Abstract:
The present invention provides a nursing bra having first and second breast cup members attached to a chest strap assembly. The strap assembly includes a primary band assembly for securing said nursing bra to a user&#39;s upper chest and a separate secondary band assembly coupled to each first and second breast cup. The separate secondary band assembly is configured and operable to provide slidable movement of each of the first and second breast cups relative to the primary band assembly for uncovering a breast during a nursing application.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/570,037, filed Sep. 30, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,118,638, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention generally relates to women&#39;s garments, and more specifically, to a nursing bra. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There are numerous nursing bra designs which have attempted to provide for conveniently breast feeding infants. Such designs have been in the general form of traditional bras with “hinged” breast cups. These designs have attempted to allow a measure of convenience to the mother, by permitting her to nurse her child without the need to remove the entire garment. 
     However, none of the prior nursing bra designs have been incorporated into bikini type garments due to the differences between traditional garment designs on the one hand and bikini designs on the other. In particular, breast cup, under wire/supporting wire and straps have differed between the two garment types. 
     For example, traditional nursing bra designs often utilize clasps for retaining the breast cup in its non-feeding position. These clasps can be difficult to use and may be visually unappealing. Furthermore, clasps often require two hands for operation, and often expose for feeding less than the whole breast. 
     Traditional nursing bras are usually “hinged” at the bottom of the breast cup and clasped at the top, and thus require women to lift pullover type (i.e., non-button-down) garments completely over the breast to place the bra into feeding position. This arrangement may lead to public exposure of the woman&#39;s breast due to the opposite direction of breast cup movement vs. garment movement required to place the breast in feeding position (i.e., the downward movement of the hinged breast cup as opposed to the upward movement of the garment). Many women find this awkward, and more modest women may consider it undesirable. 
     Bikini type nursing bras may provide alternative opening means (i.e., means for exposing the breast for nursing) which avoid such clasps, making the bikini style nursing bra more discrete and attractive. They also may be operated with one hand (e.g., by one handedly sliding a breast cup). Furthermore, because bikini style nursing bras excluded clasps and other hardware, they may be more suited for use as bras after a woman is no longer nursing. Bikini type nursing bras also may be conveniently used with all types of garments by eliminating the “opposite movement” problem discussed above. 
     Finally, the manufacture of traditional nursing bras require significantly more fabric than comparable bikini style nursing bras. 
     Therefore, while prior nursing bra designs have in essence fulfilled their objectives and requirements, the need remains for a nursing bra which provides the support and other application specific design elements of nursing bras with those of bikinis. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an illustrated embodiment, the present invention provides a nursing bra having first and second breast cups configured to respectively cover at least a portion of a user&#39;s breast. Each of the first and second breast cups may be defined by a top edge and a bottom edge, wherein each bottom edge is formed to have an inner channel portion. First and second elongate support straps may be provided with each having a first end and a second opposing end wherein the first end of the first and second elongate support straps are respectively coupled to the top edge of the first and second breast cups. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may include straps which are adjustable and worn under clothing without showing, unlike bikini straps, which are generally in the form of strings and tie behind the neck and back. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may be of fabric that is breathable and/or soft so as not to constrict sensitive breast tissue. 
     Further, a chest strap assembly may be included having a primary strap configured to conform against a front chest portion of a user so as to support the garment against the front chest portion of the user. The chest strap assembly may include a rear strap configured to secure the garment against a back torso portion of the user. Furthermore, the chest strap assembly may include a secondary strap configured to slidably receive in the inner channel portion of the first and second breast cups such that each first and second breast cup is slidably adjustable on the secondary strap. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The objects and features of the invention may be understood with reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention taken together in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a nursing bra in accordance with an illustrated embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the nursing bra of  FIG. 1  being worn by a user; 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the nursing bra of  FIG. 1  being worn by a user wherein one of the breast cups is positioned to provide nursing access to a user&#39;s breast; and 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the nursing bra of  FIG. 1  being worn by a user. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of another embodiment of the nursing bra of the present invention being worn by a user. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which illustrated embodiments of the present invention are shown. The present invention is not limited in any way to any of the illustrated embodiments. 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , a new nursing bra embodying the principles and concepts of an illustrated embodiment of the present invention, and generally designated by reference numeral  10 , will now be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the nursing bra  10  is configured to cover a pair of breasts  110  on the upper-torso portion of a user  100 . The nursing bra  10  includes first and second breast cups  12 ,  14 . Each of the breast cups  12 ,  14  covers at least a portion of an associated breast  110 . As shown in the illustrated embodiment, preferably each first and second breast cup  12 ,  14  has a generally triangular configuration. 
     Each of the breast cups  12 ,  14  respectively has an outer edge  16 ,  18  and an inner edge  20 ,  22 . Each of the aforesaid outer edge  16 ,  18  and inner edge  20 ,  22  may be formed with an elastic band. Each breast cup  12 ,  14  also respectively includes a bottom cup edge  26 ,  28  configured to form a cup area having a size covering at least a portion of the user&#39;s breast  110 . Each bottom edge  26 ,  28  of each of the breast cup  12 ,  14  is preferably folded and sewn to form a respective inner channel  30 ,  32  therealong wherein a portion of the elastic chest strap assembly  34  slidably passes through each inner channel  30 ,  32  such that each first and second breast cup  12 ,  14  is enabled to slide along the elastic chest strap assembly  34  to expose one, or both of the breasts  110 , for nursing applications, as to be discussed further below. 
     Two elongated shoulder straps,  36 ,  38 , which maybe elastic, upwardly extend respectively from the first and second breast cups  12 ,  14  for fastening around the user&#39;s shoulder and securing to a rear portion  40  of the elastic chest strap assembly  34  for fittingly retaining the breast cups  12 , 14  in position to cover the user&#39;s breasts  110 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Each shoulder strap  36 ,  38  is preferably provided with a strap adjustment assembly  42 ,  44  for adjustably tightening each shoulder strap  36 ,  38 , and hence connected breast cup  12 ,  14 , to a user&#39;s upper torso portion. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the chest strap assembly  34  includes first and second cup supporting straps  50 ,  52  and first and second chest straps  54 ,  56 , each preferably formed of an elastic material. Each aforesaid strap  50 - 56  includes a first end all connected to one another at connection point  58 , while the second ends of straps  50  and  54  are connected to a first end  59  of back torso strap  40  and the second ends of straps  52  and  56  are connected to a second end  61  of back torso strap  40 . 
     As mentioned above, first cup supporting strap  50  is slidably received in the innerchannel  30  portion of the bottom edge  26  of the first breast cup  12  while similarly the second cup supporting strap  52  is slidably received in the inner channel  32  portion of the bottom edge  28  of the second breast cup  14 . As will be further discussed below regarding usage of nursing bra  10 , the first and second supporting cup straps  50  and  52  are configured to permit each respective breast cup  12 ,  14  to slide along a respective strap member  50 ,  52  so as to expose a desired breast  110  for nursing applications. 
     It is to be appreciated that each first and second chest strap  54 ,  56  is functional to closely conform the breast strap assembly  34  to a user&#39;s chest to aid in the anchoring of the nursing bra  10  to a user&#39;s upper torso portion. Thus, while a user manipulates one or both the breast cups  12 ,  14  on its respective cup supporting strap  50 ,  52 , each first and second chest supporting strap  54 ,  56  stays in conformity with a user chest. For instance, while a user manipulates a first breast cup  12 , the second breast cup  14  stays anchored in place on the user&#39;s breast  110  unaffected by manipulation of the first breast cup  12 , and vice versa. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 4 , the back torso strap  40  of strap assembly  34  extends around the user&#39;s back torso portion. Preferably the back torso strap  40  is provided with opposing ends connected to one another by a conventional clasping assembly  60 , such as S-hooks, hook and eye, and the like. 
     With the structure of an illustrated embodiment of the nursing bra  10  described above, discussion will now be provided regarding the use of nursing bra  10  during nursing applications. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the nursing bra  10  is supported on a user  100  such that the shoulder straps  36 ,  38  extend over the user&#39;s shoulders to the back torso strap  40 , which is secured to a user via the clasping assembly  60  ( FIG. 4 ). Each shoulder strap  36 ,  38  is adjusted on the user, via strap adjustment assemblies  42  and  44 , such that each respective breast cup  12 ,  14  covers a desired portion of each respective breast  110 . 
     When a user  100  desires to expose one of their breasts  110  for a nursing application, the user simply slides the breast cup  12 ,  14  covering that selected breast  110  along the associated cup supporting strap  50 ,  52  so as to expose the selected breast  110  to enable a nursing application. For instance, and with reference to  FIG. 3 , when a user  100  desires to expose a right-side breast  110 , the user slides in the direction of arrows “A” the associated covering breast cup  14  along the associated supporting strap  52  so as to effectively expose the right-side breast  110  for a nursing application. And when the nursing application is complete, the user slides the aforesaid breast cup  14  in a direction substantially opposite of that of the direction of arrows “A” along the associated supporting strap  52  so as to once again cover the right-side breast  110  with the breast cup  14 . It is again noted, that while the user  110  manipulates either breast cup  12 ,  14  to both expose and cover the associated breast  110 , each first and second chest supporting strap  54 ,  56  of the strap assembly  34  stays in conformity with a user&#39;s chest effectively anchoring the nursing bra  10  to the user  100 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a rear perspective view of another embodiment of the nursing bra of the present invention being worn by a user. In this embodiment, each of the shoulder straps  36  and  38  have a first end attached to the cups and respective second opposing ends  70  and  72 . At each of the second opposing ends  70  and  72 , a respective pair of sub-straps  74  and  76 , and  78  and  80  extend from these second opposing ends to attach to the rear strap  40  of the bra. Each of the sub-straps may be individually connected to the rear strap  40  by individual connection points  82 ,  84 ,  86 , and  88 . Each of the sub-straps may be a continuous length of fabric bridging between the connection points and their respective second opposing ends or, alternatively, each opposing ends may bifurcate into the sub-straps. Such bifurcation may form an acute angle between the sub-straps, a right angle between the sub-straps, or an obtuse angle between the sub-straps depending on the spacing of the connection points on the rear strap and their relative length. 
     In an alternative embodiment to that described in the preceding paragraph, sub-straps  76  and  78 , or alternatively sub-straps  74  and  80 , may be continuations of straps  36  and  38 . 
     Embodiments of the instant invention may include fabric panels  90  disposed in the triangle formed between the sub-straps and the back torso strap  40 . As used herein, the sub-straps may comprise discrete straps or reinforced edges of fabric panels  90 . The reinforced edges of fabric panels  90  may be formed, for example, by folding and sewing edges of fabric panels  90 , and further may incorporate a reinforcing member such as elastic, wires, plastic and the like into the folded and sewn edges. 
     Preferably the connection points are spaced apart from one another to better distribute the load along the length of the rear strap. 
     Preferred embodiments have an adjustment mechanism on the primary strap. 
     Although illustrated embodiments of the present invention have been described, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.