Abstract:
A cleavage cover includes a piece of fabric having a first side and an opposing second side. An adhesive is permanently attached to the first side of the piece of fabric to removably attach the piece of fabric to skin of a wearer to conceal cleavage.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/207,786 filed on Feb. 17, 2009. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This application relates generally to women&#39;s apparel and more particularly to a cleavage cover that is worn to cover the visible cleavage of a woman when an outer garment is worn. 
         [0003]    Some clothing may expose too much of a woman&#39;s cleavage (the top area of the breasts), which may cause the woman to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. Women may avoid garments that expose their cleavage or wear an additional garment, such as a camisole or t-shirt, between a bra and the additional garment to help cover the cleavage. Wearing additional garments can be expensive, uncomfortable, inconvenient, have unsightly straps, and add extra bulk to a woman&#39;s figure. Additionally, some social and work environments may have rules that require that the cleavage of a woman be covered. Women may also want to cover scars, such as from breast surgery. 
         [0004]    Some cleavage covers attach to a bra with fasteners. However, as there are may different bra styles and sizes, and a distance between bra straps vary, different placement of the fasteners can result, creating gaps and improper fitting. 
         [0005]    Other cleavage covers are attached to the skin or the additional garment by double-sided tape. These cleavage covers require the purchase of additional disposable items for application of the cleavage cover and require the woman to follow multiple steps to wear, remove and wash the cleavage cover. 
         [0006]    Other cleavage covers can be custom made, but they are expensive and require a complex series of measurements of the woman to be taken prior to purchasing the cleavage cover to ensure a proper fit. 
         [0007]    Prior cleavage covers also require the woman to apply the cleavage cover before getting dressed or require the woman to undress prior to removing the cleavage cover. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A cleavage cover includes a piece of fabric having a first side and an opposing second side. An adhesive is permanently attached to the first side of the piece of fabric to removably attach the piece of fabric to skin of a wearer to conceal cleavage. 
         [0009]    Another exemplary embodiment of the cleavage cover includes a stretchable piece of fabric having a first side, an opposing second side and a width that extends between opposing ends. A silicone gel adhesive permanently attached to the first side of the stretchable piece of fabric removably attaches the stretchable piece of fabric to skin of a wearer to conceal cleavage. An area between the silicone gel adhesive and each of the ends of the stretchable piece of fabric are free of the silicone gel adhesive. 
         [0010]    These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description that is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings and illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front side of a cleavage cover; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a rear side of the cleavage cover including an adhesive surface; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates the cleavage cover in an unstretched and a stretched position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  illustrates cleavage revealed by a crew neck garment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4B  illustrates cleavage revealed by a v-neck garment; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4C  illustrates cleavage revealed by a bra; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  illustrates placement of the cleavage cover on skin of a woman; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6A  illustrates the cleavage cover worn under a crew neck garment; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6B  illustrates the cleavage cover worn under a v-neck garment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6C  illustrates the cleavage cover worn under a bra; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6D  illustrates the cleavage cover worn under a different bra; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6E  illustrates the cleavage cover worn under another different bra; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 7A to 7E  illustrate various cleavage covers with embellishments; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  illustrates the cleavage cover and its storage. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0025]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a cleavage cover  20  that is used to cover cleavage  44  (shown in  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B and  4 C) of a woman. The cleavage cover  20  is worn under an outer garment  46  (shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B ) to cover the exposed cleavage  44 . 
         [0026]    The cleavage cover  20  covers the front of the chest and can be worn with backless dresses and tops. The cleavage cover  20  is lightweight, breathable, washable and reusable. The cleavage cover  20  does not attach to a bra and can be worn with or without a bra. The cleavage cover  20  can be easily applied to the skin of the woman while getting dressed or easily removed while the woman is getting undressed and can also be applied and removed while the woman is fully dressed. The cleavage cover  20  can also be easily repositioned after the woman is fully dressed to assure that all areas intended to be covered are fully covered. The ease of wear, positioning and removal of the cleavage cover  20  makes it easy for the woman to quickly customize an outer garment  46  to adapt to different situations. For example, the woman might want to wear the cleavage cover  20  while at work to cover her cleavage  44 , but be able to quickly and easily remove the cleavage cover  20  once leaving the office. The cleavage cover  20  is available in up to 3 sizes that stretch for optimum coverage (as every woman measures differently across the chest). 
         [0027]    The cleavage cover  20  is a piece of fabric  22  that has an upper edge  24 , a curved lower edge  26  and a width W extending between opposing ends  41  and  43 . A first curved section  28  and a second curved section are defined proximate to the ends  41  and  43 , respectively. The cleavage cover  20  has a front side  32  that is exposed when the cleavage cover  20  is worn and a rear side  36  that contacts the woman&#39;s skin. 
         [0028]    The upper edge  24  of the cleavage cover  20  is visible when worn under an outer garment  46  (shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B ) and may have any shape. For example, the upper edge  24  can have a straight shape, a rounded shape, a heart shape, a triangular shape, an arcuate shape, or any other shape. 
         [0029]    The curved lower edge  26  has an almost circular shape and is ergonomically shaped to contour perfectly to a body of the woman to prevent the cleavage cover  20  from folding, flipping, rolling, wrinkling or shifting when the cleavage cover  20  is stretched, eliminating gaps when worn. Though a specific shape is illustrated and described, those skilled in the art would recognize that the lower edge  26  could have other shapes, such as square, rectangular, oblong, a non-uniform shape, or any shape. The cleavage cover  20  can be worn as high or low as desired and to achieve the desired coverage of the cleavage  44 . 
         [0030]    The fabric  22  is laser cut to provide a seamless edge that makes the cleavage cover  20  indiscernible under the outer garment  46 . The laser cut lower edge  24  and the lower cut upper edge  26  do not fray as the fibers of the fabric  22  are heat bonded together by the laser cutting process. Therefore, stitching is not required, and the fabric  22  is seamless. The fabric  22  is made of a 2-way or 4-way stretch material for a comfortable gapless fit that allows the cleavage cover  20  to hug closer to the skin with tension to improve coverage. In one example, the fabric  22  is a composition blend made of stretchable fibers. In one example, the fabric  22  is a lycra blend. A coating may also be applied to the fabric  22  to prevent the fabric  22  from fraying or unraveling after being cut. The fabric  22  is washable and lightweight. 
         [0031]    Adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  are permanently attached on the rear side  34  of the cleavage cover  20 . In one example, the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  are located near the first curved section  28  and the second curved section  30 , respectively. The adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  attach the cleavage cover  20  to the skin of the woman. In one example, the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  are a silicone gel adhesive. Silicone gel adhesive is a man-made polymeric material made up of silicone-polydimethyl siloxane. Its unique chemical composition results in a soft gel-like physical form, and its hydrophobic properties ensure stable adhesion. Silicone gel adhesive bonds securely yet gently to skin for continuous long-term wear, but does not form a permanent bond to the skin. It is formulated for direct skin contact and reliably adheres to the skin. Upon removal from the skin, silicone gel adhesive does not lift skin cells or damage skin. It also does not leave an adhesive residue on the skin. Silicone gel adhesive has a very low surface tension and conforms to the uneven surface of the skin to fill in small gaps and provide a broader contact area. It also does not lose adhesion when removed from the skin, so the silicone gel adhesive can be reapplied and secured to the skin numerous times with proper care. The adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  should not come into contact with other fabrics to prevent the adhesive of lint o debris on the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38 . However, silicone gel adhesive is washable to remove any lint or debris that may become attached to the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38 . In one example, the silicone gel adhesive can be applied to the skin at least 50 times, allowing the cleavage cover  20  to be used up to 50 times or more. 
         [0032]    Other example adhesives that can be used as the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  are acrylic, rubber-based adhesives (both natural rubber or synthetic rubber), silicone, an elastomer, or a pressure sensitive adhesive. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , in one example, the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  are applied as strips of material near the first curved section  28  and the second curved section  30 , respectively. In one example, the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  are 0.5 inches wide and extend from the upper edge  24  to the curved lower edge  26  of the cleavage cover  20  as a strip of material. The strips of material are substantially perpendicular to the width W of the fabric  22 . Finger tab areas  40  and  42  located between the ends  41  and  43  of the fabric  22  and the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38 , respectively, are not covered with adhesive to provide the adhesive-free finger tab areas  40  and  42  that can be grabbed by the woman without touching and compromising the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38 . This allows the cleavage cover  20  to be applied to and removed from the skin without touching the adhesive. Therefore, the fingers only touch the fabric  22  and not the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38 . 
         [0034]    The adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  may cover more or less area on the fabric  22  and can have other shapes, such as dots, triangles, circles, rectangles, squares, or any other shape. The adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  are permanently adhered to the fabric  22  and are applied by the manufacturer prior to purchase of the cleavage cover  20  by the customer. Therefore, when the woman applies and removes the cleavage cover  20 , she does not need to perform any steps to add an adhesive substance to or remove an adhesive substance from the fabric  22 . 
         [0035]    In addition to the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  on the rear side  34  of the fabric  22 , another adhesive surface (not shown), such as double sided tape, may be applied on the front side  32  of the fabric  22 . This allows the cleavage cover  20  to be secured to the outer garment  46 . The doubled sided tape can be placed in a location as determined by the woman. 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the fabric  22  is a two way stretch fabric  22 . The fabric  22  (having a width W) can be stretched to the position  22 ′ (having a width W′) to provide a tighter more gapless fit. Alternately, the fabric  22  can be applied with the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  closer together for a looser fit. In one example, the cleavage cover  20  has a length of 8 inches and a height of 3.5 inches when unstretched. The cleavage cover  20  can be stretched to have length of 9 inches or more depending upon the stretchability of the fabric  22  used. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 4A ,  4 B and  4 C illustrate exposed cleavage  44  when the cleavage cover  20  is not worn.  FIG. 4A  shows the exposed cleavage  44  when a crew neck garment  46   a  is worn,  FIG. 4B  shows the exposed cleavage  44  when a v-neck garment  46   b  is worn, and  FIG. 4C  shows the exposed cleavage  44  when a bra  48  is worn. 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  illustrates placement of the cleavage cover  20  on the skin of the woman to cover the cleavage  44  (not shown in  FIG. 5 ). The cleavage cover  20  can be placed anywhere on the upper chest area of the woman based on her preference. As shown, the cleavage  44  is covered by the cleavage cover  20 . The skin should be free of oils, lotions, perfumes. 
         [0039]    An outer garment  46  or bra  48  can then be worn over the cleavage cover  20 .  FIGS. 6A and 6B  show how the cleavage cover  20  covers the cleavage  44  when worn with a crew neck garment  46   a  and a v-neck garment  46   b , respectively. The garment  46   a  and  46   b  can be a dress, a shirt, a blouse, or any type of garment.  FIGS. 6C ,  6 D and  6 E show the cleavage cover  20  worn under different styles of bras  48 . 
         [0040]      FIGS. 7A to 7E  illustrate exemplary embodiments of the cleavage cover  20  with embellishments  50 . Examples embellishments  50  include, but are not limited to, lace, emblems, jewels, sequins, ruffles, an appliqué or any other ornamental feature. The embellishments  50  may be located on any visible area of the cleavage cover  20 . The cleavage cover  20  can also be of any color. 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the cleavage cover  20  is not in use, the rear side  34  of the cleavage cover  20  is placed on a plastic sheet  52  such that the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  contact the plastic sheet  52 . The plastic sheet  52  can then be rolled into a roll  54  and placed in a lint/dust free protective tube  56  for storage. The cleavage cover  20  is stored on the plastic sheet  52  to protect the adhesive integrity of the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38 . 
         [0042]    The cleavage cover  20  is washable. The rear side  34  of the cleavage cover  20  is placed on the plastic sheet  52 , ensuring that particles and lint do not attach to the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  during washing. If the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  lose their tackiness, the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38  can be gently washed with a lotion free soap and water to help regain the adhesive qualities and extend the life of the cleavage cover  20 . The cleavage cover  20  can then be rinsed with lukewarm water and allowed to air dry. The cleavage cover  20  can dry either on or off the plastic sheet  52 . After washing, the cleavage cover  20  should be placed on the plastic sheet  52  as soon as possible to protect the adhesive surfaces  36  and  38 . Once the cleavage cover  20  is dry, the cleavage cover  20  is adhered the plastic sheet  52  is rolled into the roll  54  and placed in the protective tube  56  for storage and protection. The cleavage cover  20  does not need to be washed after each use. 
         [0043]    The foregoing description is only exemplary of the principles of the invention. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than using the example embodiments which have been specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.