Abstract:
An article of clothing with one or more padding structures and a method for making the same is disclosed. The one or more padding structures comprise free micro-beads that are encapsulated within one or more corresponding pouches. The padding structures are either permanently fitted with or secured to the clothing body of the article of clothing or are configured to detectably couple to the clothing body of the article of clothing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a bra comprises cups that are padded or partially padded with padding structures comprising encapsulated free micro-beads.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to the field of clothing. More particularly, this invention relates to clothing with padding or padded structures  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     There are number padding structures available that are used to distribute a bearing load, such as on shoulder a strap. Also, there are padding structures that are designed to reduce effects of an impact to a portion of a body that can result, for example as a result of collision. Padding structures also have a variety uses in clothing articles. For example, padding structures are used in shoes to cushion feet while standing, walking or running. Padding structures are also used for a variety or cosmetic application, either alone or in combination with an article of clothing. For example, padding structures are often used in the shoulder regions of a coat to provide shape or form to the shoulder regions of the coat while the coat is being worn.  
         [0003]     Prior art padding structures suffer from a number or shortcomings. Prior art padding structures are usually formed from cloth, foam or a combination thereof and do not look or feel natural. Further, such padding structures do not conform readily conform to a variety or body contours or curvatures. Also, these padding structures can become lumpy, deformed, compressed and/or displaced after wearing or washing the padding structure or the article of clothing to which padding structures are attached to. Accordingly, these padding structures do not look or feel uniform.  
         [0004]     Liquid or gel-based padding structures have fluidity and readily conform to contours and curvatures of the body. The weight of liquid or gel-based padding structures often make their use as structures in clothing prohibitive and their cost to manufacture can be very high. Also, such liquid or gel-based padding structures are subject to puncture and leakage. Accordingly, there is a continued need for padding structures that easily conforms to the contours or curvatures of the body. Preferably, such padding structures remain supple and hold their form even after several uses, deformations and/or washes. Preferably, these padding structures are light weight and can be readily integrated into clothing, such as coats, pants, shirts, blouses, swim wear, bras, underwear, socks and the like.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention is directed to a padded article with a padding structure. The padded article is preferably an article of clothing with one or more padding structures couple to a clothing body. The clothing body and the padding structures can be formed from any suitable material, but are preferably formed from flexible materials that are molded, woven or a combination thereof and are fashioned to conform to contours of a human body; in other words, the article of clothing is preferably a fitted article of clothing. For example, the clothing body is fashioned as a coat, a pair of pants, a shirt, a blouse, swim-wear, a bra, underwear, socks or any other clothing garment. Alternatively, the article of clothing can be fashioned as a blanket, a wrap, a shawl or the like.  
         [0006]     In accordance with the embodiments of the invention, a padding region or regions on the article of clothing comprise a padding structures with one or more pouches that encapsulate free micro-beads. Free micro-beads, herein refers to dry micro-beads-bead that are not combined with an oil, wax, silicone, polymer or any other binder materials and wherein, the micro-beads can readily deform and conform to different contours or curvatures of a human body to provide support and/or form to the area of a body without some of the aforementioned shortcomings.  
         [0007]     In accordance with the embodiments of the invention, padding structures are glued, sewn or otherwise permanently secured to one or more padding regions of a clothing body. In accordance with alternative embodiments of the invention, the one or more padding structures are configured to detachably couple to one or more padding regions of a clothing body through attachment features. For example, padding structures comprising encapsulated micro-beads are configured to slip into for fit into a sleeve or pocket located on the clothing body. In addition to, or alternatively to sleeves and/or pockets, a padding structure can be configured to detachably couple to a clothing body using any number of other attaching features know in the art including, but not limited to, snap features, hook features, button features, hook and loop fabric features and combination thereof.  
         [0008]     The micro-beads utilized in the present invention can be formed from any number of materials or combinations of materials, including acrylic, polystyrene, alumina and silica. Preferably, the micro-beads are formed from polystyrene and have an average size in a range of 0.5 to 500 microns and provide a sensation, a feeling or a physical characteristic of fluidity.  
         [0009]     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, an article of clothing is a bra with cups for supporting breasts and with one or more strap members for securing the cups a body. The cups, and/or other portions of the bra, are at least partially padded with one or more padding structures comprising free micro-beads, such as described above. The cups and/or other portions of the bra can be padded with padding structures that are permanently fitted and secured to the bra or are, alternatively, configured to detachably couple to the cups and/or other portions of the bra, such as described above.  
         [0010]     In accordance with further embodiments of the invention, padding structures comprising encapsulated free micro-beads are configured as shoe inserts for placing inside of shoes, including casual shoes, dress shoes, running shoes, hiking boots or any other footwear, to provide light weight padding and/or support to feet while standing, walking running or hiking. Also, padding structures in accordance with the embodiments of the invention can be built into the interior of shoes or other footwear to provide padding and/or support while standing, walking running or hiking.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a padding structure with encapsulated free micro-beads, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention.  
         [0012]     FIGS.  2 A-B show a clothing body with a plurality of pouch structures encapsulating free micro-beads, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  shows bra structure padded with micro-beads, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  shows a bra and pants outfit each padded with micro-beads, in accordance with further embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a padded structure  100 , in accordance with the embodiments of the invention, comprises a pouch that be formed from one or more pieces flexible sheets  103  and  105 . The sheets of flexible material  103  and  105  can be formed from any suitable material or materials, but are preferably formed from a molded or a extruded material or materials, such as plastic and/or a woven material or materials (i.e., synthetic fibers, natural fiber), such as cloth woven from cotton, nylon, rayon and/or any combinations thereof.  
         [0016]     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the padding structure  100  preferably comprises free-micro-beads  101  encapsulated within the sheets of flexible material  103  and  104 . The free micro-beads  101  are unbound by oils, waxes, polymers or other binders and can flow freely within the pouch to deformed or conform to different contours or curves of a body when the padding structures  100  comes in intimate contact with a portion of the body. The free micro-beads  101  are from any a number of materials and/or combinations of materials including, but not limited to, acrylic, polystyrene, alumina and silica. Preferably, the micro-beads  100  are formed from polystyrene and have an average diameter in a range of 0.5 to 500 microns. Polystyrene micro-beads are preferred because they are light-weight, washable and hydrophobic and, therefore, easy to dry. Further polystyrene micro-beads provide good insulation making them particularly suitable for padded swim-wear, such as wet suits for diving, surfing and swimming.  
         [0017]     The padding structure  100 , in accordance with the embodiments of the invention, is integrated or permanently attached to a clothing body (not shown). For example, the padding structure  100  is sewn to, glued or otherwise fixed to a padding region of the clothing body. In yet further embodiments of the invention, the padding structure  100  is configured to detachably couple to a padding region of the clothing body. For example, the padding structure  100  can be configured to insert or fit into a pocket or sleeve on the clothing body. In addition to, or alternatively to a pocket or sleeve, the padding structure can be configured to detachably couple to a padding region of the clothing body through any number attaching features  107  and  109 . The attaching features  107  and  109  can include any attaching features know in the art including, but not limited to, snap features, hook features, button features, hook and loop fabric features and combination thereof. Accordingly, the attaching features  107  and  109  are configured to mated with a complementary or matched attaching features on or near the padding region of the clothing body.  
         [0018]     Referring now to FIGS.  2 A-B, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention a portion of a clothing body construction  200  can include a plurality of pockets  201 ,  201 ′ and  201 ″ that each encapsulate free micro-beads  202 , as described in detail above. In accordance with the embodiments of the invention, the pockets  201 ,  201 ′ and  201 ″ are formed from two or more layers of fabric  203  and  205 , or other flexible material or materials that are sewn, fused, glued or otherwise joined together to form the pouches  201 ,  201 ′ and  201 ″ for encapsulating the free micro-beads  203  therein. The clothing body construction  200  is particularly useful for providing a cushion and/or insulation over a large region of clothing. For example, the clothing body construction  200  described above is useful for fabricating wetsuits, cushioned socks and the like. While the pouches  201 ,  201 ′ and  201 ″ are shown as squares or rectangles, any number of pouch shapes are consider to be within the scope of the present invention. For example, the pouches  201 ,  201 ′ and  201 ″ can be formed as channels, circles, rings, triangles or any other regular or irregular shape and combination of shapes. The preferred shape or shapes of the pouches  201 ,  201 ′ and  201 ″ will depend on the intended application as well as desired appearance. Also, while the free-micro beads  202 , are shown as being directly encapsulated by the layers of the fabric  203  and  205 , it will be clear to one skilled in the art from the description above and below that the free micro-beads  202  can first be encapsulated in a containment pouch or bag and then further encapsulated by the layer of fabric  203  and  205 .  
         [0019]     Now referring to  FIG. 3 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, an article of clothing comprises a bra  300  with cups  305  for supporting breasts and one or more strap members  303  for securing the cups to a body  307 . The cups  305 , and/or other portions of the bra  300  are at least partially padded with a free micro-beads  301  that are encapsulated in a pouch of a padding structure, such as described above. The free micro-beads  301  are encapsulated in the padding structure that is integral a clothing body of the bra (the cups  305  or strap members  303 ) or are encapsulated between two or more layer of flexible material that detachably couple to the clothing body of the bra  300 , as described in detail above. In accordance with yet further embodiments of the invention, the free micro-beads  401  are encapsulated within a padding region on a pair of pants  403  to provide an appearance of lift and/or form, such as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0020]     While the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments incorporating details to facilitate the understanding of the principles of construction and operation of the invention. As such, references, herein, to specific embodiments and details thereof are not intended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made in the embodiment chosen for illustration without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Specifically, padding structures with free micro-beads, in accordance with the present invention, can be configured to couple to or integrate with other articles or garments, including straps, wraps, blankets, and any other article or garment where padding, insulation or a combination thereof is desired.