprising the mesh fabric used in the intermediate fabric ply 125.
Referring to
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Although the above disclosure has been presented in the context of exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20150056890 A1 | Feb 2015 | US |