Abstract:
A fastener has first and second fastening parts inter-engageable for fastening two side parts of a brassiere or similar article of clothing. The first and second fastening parts include co-operable fastening members for detachable fastening. The fastening members, at least when attached, are concealable by a concealing member, the concealing member being movable between an operating position to conceal the fastening members and a non-operating position to expose the fastening members.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a fastener, for example particularly, but not exclusively a fastener for use in a Brassiere. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Brassieres are specialized garment designed to support a woman&#39;s breasts and this may date back to ancient Greece. Conventionally they were considered as undergarments but now they have evolved into fashion item. 
         [0003]    The changing trend, the complexity of the available design and material allow brassieres to become outerwear for different purposes such as dance and athletics while providing the support and coverage required. The concept of lingerie as outerwear is not new and is more popular. 
         [0004]    One-piece sport bras, for example are common outerwear but well known to be uncomfortable to wear as they are usually very tight. Also, the size of a sport bra is not adjustable as because they come in one-piece. The band is an elastic strip permitting no adjustment in band size other than relying on its elasticity. Not all brassieres are suitable as outerwear. Conventional brassieres permit adjustment in band size by the use of an adjustable fastener. The mere presence of an adjustable fastener on a brassier creates the impression that the piece of garment is an underwear which ought to be covered by an outer garment. 
         [0005]    The invention seeks to eliminate or at least to mitigate such shortcomings by providing a new or otherwise improved fastener for brassieres. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    According to the invention, there is provided a fastener comprising first and second fastening parts inter-engageable for fastening two side parts of a brassiere or similar article of clothing, the first and second fastening parts including co-operable fastening members for detachable fastening, wherein the fastening members, at least when attached, are concealable by a concealing member, the concealing member is moveable between an operating position to conceal the fastening members and a non-operating position to expose the fastening members. 
         [0007]    Preferably, the concealing member is removably fixed to one of the first and second fastening parts and remains movable between the operating and non-operating positions. 
         [0008]    More preferably, the concealing member has a side portion sewed onto one of the first and second fastening parts and remains operable between the operating and non-operating positions. 
         [0009]    Yet more preferably, the concealing member is co-operable with a retainer to releasably retain the concealing member at the operating position. 
         [0010]    Advantageously, the retainer is a two-part retainer inter-engageable for retaining the concealing member at the operating position. 
         [0011]    More advantageously, the concealing member is in the form of a detachable pad attachable to the fastening parts by the two-part retainer. 
         [0012]    Yet more advantageously, the concealing member is in the form of a sleeve unraveled to operate at the operating position where it wraps around the first and second fastening parts for concealing the same. 
         [0013]    It is preferable that the sleeve is pre-formed. 
         [0014]    It is advantageous that the concealing member has outer and inner opposite surfaces, the outer surface is exposed when the concealing member is at the operating position. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the inner surface is exposed when the concealing member is at the non-operating position and is distinguishable from the first surface for indication purpose. 
         [0016]    More preferably, the concealing member is dimensioned to conceal both fastening members to their entirety when it is moved to the operating position. 
         [0017]    In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a brassiere comprising a band with two side parts and the fastener as mentioned above provided with the two side parts, wherein the concealing member is made of a material indistinguishable from that of the band. 
         [0018]    In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a brassiere with two side parts comprising a fastener having first and second fastening parts inter-engageable for fastening the two side parts, the first and second fastening parts including co-operable fastening members for detachable fastening; and a concealing member, wherein, the fastening members, at least when attached, are concealable by a concealing member, the concealing member being moveable between an operating position to conceal the fastening members and a non-operating position to expose the fastening members. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the concealing member is made of a material indistinguishable from that of the band. 
         [0020]    In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a brassiere or an article of clothing having a fastener as mentioned above comprising the steps of: providing inter-engageable first and second fastening parts with co-operable fastening members for detachable fastening; attaching the first and second fastening parts to respective side parts of the brassiere or similar article of clothing; and providing a concealing member with at least one of the side parts, wherein the concealing member is moveable between an operating position to conceal the fastening members and a non-operating position to expose the fastening members. 
         [0021]    Preferably, the concealing member is pre-formed before it is provided with the at least one of the side parts. 
         [0022]    More preferably, the concealing member is fixed to one of the first and second fastening parts and remains movable between the operating and non-operating positions. 
         [0023]    Advantageously, the concealing member is in the form of a sleeve unraveled to operate at the operating position for concealing the fastening members. 
         [0024]    It is preferable that the method further includes the step of providing a retainer which co-operable with the concealing member to releasably retain the concealing member at the operating position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0026]      FIGS. 1A and 1D  are illustrative drawings of a conventional brassiere with adjustable band; 
           [0027]      FIGS. 2A to 2C  are illustrative drawings of a fastener in accordance with the invention, which has a concealing member sewed onto an eye tape; 
           [0028]      FIGS. 3A to 3F  are schematic illustrative drawings of the use of a brassier with the fastener in  FIGS. 2A to 2C ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3G and 3H  are schematic illustrative drawings of the use of a brassier with the fastener in accordance with the invention, which has a concealing member sewed onto the hook tape; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged illustration of the use of the fastener in  FIGS. 2A to 2C ; 
           [0031]      FIGS. 5A to 5E  are illustrative drawings of another embodiment of a fastener in accordance with the invention; 
           [0032]      FIGS. 6A to 6C  are illustrative drawings of a further embodiment of a fastener in accordance with the invention; 
           [0033]      FIGS. 7A to 7F  are illustrative drawings of the use of a brassier with an embodiment of the fastener in  FIGS. 2A to 2C ; 
           [0034]      FIGS. 8A to 8D  are illustrative drawings of the use of a brassier with an embodiment of the fastener in  FIGS. 5A to 5E ; and 
           [0035]      FIGS. 9A to 9G  are illustrative drawings of a brasserie with an embodiment of the fastener in  FIGS. 6A to 6C . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A to 1D , there are shown two types of conventional brassier. Those in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  are brassieres with adjustable fasteners which are generally considered as undergarments. Those in  FIGS. 1C and 1D  are bra tops without adjustable fastener, commonly used as sportswear. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIGS. 2A to 2C , the fastener  100  in accordance with the invention is preferably a two part inter-engageable fastener in the form of hook and eye tapes. The hook tape  101  is connected to one part of a band  201  of a brassier  200  or parts on a similar article of clothing such as all types of lingerie e.g., a girdle. The eye tape  102  is connected to the other part of the band  201  of the brassier  200 . Generally, the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  are pre-formed by conventional means and then sewed onto the respective parts of the band  201 . In the preferred embodiment, a concealing member  103  is provided with the fastener  100 . Alternatively, the concealing member  103  is securely attached to or sewed onto one of the bands  201  of the brassier  200  instead of on the fastener  100 . This concealing member  103  is moveable between the operating position to conceal the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  and it can be moved to a non-operating position exposing the hook and eye tape  101  and  102  to permit access by the user. 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIGS. 3A to 3F  and  4 , in a preferred embodiment, the concealing member  103  is in the form of a sleeve with one end sewed onto the eye tape  102 . In the non-operating position, the sleeve  103  is pulled up or turned inside out away from the eye tape  102  to the non-operating position for exposing the eye. The hook on the hook tape  101  may then hooked onto the eye to form an inter-engagement connecting the parts of the band  201 . Thereafter, the sleeve  103  can be rolled/pulled down or flipped over to the operating position for concealing the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102 . The sleeve  103  is unraveled to wrap around the hook and eye fastener  101  and  102 . At least the outside of the sleeve  103  or the whole of the sleeve  103  is preferably made of the same material as the band  201 . Once the sleeve  103  is moved to the operating position, the band  201  and the sleeve  103  is basically indistinguishable at least from afar. The sleeve  103  is retained at the operating position by friction or its own elasticity. When the user would like to remove the brassier  100 , the sleeve  103  can be pulled up or turned inside out away from the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  to the non-operating position again. Access to the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  is permitted. 
         [0039]    In another embodiment, the sleeve  103  does not have to be sewed to the eye tape  102 . Instead it may be sleeved onto the relevant part of the band  201  and be pulled to the operating position for concealing the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  when in use. 
         [0040]    In a further embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 3G and 3H , the sleeve  103  is sewed onto the hook tape  101 . Alternatively, the sleeve  103  may be sewed onto the band  201  on which the hook tape or eye tape  101  or  102  is provided. 
         [0041]    Turning to  FIGS. 5A to 5E . There is shown another embodiment of the fastener  100 . The concealing member  103  is a separate pad. The pad  103  is retained in the operating position by a retainer  104 . The retainer  104  is a two-part inter-engageable retainer. Preferably a Velcro®. One part of the Velcro®  104 A is fixed to the pad  103  while the other part  104 B is fixed to the back of the eye tape  102 . The pad  103  may include a pair of connectors  105  for detachably connecting the pad  103  to the back of the eye tape  102  yet remains operable between the operating and non-operating positions as shown in  FIG. 5D . The pad  103  can be flipped between the operating and non-operating positions. 
         [0042]    In a further embodiment of the fastener  100  as shown in  FIGS. 6A to 6C , the concealing member  103  is again in the form of a separate pad. A part  104 A of the retainer  104  is fixed onto one side of the pad  103 . The other part  1048  of the retainer  104  has two parts or pieces. One part is fixed onto the front side of the eye tape  102  adjacent the end where the eye tape  102  is sewed onto the band  201 . The other is fixed onto the back and adjacent the free end of the hook tape  101 . Once the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  are fastened, the pad  103  may be placed over them to conceal the tapes  101  and  102 . The pad  103  is detachably retained in this operating position by the retainer  104 . The pad  103  can be readily removed by pulling it back and rip it off the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102 . Of course, it is possible for one part of the retainer  104  to be fixed onto one of the bands  201  and the other piece fixed onto the back of the hook tape  101  or the band on which the hook tape  101  is sewed. 
         [0043]    The pad  103  in both embodiments is preferably made of the same material as the bands  201  or the rest of the brassier  200  such that when the pad  103  is in the operating position, it cannot be distinguished from the bands or the rest of the brassier  200 . The brassier  200  would be more like an outerwear yet permitting some adjustment on the band size enhancing comfort. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 7A to 9G  shows an embodiment of a brassier  200  with the fastener  100 . This brassier  200  is more like a sports bra yet with an adjustable fastener  100  to permit adjustment on the band size. 
         [0045]    The fastener  100  is basically the same as that as discussed above except that it has more hooks and eyes on the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102 . 
         [0046]    A brassier  100  is a personal article of clothing. The user may try the brassier  200  on and select the preferred band size by fastening the hooks on the hook tape  101  to a preferred row of eyes on the eye tape  102 . Once that is decided, the concealing member  103  may then be moved to its operating position. The concealing member  103  may be retained at the operating position when the brassier  200  is in use or not e.g. in the laundry. There is no need to move the concealing member  103  to and from the operating and non-operating positions every time the brassier  200  is used. 
         [0047]    Preferably, the concealing member  103  is dimensioned to conceal the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  to their entirety. 
         [0048]    The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a brassiere or an article of clothing having a fastener as detailed above. The method includes the steps of providing the fastener  100  which includes hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  and a concealing member  103  and sewing the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  to respective parts of the band  201 . The concealing member  103  may be provided separately from the hook and eye tapes  101  and  102  or is pre-sewed onto the eye tape  102  or the hook tape  101  or any one of the bands  201 . A retainer  104  as described above may be provided on the hook tape  101  or eye tape  102  or the band(s)  201  to retain the concealing member  103  at the operating position. 
         [0049]    The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.