Abstract:
Ornamental jewelry supports for garments, particularly for upper torso garments worn by women such as bras, bikini tops, halters, strapless dresses, and the like. The garment supports are adjustable along their length with adjusting mechanisms that do not result in unsightly overlap of the ornamental lengths of jewelry of the present garment supports. The adjustable ornamental garment supports can be readily moved from one garment to another and do not require puncturing the garment.

Description:
The present invention is directed to decorative garment supports which provide ornamental, accessory items while supporting a garment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Jewelry has been used previously to support women&#39;s garments. For example, as early as 1924, U.S. Pat. No. 1,491,578 to Ballou discloses the use of chains made of precious metal, pearls, beads or ribbons for supporting garments. Since different garments may be cut differently, and people are different sizes, there is a need to adjust a garment support. The Ballou patent utilizes a highly visible mechanism wherein each length of support is overlapped upon itself and adjusted in order to obtain the desired length. 
     Other previously known supports were often not adjustable or are not interchangeable between garments. For example, one previously known garment support shown in FIG. 1 comprises a length of shiny chain links. The front section of each bra support is sewn to the bra  20  at the uppermost portion of each cup  11 ,  11 ′. Two separate rear links are also sewn to the back of the bra at intermediate positions  12 ,  12 ′. Attached to the terminal end of the rear chain lengths  15  are fasteners designed to releasably connect with an intermediate portion of the longer length of (front) chain links. As illustrated in FIG. 1, however, this arrangement results in excess chain links  13 ,  13 ′ dangling visibly on the back of the person utilizing this garment support. This illustrated garment support is also not readily interchangeable between garments since it is sewn to the bra  20  at 4 separate points. ( 11 ,  11 ′,  12 , and  12 ′) 
     It is most desirable to provide a garment support which is readily interchangeable between garments. While the garment support disclosed in the Ballou patent is interchangeable, it utilizes safety pins which can readily tear or damage a garment. The entire adjustment mechanism is also visible. 
     There is a need for a garment support, particularly useful for woman&#39;s upper garments such as bras, dresses, halters, and the like which do not have over-the-shoulder or around-the-neck supports for holding the garment at the desired height. It would therefore be desirable to provide attractive, ornamental jewelry-type garment supports which do not require overlap of each length of the garment support in order to provide desired adjustability and which are readily interchangeable between different garments without requiring sewing or otherwise puncturing the garment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The various embodiments of the present invention provide improved ornamental jewelry supports for garments, particularly for upper torso garments worn by women such as bras, bikini tops, halters, strapless dresses, dresses with thin straps, strapless tops, tops with thin straps, and the like. Various aspects of the invention advantageously provide adjustable ornamental garment supports which can readily be moved from one garment to another and which, most preferably, do not require puncturing the garment with pins, posts, buttons or which otherwise require modification of the garment. The garment supports of the present invention are advantageously adjustable along their length in order to permit the person wearing the garment to adjust the height of the garment relative to the wearer&#39;s shoulders or neck. Unlike some previously disclosed garment supports, the adjusting mechanisms of the present invention do not result in unsightly overlap of the ornamental lengths of jewelry of the present garment. supports. To the extent that adjustment results in an excess length of the garment support, that excess length is substantially concealed between the garment and the body of the person. Certain embodiments of the present invention comprise a releasable clasp for releasably connecting one end of the garment support to a garment and a second connector having a clasp which is attachable to an intermediate length of the garment. 
     These and other embodiments are described along with reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a previously known ornamental garment support. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a garment support of one embodiment of the present invention connected to a bra with a woman shown in a phantom. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a front clasp of the embodiment illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 illustrates an unattached rear clasp of the embodiment illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate front and unattached rear clasps of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, respectively. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates a rear portion of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates the rear portion of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 illustrates the rear portion of a still further alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 illustrates a still further embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The various embodiments of the present invention provide improvements with respect to previously known ornamental garment supports. 
     FIGS. 2-4 illustrate one embodiment of the present invention which substantially eliminates the unattractive overlap between garment support sections and is designed to facilitate quick interchangeability from one garment to another. In this illustrated embodiment, a length of beads or pearls  110  has a forward terminal end  112  to which is attached a readily positionable and removable garment clasp  115 . As shown in FIG. 2, this clasp  115  can readily be connected to the top of a bra cup  150  or some other garment such as a strapless dress, halter, bathing suit, etc. Clasp  115  advantageously avoids puncturing the garment  150  so as to avoid any damage, according to this preferred illustrated embodiment. While the illustrated clasp is one preferred embodiment, it is also within the scope of the present invention to use other clasps having different shapes and sizes, provided that they do not pierce the garment. 
     In order to provide adjustability to the garment support  110  for use with different garments or by different people, a rear connector  120  comprises a first garment clasp  125  for attachment to a garment and a connector  130  for releasably and selectively attaching rear clasp  120  to the length of jewelry  110 . The lower garment attaching clasp  125  and the length of jewelry connector  130  are best shown in FIG.  4 . According to this illustrated embodiment, when the pin  131  of the hook connector  130  is moved downwardly the trigger  135  is depressed, thereby opening the hook connector for attaching the length of jewelry  110  or releasing the length of jewelry  110  from the connector. The rear clasp  120 , of this illustrated embodiment, is also designed to avoid any damage to the garments. This illustrated embodiment of the present invention advantageously avoids the overlap of the length of beads or pearls of a single strand. Excess strands are advantageously concealed from view between garment and the body of the wearer. While the illustrated adjustment mechanism is one preferred embodiment, it is also within the scope of the present invention to use other adjustment mechanisms having different shapes and sizes, provided that they are selectively attachable to and releasable from the length of jewelry. 
     The particular design of the jewelry is not limited to any one embodiment. As used herein, the term “length of jewelry” is used to indicate any fabrics, precious gems, semi-precious gems, costume jewelry, diamonds, chains, beads, pearls, metals, precious metals, or any other suitable materials, in various designs, shapes, and/or colors and any combinations thereof, regardless of cost. As noted, the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 can comprise beads, pearls, and the like. 
     An alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 5-7 wherein the chain comprises precious, semi-precious or costume jewelry connected in lengths. This length of chain comprises a decorative stone  211  attached to a metallic base  210 . The stones can be precious stones, semi-precious stones, costume jewelry or any other decorative ornaments regardless of cost. In this illustrated embodiment, the front terminal end of the length of jewelry  210  is connected to a front garment clasp  215  which advantageously has substantially the same configuration, shape and color as the length of jewelry. In this manner, forward clasp  215  blends well with the length of jewelry  210  in an esthetically pleasing manner. This illustrated embodiment of the present invention also advantageously comprises a swivel connector  218  which permits the length of jewelry  210  to rotate freely relative to the forward connector  215 . Swivel connector can be provided proximate any of the connections disclosed herein. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a rear clasp  220  is designed to engage the garment without puncturing or otherwise damaging the garment. Rear clasp  220  of this preferred embodiment of: the present invention is also designed to have substantially the same general configuration as at least a portion of the length of jewelry  210  and comprises a metallic base  230  with a stone  231  as best shown in FIG.  5 . Any excess length of chain  240  does not overlap the working portion of the length of jewelry and is readily concealed behind the garment. As used herein, the term “working portion” refers to a portion of the garment support which is actually providing support to one or more garments. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein two garment supports are joined by a decorative connector at an intermediate position. In this illustrated embodiment a decorative connector  310  is used to connect two lengths of jewelry. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 9 wherein a generally Y-shaped garment support  400  comprises an adjustable clasp  415  of the type generally illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 to connect a rear portion of the support to a garment  450 . In this illustrated embodiment, the support attaches at one point in the rear of the garment and at two forward positions (not shown). The forward sections of the support  400  can be connected with either fixed terminal connectors such as the clasp shown in FIG. 3, or can permit adjustability of the garment support in the front utilizing a garment connector such as clasp  120  illustrated in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 10 illustrates a still further embodiment of the present invention with a more intricate garment support  500  which utilizes a plurality of lengths of jewelry on the back of the wearer. In this illustrated embodiment, the garment support  500  comprises two forward lengths of jewelry (not shown) which are attached to a garment in one of the manners discussed above. The rear portion of the garment support  500  comprises a plurality of vertical supports with a left outermost support  501 , a left inner support  502 , a right inner support  503  and a right outer support  504 . Each of the supports is advantageously releasably attachable to a garment utilizing an adjustable clasp  515  such as those described above. In addition, a plurality of horizontal lengths of jewelry are utilized to connect the inner and outer vertical lengths  501 - 504 . In this illustrated embodiment, the outer left support  501  is connected with two horizontal lengths  506 ,  506 ′ to the right outer support  504  and the left inner support  502  is connected with two horizontal lengths  508 ,  508 ′ to the right inner support  503 . It is also within the scope of the present invention to connect all four vertical supports with a single horizontal strand or to connect one inner with one outer strand. While this illustrated embodiment utilizes four horizontal strands, it is also within the scope of the present invention to utilize more or fewer horizontal lengths of jewelry to connect the vertical supports. It is also within the scope of the present invention to use a greater or fewer number of vertical supports, horizontal supports, diagonal supports and/or combinations of vertical, horizontal and/or diagonal supports in the front, back or both. The supports can also be crisscrossed either in the front, rear, or both. The particular design of the garment support will depend upon the taste of the wearer and may be influenced by the design of the garment. Additionally, while the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 8-10 merely illustrate the back portions of garments supports, it is also within the scope of the present invention to utilize these designs on the front portion of the garment support either in combination with the rear portion shown or with single or multiple attachments to the back of the garment. It is also within the scope of the present invention to use these or other types of terminal or non-terminal connectors or adjustable connectors on either the front or rear of a garment support of the present invention. For most applications and in light of the desires for comfort of the wearer, it is contemplated that it will most often be desirable to place the adjustment connectors on the rear of a garment while the front of the garment support will have a fixed terminal connector such as those shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. However, some wearers may prefer to have an adjustable mechanism in the front for ease of use. 
     FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein two garment supports are used to support a strapless dress. In this embodiment, two garment supports of the type illustrated in FIG. 2 are attached to the front and sides of the illustrated woman&#39;s garments. Therefore, from the present description, it will be appreciated that the decorative garment supports of the present invention do not necessarily have to connect to both the front and back of a garment. 
     Additionally, according to another embodiment of the present invention, a single garment support can be designed to simply pass around the neck of a wearer as illustrated in FIG.  12 . In this manner, the jewelry support  700  comprises a single length of jewelry  710  which is connected to a strapless dress  750  utilizing two adjustable garment connectors  720  of the type illustrated in FIG.  7 . It is also within the scope of the present invention to utilize a swivel connector, with an adjustable clasp  220 . While this illustrated embodiment comprises two adjustable clasps  720 , adjustment can also readily be performed with a single adjustable clasp and one fixed terminal garment connector. 
     One preferred aspect of the present invention comprises adjustable and interchangeable jewelry garment supports for use with different garments which promote the display of the garment supports as a piece of jewelry. The invention of adjustable and interchangeable jewelry garment supports encompasses jewelry garment supports made out of various designs and various materials regardless of cost. The adjustable and interchangeable jewelry garment supports are “adjustable” meaning that the length of the jewelry garment support can be adjusted. The adjustable and interchangeable jewelry garment supports are also “interchangeable” meaning that they can be attached and detached from one garment to another, without piercing the garment, enabling them to be worn on many different garments of different sizes, shapes, designs, and from different manufacturers. For example, embodiments of the present invention allow a woman to wear her own garment, e.g. a bra, that she is comfortable in rather than a specific replacement bra, and to wear one of many jewelry garment supports.