Abstract:
A ventilated padded material suitable for providing air circulation in padded lingerie is disclosed. Padded lingerie, for example, bras, typically are made from man-made materials that prevent perspiration from evaporating and then accumulates in the breast cup area. The retained perspiration causes discomfort to the wearer, as the surrounding breast area remains moist and damp. The ventilation channels or perforations in the padding material, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, enable air circulation to occur through the padding material. Increased air circulation through the padding material allows for perspiration evaporation and less accumulated perspiration.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to padded lingerie and, more specifically, to ventilating and improving air circulation in padded brassieres. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     New technologies and materials have created revolutionary changes in the clothing men and women wear today. Materials such as, Latex, Lyca, Spandex, polyester, have changed the look, style and feel of clothing, especially exercising and lightweight summer clothing. Today&#39;s exercise and summer clothes, for example, are lighter and tend to stretch to fit the contours of a wearer&#39;s body. Accordingly, any clothing or objects included under the stretched fabric protrudes through the fabric and creates unsightly lines in the smooth, stretched fabric. For example, manufacturers of woman&#39;s lingerie have developed seamless bras and panties to prevent protrusions in stretch dresses, shorts, tank tops, etc. In addition to not being observable under the outer clothing, seamless bras and panties are used to augment, enhance and provide more comfort to the wear&#39;s body features. In such cases, padding is added to provide support for and enhance the shape of a woman&#39;s breast. Thus, seamless panties and seamless padded bras are ideal lingerie as they do not create unsightly lines in the covering dress, shorts, tank top, etc., fabric while enhancing the wear&#39;s appearance. 
     However, materials used in the creation of seamless bras and panties typically are made from man-made materials, such as nylon, rayon, polyurethane, etc., which retain body heat and perspiration. The padded bra, for example, becomes uncomfortable to wear on warm summer days as the man-made materials used prevent perspiration from evaporating. The unevaporated perspiration then collects in the bra cup area. Hence, there is a need to develop methods to allow remove perspiration in padded lingerie, while maintaining the features of being undetected and providing an enhanced appearance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A seamless padded bra, which includes ventilation channels within the padding materials, is disclosed. The ventilation channels, or perforations, within the padding materials provide a means for ventilating the enclosed breast area by allowing air to circulate through the padding material. The circulating air allows for perspiration evaporation around the breast area, consequently, leaving the breast area dry. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a frontal view of an exemplary padded bra in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the exemplary padded bra illustrated in FIG. 1 sectioned along line A—A; and 
     FIGS. 3 a - 3   d  illustrate exemplary padding material ventilated in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
    
    
     It is to be understood that these drawings are solely for purposes of illustrating the concepts of the invention and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. It will be appreciated that the same reference numerals, possibly supplemented with reference characters where appropriate, have been used throughout to identify corresponding parts. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a frontal view of an exemplary seamless padded bra  100  is illustrated depicting breast cups  110  and  112  lateral displaced along front section  115  and bands  120  and  122  with securing means  130  and  132 , respectively. Bands  120  and  122 , when conventionally extended across the back of the wearer, and held by securing means  130  and  132 , secure bra  100  to the wearer. Straps  140  and  142 , attached on one end near breast cups  110  and  112 , respectively, and on a second end (not shown) to bands  120  and  122 , respectively, provide further support in securing bra  100  to the wearer. Also illustrated within each breast cup  110  and  112 , is padding material  160 . Padding material  160  provides for a level of support and enhancement that a wearer experiences when wearing bar  100 . Padding material  160  further incorporates ventilating channels  170 , which allow for air circulation in the breast area, in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In this illustrative example, ventilating channels  170  are symmetrically distribute in two concentric circular arrangements about a center area, which covers a center portion of the breast area. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of bra  100  sectioned along section line A—A of FIG.  1 . As illustrated, bra  100  is composed of a thin smooth anterior material  210 , and a thin smooth posterior material  220 . Anterior material  210  and posterior material  220  are rigidly attached along respective perimeters, thereby, creating a cavity therebetween. Also illustrated is padding material  160  enclosed within the cavity created by anterior material  210  and posterior material  220 . The amount and shape of padding material  160  determines the level of support and enhancement provided. 
     To achieve a smooth appearance, anterior material  210  is typically selected as a man-made material, such as Polyester, Lycra, Spandex, etc. Using these man-made materials, the form for bra  100  may be created as single piece, which does not require any switching or seam. Posterior material  220 , which is in contact with the breast area, typically is selected as a natural material, such as cotton, silk, etc. Natural materials are selected because natural materials are able to draw perspiration away from the breast area. Enclosed padding material  160  is typically selected as a man-made material, such as polyurethane, foam rubber, etc., as these materials can be formed into shapes that provide different levels of comfort and enhancement. Man-made materials, as is known in the art, do not allow for air circulation within. Therefore, perspiration wicked away from the body by posterior material  220  becomes trapped by padding material  160 . 
     Further illustrated are ventilation channels, or perforations,  170  extending through padding material  160  from anterior material  210  to posterior material  220  to provide for ventilation of the breast area. Ventilating channels  170  provide a means to remove perspiration that was wicked away from the breast area by allowing air circulation through padding material  160 . 
     FIG. 3 a  illustrates an exemplary frontal view of bra  100  highlighting specifically padding material  160  and contained ventilating channels  170 . In this exemplary embodiment of the invention, ventilating channels  170  are distributed along a plurality of radial lines emanating from apex point  310  of padding material  160 . The distribution of ventilating channels along radial lines provides for a substantially symmetric appearance of ventilating channels  170  in material  160 . In this illustrative example, ventilating channels  170  are symmetrically distribute in concentric circular arrangements about a center area, which covers a center portion of the breast area. A first group of perforations  170  are distributed along concentric circle represented as dashed line  165 . A second group of perforations  170  are distributed along concentric circle represented by dashed line  167 . Although, not illustrated, it would appreciated that perforations  170  distributed along concentric circle represented by dashed line  165  and perforations  170  distributed along concentric circle represented by dashed line  167  need not align along radial lines stemming from apex point  310 . Furtherstill, the size and number of perforations along each concentric need not the same. 
     FIG. 3 b  illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of the invention wherein ventilating channels  170  are organized or collected in a plurality of geometric patterns symmetrically distributed in a concentric circular arrangement about a known point  310  in padding material  160 . That is, perforations  170  are grouped together, as represented by groups  172 ,  176  and  178 , and distributed in a concentric circular arrangement, as represented by dashed line  175 . As would be appreciated, groups  172 ,  176  and  178  may be distributed in other geometric patterns, such as, triangular, square, rectangular, etc. 
     Furtherstill, perforations  170  within a selected group may be arranged in a geometric pattern, such as such as circular, triangular, square, rectangular, etc. As illustrated, perforations within group  172 , for example, are symmetrically distributed in a circular arrangement as represented by dashed lines  173  and  174 . As would be appreciated, ventilating channels groups may be distributed in other geometric patterns, such as, triangular, square, rectangular, etc. 
     FIG. 3 c  illustrates still another exemplary frontal view of padding material  160  illustrating ventilating channels  170  distributed substantially pattern in a radial pattern from apex point  310 . In this exemplary case, perforations  170  are distributed along radial line  182 . Perforations  170  are further distributed symmetrically along three concentric circles as represented by dashed lines  184 ,  185 ,  185 , respectively, about known point  310 . 
     FIG. 3 d  illustrates still another exemplary frontal view of padding material  160  illustrating ventilating channels  170  similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3 c.  In this illustrative embodiment, ventilating channels  170  are distributed along radial lines, e.g., radial line  192  and further distributed along concentric circles. In this example, ventilating channels  170  increase in size as they progress radially outward from apex point  310  along radial line  192 , for example. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) perforations  170  may alternate in size on different radial lines stemming from apex point  310 . Hence, the ventilating channels distributed along radial  192 , for example, may be of a different size than ventilating channels distributed along radial  194 . 
     As would be appreciated, the embodiments of the invention illustrated herein have disclosed symmetric distribution of ventilating channels  170  in padding material  160 . Symmetric distribution is preferred as this provides uniform air circulation and ventilation. However, ventilating channels  170  may also be distributed asymmetrically in padding material  160 . For example, ventilating channels  170  may be symmetrically or asymmetrically included within only a lower portion of padding material  160  (not shown). 
     As would be appreciated, the size and number of ventilating channels  170  included in padding material  160  depends on the size if the bra cup enclosing padding material  160 . For example, for an “A” size bra cup, the number of ventilating channels  170  may be in the range of 1 to 100. Similarly, for a “D” size bra cup, the number of ventilating channels  170  may be in the range of 2 to 200. Ventilating channel size is in the range one-sixty-fourth ({fraction (1/64)}) to one (1) inch. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the number and size of ventilating channels  170  for a “B” size bra cup is sixty ventilating channels each with a size of one-eight (⅛) of an inch for each cup. Furtherstill, ventilating channels  170  may be also formed in shapes such as square, rectangular, triangular, etc., rather than the circular form illustrative herein. 
     Although the invention has been described and pictured in a preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form, has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. It is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.