This application claims priority—pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d)—to an earlier-filed foreign application. The foreign application was earliest filed on 17th of May, 201.1 in the United Kingdom Patent Office and lists the same inventor. It was assigned UK Patent Application No. GB1108230.2. The UK Patent Application No. GB1108230.2, dated Mar. 5, 2012, claims the priority of the previously filed UK Patent Application“No. GB1203802.2.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bras, in particular to a structure of bra which can provide maximum support together with minimum discomfort for the wearer.
2. Description of the Related Art
The main purpose of a bra is to support the breasts of the wearer by transferring the forces involved in the support to other parts of the body, principally the shoulders and the rib cage. In a conventional bra it is tension in the front part of each bra strap which carries most of the weight of each breast.
Conventional bras are often uncomfortable, particularly for those women whose breasts are large.
Support relies on the bra gripping the rib cage. For larger breasts the band tension can reach over 20N. This is uncomfortable in itself and results in most wearers settling for a looser tension. This however leads to the back band of the bra slipping, and failing to fulfil its function. The shoulders exert more force than they need and the subsequent unnecessary pressure causes discomfort: Conventional bra structures also generate a forward force on the shoulders which can lead to a side effect of poor posture for the wearer:
In order, to stabilize the position of the bra structure some means must be provided to ensure that the bra strap tension is equalized front and back. The weight of the breast is only at the front-and this has to be balanced by equal forces produced in the remainder of the bra structure. EP 1.274326 discloses a bra structure which better equalises the strap tension front and back so as to minimise distortion of the bra structure and the consequent discomfort for the user. The structure disclosed in EP1274326 describes how a bra can be constructed without high tension in the back band and underhand and can also reduce shoulder strap tension by balancing shoulder strap lift against lift at the side of the cup by a novel rigid wing.
The present invention aims to improve on the structure disclosed in EP 1274326.
According to the present invention there is provided a bra structure comprising a pair of cup members, pair of shoulder straps each having a front end and a back end, respective side members interconnecting the cup members and the back end of the shoulder strap, and a substantially triangular frontal region interconnecting the cup members and the front end of the shoulder strap at either side thereof, each cup member adapted to be tensioned by the shoulder strap of the opposing side when worn, each cup member comprising a sling, the sling being symmetrical about a vertical axis whereby when worn the cup member extends up and behind the breast of the wearer.
The invention also provides a bra structure comprising a pair of cup members, a pair of shoulder straps each having a front end and a back end, respective, side members interconnecting the cup members and the back end of the shoulder strap, and a frontal semi rigid bridge member extending forwardly and interconnecting the cup member and the front end of the shoulder strap at either side thereof, whereby when worn the front end of each shoulder strap is held away from the rib cage by the ridge member, the shoulder strap thus exerting a radially inward horizontal force towards the wearer.
The invention further provides a bra structure comprising a pair of clip members, a pair of shoulder straps each having a profit end and a back end, respective side members interconnecting the cup members and the back end of the shoulder strap, a frontal semi rigid bridge member extending forwardly and interconnecting the cup member and the front end of the shoulder strap at either side thereof, each cup member comprising a sling, the sling being symmetrical about a vertical axis whereby when worn the cup member extends up and behind the breast of the wearer.
Preferably the interconnecting side members are formed of a semi rigid material.
In a further embodiment additional side control may be provided by a springy elongate control member.
By distributing the lift the pressure on the shoulder of the wearer is reduced.
A further advantage of the invention is that very little pressure on the rib cage is experienced by the wearer.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, given by way of example only, in Which:
a and 2b illustrate the pressure distribution in a cup structure in accordance with the invention and in a conventional cup structure;
a, 5b and 5c are a front elevation, side elevation and plan respectively of the bra structure in accordance with the invention illustrating the forces acting on the rigid bridge member;
The present invention discloses a bra structure in which there are less vertical tensions in the straps than a conventional bra. This leads to greater comfort for the wearer.
The range of naturally occurring bust sizes is extensive which means that bra cups have to be designed in a wide range of different sizes. As the volume of the bra cup increases the position of the lower edge of the cup changes from being worn where the bottom of the breast joins the chest to being worn below that point. This is so as to accommodate increasing volumes. In very large cups the vertical distance between the bottom of the cup and the point where the breast joins the chest wall can be several inches.
In providing lift and containment the cup exerts pressure on the breast and the breast exerts pressure equally on the cup. This pressure is provided by forces in the rest of the bra structure. A bra cup exerts pressure upwards at the lower part of the cup and also pressure inwards the further up the cup. The pressure is zero at the top edge of the cup and increases gradually to a maximum at the bottom. The pressure is essentially hydrostatic. However from time to time body movements can gently alter all forces. In a conventional bra cup with underwire the pressure of the breast inside the cup pushes all over the surface of the cup in such a direction that the net force on the cup has a component away from the chest. The weight exerts a force downwards on the cup but the asymmetry of the pressure exerts a force on the cup away from the chest. This force has to be provided by horizontal tension in the back band. The pressure distribution for the cup member in accordance with the present invention and for a conventional cup member are shown in
Referring to
As the sling cup preserves the breast's rounded shape underneath a space, or gap, is left. This is indicated by the arrow in
The inner side of each cup is attached to the bridge member at attachment point 11. The outer side of each cup may be attached to a rigid wing 7 which forms the side of the bra structure. This is described in more detail later. A fabric in tension which will ultimately be attached to a shoulder strap 3 extends from each attachment point 11 of the bridge member. When the bra is worn these shoulder straps extend in an upward and outward direction to pass over the shoulders of the wearer and so provide vertical forces. The other end of each shoulder strap 3 is attached to the rigid wing 7 as described later. It will of course be understood that the bra structure is entirely symmetrical.
The sling cups 1 are symmetrical from front to back. The pressure of the breast on the cup occurs both backwards as well as forwards and of course downwards. To a large extent the backwards pressure balances the forward pressure so that if the cup were to be lifted in a symmetrical mariner there would be no lateral net force and the cup would be stable with no radial horizontal tension constructions required. To support the cup in the practical asymmetric arrangement accommodating the curvature of the chest a forwardly extending rigid wing may be provided to form the side of the structure and the central rigid bridge member 2 extends forward of the cup so as to provide lift away from the chest wall. In this way the back pressure and the forward pressure can be balanced.
Elements in tension, either as part of the cup or separately, attach the extended side components of the rigid bridge member 2 to the underhand 6 thereby creating a component of force (in association with the angle of the tension line from the shoulder strap 3 to the end of the rigid bridge) towards the sternum. This horizontal force inwards holds the rigid bridge against the chest wall and therefore defines how the cups sit on the rib cage. Resolving forces along the shoulder strap shows that at the shoulder the net tension is down and proceeding away from the shoulder towards the rigid bridge, increasingly there arise horizontal components due to tension in the cup edge.
c illustrates the horizontal forces only showing that the bridge member is pressed against the ribcage. By moving the attachment points forward more horizontal force can be generated to hold the bridge member in place. The sling cups have lateral horizontal forces which balance each other.
c also illustrates means 20 to contain the breasts and stop them from falling off the sling cups should should they be subjected to a component of force, due to a forward component of an acceleration vector. The means 20 may also have properties which can shape the breasts by flattening. In either case, for restraint or for flattening, the tensions and other three in the means 20 need to be connected to parts of the bra structure which will transmit them to parts of the wearer which will maintain them, i.e. the ribcage or shoulders.
The restraint 20 or flattening means is illustrated in
The bridge member can be made of any suitable material which gives the required stiffness and comfort.
The forwardly extending rigid wing arrangement will now be described with particular to
The rigid wing 7 forms the side of the bra structure and provides attachment points for the interconnection of the shoulder strap 3, the sling cup 1, a backband 5 and an underband 6. The wing itself can in various different shapes, the only criteria being that the attachment points are provided at the correct locations so as to balance the couple due to the tension in the backband against the couple due to the shoulder strap and cup, i.e. Wa/2=Tb, where W is the weight of the cup, T is the tension in the backband, a is the horizontal distance between where the vertical forces act and b is the vertical distance between where the horizontal forces act. As can be seen in
The bra structure will also likely include cup extensions to support the front of the breast between the triangle formed of the top of the sling cup element. The part of the shoulder strap between the shoulder and the bridge component and a connecting piece found in all bra structures which runs from the wing to the shoulder strap.
The main component of this side structure is a rigid but springy elongate control member 12. The upper end of the member 12 is attached at its upper end to the frontal part of the shoulder strap 3, at attachment point 16. The lower end of the member 12 is attached to the underband. A piece of fabric 15 can be tensioned by the control member 12 to control the shape of the side of the cup and hold the side of the breast.
Horizontal side pressure of the bust causes horizontal forces at the attachment points. The horizontal forces are balanced at the lower end by increased tension in the underband. The increased tension in the underband is again entirely symmetrical in that the left hand element is connected in tension to the bottom of the right hand element and the tension occurs where the curvature of the cage is slight so that very hale horizontal pressure is experienced by the wearer. The upper end of the member 12 can derive horizontal forces only by altering the geometry of the shoulder strap 3. This is the change of angle in the shoulder strap at the point where the member 12 is connected to it. Tension panels are fixed within the framework of the member 12 at the required tensions to provide the desired curvature. Those tensions are entirely contained within the frame. They do not transmit to the wearer.
The control member 12 may be made of underwire or a moulding or any other suitable material. The fabric held in tension can be stiff or compliant.
As stated above it will be understood that the control member 12 is not essential to the invention but is merely a further option should extra side control be required.
The invention has been described above with respect to a preferred embodiment. The preferred embodiment includes the sling cups, the rigid bridge member and the rigid wing. However if will be understood by those skilled in the art that each of these features can be used individually in combination with conventional bra structures to improve the bra structure.
The rigid bridge member can be used with an otherwise conventional bra structure. As will be understood from the above in general the forces available are purely in tension and always in a hoop direction unless a rigid component is employed. The usual rigid component in conventional bras is the underwire. As regards the central front region the hoop tension in the underwires together with the torsion forces in the wire cause a radial force towards the ribcage. This force can in turn tension fabric in that region so as to maintain a pressure on the breast to hold it is a different shape compared to its unsupported shape. The forces involved may be static or dynamic or both.
A frame bra, i.e. one without underwires, does not have such radial forces and so its ability to define a shape would be enhanced by a component which does generate some. The rigid bridge member can provide a useful contribution to this alone, i.e. even without the sling cups and rigid wings. Without underwires a bra needs a component to push the centre of the bra towards the sternum so as to define the shape of the cleavage and to hold tension in material so as to support the breasts in this centre region. The rigidity of the bridge member of the present invention allows the attachment of the shoulders straps to beheld away froth the ribcage at an angle such that there is a horizontal radial component inwards towards the chest of the wearer. This means that the rigid bridge:member can support fabric tension acting against the hydrostatic pressure which the breast exerts on the material arranged to support them.
A conventional bra without underwiring may sometimes have a crises cross construction which allows the shoulder straps to provide lift in the centre region. It can be considered that the right strap lifts the inner edge of the leftcup and the left strap lifts the inner edge of the right cup. By using this type of deployment of the shoulder straps, i.e. by bringing the shoulder straps across the bust so that the right side of the left cup is tensioned by the right shoulder strap and vice versa the use of sling cups in accordance with the present invention is possible without the other features described above. Whether or not the sling cups are used with the other features of the invention some additional swing preventing material will enhance the bra structure.
Supporting the sling cup at the side is greatly aided by the use of the rigid wings described above but it can be used without. In a more conventional support method a grip on the chest will be generated by increasing the hoop tension iii the backband/underband loop. Such tension must be kept out of the sling cup by running the force in an underband positioned either below the cup or behind it or in between. A convenient point is then found on the wing to provide the “hammock” force needed for the sling cup.
As described above the sling cup is likely to be accompanied by extensions to support the front of the breast between the triangle formed of the top of the sling cup element, the part of the shoulder strap between the shoulder and the bridge component and the connecting piece found in all bra structures which runs from the wing to the shoulder strap.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made to each of the preferred embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
GB1108230.2 | May 2011 | GB | national |
GB1203802.2 | Mar 2012 | GB | national |