Ladies' undergarment, in particular a brassiere

A ladies' undergarment with a molded upper part, in particular a brassiere has two side parts which include cups, are joined together in the front central area between the cups, have a back fastener at the back ends and are provided with shoudler straps. Each side part includes a blank which covers their entire surfaces and is of a textile material which is composed at least in part of thermoplastically fusible fibres. Reinforcement parts are bonded to the blank parts at least along their outer edges. The reinforcement parts are also of a textile material which is composed at least in part of thermoplastically fusible fibres. The side parts are joined together in the front central area by a thermally produced weld. The parts of the back fastener as well as the shoulder straps are indirectly or directly joined to the side parts by thermally produced welds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a ladies' undergarment with a molded upper 
part, in particular a brassiere. The undergarment has two side parts which 
include cups, are joined together in the front central area between the 
cups, have a back fastener at the back ends and are provided with shoudler 
straps. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Brassieres are undergarments which, in view of the fact that their purpose 
is to cover, support and shape breasts, must be manufactures and stocked 
in many different sizes and shapes. Because of their three-dimensional 
shape, which is adapted to this purpose, they usually consist of a 
plurality of different parts, the assembly of which requires a plurality 
of operating steps which involves a lot of time and labor costs and, thus, 
cannot be produced economically. Apart from the fact that a brassiere 
consists of a number of different parts, usually of textile material, such 
as side parts, cups, shoulder straps, trimming or edging, back fastener, 
etc., these parts have to be joined together by sewing according to 
conventional methods. This necessitates not only a sewing operation along 
the junction points, but also the use of a joining medium, e.g., sewing 
thread. 
On the one hand, there has been no lack of attempts in the prior art to 
simplify this complex manufacturing process, and on the other hand, it was 
also attempted to find a fit which embraces as many different sizes and 
shapes as possible, and, finally, to combine these two conditions. 
A brassiere sold under the name "One for all" known in the art is composed 
of two side parts which are each made as a single part, comprise the cups 
and consist of a textile, stretchable material. These parts are each 
reinforced at the edges by strips of an elastic material which are joined 
to the side parts by spot welding. This method has also been used to 
produce shoulder straps, where at least the reinforcement strips extend 
along the shoulder straps from the side parts. Although this type of edge 
reinforcement has made joining by sewing unnecessary, it still takes time 
to move around the edges of the brassiere to produce the weld joints. 
Furthermore, it has not been possible to dispense with seams for joining 
the side parts or attaching the fastener parts or straps. 
It has also become known--particularly in order to increase the wear 
comfort of brassieres into which reinforcement parts such as, for example, 
wales, bones or similar parts are worked to increase the shaping power--to 
bond blank parts in the shape of the areas to be reinforced and consisting 
of an approximately stronger material to a weldable polyester material, 
and then to bring these parts into contact with a second continuous 
workpiece of a stretchable material and join them by heating to form a 
three-layer workpiece, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,659. Following 
cooling, the cups are molded out of the elastic base material in the area 
of the breasts. The side parts of this brassiere are also joined together 
along the front central axis by thread in a sewing operation and its back 
fastener parts and shoulder straps are also sewn on. 
In order to reinforce selected areas of a garment such as, e.g., a panty 
girdle or a brassiere, it is also known in the art, to apply an adhesive 
in powder form to a textile material base in certain patterns using a 
screen printing process and then to fuse the adhesive in a treating oven 
(EP 0 255 101 B1). A top layer corresponding to the areas of the adhesive 
application is then applied to the areas of the base which are thus coated 
with adhesive and joined to the base by means of the adhesive as a result 
of applying heat and pressure. The strength and the shaping properties are 
in this case determined by the form and the extent of the adhesive 
application as well as by the choice of adhesive material. This brassiere 
is also subsequently made up by sewing. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a 
ladies' undergarment, in particular a brassiere, which is suitable for 
modern industrial manufacture and which in particular avoids any 
continuous sewing operations requiring a joining medium. 
In accordance with the present invention, in a ladies' undergarment, in 
particular a brassiere, of the above-described type, each side part 
includes a blank which covers their entire surfaces and is composed of a 
textile material which comprises at least in part thermoplastically 
fusible fibres. Reinforcement parts are bonded to the blank parts, as 
least along their outer edges. The reinforcement parts are also composed 
of a textile material which comprises at least in part thermoplastically 
fusible fibres. The side parts are joined together in the front central 
area by a weld produced by thermal means. The parts of the back fastener 
as well as the shoulder straps are indirectly or directly joined to the 
side parts by welds produced by thermal means. 
As opposed to conventional joining techniques, in particular by sewing, not 
only can the brassiere according to the invention be produced without any 
threads or similar joining means, but also practically only operating 
steps which can be effected in a punctual manner, i.e., by pressing, 
welding or similar, are required for joining the individual parts or 
making up the brassiere. 
As a result of dispensing with seams produced by sewing which are in most 
cases inconvenient, affect the stretch behavior or might also be bulky, 
the novel brassiere also has improved wear properties. Because of its flat 
terminal edges and material transitions, the brassiere according to the 
invention is ideal for wearing under figure-hugging clothes, as it does 
not show through the clothes worn over it. Easy-care properties and 
simplified recycling possibilities result from the reduction in the number 
of different materials. Finally, the manufacturing method also permits 
improved reproduction of the required fit and a comparably favorable 
manufacturing cost structure. 
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are 
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part 
of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its 
operating advantages, specific objects attained by its use, reference 
should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are 
illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The invention is represented in the drawings using the example of a 
brassiere as a ladies' undergarment. However, the invention may also be 
applied to other garments having a molded upper part such as, e.g., 
swimsuits or the like. 
FIG. 1 shows a brassiere according to the invention from the inside. The 
brassiere 1 is composed of two side parts 2 and 3 which are formed and 
disposed in mirror-image fashion with respect to a front central axis M. 
The side parts 2 and 3 include a cup 4 and 5, respectively, shaped by 
molding. The side parts 2 and 3 are joined together in an area 6 around 
the front central axis M. The active and passive parts of a back fastener 
7 are disposed at the back ends of the side parts 2 and 3. Shoulder straps 
8 are attached in a fixed manner at 9 in the front top area of the side 
parts 2 and 3, above the cups 4 and 5, and in an adjustable manner at 10 
in the back area in a loop 12 formed by an adjusting element 11. 
Each side part 2 and 3 includes a layer 13 and 14, respectively, which 
covers their entire surface and is composed of a textile material which is 
to a certain extent stretchable and comprises at least in part 
thermoplastically fusible fibers. Reinforcement parts, which are 
designated as a whole by 15 and 16, respectively, are bonded to these base 
parts 13 and 14 from the inside. These reinforcement parts 15, 16 are also 
composed of a textile material, preferably a less stretchable material, 
which also comprises at least in part thermoplastically fusible fibers. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the reinforcement parts 15, 16 include frame-like 
blanks extending approximately with a uniform width like a tape along the 
outer edges of the side parts 2 and 3 so as to reinforce and stabilize the 
edges. They include bottom parts 18, extending parallel to the bottom edge 
17, parts 19 adjoining the parts 18 in the back area and extending to the 
shoulder straps 8, parts 21 extending along the top edges 20, and finally, 
parts 22 extending above the cups 4, 5. Starting from the bottom edge 17 
of the brassiere 1, the parts 18 of the reinforcements 15, 16 extend into 
the area of the cups 4 and 5, so that they form reinforcements 23 to 
support the breasts or shape their contour. 
Although the undergarment according to the invention is represented here 
using the example of a brassiere with a back fastener and shoulder straps, 
the invention is not restricted to this. The brassiere may have a front 
fastener instead of a back fastener as a so-called "step-in bra". It may 
equally be formed without shoulder straps, i.e., be strapless. Finally, 
the invention may also be applied to swimsuits, both one-piece swimsuits 
and bikinis. 
In order to produce the brassiere according to the invention, the two side 
parts 2 and 3 are produced first and are then joined together in the front 
central area 6 and, finally, the shoulder straps 8 and the fastener parts 
7 are attached. 
In order to produce the side parts 2 and 3 of the brassiere 1, a coating is 
first applied to a base web or a rough blank of the textile material 
forming the reinforcements 15, 16 to enable this material to be joined to 
the base webs 13 and 14. This may be either a "hot melt" adhesive coating 
or a thin film which can be activated by applying heat. The inner contours 
of the reinforcement parts 15, 16 are then punched out of this rough blank 
and the remaining frame-like parts--still without an outer contour--are 
placed on the rough blank for the bank parts 13 and 14. The rough blanks 
comprising the reinforcement parts 15, 16 are joined to the rough blanks 
13, 14 of the base web by applying heat and pressure. Only then are the 
cups 4 and 5 molded and the outer contour punched. In this respect it is 
appropriate to place two corresponding side parts 2 and 3 on top of one 
another so that they are congruent with on another. 
The assembly stage commences after these preparatory measures. For this 
purpose, the parts 2 and 3, which have been punched and molded in a 
superimposed position, are opened out, overlapped in triangular fashion at 
23 in the front central area 6 of the central axis M and are firmly joined 
together in this area by a weld 24. This may be effected by a single 
pressing and welding operation. This joint may also be made visually 
attractive by creating a motif, e.g., a "flower". 
The parts of the back fastener 7 and the shoulder straps 8 are then 
attached. This is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, which are both detail 
views on a larger scale. 
FIG. 2A shows how the shoulder straps 8 are joined to the front top areas 
of the brassiere 1 at 9 in a fixed manner. 
The shoulder straps 8, which in most cases are composed of an elastic tape 
material, generally comprise thermoplastically fusible fibers, so that, 
when overlapped with the corresponding areas of the side parts 2 and 3, 
they can be joined together by welds 25. In order to attach the shoulder 
straps 8 in an adjustable manner at 10 in the back area (FIG. 2 B), a 
tongue 26 is formed from the material of the side parts 2 and 3 with 
bonded reinforcement, pulled through an eyelet 27 and then folded back. 
The tongue 26 is welded to the side parts 2 and 3 by a weld 25. The 
shoulder strap 8 is pulled, in a manner known per se, through the eyelet 
27 and forms a loop 12. 
The procedure with respect to the parts of the back fastener 7 is similar 
(FIG. 3). The back fastener 7 is composed of an active fastener part 7a 
and a passive fastener part 7b. The active fastener part 7a has a fastener 
head 7c, the passive fastener part 7b a recess 7d. Both fastener parts 7a 
and 7b continue into an eyelet 7e. The ends of the side parts 2 and 3 also 
terminate in tongues 28, which are each pulled through the eyelets 7e and 
turned back, so as to then be welded to the material of the side parts 2 
and 3 by welds 29. 
There is consequently no need for any sewing operations extending over a 
distance and requiring a sewing medium in order to make up the brassiere 
according to the invention; instead, the manufacturing process is 
restricted to simple punching, pressing and welding operations and, 
therefore, to operations which can be simply carried out by automatic 
machines, to which they are adapted. 
Whereas in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the side parts 2, 3 of the 
brassiere 1 according to the invention are brought into contact in the 
front central area 6 by an overlap 23 and joined by a weld 24 which 
corresponds to the triangular outline of the lap joint and is also 
triangular, the side parts 2, 3 may also be joined together edge-to-edge 
in a butt weld 30 in the front central area 6 between the cups 4, 5. This 
possibility is shown in detail in a front view in FIG. 4A and in a 
corresponding detailed view from the inside in FIG. 4B. FIGS. 5-7 are 
diagrammatic representations of several successive phases showing how a 
butt weld of this kind can be produced in a simple manner. 
This simple joining possibility is due to the fact that according to the 
invention textile materials which are comprised at least in part of 
thermoplastically fusible fibers are used both for the rough blanks 13, 14 
of the side parts and for the reinforcement parts 15, 16. Fibers of this 
kind may be welded by applying ultrasound or heat, possibly with the 
simultaneous application of pressure. Once the side parts 2, 3 consisting 
of the tough blanks 13, 14 and the reinforcement parts 15, 16 have been 
placed on top of one another so that they are congruent with one another, 
these can as a result be joined together in the area of the ends 32, 33, 
which subsequently form the front central area 6, by welding under the 
application of pressure and with complete severance such that, after parts 
2, 3 have been opened out, the two ends 32, 33, which have been welded 
together one on top of the other, take up a flat position and are 
butt-welded edge-to-edge. It is thus possible to join the two front inner 
ends of the side parts 2, 3 in a practically invisible, or in any case 
non-bulky rectilinear fashion. 
In order to safeguard this weld 30 and at the same time reinforce this 
front central area 6, which is highly stressed, of the brassiere 1, it is 
appropriate to bond a reinforcement part 31, preferebaly to the inside of 
the brassiere, in this area, wherein the reinforcement part appropriately 
is composed of the same material as the actual side parts 2, 3 and may be 
joined to these material layers in the same way as the different layers of 
the side parts 2, 3 are joined (FIGS. 4A/B). 
FIGS. 5-7 show how a butt weld 30 of this kind can be advantageously 
produced. 
FIG. 5 shows in diagrammatic form how the two side parts 2, 3 composed of 
the base material 13, 14 and the reinforcement parts 15, 16 are placed one 
on top of the other such that the front inner ends 32, 33 thereof cover 
one another. The double-layer area is then brought into the range of 
action of an ultrasonic welding device 34, which is simply indicated by a 
sonotrode 34a and a bottom abutment 34b. The bottom abutment 34b has a 
triangular cross-section in its top part, which faces the material, so as 
to achieve not just welding, but also separation of material parts. 
Energy is supplied to the material disposed between the sonotrode 34a and 
the abutment 34b by lowering the sonotrode 34a in the direction of the 
arrow 35. This results in heat being generated and the plastics filaments 
in the two material layers thus being welded. The weld 30 joining the two 
superimposed ends 32, 33 of the side parts 2, 3 is indicated in FIG. 6, 
which shows the situation following welding and separation. 
The two front central edges 32, 33 of the side parts 2, 3 are thus joined 
together. 
Once the two side parts 2 and 3 have been opened out, the ends 32, 33, 
which were previously still superimposed, take up a flat position (FIG. 
7), in which the side parts 2, 3 are butt-jointed edge-to-edge at their 
ends 32, 33. 
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described 
in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood 
that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such 
principles.