Abstract:
The present invention relates to a brassiere for disabled women not having the full use of both upper extremities, wherein the brassiere is adapted to be put on, removed, and adjusted by the wearer alone. In one form, the brassiere is front closing and includes a ring coupled to one front side and a tongue coupled to the other front side. The tongue is adapted to include spaced interlocking fasteners attached to its surface such that the tongue may be looped through the ring, folded onto itself with the fasteners aligned, and the fasteners locked together around the ring by a wearer having the decreased use of one or both arms.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to brassieres and, more particularly, to a brassiere that may be put on and taken off by a person having a condition limiting the use of one or both upper extremities, such as a person suffering an amputation, a neurological deficit, or arthritis. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     For people without the full use of both upper extremities, such as those suffering from an amputation, paralysis, arthritis, neurological deficits, bone fractures or the like, the task of dressing can be quite difficult as well as very time consuming. Others, such as nursing mothers, athletes, and women whose jobs routinely or constantly occupy their extremities, may be required to remove or adjust their brassieres using only one hand. People without the full use of both upper extremities often have difficulty putting on and taking off garments, and this is particularly true of brassieres. Most brassieres close with fasteners such as hooks and eyes, buttons and buttonholes, zippers, and the like, requiring two hands to readily pull them together during fastening and unfastening and making putting on, removing and adjusting a brassiere very difficult for someone without the full use of both upper extremities. Even brassieres employing hook and loop (VELCRO) fasteners, such as the front-closing brassieres described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,538,502 and 5,032,104, require both hands to simultaneously pull together both sides of the brassiere during fastening. Moreover, even after the brassiere is put on adjustments to the fit may still be necessary during the course of wear, necessitating unhooking, rehooking or making other adjustments that are again very difficult for someone having the use of only one upper extremity or having decreased use of both upper extremities. 
     Even for those lucky enough to have available someone to assist them, it can still be embarrassing, uncomfortable, and awkward to have to ask for help with such an intimate task as putting on underwear. Moreover, even if some assistance is available, that assistance may not be continuously available throughout the course of wear of the brassiere. Further, in addition to the obvious physical disadvantages of requiring assistance to get dressed and undressed, there is also a psychological disadvantage arising from the decreased degree of independence inherent in not being able to put on one&#39;s own underwear. Most people prefer to be as independent as possible regarding self-care. Personal independence is important not only from a standpoint of reducing the need for expensive home health care aid (either from professional services or from family members donating valuable time and other resources) but from a perspective of maintaining a sense of dignity and self-worth. For those people not having the full use of both upper extremities, any increase in personal independence is an opportunity for relieving some of the financial, physiological, and psychological burdens imposed upon them by their condition. 
     There is therefore a need for a brassiere that may be readily put on, taken off and adjusted independently by a person not enjoying the full use of both upper extremities. The present invention is directed toward meeting this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of brassieres. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a brassiere fastening with a tongue having spaced arrays of both hook-type and loop-type nylon fasteners attached thereto and extending from one end of the brassiere, passing through a ring coupled to the other end of the brassiere, and looping back onto itself such that the hooktype fasteners releasably lockingly engage the loop-type fasteners. 
     One object of the present invention is to provide an improved brassiere. Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of a fastened front opening brassiere of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1B is a front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A unfastened. 
     FIG. 1C is a bottom schematic view of FIG. 1A 
     FIG. 1D is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A unfastened. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged front perspective view of a fastening tongue of the embodiment of FIG.  1 A. 
     FIG. 3A is a front perspective view of a fastened front opening brassiere of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3B is a front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 3A unfastened. 
     FIG. 4A is a front perspective view of a fastened front opening brassiere of a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4B is a front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4A unfastened. 
     FIG. 4C is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.  4 A. 
     FIG. 5A is a rear view of a fastened rear-opening brassiere of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5B is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 5A unfastened. 
     FIG. 5C is a rear perspective view of an alternate fourth embodiment rearopening brassiere. 
     FIG. 6A is a front perspective view of a fastened front opening brassiere of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6B is a front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6A unfastened. 
     FIG. 6C is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6A unfastened. 
     FIG. 7A is a front perspective view of a strapless fastened front opening brassiere of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7B is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG.  7 A. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
     FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate a first embodiment of the present invention, an improved brassiere  20  adapted to be put on and taken off by a person having the use of only one hand. Brassiere  20  is formed from an open ring of flexible material. Preferably, the brassiere is made from spandex and/or cotton, but any convenient flexible material may be chosen. Brassiere  20  may include underwiring for additional support if desired. Brassiere  20  includes a backstrap portion  22  having a first backstrap end  24  and a second backstrap end  26 . Preferably, backstrap portion  22  is made from a material having some degree of elasticity, such as spandex. Brassiere  20  further includes a first front band portion  28  having a first breast cup  30  formed therein and a second front band portion  32  having a second breast cup  34  formed therein. First cupped front band portion  28  is connected to first backstrap end  24  and second cupped front band portion  32  is connected to second backstrap end  26 , which may be connected to first backstrap end  24 , thereby forming a continuous torso-encircling band  35  having a first cupped end portion  28  and a second cupped end portion  32 . Backstrap  22  and front band portions  28 ,  32  may be formed from a single piece of flexible material, or may be formed from separate pieces of flexible material and attached together. Brassiere  20  further includes a first and second flexible shoulder strap  36 ,  38  extending respectively from first and second cups  30 ,  34  to backstrap portion  22 . 
     Brassiere  20  further includes connection means  40  for single-handedly releasably and adjustably coupling the first cupped end portion  28  and the second cupped end portion  32 . In this embodiment, connection means  40  includes a ring member  52  and a flexible elongated member or tongue  56 . Ring member  52  is coupled to first front band  28  at a first front band end  54 . Tongue  56  is coupled to and extends from a second front band end  58 . As shown in detail in FIG. 2, tongue  56  further includes a first tongue connector portion  60  and a second tongue connector portion  62  adapted to releasably lockingly engage first connector portion  60 . Tongue connector portions  60 ,  62  are spaced apart from one another on the same side of tongue  56 . Tongue  56  is sized to readily pass through ring member  52 , and is of sufficient length such that tongue  56  may pass through and loopingly engage ring member  52 , such that connector portion  60  may extend at least partially through ring member  52  when first and second front band ends  54 ,  58  are brought together. Tongue  56  may be looped through ring member  52 , pulled until the desired fit is attained, and fastened in place by lockingly engaging connector portions  60  and  62 . Likewise, the fit of brassiere  20  may be adjusted by disengaging connector portions  60  and  62 , tightening or loosening tongue  56  as desired, and re-engaging connectors  60 ,  62 . 
     Ring member  52  is preferably made of a rigid material such as steel, aluminum or plastic and preferably has a D-shape, although ring member  52  may have any convenient ring-shape and may be made of any convenient sufficiently rigid material. Connector portions  60  and  62  are preferentially arrays of releasably interlockable hooks and loops, respectively (such as VELCRO), but may together be any convenient fastener pair, such as hook and eye, hook and latch, or button and buttonhole. In a preferred embodiment, first connector portion  60  may be either an array of hooks or an array of loops while second connector portion  62  may be a corresponding array of loops or an array of hooks; which is which is unimportant, as long as there are both an array of hooks and a corresponding array of loops. 
     FIGS. 3A-C illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention, a front opening brassiere  20 A having a flexible backstrap portion  22 A with a first backstrap end  24 A and a second backstrap end  26 A, wherein first backstrap end  24 A is connected to a first front band portion  28 A having a first breast cup  30 A formed therein and second backstrap end  26 A is connected to a second front band portion  32 A having a second breast cup  34 A formed therein. First cupped front band portion  28 A is connected to first backstrap end  24 A and second cupped front band portion  32 A is connected to second backstrap end  26 A which may be connected to first backstrap end  24 A, thereby forming a continuous torso-encircling band  35 A having a first cupped end portion  28 A and a second cupped end portion  32 A. Brassiere  20 A further includes a first and second flexible shoulder strap  36 A,  38 A extending respectively from the first and second cups  30 A,  34 A to the backstrap portion  22 A. 
     Brassiere  20 A further includes connection means  40 A for single-handedly releasably and adjustably coupling the first cupped end portion  28 A and the second cupped end portion  32 A. In this embodiment, connection means  40 A includes a pair of ring members  52 A and  53 A and a pair of tongues  56 A and  57 A. First front band  28 A includes a pair of ring members  52 A and  53 A coupled to a first front band end  54 A. Second front band  32 A includes a pair of tongues  56 A and  57 A coupled to and extending from a second front band end  58 A. Tongues  56 A and  57 A each include a first tongue connector portion  60 A and a second tongue connector portion  62 A. Tongue connector portions  60 A,  62 A are spaced apart from one another on the same side of tongues  56 A and  57 A. Each tongue  56 A,  57 A is sized to readily pass through a respective ring member  52 A,  53 A and is of sufficient length such that respective connector portion  60 A may extend at least partially through respective ring member  52 A,  53 A when first and second front band ends  54 A,  58 A are brought together. Ring members  52 A and  53 A are preferably made of a rigid material such as steel, aluminum, or plastic and preferably has a D-shape, although ring members  52 A,  53 A may have any convenient ring-shape and may be made of any convenient material. Connector portions  60 A and  62 A are preferentially arrays of releasably interlockable hooks and loops, respectively (such as VELCRO) but may be together be any convenient fastener pair, such as hook and eye, hook and latch, or button and buttonhole. In a preferred embodiment, first connector portion  60 A may be either an array of hooks or an array of loops while second connector portion  62 A may be a corresponding array of loops or an array of hooks; which is which is unimportant as long as there is both an array of hooks and a corresponding array of loops. 
     FIGS. 4A-C illustrate a third embodiment of the present invention, a frontopening brassiere  20 B having a flexible backstrap portion  22 B with a first backstrap end  24 B and a second backstrap end  26 B, wherein first backstrap end  24 B is connected to a first front band portion  28 B having a first breast cup  30 B formed therein and second backstrap end  26 B is connected to a second front band portion  32 B having a second breast cup  34 B formed therein. First cupped front band portion  28 B is connected to first backstrap end  24 B and second cupped front band portion  32 B is connected to second backstrap end  26 B which may be connected to first backstrap end  24 B, thereby forming a continuous torso-encircling band  35 B having a first cupped end portion  28 B and a second cupped end portion  32 B. Brassiere  20 B further includes a first and second flexible shoulder strap  36 B,  38 B extending respectively from first and second cups  30 B,  34 B to backstrap portion  22 B. 
     Brassiere  20 B further includes connection means  40 B for single-handedly releasable and adjustably coupling first cupped end portion  28 B and second cupped end portion  32 B. In this embodiment, connection means  40 B includes a first connector portion  60 B attached to first cupped end portion  28 B and an elongated tongue  56 B attached to and extending from second cupped end portion  32 B. Elongated tongue  56 B includes a second connector portion  62 B formed thereon. Tongue  56 B has sufficient length such that connector portions  60 B and  62 B may substantially overlap when first and second front band ends  54 B,  58 B are brought together, such that brassiere  20 B may be both fastened and adjusted using only one hand. Connector portions  60 B and  62 B are preferentially respective elongated arrays of releasably interlockable hooks and loops (such as VELCRO) but may together be any convenient fastener pair, such as hook and eye, hook and latch, or button and buttonhole. In a preferred embodiment, first connector portion  60 B may be either an array of hooks or an array of loops while second connector portion  62 B may be a corresponding array of loops or an array of hooks; which is which is unimportant as long as there is both an array of hooks and a corresponding array of loops. 
     FIGS. 5A-B show a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a back opening brassiere  20 C having a flexible front band portion  27 C having a first breast cup  30 C and a second breast cup  34 C formed therein. Brassiere  20 C further includes a first flexible backstrap portion  22 C with a first backstrap end  24 C and a second flexible backstrap portion  23 C with a second backstrap end  26 C respectively extending from either end of flexible front band portion  27 C. Front band portion  27 C with first backstrap portion  22 C and second backstrap portion  23 C extending from either end may, when backstrap ends  24 C,  26 C are connected together, form a continuous torso-encircling band  35 C having a first cupped end portion  28 C and a second cupped end portion  32 C. Brassiere  20 C further includes a first and second flexible shoulder strap  36 C,  38 C extending respectively from the first and second cups  30 C,  34 C to backstrap portions  23 C,  24 C. 
     Brassiere  20 C further includes connection means  40 C for single-handedly releasably and adjustably coupling the first cupped end portion  28 C and the second cupped end portion  32 C. In this embodiment, connection means  40 C includes a ring member  52 C and a tongue  56 C. First flexible backstrap portion  22 C includes ring member  52 C coupled to a first backstrap end  24 C. Second flexible backstrap portion  23 C includes a tongue  56 C coupled to and extending from second backstrap end  26 C. Tongue  56 C includes a first tongue connector portion  60 C and a second tongue connector portion  62 C. Tongue connector portions  60 C,  62 C are spaced apart from one another on the same side of tongue  56 C. Tongue  56 C is sized to readily pass through ring member  52 C and is of sufficient length such that respective connector portion  60 C may extend at least partially through ring member  52 C when first and second backstrap ends  24 C,  26 C are brought together. Ring member  52 C is preferably made of a rigid material such as steel, aluminum or plastic and preferably has a D-shape, although ring member  52 C may have any convenient ring-shape and may be made of any convenient material. Connector portions  60 C and  62 C are preferentially respective arrays of releasably interlockable hooks and loops (such as VELCRO) but may together be any convenient fastener pair, such as hook and eye, hook and latch, or button and buttonhole. In a preferred embodiment, first connector portion  60 C may be either an array of hooks or an array of loops while second connector portion  62 C may be a corresponding array of loops or an array of hooks; which is which is unimportant as long as there is both an array of hooks and a corresponding array of loops. Brassiere  20 C may be fastened by overlapping first and second connector portions  60 C,  62 C, and pressing connector portions  60 C,  62 C together. Brassiere  20 C may be single-handedly adjusted by partially disengaging connector portions  60 C,  62 C and tightening/loosening brassiere  20 C by adjusting the distance between backstrap ends  24 C and  26 C and then re-engaging connector portions  60 C and  62 C. This adjustment process may be repeated until the desired fit is attained. Such fastening and adjusting operations may be performed while brassiere  20  is positioned as worn (cupping the breasts) or, more preferably, while brassiere is rotated about  180  degrees about the torso with the first and second backstrap ends  24 C,  26 C are oriented in front of the wearer. 
     FIG. 5C illustrates and alternate embodiment of a rear-opening brassier  20 , having a first connector portion  60 C attached to first backstrap end  24 C and an elongated tongue  56 C attached to and extending from second backstrap end  26 C. Elongated tongue  56 C includes a second connector portion  62 C formed thereon. Tongue  56 C has sufficient length such that connector portions  60 C and  62 C may substantially overlap when first and second backstrap  24 C,  26 C are brought together, such that brassiere  20 C may be both fastened and adjusted using only one hand. Such fastening operations may be performed while brassiere  20  is positioned as worn (cupping the breasts) or, more preferably, while brassiere is rotated about  180  degrees about the torso with the first and second backstrap ends  24 C,  26 C are oriented in front of the wearer. Connector portions  60 C and  62 C are preferentially respective elongated arrays of releasably interlockable hooks and loops (such as VELCRO) but may together be any convenient fastener pair, such as hook and eye, hook and latch, or button and buttonhole. In a preferred embodiment, first connector portion  60 B may be either an array of hooks or an array of loops while second connector portion  62 B may be a corresponding array of loops or an array of hooks; which is which is unimportant as long as there is both an array of hooks and a corresponding array of loops. 
     FIGS. 6A-C illustrate a fifth embodiment of the present invention, a front closing brassiere  20 D adapted to be put on and taken off by a person having the use of only one hand and having single-handedly fastenable and adjustable shoulder straps  36 D,  38 D. Brassiere  20 D includes a flexible backstrap portion  22 D with a first backstrap end  24 D and a second backstrap end  26 D, wherein first backstrap end  24  is connected to a first front band portion  28 D having a first breast cup  30 D formed therein and second backstrap end  26 D is connected to a second front band portion  32 D having a second breast cup  34 D formed therein. First cupped front band portion  28 D is connected to first backstrap end  24 D and second cupped front band portion  32 D is connected to second backstrap end  26 D which may be connected to first backstrap end  24 D, thereby forming a continuous torso-encircling band  35 D having a first cupped end portion  28 D and a second cupped end portion  32 D. Brassiere  20 D further includes a first and second flexible front shoulder strap portion  36 D,  38 D extending from first and second cups  30 D,  34 D and a first and second rear shoulder strap portion  37 D,  39 D extending from backstrap portion  22 D respectively towards first and second front shoulder strap portions  36 D,  38 D. 
     Brassiere  20 D further includes connection means  40 D for single-handedly releasably and adjustably coupling first cupped end portion  28 D and the second cupped end portion  32 D. In this embodiment, connection means  40 D includes a ring member  52 D and a tongue  56 D. Ring member  52 D is coupled to a first front band  28 D at a first front band end  54 D. Tongue  56 D is coupled to and extends from a second front band end  58 D. Tongue  56 D further includes a first tongue connector portion  60 D and a second tongue connector portion  62 D. Tongue connector portions  60 D,  62 D are spaced apart from one another on the same side of tongue  56 D. Tongue  56 D is sized to readily pass through ring member  52 D, and is of sufficient length such that connector portion  60 D may extend at least partially through ring member  52 D when first and second front band ends  54 D,  58 D are brought together. 
     Brassiere  20 D also includes connection means  42 D for single-handedly releasable and adjustably coupling respective first and second front and rear shoulder strap portions  36 D,  37 D,  38 D,  39 D. In this embodiment, connection means  42 D includes a first and a second rear strap connector portion  44 D′,  44 D″ and first and second front strap connector portions  46 D′,  46 D″ adapted to releasably lockingly engage one another. Preferably, rear strap connector portions  44 D′,  44 D″are ring members and front strap connector portions  46 D′,  46 D″ are tongues, but connector portions  44 D′,  44 D″,  46 D′,  46 D″ may be of any convenient connector design. Ring members  44 D′,  44 D″ are coupled to respective first and second front strap portions  36 D,  38 D. Tongues  46 D′,  46 D″ are respectively coupled to and extend from rear strap portions  37 D,  39 D. Each tongue  46 D′,  44 D″ further includes a respective first and second tongue first connector portion  47 D′,  47 D″ and a respective first and second tongue second connector portion  48 D′,  48 D″. Respective first tongue connector portions  47 D′and  48 D′and respective second tongue connector portions  47 D″ and  48 D″ are spaced apart from one another on the same side of respective tongues  46 D′,  46 D″. Tongues  46 D′,  46 D″ are sized to readily pass through ring members  44 D′,  44 D″ and are of sufficient length such that respective connector portions  47 D′,  47 D″ may extend at least partially through respective ring members  44 D′,  44 D″ when front strap portions  36 D,  38 D and respective rear strap portions  37 D,  39 D and are brought together. 
     Ring members  44 D′,  44 D″,  52 D are preferably made of a rigid material such as steel, aluminum, or plastic and preferably has a D-shape, although ring member may have any convenient ring-shape and may be made of any convenient material. Connector portions  60 D and  62 D (and  47 D′,  47 D″,  48 D′and  48 D″) are preferentially arrays of releasably interlockable hooks and loops, respectively (such as VELCRO) but may be together be any convenient fastener pair, such as hook and eye, hook and latch, or button and buttonhole. In a preferred embodiment, first connector portion  60 D may be either an array of hooks or an array of loops while second connector portion  62 D may be a corresponding array of loops or an array of hooks; which is which is unimportant as long as there is both an array of hooks and a corresponding array of loops. 
     FIGS. 7A-B illustrate a sixth embodiment of the present invention, a strapless front opening brassiere  20 E adapted to be put on and taken off by a person having the use of only one hand. Brassiere  20 E includes a flexible backstrap portion  22 E with a first backstrap end  24 E and a second backstrap end  26 E, wherein first backstrap end  24 E is connected to a first front band portion  28 E having a first breast cup  30 E formed therein and second backstrap end  26 E is connected to a second front band portion  32 E having a second breast cup  34 E formed therein. First cupped front band portion  28 E is connected to first backstrap end  24 E and second cupped front band portion  32 E is connected to second backstrap end  26 E which may be connected to first backstrap end  24 E, thereby forming a continuous torso-encircling band  35 E having a first cupped end portion  28 E and a second cupped end portion  32 E. 
     Brassiere  20 E further includes connection means  40 E for single-handedly releasable and adjustably coupling the first cupped end portion  28 E and the second cupped end portion  32 E. In this embodiment, connection means  40 E includes a ring member  52 E and a tongue  56 E. Ring member  52 E is coupled to a first front band  28 E at a first front band end  54 E. Tongue  56 E is coupled to and extends from a second front band end  58 E. Tongue  56 E further includes a first tongue connector portion  60 E and a second tongue connector portion  62 E. Tongue connector portions  60 E,  62 E are spaced apart from one another on the same side of tongue  56 E. Tongue  56 E is sized to readily pass through ring member  52 E, and is of sufficient length such that connector portion  60 E may extend at least partially through ring member  56 E when first and second front band ends  54 E,  58 E are brought together. 
     Ring member  52 E is preferably made of a rigid material such as steel, aluminum, or plastic and preferably has a D-shape, although ring member may have any convenient ring-shape and may be made of any convenient material. Connector portions  60 E and  62 E are preferentially arrays of releasably interlockable hooks and loops, respectively (such as VELCRO) but may be together be any convenient fastener pair, such as hook and eye, hook and latch, or button and buttonhole. In a preferred embodiment, first connector portion  60 E may be either an array of hooks or an array of loops while second connector portion  62 E may be a corresponding array of loops or an array of hooks; which is which is unimportant as long as there is both an array of hooks and a corresponding array of loops. 
     In use, a wearer first encircles brassiere  20  around her torso. The wearer is presumed to have at least one breast. The wearer next inserts her breast(s) into the appropriate cup(s). The wearer then guides tongue  56  through ring member  52 . Next, the wearer pulls tongue  56  over ring member  52  and back towards the portion of the brassiere  20  tongue  56  is connected to, pulling tongue  56  until brassiere  20  is snug around wearer&#39;s torso. In other words, the wearer guides tongue  56  through ring member  52  and then folds or loops tongue  56  back onto itself, tightening the fit of brassiere  20 . The wearer then aligns connector portions  60  and  62  of tongue  56  with one another and lockingly engages connector members  60 ,  62 . For hook and loop (VELCRO) connector means  40 , locking engagement is accomplished by pressing connector portions  60  and  62  together. Brassiere is disengaged by gripping tongue  56  and pulling connector portion  62  out and away from connector portion  60 . Tongue  56  may then be guided back through and away from ring member  52 , completing disengagement, or may be guided slightly through ring member  52  to adjust the fit of brassiere  20 . 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are to be desired to be protected.