Patent Application
20090007315
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This invention relates to the field of brassieres, and more particularly to improved shoulder strap features for brassieres.
The female breasts have very little internal support, being composed largely of adipose tissue or fat. It is believed that the primary anatomical support for the breast is provided by the Cooper's ligaments, with the skin covering the breasts offering some additional support. However, this anatomical support is usually insufficient to hold the breasts up (especially in older women), and to prevent movement of the breasts, which can cause pain and discomfort. Thus, the primary reason for wearing a brassiere or similar foundation garment is to provide external support for the breasts, increasing comfort and mobility. Brassieres are also believed by some to help preserve the youthful shape of breasts (which naturally sag as women grow older).
A brassiere consists of cups for the breasts, a center panel, and a band running around the body under the bust. Unless a brassiere is a strapless brassiere, it will also include a shoulder strap at each side. A brassiere is typically made of a fabric such as cotton or lace, with the cups for the breasts given shape by underwires or plastic reinforcements. The brassiere is usually fastened with a hook fastener on the band, typically at the back, but in some embodiments the fastener is situated at the front, in between the cups.
One problem with brassieres having shoulder straps in the discomfort caused by the straps. A shoulder strap typically consists of a thin (usually less than one inch) strap of fabric that attaches to the back of a brassiere, extends over the shoulder of the wearer and then attaches to the front of the brassiere. In this manner, the shoulder strap supports the weight of the breasts by transferring the burden of carrying the weight to the shoulders. In cases where the wearer of the brassiere has large breasts with increased weight, the shoulder strap digs into the wearer's shoulder with a large amount of force, thereby causing discomfort. This is because a large amount of weight is being distributed along the small surface area of the thin shoulder strap.
Furthermore, if the wearer of the brassiere is overweight or obese, she will have larger amounts of subcutaneous fat in the shoulder area, thereby making the skin around the shoulders much more plush. When the shoulder strap digs into the wearer's shoulder with a large amount of force, the strap may dig farther into the skin and produce indentations in fatty areas in the skin. This is undesirable since it may pain and cause unsightly imprints in the skin.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above, and particularly for improved shoulder support for a brassiere.
Briefly, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for use with a brassiere is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a shoulder pad having a concave shape and comprised of a padded material. The shoulder pad may be comprised of a foam material. The apparatus further comprises a first adjustable strap having a first end and second end, wherein the first end is coupled to a first side of the shoulder pad and the second end includes a coupler for detachably coupling to a brassiere. The apparatus further comprises a second adjustable strap having a first end and second end, wherein the first end is coupled to a second side of the shoulder pad and the second end includes a coupler for detachably coupling to the brassiere. The first and second adjustable straps may include a buckle for adjusting the length of the straps. The coupler may comprise a detachable hook.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a brassiere including shoulder pads is disclosed. The brassiere includes a first and second breast cup and a center panel connecting the first and second breast cup. The brassiere further includes a back strap coupled to the first and second breast cup and a first shoulder pad having a concave shape and comprised of a padded material. The brassiere further includes a first adjustable strap having a first end and second end, wherein the first end is coupled to a first side of the first shoulder pad and the second end includes a coupler for detachably coupling to the first breast cup, and a second adjustable strap having a first end and second end, wherein the first end is coupled to a second side of the first shoulder pad and the second end includes a coupler for detachably coupling to the back strap.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and also the advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Additionally, the left-most digit of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears.
Also shown in
The first adjustable strap 208 is attached at the first end 212 to the bottom side of the shoulder pad 100. The first adjustable strap 208 includes a first strap element 214 that is connected to the shoulder pad 100 on one end 212 and on the other end comprises a buckle/hook element 216. The buckle/hook element 216 connects to the first strap element 214 on one end and includes a hook element 218 on the other end. The hook element 218 allows the buckle/hook element 216 to be detachably coupled to a loop of fabric comprising the second strap element 220. The second strap element 220 is connected to the buckle/hook element 216 on one end 222 and on the other end comprises a buckle/hook element 224. The buckle/hook element 224 connects to the second strap element 220 on one end and includes a hook element 226 on the other end. The hook element 226 allows the buckle/hook element 224 to be detachably coupled to the back strap of a brassiere. The second strap element 220 may also include a buckle 228 for allowing the second strap element 220 to be adjusted in length.
The second adjustable strap 210 is attached at the first end 230 to the bottom side of the shoulder pad 100. The second adjustable strap 210 includes a first strap element 232 that is connected to the shoulder pad 100 on one end 230 and on the other end comprises a buckle/hook element 234. The buckle/hook element 234 connects to the first strap element 232 on one end and includes a hook element 236 on the other end. The hook element 236 allows the buckle/hook element 234 to be detachably coupled to a loop of fabric comprising the second strap element 238. The second strap element 238 is connected to the buckle/hook element 234 on one end and on the other end comprises a buckle/hook element 240. The buckle/hook element 240 connects to the second strap element 238 on one end and includes a hook element 242 on the other end. The hook element 242 allows the buckle/hook element 240 to be detachably coupled to the breast cup of a brassiere.
Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes can be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific embodiments. Furthermore, it is intended that the appended claims cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.
