Patent Application
20250120456
The present embodiments described in this specification relate generally to brassieres, and specifically to fashionable brassieres adapted for supporting surgically augmented breasts post-healing. Overall, implant-based enhanced breasts show significant changes compared to native breasts, affecting bra fit. We emphasize several elements of ergonomic bra design affected by the altered anatomical variances of augmented versus natural breast tissue.
Upon undergoing breast augmentation surgery, post-operative breast compression support garments are used by people to help support their breasts while their surgical wounds heal. Current post-operative brassieres focus on healing compression garments, which are usually recommended for the first 6-8 weeks post-operation. For people that have undergone a mastectomy or reconstructive breast surgery, specifically designed brassieres are available which include holes for drain bulb management, as well as pocketed compartments to accommodate breast prostheses.
Augmented breasts differ from natural breasts of similar size in various ways. Augmented breasts are generally firmer and less malleable, present greater forward projection, and are rounded (semi-spherical) shape with increased fullness at apex and upper quadrant of breast.
Once healed, people with augmented breasts resort to fitting on regular brassieres for everyday wear and fashion. However, implant-based breast surgery alters the breast shape, making standard bras designed for natural breast tissue inadequate. The semi-spherical shape of an implant-based breast is a key factor affecting fit. This variance in volume placement often causes the bottom of a cup in a conventional brassiere to be left empty while breast tissue spills at top of cup, thus not providing adequate support to a wearer with augmented breasts and causing the cup to lose its shape over time.
In addition, conventional brassiere cups are much too shallow for the augmented breast shape, and do not provide the adequate depth needed for the additional forward projection from an implant. This can be observed in cases where augmented breasts push the brassiere outwards as opposed to allowing the bust to effortless fill the cup in its entirety, and allowing the center gore to sit tacked against the wearer's sternum (between the breasts). With conventional brassiere cups' inability to flex and match the wearer's shape and projection, breast with implants are often overly compressed against the wearer's chest wall adding unwanted pressure on implants or spilling from top and sides of cups thereby causing discomfort and aesthetic discrepancies.
Conventional brassieres can have added bulk of padding at the bottom of brassiere or have a “bump pad” located at the platform and/or side of bra cups for lift, causing the implants to be forced out of pocketed position, thereby expanding the implant pocket, which leads to excessive movement during position changes or activities. This added bulk is usually heavy, non breathable, and non-moisture wicking. The added bulk in brassieres can enlarge the appearance of the breast, but this effect is not usually desired by wearers that have already augmented the size of their breasts with breast implants and do not wish to add to augmented appearance.
Conventional underwires are known to cause pain points with their inability to adapt and fluidly flex to unique implant contours while providing the sufficient support needed. The rigidity and length of conventional underwires pose an issue within the brassiere. Pain points caused by conventional underwires are typically on the sternum (between the breasts) and the axilla (underarm).
In conventional brassieres, underwire channels (the fabric casing in which houses the underwire) are wide open and semi-circular in shape. This wide semi-circular shape makes it difficult to provide the fit and support needed as it does not effectively align with the root of breast (base). The underwire channel often opens too wide on either side.
While front closure brassieres are generally preferred for projected busts, they typically do not have an adjustable band. Because 80 percent of the support of a brassiere should come from the band, band resilience and lifespan should be optimized. Over time, the elastic on band will stretch. Having the ability to tighten the band in this event is vital to providing support needed. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved brassiere adapted to the needs of a wearer with augmented breasts.
In broad form, the invention seeks to address all the issues suffered by users with breast augmentation when wearing a conventional brassiere.
An embodiment of the invention provides for a brassiere including a pair of short, flexible underwires, a pair of deep molded cups with an internal support system integrated, with each cup of the pair of cups being positioned above a respective underwire of the pair of underwires, a front-closure center gore positioned between the pair of cups, and an adjustable band configured to wrap around the back of the user. Each underwire of the pair of underwires may have a general narrow letter “U” shape and the band may have a pair of adjustable embedded cushioning strips attaching to cups.
In one embodiment, each cup of the pair of cups is multi-layered and includes at least a molded layer (lined or unlined), and an internal support system (either integrated into first layer or seen in separate layer). In another embodiment, the brassiere cups may include a support frame substantially in the shape of a letter “J” and positioned to cradle and provide necessary support for augmented breasts while maintaining the breast implant position front and center with respect to the wearer. The support frame may be comprised of low-stretch or non-stretch fabric, designed to act as side and base motion support panels that will cradle and gently lift.
In a further embodiment, the brassiere includes molded cups with added depth, challenging the respective size and grading system according to United States and International standards. The increased depth of the molded cups is a result of precision engineering, utilizing custom mold manufacturing presses specifically designed for this purpose.
In yet another embodiment, the brassiere may include a front closure positioned in front of the wearer and an adjustable band that is configured to span the back of the wearer, where the adjustable band includes a “hook and eye” closure. As such, disconnecting the front closure and the hook and eye closure on the band allows for the brassiere to be disassembled into two pieces.
In yet another embodiment, the brassiere includes shorter (relative to United States and International sizing and grading standards), flexible underwires with the ability to move fluidly with curves, while providing meticulous support, tailored to the root (base) of wearers breast.
In yet another embodiment, the brassiere includes a narrower underwire channel (U-shaped technology), housing the flexible underwires and aligning with implants' contours ensuring a superior fit and exceptional comfort.
For a complete understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will be readily understood that the components of the present embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the Figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the brassiere of the present embodiments, as presented in the Figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments.
Reference throughout this specification to “a select embodiment,” “one embodiment,” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment described herein. Thus, appearances of the phrases “a select embodiment,” “in one embodiment,” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.
A center gore 6 extends between the cups 2, 3. A pair of shoulder straps 7, 8 extends from a top side of each of the cups 2, 3 respectively. Specifically, a first shoulder strap 7 extends from a top side of the right cup 2 and a second shoulder strap extends from a top side of the left cup 3.
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The support frames 13, 14 contour the outer edges 26, 36 of the cups 2, 3 respectively. The support frames 13, 14 also include a widened portion positioned vertically above the lower edge of the support frames 13, 14. For example, support frame 14 includes a widened portion 145 positioned vertically above the lower edge 140 and along an outer edge 36 of the cup 3. The widened portion 145 of support frame 14 extends towards the center of the brassiere 1. The widened portion of each support frame 14, 15 is configured to be positioned horizontally across from an outer corner 28, 38 of a respective cup 2, 3 of the pair of cups when the brassiere 1 is worn by the user. As mentioned previously, the support frame 13, which is affixed to cup 2, is configured to be a mirrored copy of support frame 14, and as such, includes a widened portion (not shown) that extends from an outer edge 26 of cup 2 towards the center of the brassiere 1. The support provided by the support frames 13, 14 prevents breast implant displacement and hinders implants from falling to the side of the breast tissue, cradling and providing support. As such, the position of the breast implants within the augmented breasts is essentially maintained with each breast implant being held front and center.
The support frames 13, 14 may each be made of a single or double layer, low-stretch or non-stretch microfiber, foam, a 3D knit fabric or made of a power mesh. In either case, the support frame should be made of a material that is either non-stretch or has minimal stretching capability in order to provide the support required from the support frame 13, 14. The support frames may be comprised in one whole frame or two separate pieces, still both creating the similar letter “J”.
The band 11 may have embedded cushioning strips 15, 16 where the band 11 attaches to the outer edge of the cups 2, 3. The cushioning strips 15, 16 function to prevent the brassiere 1 from shifting upwards on the chest of the user as they wear the brassiere 1. In addition, the shoulder straps 7, 8 may include padding at a region configured to lay on a top side of a user's shoulders (referred to herein as a “shoulder region”). The padding at the shoulder region of each shoulder strap 7, 8 provides comfort at the points of the brassiere 1 that necessarily hold the additional weight of the breast implants within the augmented breasts of the user.
In one embodiment, each cup of the pair of cups 2, 3 has two or more layers. One layer may be a thin molded layer made of a memory foam material that conforms to the shape of the respective breast. Unlike conventional shallow molded cups, a molded layer of memory foam would be molded deeper than United States and International grading sizing standards for its retrospective size, capable of more readily conforming to the shape of a breast, providing functionality. Another layer of the cup may be an unlined layer. In another embodiment, the cup may be compromised of double layer unlined molded fabric.
Where the brassiere 1 includes cups 2, 3 with two or more layers and one layer may be thin deep molded layer made of a memory foam material, a support frame may be also included for additional support. In such an embodiment, the layering of the brassiere at the point where a support frame (13 or 14) is present would follow the following sequence from the inner-most layer to the outer-most layer: the support frame, the thin lined molded layer made of a memory foam material, and a single layer of soft microfiber.
Where the brassiere 1 includes cups 2, 3 with only an unlined single or double layer, a support frame is still included. In such an embodiment, the layering of the brassiere at the point where a support frame (13 or 14) is present would follow the following sequence from the inner-most layer to the outer-most layer: the support frame, and an unlined cup. In either of the embodiments mentioned above, the support frames 13, 14 are positioned at the inner-most layer so as to sit directly against the user's breast when the brassiere 1 is being worn.
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This invention may be applied to wearers with saline or silicone implants that have been either placed sub pectoral or on top of muscle. Wearers may have sought breast augmentation to enhance (cosmetic/aesthetic), rebuild (post breast-feeding/post-weight loss), or reconstruct (post unilateral or bilateral mastectomy).
It is anticipated that the brassiere will be made in a wide variety of styles, as well as swim wear. It is also anticipated that the brassiere will come in sizes 28-36 band and C—H cup.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in the foregoing specification, it is understood that modifications and other embodiments will occur. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and other modifications and embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. Additionally, while specific terms are used, they are meant in a generic and descriptive sense only and are not intended to restrict the scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63544468 | Oct 2023 | US |
