A “triangle top” is an upper portion of a two-piece swimsuit having separate left and right triangular assemblies. Typically, a string (or band, in some cases) extends upward from the top of each triangular assembly to secure the triangle top around the wearer's neck. A lower string or band attaches to the lower portion of each triangular assembly and extends around the wearer's back.
Some triangle assemblies include a horizontal sleeve extending along the lower portion. The lower string or band extends through the horizontal sleeve, under the breasts, and continues around the back of the wearer. This drawstring-like attachment allows the wearer to adjust the level of coverage provided by each triangle assembly. The lower portion can be widened or narrowed by sliding it along the lower band or string, providing more or less coverage as needed.
Some swimsuit tops use padding in order to shape the wearer's breasts, provide additional coverage, and generally increase the wearer's confidence. Removable pads are common but can be cumbersome for the wearer as they must be carefully positioned between an inner liner and outer fabric, and can become dislodged, misshapen and/or misplaced during washing. Pads can alternatively be permanently attached to the swimsuit fabric. Incorporating permanent pads into a triangle swimsuit top has conventionally sacrificed the benefit of adjustability along the horizontal sleeve because the pad is either stitched to the sleeve or is otherwise too large to permit narrowing of the outer layer of fabric. The triangle assemblies disclosed herein address this problem by providing a pad that is narrower than the horizontal sleeve in the medial to lateral direction. The pad is secured to the upper and lower regions of the outer fabric without sacrificing the adjustability of the left and right sides of the outer fabric.
The upper body garments disclosed herein include left and right triangle assemblies. Each triangle assembly includes a pad having an upper region, a middle region, and a lower flange that is thinner than the upper region and the middle region in a front to back direction. Each triangle assembly further includes an outer fabric having an upper region, a middle region, and a lower region. The upper region of the pad is at least partially attached to the upper region of the outer fabric, and the lower flange of the pad is at least partially attached to the lower region of the outer fabric. The lower region of the outer fabric is wider than the lower flange in a medial to lateral direction. In some embodiments, a vertical center portion of the pad is aligned with a vertical center portion of the outer fabric.
In some embodiments, the lower flange of the pad is fixedly attached to the middle region of the pad. The lower flange can extend inferiorly from the middle region of the pad at an angle of greater than zero degrees. A lower boundary of the middle region of the pad can be curved across the exterior face of the pad, with the lower flange extending inferiorly from the curve. The exterior face of the pad can be convex and include an apex. The pad can be thicker (in a front to back direction) at the apex than at the left or right edges of the pad.
In some embodiments, the width of the lower region of the outer fabric is at least 25% greater than the width of the lower flange. The surface area of an exterior face of the pad can be smaller than the surface area of an exterior face of the outer fabric. The left and right sides of the upper region of the pad can be partially attached to the left and right sides of the upper region of the outer fabric at left and right side attachments, respectively. The left and right side attachments can extend downward from an upper end of the pad. The left and right edges along the middle region of the pad can be unattached to the outer fabric. The lower flange of the pad can be attached to the lower region of the outer fabric along a seam.
Each of the left and right triangle assemblies can include a lower sleeve at least partially defined by the outer fabric. In some embodiments, a liner fabric can be attached to the outer fabric. The lower sleeve can be defined by both the outer fabric and a liner fabric. A lower string, or band, can extend through the lower sleeve of the left and right triangle assemblies. The pad can be positioned between the outer fabric and the liner fabric. The liner fabric can be attached to the pad at the upper region of the pad and the lower flange. The lower flange of the pad can be attached to the lower sleeve along a seam, and the lower sleeve can extend beyond the lower flange in both lateral directions.
Disclosed herein are methods of making upper body garments with adjustable left and right triangle assemblies. The methods include providing an outer fabric panel having upper and lower regions, and providing a pad having an upper region and a lower flange. The lower region of the outer fabric is wider than the lower flange in a medial to lateral direction. The methods further include at least partially attaching the upper region of the pad to the upper region of the outer fabric panel, and at least partially attaching the lower flange of the pad to the lower region of the outer fabric panel. Some methods can include aligning a vertical center portion of the pad with a vertical center portion of the outer fabric panel. Some methods can include fixedly attaching the lower flange of the pad to the middle region of the pad.
Some embodiments of the methods of making upper body garments with adjustable left and right triangle assemblies include partially attaching left and right sides of the upper region of the pad to left and right sides of the upper region of the outer fabric panel. The left and right sides along the middle region of the pad can be left unattached to the outer fabric panel. The methods can further include attaching the lower flange of the pad to the lower region of the outer fabric panel (for example, along a seam). Some embodiments include creating a lower sleeve that is at least partially defined by the outer fabric panel, and extending a lower band through the lower sleeve of the left and right triangle assemblies.
Some embodiments of the methods include attaching a liner fabric panel to the outer fabric panel and positioning the pad between the outer fabric panel and the liner fabric panel. The liner fabric panel can be attached to the pad at the upper region of the pad and at the lower flange.
This description refers to certain aspects of the garment relative to other aspects of the garment or to the body of a wearer. As used herein, superior indicates a direction that is closer to the wearer's head. Inferior indicates a direction that is closer to the wearer's feet. Upward, upper, or uppermost indicates a superior direction, or toward a wearer's head. Downward, lower, or lowermost indicates an inferior direction, or toward a wearer's feet. The longitudinal direction refers to an axis extending between the superior and inferior edges of the garment, or between the wearer's head and feet. Lateral indicates a positioning that is closer to the sides of the wearer. Medial indicates a positioning that is farther from the sides of the wearer. The terms right and left are in reference to the wearer's body. Some figures may include the directional indicators L and R to indicate the orientation with respect to the left side of the wearer's body and the right side of the wearer's body, respectively.
The terms “about” and “approximately” are defined as being “close to” as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In one non-limiting embodiment the terms are defined to be within 10%. In another non-limiting embodiment, the terms are defined to be within 5%. In still another non-limiting embodiment, the terms are defined to be within 1%.
The upper body garment is described as a swimsuit in the following disclosure. However, this is only one example embodiment, and is meant to provide context to the reader. The disclosure is not meant to be limited to swimsuits. Other types of upper body garments (including, but not limited to: brassieres, shirts, camisoles, and shapewear) may also benefit from the concepts disclosed herein. Furthermore, the disclosure is not limited to a particular type of swimsuit top.
The triangle assemblies of the upper body garments disclosed herein provide padding without sacrificing adjustability. An example upper body garment is shown in
As shown in
The lower flange 13 extends inferiorly from the middle region 11. In some embodiments, the lower flange 13 creates an angle a with middle region 11, as shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the surface area of the exterior face 34 of the pad 7 is smaller than the surface area of the exterior face 36 of the outer fabric 8 (with the surface area of the exterior face 36 of the outer fabric 8 measured with the left and right sides 25, 27 of the lower region 19 of outer fabric 8 in a fully-extended position as shown in
Lower band 45 extends through sleeve 43 and continues to extend around the wearer's back in order to secure the garment to the wearer. The lower flange 13 of the pad 7 is stitched to the lower region 19 of the outer fabric 8 and to the liner fabric 41 along horizontal seam 44. The lower flange 13 of the pad is hidden from view within the lower sleeve 43. Lower sleeve 43 extends laterally past the left and right edges of the lower flange 13 of the pad 7. The left and right sides 42, 44 of the lower sleeve 43 can be moved medially and laterally along the lower band 45. This enables the wearer to widen or narrow the triangle assembly 3 as desired, as shown in
The left side 38 of the upper region 9 of the pad 7 is attached to the outer fabric 8 and to the liner fabric 41 via one or more left side attachments. The right side 40 of the upper region 9 of the pad 7 is attached to the outer fabric 8 and the liner fabric 41 via one or more right side attachments. In some embodiments, the left and right side attachments between the pad 7 and the fabrics 8, 41 extend downward from an upper end 47 of the pad 7. The left and right side attachments can, in some embodiments, extend along the left and right edges 37, 39 of the pad 7. The left and right side attachments can be formed by bonding, stitching, or any other method of attachment. In some embodiments, the upper region 9 of the pad 7 can be fully attached to the outer fabric 8 and the liner fabric 41 (in the center of the upper region 9 of the pad as well as at the right side 40 and the left side 38 of the pad) using adhesives or bonding, for example.
The outer fabric 8 and liner fabric 41 continue to widen as they extend downward toward lower sleeve 43. On the contrary, pad 7 reaches its widest point 47 in the middle region 11. The right and left side attachments between the pad 7 and the fabrics 8, 41 do not extend to the middle region 11 of the pad 7. As such, the outer fabric 8 and the inner liner fabric 41 are freely movable along the lower band 45 that extends through the lower sleeve 43. In contrast, the upper region 9 and the lower flange 13 of the pad are securely attached to the outer fabric 8 and liner fabric 41 to prevent the pad 7 from slipping with respect to the outer fabric 8, the liner fabric 41, or the lower band 45.
Methods of making triangle assemblies 3, 5 with adjustable levels of coverage are disclosed herein. The methods include providing an outer fabric panel 8 having an upper region 15 and a lower region 19. The methods further include providing a pad 7 having an upper region 9 and a lower flange 13. The lower region 19 of the outer fabric panel 8 is wider than the lower flange 13 of the pad 7 in a medial to lateral direction. During construction of a triangle assembly, the upper region 9 of the pad is at least partially attached to the upper region 15 of the outer fabric panel 8, and the lower flange 13 of the pad 7 is at least partially attached to the lower region 19 of the outer fabric panel 8. Some embodiments of the method include aligning a vertical center portion 23 of the pad 7 with a vertical center portion 21 of the outer fabric panel 8.
The provided outer fabric panel 8 can be formed by, for example, cutting an approximately triangular panel from a larger fabric material. The provided pad 7 can be formed by molding processes, for example. The method can include molding the upper region 9, the middle region 11, and the lower flange 13 the pad 7 as a single structure. In other embodiments, the lower flange 13 is formed separately from the upper and middle regions 9, 11 of the pad, and then fixedly attached to the middle region 11 of the pad using bonding, adhesives, thermal or chemical processes, and/or stitching. Either way, the lower flange 13 of the pad 7 is fixedly attached to the lower region 19 of the outer fabric panel 8.
Some embodiments include stitching the lower flange 13 of the pad to the lower region 19 of the outer fabric panel 8, for example, at horizontal seam 44. The lower boundary 29 of the middle region 11 of the pad 7 may be stitched to the outer fabric panel 8, or a position above the lower edge 31 of the lower flange 13 may be stitched to the outer fabric. In some embodiments, lower edge 31 of the lower flange 13 is stitched to the outer fabric panel 8.
The methods also include creating a lower sleeve 43 that is at least partially defined by the outer fabric panel 8. Some embodiments include extending a lower band 45 through the lower sleeve 43 of the left and right triangle assemblies 3, 5.
Some embodiments can include attaching a liner fabric panel 41 to the outer fabric panel 8. The liner fabric panel 41 can be formed by, for example, cutting an approximately triangular panel from an existing, larger fabric. The methods can further include positioning the pad 7 between the outer fabric panel 8 and the liner fabric panel 41. The liner fabric panel 41 can be attached to the pad 7 at the upper region 9 of the pad 7 as well as at the lower flange 13.
Some embodiments of the methods can include partially attaching a left side 38 of the upper region 9 of the pad 7 to a left side 49 of the upper region 15 of the outer fabric panel 8 and partially attaching a right side 40 of the upper region 9 of the pad 7 to a right side 51 of the upper region 15 of the outer fabric panel 8. The middle region 11 of the pad 7 can be left unattached to the outer fabric panel 8.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The implementation was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various implementations with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/718,148, filed Aug. 13, 2018, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62718148 | Aug 2018 | US |