Cleavage enhancing brassiere

Abstract

The brassiere comprises a connecting strap extending between a first breast cup and a second breast cup or pocket, at least one column of hooks or buttons or first attachment structure attached directly to the first or second breast cup or pocket and a plurality of loops in a column or mating second attachment structures fixed directly to the second or first breast cup whereby the hook or button or first attachment structure can be attached to one of the loops or second attachment structures in steps from the lower most loop in the column upwardly in steps to the highest loop in the column for adjusting the tension in steps between the first and second breast cups or pockets in steps from the lowermost loops to the lowermost hook or button in steps upwardly to enhance the cleavage in steps between the breasts held by the brassiere.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to brassieres having multiple hooks or buttons or other forms attachment and mating loops or forms of attachment for adjusting the tension between adjacent breast cups or pockets thereby to enhance the breast cleavage of a woman wearing the brassiere.

2. Description of the Related Art

Heretofore brassieres enhancing cleavage have been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,601 to Kelemencky and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,884 to Dragojevic.

The Kelemencky brassiere uses a pair of support straps with hook and loop fasteners to pull the breasts together to create or enhance a cleavage line. Each of the support straps has two ends. One end being fixed to a breast cup or pocket and the other being adjustably connected to the opposite breast cup or pocket as well. The support straps can be configured so that they may be fastened horizontally or in a criss-cross manner between the breast cups or pockets.

The Dragojevic brassiere provides an adjustable clip which is attached to brassiere cups at various user selected locations between the brassiere cups to position cleavage and separation of the breasts. The adjustable clip can be implemented by a clip that has access to a conventional brassiere or by integral hook and loop strips, by string ties or by other suitable devices.

Also the Kilbride et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,091 and the McCurley U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,541 disclose prior art structures.

McCurley has no front opening for adjustability as well as no generally vertically extending row for adjustability

In column 5 lines 49-50 of claim 1 McCurley calls for “retaining surgical compress gauze pads over a mastectomy incision area”.

Kilbride teaches as shown in FIGS. 3A-C and in Col 3 lines 66-67 and in Col 4 Lines 1-15 a structure

“thereby forming a continuous torso-encircling band 35A” to be pulled over and put on.

Also at column 4, lines 16-21 Kilbride teaches

“single-handedly releasably adjusting coupling”

Applicants' brassier only works with the use of two hands

Col. 4 lines 39-48 of Kilbride, teaches connector portions 60A and 62A which are horizontal “arrays of releasably interlockable hooks and loops” and not vertical columns or arrays as taught by applicant for adjusting cleavage between cups for enhancing cleavage.

Kilbride et al. teaches the use of an elongated tongue fixed at one end to one breast cup and a ring member fixed to the other breast cup. The tongue has a two connector portions, one having Velcro™ loop material and the other connector portion having Velcro™ hook material. Adjustment is achieved by inserting the tongue through the ring member and fasting the tongue connector portions. The specification teaches that the connector portions can use other kinds of fasteners besides Velcro™, e.g. hook and eye, hook and latch or button and buttonhole.

This teachings of Kilbride do not teach at least three generally vertically extending columns of at least three individual loops on and fixed to one breast cup and at least three individual buttons or hooks on and fixed to the other breast cup as taught by applicant which are connected in steps to enhance cleavage in steps starting with the lowermost loops and working your way upwardly in steps.

Kilbride teaches horizontal tension and not vertical tension as claimed by applicant.

With respect to McCurley, note that applicant does not use tongues and ring members.

McCurley, at Col. 4 Lines 22-23, teaches no opening front, no adjustability for cleavage, with hooks and loops in the rear and horizontal in adjustability.

McCurley teaches an adjustable closure on strap ends for a brassier located adjacent a woman's back including a row of 4 hooks on one strap end and two rows of loops on the other strap end of the connecting strap that extends behind the woman's back. This patent does not teach three generally vertically extending columns of hooks or buttons on and fixed directly to a first breast cup for connection to a second breast cup and at least three generally vertically extending columns of at least three individual loops attached to the second breast cup for being coupled together to enhance breast cleavage.

Note that McCurley's hooks and loops are located on strap ends of a connecting strap situated behind a woman's back and not on breast cups located over a woman's chest as called for by applicant's claims.

Kilbride at Col. 4 Lines 29-34 discloses band ends 54A and 58A which are brought together, not for cleavage enhancement, just to bring both cups together.

Kilbride teaches single handedly to release a taught torso-encircling band See Col 4 Lines 16-20.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A brassiere comprising a connecting back strap that extends around a woman's back between a first breast cup and a second breast cup, at least three hooks or buttons attached directly in a generally vertically extending column to said first or second breast cup and at least three loops attached directly in a generally vertically extending column to said second or first breast cup, whereby one of said three hooks or buttons can be attached to one of said three loops from the lowest one of the loops upwardly to the uppermost loop for adjusting the tension between said first and second breast cups to adjustably enhance in steps the cleavage between the breasts held by the brassiere breast cups.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows a tab fixed to one breast cup or pocket and having a hook extending there from and a strap extending from the other breast cup or pocket with four loops fixed thereon.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows one breast cup or pocket having three rows of hooks in addition to a tab with a hook and with the other breast cup or pocket having three rows of loops and a strap with four loops thereon.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows two breast cups or pockets and a strap extending there between and a hook fixed to one breast cup or pocket and four loops mounted in a row on the strap.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and is similar to the brassiere shown in FIG. 2 except that the strap having a row of four loops extends to and is connected between the two breast cups or pockets.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows a wide strap connected between the two breast cups or pockets of the brassiere with a row of four hooks on one breast cup or pocket and three rows of four loops each mounted to the strap.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows the wide strap of the brassiere of FIG. 5 and three rows of hooks on one brassiere cup or pocket and three rows of loops on the other brassiere cup or pocket.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows a row of hooks extending from one edge of one of the breast cups or pockets and a row of loops fixed along an opposing edge of the other breast cup or pocket and two rows of hooks on the first breast cup or pocket behind the row of hooks at the edge and two rows of loops on the other breast cup or pocket behind the row of loops at the edge of the second breast cup or pocket.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and is similar to the brassiere shown in FIG. 7 but with a strap between the breast cups or pockets.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows a first strap extending from one edge of one of the breast cups or pockets with a row of hooks thereon and another strap extending from the edge of the opposing breast cup or pocket with a row of loops thereon.

FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows first and second straps on opposing edges of the breast cups or pockets as shown in FIG. 9 and in addition three rows of hooks on one breast cup or pocket and three rows of loops on the other breast cup or pocket.

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows a row of four hooks fixed to one edge of one breast cup or pocket and four loops fixed to an opposing edge of the other breast cup or pocket.

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of still another brassiere constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and shows overlapping breast cups or pocket fixed to each other with a row of buttons along the edge of the overlapping breast cup or pocket and two rows of loops on the overlapped breast cup or pocket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE BRASSIERE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1 it is illustrated therein a brassiere 10 comprising first and second breast cups or pockets 12 and 14 connected by a connecting strap 16 that extends from one breast cup or pocket 12 to the other breast cup or pocket 14 and which can be, at least in part, elastic and which can have fastener structure in the middle thereof. The brassiere 10 further includes over the shoulder strap 18 extending from the first breast cup or pocket 12 to the connecting strap 16 and a second over the shoulder strap 20 extending from the second breast cup or pocket 14 to the connecting strap 16.

The construction of the brassiere 10 so far described is conventional.

According to the teachings of the present invention, the brassiere 10 has a tab 22 extending from a free edge 24 of the first breast cup or pocket 12 with a hook 26 extending from the tab 22. Then on an opposite free edge 28 of the other breast cup or pocket 14 is a strap 30 which extends from that edge 28 and has a row 32 of four loops 34 thereon.

It will be understood that in the use of the brassiere 10 shown in FIG. 1, the hook 26 can be hooked onto anyone of the four loops 34 for adjusting the tension on the breast of the wearer of brassiere 10 to adjust the position of the first breast cup or pocket 12 relative to the second breast cup or pocket 14 thereby to enhance the cleavage line created between the breasts of the wearer of the brassiere 10.

In FIG. 2 is illustrated another brassiere 40 having first and second breast cups or pockets 12 and 14 a strap 16 and over the shoulder straps 18 and 20.

Like in the brassiere 10, the brassiere 40 also has a tab 22 with a hook 26 and a strap 30 with a row 32 of four loops 34.

In addition, the brassiere 40 has three rows 42, 44 and 46 of hooks 48 fixed to an outer surface 52 of the first breast cup or pocket 12. Then, on an outer surface 54 of the second breast cup or pocket 14 are fixed three rows 56, 58 and 60 of loops 62.

It will be understood that one of the rows 42, 44 or 45 of hooks 48 can be attached to one of the rows 56, 58 or 60 of loops 62 to adjust the tension between the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14 thereby to increase or decrease the cleavage between the breasts held by the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14.

In FIG. 3 is illustrated another brassiere 70 constructed according to the teachings of the present invention brassiere. This brassiere 70 has a hook 72 connected to the free edge 24 of the first breast cup or pocket 12 and a strap 74, which can be elastic or non-elastic, extends to and is fixed between the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14. The strap 74 has four loops 76 thereon which are adapted to be engaged by the hook 72 for adjusting the cleavage between the breasts held by the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14.

In FIG. 4 is illustrated another embodiment of a brassiere 80 constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. The brassiere 80 is similar to the brassiere 40 shown in FIG. 2 except that instead of the strap 30 extending from the second breast cup or pocket 14, there is provided a strap 74 like in FIG. 3 which extends between and is fixed to the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14 and a hook 72 fixed to the free edge 24 of the breast cup or pocket 12 and four loops 76 are fixed to the strap 74.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a brassiere 90 constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. This brassiere 90 includes a wide strap 92 which extends between and is fixed to the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14. A row 94 of four hooks 96 are fixed to the free edge 24 of the first breast cup or pocket 12 and a row 98 of loops 100 are fixed to the free edge 28 of the second breast cup or pocket 14 or to the wide strap 92 at the free edge 28. Then, another two rows 102, 104 of loops 100 are fixed to the strap 92. It will be understood that the row 94 of hooks 96 can be attached to any one of the three rows 98, 102 or 104 of loops 100 for adjusting the cleavage of the breasts held by the brassiere 90.

A brassiere 110 shown in FIG. 6 includes the wide strap 92, the row 94 of hooks 96 and the three rows 98, 102 and 104 of loops 100 as found in the brassiere 90 as shown in FIG. 5. However, in addition, there is provided on the outer surface 52 of the breast cup or pocket 12, three rows 112, 114 and 116 of hooks 118 and on the outer surface 54 of the second first breast cup or pocket 14, three rows 122, 124 and 126 of loops 128. In this embodiment, any one of the rows 94,112, 114 or 116 of hooks 96 or 118 can be attached to the rows 98, 102, 104, 122, 124 or 126 of loops 100 or 128 to adjust the tension between the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14 on the breasts held by the brassiere 110 to adjust the cleavage between the breasts.

A brassiere 130 constructed accordingly to the teachings of the present invention is shown in FIG. 7 and includes a row 132 of hooks 134 connected to the free edge 24 of the first breast cup or pocket 12 and a row 136 of loops 138 attached to the free edge 28 of the second breast cup or pocket. Then two additional rows 140 and 142 of hooks 134 are fixed to the outer surface 52 of the first breast cup or pocket 12 and two rows 144 and 146 of loops 138 are fixed to the outer surface 54 of the second breast cup or pocket 14. Again, it will be understood that any one of the rows 132, 140,142 of hooks 134 can be attached to one of the rows 136, 144 or 146 of loops 138 on the second breast cup or pocket 14.

A brassiere 150 constructed accordingly to the teachings of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8 and is identical to the brassiere 130 shown in FIG. 7 except for the fact that a wide strap 152, elastic or non-elastic, is fixed to between the first breast cup or pocket 12 and the second breast cup or pocket 14, as shown.

In FIG. 9 there is illustrated another embodiment a brassiere 160 constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. In this embodiment, the free edge 24 of the first breast cup or pocket 12 of the brassiere 160 has a first flap 162 fixed thereto and a row 164 of three (or four) hooks 166 is fixed to the flap 162. Then on the free edge 28 of the second breast cup or pocket 12, there is fixed a second flap 168 having a row 170 of three (or four) loops 172. Again it will be understood that one or more hooks 166 of the row 164 of hooks 166 can be fixed to one or more of the loops 172 in the row 170 of loops 172 on the second flap 168 to adjust the cleavage of the breasts held by the brassiere 160.

A brassiere 180 constructed accordingly to the teachings of the present invention is shown in FIG. 10 and is similar to the brassiere 160 shown in FIG. 9 in that it is provided with first and second flaps 162 and 168 with a respective row 164 of hooks 166 and a row 170 of loops 172. In addition, the outer surface 52 of the first breast cup or pocket 12 has three rows 182, 184 and 186 of hooks 188 fixed thereto. Then the outer surface 54 of the second breast cup or pocket 14 has three rows 192, 194 and 196 of loops 198. In this embodiment, any one of the rows 164, 182, 184 or 186 of hooks 166 or 188 can be attached to one of the rows 170, 192, 194 or 196 of loops 172 or 198 to adjust the tension between the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14, thereby to adjust the cleavage of the breasts held by the brassiere 180.

A brassiere 200 constructed accordingly to the teachings of the present invention is shown in FIG. 11 and has a row 202 of four hooks 204 fixed to the free edge 24 of the first breast cup or pocket 12 and the free edge 28 of the second breast cup or pocket 14 has a row 206 of four loops 208 fixed thereto.

Again it is to be understood that the tension between the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14 be adjusted by connecting one or more hooks 204 in the row 202 to one or more of the loops 208 in the row 206 of loops 208, thereby to adjust the cleavage between the breasts held in the brassiere 200. In FIG. 12 there is illustrated a further embodiment of brassiere 210 constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the second breast cup or pocket 14 overlaps the first breast cup or pocket 12 and is fixed thereto with a row 212 of buttons 214. Then the first breast cup or pocket 12 has on the outer surface 52 thereof first and second rows 216 and 218 of loops 220. It will be understood that when the row 216 of loops 220 is fixed to the row 212 of buttons 214 on the second breast cup or pocket 14, the tension between the breast cups or pockets 12 and 14 is increased to increase the cleavage between the breasts held by the brassiere 210. Then of course the cleavage can be further enhanced or tightened by connecting the loops 220 in the second row 218 of loops 220 to the buttons 214 in the row 212 of buttons 214.

From the embodiments illustrated it will be apparent or inherent in the embodiments illustrated that adjustability is obtained in the brassieres illustrated by sequentially connecting the lowermost hook or button on one breast cup to the lowermost loop on the other breast cup to draw the cups together to enhance cleavage. Adjustability is then obtained in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 11 by connecting the next highest hook or button on the one cup to the next highest loop on the other cup to draw the cups closer together to further enhance cleavage. This can continue up to the highest hook or button to the highest loop.

This adjustability is apparent or inherent in the illustrated embodiments by starting with the lowermost loop and hook or button and then going upwards to the uppermost loop and hook or button.

The same procedure is followed with the at least three individual buttons or hooks on a first breast cup which engage loops in at least one of three generally vertically extending columns of at least three loops on and fixed to said second breast cup beginning with the closest column in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10 and starting with the lowermost loop and hook or button in each column and working your way upwardly in steps to enhance cleavage in steps.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the position of the first breast cup or pocket 12 relative to the position of the second breast cup or pocket 14 can be adjusted by means of the various loops with the various loops or buttons provided in the various brassieres 10, 40, 70, 80, 90, 110, 130, 150, 160, 180, 200 or 210 in a simple and efficient manner.

Further from the foregoing description, it will be understood that modifications can be made to the various embodiments of brassieres 10, 40, 70, 80, 90, 110, 130, 150, 160, 180, 200 or 210 described above without departing from the teachings of the invention. For example one to five rows of hooks or buttons can be attached to the first or second breast cup or pocket 12 and one to five rows of loops can be attached to the second or first breast cup or pocket. Also two to six hooks buttons or loops can be provided in each row. Still further the straps and flaps provided can be elastic or in elastic. Additionally other forms of attachment structure can be used at two or more attachment points on or adjacent one cup or pocket and at three or more attachment points on or adjacent the other cup or pocket, such as snaps, snap in buttons, hook and loop etc.

Further it will be understood that the brassieres 10, 40, 70, 80, 90, 110, 130, 150, 160, 180, 200 or 210 of the present invention have a number of advantage some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention. Most particularly the brassieres 10, 40, 70, 80, 90, 110, 130, 150, 160, 180, 200 or 210 have the advantage of permitting the adjustment of the position of one breast cup or pocket 12 relative to the other breast cup or pocket 14, thereby to adjust the cleavage between the breasts held by the brassieres 10, 40, 70, 80, 90, 110, 130, 150, 160, 180, 200 or 210. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A brassiere comprising a connecting back strap that extends around a woman's back between a first breast cup and a second breast cup, at least three hooks or buttons attached directly in a generally vertically extending column to said first or second breast cup and at least three loops attached directly in a generally vertically extending column to said second or first breast cup, whereby one of said three hooks or buttons can be attached to one of said three loops from the lowest one of the loops upwardly to the uppermost loop for adjusting the tension between said first and second breast cups to adjustably enhance in steps the cleavage between the breasts held by the brassiere breast cups.

2. A brassiere comprising a connecting back strap extending around a woman's back between a first breast cup and a second breast cup, said first breast cup being fixable to said second said breast cup by at least one of three generally vertically extending columns of at least three individual buttons or hooks on said first breast cup which engage loops in at least one of three generally vertically extending columns of at least three loops on and fixed to said second breast cup beginning with a lowermost hook or button with a lowermost loop for increasing tension between the breast cups upwardly to an uppermost loop in the column of loops for adjustably increasing tension between the breast cups in steps thereby enhancing breast cleavage in steps.

3. The brassiere of claim 2 wherein said first breast cup has a first free edge opposite to and facing said second breast cup and said second breast cup has a second free edge opposite to and facing said first free edge and a first column of at least three individual loops or individual buttons or hooks on one of said breast cups is attached to said free edge of said other breast cup.

4. The brassiere of claim 2 wherein said individual loops fasteners on said first breast cup are attached to an outer surface of said first breast cup and said individual buttons or hooks on said second breast cup are attached to an outer surface of said second breast cup.