Abstract:
A brassiere closure has a pair of closure parts each having an eye with inner and outer parallel longitudinal webs. A separation plane passes through both of the webs and the slot, and a transverse central plane perpendicular to the separation plane passing centrally through the slot and both of the webs. A bridge extend transversely from the inner web has a planar floor face lying on the separation plane and is formed offset along the separation plane from the transverse plane with a throughgoing latch opening. A hook carried on the bridge spaced has an edge formed of sections directed toward and forming a V-shaped opening with the edge of the bridge. An outer edge of the hook carries a pin engageable in the closed position through a latch opening of the bridge of the other closure part.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a closure for a brassiere comprising two closure parts made of plastic and that may be secured to one another by means of latches in a non-positive manner and wherein at least two such latches comprise female latching elements and male latching elements that may be fixedly and releasably connected to one another by mutual engagement and that may be released again from one another by release actuation, wherein, viewed in the closed configuration of the closure, the latches are arranged and designed to be point-symmetrical relative to the geometric center of the closure, and wherein further the closure parts for connecting to strip-shaped support elements have slot-shaped eyes that are parallel to longitudinal edges of the eye openings and substantially symmetrical relative to a longitudinal center plane of the closure extending between the eye openings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Such closures are often configured as so-called simple closures in which the two closure elements are of identical configuration, i.e. the hooks and eyes are present to the same extent in both closure elements. In such a “simple” closure, in the assembled state of the closure parts, a point-symmetrical design of the closure results overall, such that two points of the two closure parts corresponding to one another are “geometrically” connected by a straight line that passes through the common geometric center of the parts in their closed configuration. This “point-symmetrical” configuration results in mirror symmetry of the eye regions of the brassiere closure, both relative to a “longitudinal” central plane of the entire arrangement extending between the generally elongate eyes of the closure parts and also relative to a “transverse” central plane of the entire arrangement extending at right angles thereto. 
     The closure parts of the known brassiere closures are configured as injection-molded plastic parts whose latching projection elements engaging behind the latching edges also have to provide security against the closure elements pulling apart, i.e. relatively small parts engage behind edges of “female” latching openings configured as small openings in the central region of the webs bordering the eye openings. 
     In the generally known brassiere closures of this type it is acknowledged that tensile forces acting on the closure elements and acting in the opposing direction are only able to be absorbed to a limited degree having an upper limit of 70 to 80 N (7 to 8 Kg). This tensile strength of the known brassiere closure is too low for a statistically relevant number of conditions of use, and it leads relatively frequently to damage having unpleasant consequences for the wearer of the brassiere. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention, therefore, is to design a closure of the above-described type such that, with the dimensions of the closure which substantially correspond to those of the known closures, a greater security of the closure against opening as a result of loading is achieved without impairing the handling of the closure with regard to the ease of the closing and opening thereof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This object is achieved according to the invention, according to the fundamental idea, in that the latches, viewed in the closed configuration, are arranged between the edge webs facing one another of the eye regions inside bridge regions of the closure parts connecting the edge webs to one another. The latches are also arranged at a spacing from the transverse central plane of the closure extending at a right angle to the longitudinal edges of the eye openings. In addition, stable latching pins are provided as latching elements extending substantially at right angles to the separation plane of the closure parts and each pass through a respective female latching opening of the respective other closure part and engage behind a latching region of the edge thereof with a latching projection and as a result secure the latching element against being moved out of engagement with the female latching element 
     By the arrangement provided below of the latches used to fix the closure parts to one another, such that the latches are moved from the region formed by the edges of the eyes themselves, in the vicinity of the opening, further into the inside of the entire closure arrangement, the opening widths of the female latching elements may be enlarged and a more stable design of the male latching elements may be implemented, which as a whole benefits the tensile loading capacity of the latching connections. 
     In this case, it is of particular significance that the tensile forces may be absorbed by relatively stable pins and the latching projections merely serve for securing the latching pins against axial displacement. The tensile forces that act substantially at right angles to the latching pins have practically no force components which could cause an axial displacement of the latching pins in the female latching elements. As a result, the loading capacity of the connection of the closure parts is effectively further increased and/or the probability of inadvertent opening of the closure is drastically reduced. 
     To this end, advantageous designs of the closure parts of the brassiere closure according to the invention, which may be used alternatively or in combination, are provided that are suitable both as a closure for a brassiere in the region of the cups as well as for a brassiere where rear parts might have to be connected to be secure under load, in order to resist in an equal manner increasing movement and decreasing movement which occurs, for example, during sport activity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       Further details of the brassiere closure according to the invention are revealed from the description of a specific embodiment with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematically simplified view of a brassiere having a closure according to the invention arranged between the cups, 
         FIG. 2   a  is a large-scale view of a closure element of the closure according to  FIG. 1  in section along the line  1   a - 1   a  of  FIG. 2   b,    
         FIG. 2   b  is an edge view of the closure element according to  FIG. 2   a  viewed in the direction of the arrow IIb of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 2   c  is a simplified edge view of the closure element according to  FIG. 2   b , viewed in the direction of the arrow IIc of  FIG. 2   a ,  FIGS. 2   a - 2   c,    
         FIG. 3   a  is a view of the front of the brassiere closure turned away from the wearer as seen in  FIG. 1 , and 
         FIG. 3   b  is a view of the back of the closure turned toward the wearer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The brassiere closure indicated in the drawings as a whole by  10  is shown in connection with a brassiere  11  in which the closure  10  is arranged between cups  11 / r  and  11 / l  of the brassiere  11 . It is understood, however, that with a suitable design—not shown—of the rear parts of the brassiere  10  the closure may also be arranged on the back of the wearer. 
     The closure  10  is configured as a so-called simple closure in which two closure elements  10 / l  and  10 / r  which may be connected to one another, are each connected to a respective one of the two cups  11 / l  or  11 / r  and are of identical configuration. 
     Such a design implies that, as a whole, the closure in the assembled configuration is point-symmetrical relative to the geometric central point of the closure. 
     The two closure elements  10 / l  and  10 / r  are made as injection-molded plastics parts, preferably from POM (poly-oxy-methylene). The closure elements  10 / l  and  10 / r  are designed such that they may be injection-molded in two-part molds, i.e. dies which have either one or more separation planes parallel to one another and which produce a continuous outer surface of the closure in a projection perpendicular to these planes. 
     The closure elements of the brassiere closure  10  according to the invention are designed such that for their manufacture a mold with only one separation plane is used which is shown in  FIG. 2   a  at  12 . 
     For fixing the two closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  together forming a closure  10 , two latches shown generally at  13  are provided per closure  10  which each have a “female” opening  14  with an edge portion  16  that may be engaged from behind and a “male” latching pin  17 . The fixing of the two closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  to one another may be achieved by the mutual non-positive/positive engagement thereof, in which a latching projection  18  of the “male” latching pin  17  engages behind the edge portion  16  of the “female” opening  14 . 
     For closing together the closure  10 , the parts thereof are pressed against one another after being mutually hooked together such that a guided relative movement of the closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  results, which in the last phase, i.e. directly before snapping the latching projection  18  into the position engaging behind the retaining edge portion  16  of the “female” opening  14 , takes place perpendicular to the separation plane of the closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r , which are then held against one another in the closed configuration with their separation planes coplanar. 
     The latching pins  17  and latching projections  18  of the two closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  to be connected to one another, which are used in pairs for forming a releasably fixed latch  13 , are relatively offset, as may be seen most clearly from  FIG. 3   b , both relative to a longitudinal central plane  19  of the closure  10  and also relative to a transverse central plane  20  thereof, such that they are at a defined spacings dl and dq respectively from the longitudinal central plane  19  and from the transverse central plane  20 , the spacing dl measured in the longitudinal direction in the embodiment selected for the explanation being approximately ⅛ of the length of the respective closure part  10 / l  and  10 / r  measured in the same direction and the spacing dq being approximately ¼ of a width b ( FIG. 2   c ) of the respective closure part  10 / l  and  10 / r.    
     In the design of the latch  13  described above, the tensile loading occurring in the closure is absorbed by the latching pins  17  which extend transversely to the separation plane  12 , the force vector of the tensile loading extending, so to speak, in the separation plane of the closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  and at right angles to the longitudinal central plane  19  of the closure  10 . The latching projections  18  prevent the two closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  fixed to one another from being moved apart and are practically not loaded and provide sufficient security against the closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  being moved apart perpendicular to the separation plane  12 . Therefore, a relatively low supporting surface is sufficient, with which the latching projection engages behind the supporting edge  16  of the “female” latching element, in order to achieve a reliable fixing which, however, viewed in the transverse direction in which large forces may occur, is able to be relatively highly loaded. 
     The two closure parts are constructed as follows in detail: 
     The closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  each have an eye region which, apart from the opening of the respective latch  13 , is symmetrical to the separation plane  12 . 
     The eye region substantially borders the eye opening  21  and is configured as an oval ring which comprises two parallel longitudinal webs  22  and  23  and curved pieces  24  and  26  connecting the longitudinal webs  22  and  23  to one another, together bordering the slot-shaped eye opening  21 . 
     The longitudinal web  22  externally bordering the eye opening  21  has, relative to the separation plane  12  of the closure part  10 / l  and/or  10 / r , a lower height ha than the inner longitudinal web  23 , the height thereof being denoted by hi. The thickness of the edge of the eye  21  measured perpendicular to the separation plane  12  continually increases from the value  2   ha  to the value  2   hi  in the region of the curved parts  24  and  26 . 
     As shown in the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2   a , the angles formed by the envelope planes  27  and  28  of the curved parts  24  and  26  “above” and “below” the separation plane  12  are approximately the same and in the specific embodiment shown are between 6° and 8°. 
     The hook shown at  29  is joined to the inner “higher” longitudinal defining web  23  of the eye region and serves for the non-positive/positive connection of the respective closure part  10 / l  and/or  10 / r  to the other closure part  10 / l  and/or  10 / r.    
     In the closed configuration of the brassiere closure  10 , the eye regions of the two closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  held against one another are arranged with the “inner” higher longitudinal webs  23  parallel to and at a spacing from one another which substantially corresponds to double the value of the effective width of a hook limb  31  of the locking part  10 / l  or  10 / r , which has an outer longitudinal edge  32  extending parallel to the longitudinal webs  22  and  23  of the observed locking part and, viewed in the closed configuration of the closure part, adjacent to the outer longitudinal web  22  of the adjacent locking part, over which, as viewed in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , a narrow latching surface  35  of the latching projection  18  of the latching pin  17  projects, which may be brought into engagement with the “female” latching element  14  of the second closure part, the “male” latching element thereof in this case coming into engagement with the female latching element  14  of the above-described closure part  10 / l  and/or  10 / r.    
     The design of the latching elements  14  and  17  and the arrangement thereof is such that the separation planes  12  and/or surfaces of the closure parts, when these are fastened to one another, are coplanar. 
     The hook limb  31  extending substantially parallel to the webs  22  and  23  of the eye region is arranged at a spacing from the adjacent “inner” longitudinal web  23  which is bridged by a bridge part  36  extending obliquely to the direction of extension of the longitudinal central plane  34  of the eye opening  21 , which in its central region between the hook limb  31  and the inner longitudinal web  23  of the eye, has a planar floor  37  ( FIG. 2   a ) extending in the separation plane of the relevant closure part, and moreover runs on one side “below” this separation plane. As a result, between the hook limb  31  of the hook  29  and the eye region a flat groove  38  is present which in the assembled state of the two closure elements  10 / l  and  10 / r  receives the hook limb  31  of the other closure element  10 / l  or  10 / r.    
     According to the view of  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  this groove  38  is defined by an inner edge  39  of the eye region, on the one hand, and portions  41 / 1 ,  41 / 2 , and  41 / 3  extending parallel thereto of the inner edge of the hook limb  31 . The hook limb  31  is joined to the side remote from the groove  38  “below” the separation plane  12  via an oblique surface  42  extending at 35° to a bridge region  36  forming the groove bottom, provided with the latching opening  14  through which the latching pin  17  of the second closure part penetrates and comes into engagement with the edge portion  16  extending parallel to the edges of the eyes, and having a small radius of curvature with a typical value of 0.3 mm where the bridge part  36  is joined to the closure element. 
     This feature of the closure  10  is provided in the view of the closure according to  FIG. 3   b.    
     The bridge part  36 , within which most of the free cross-sectional area of the “female” latching element  14  ( FIG. 2   b ) is located is to one side of the transverse central plane  20  of the closure part extending perpendicular to the groove floor  37  and at a right angle to the longitudinal central plane  34  of the eye opening  21 , and is defined on the opposite side relative to this transverse central plane  20  ( FIG. 2   b ) by an oblique edge  46  extending partially substantially in a straight line that, proceeding tangentially from the curved region  24  of the eye part, extends obliquely to the transverse central plane  20  as shown in  FIG. 2   b , and has a relatively short portion  46 / e  extending in this central plane and extends in this plane as far as the central portion  41 / 2  of the inner edge of the hook limb  31 . 
     This edge end portion  46 / e  of the bridge part edge  46  extending at right angles to the central edge portion  41 / 2  of the hook limb  31  forms the end stop, when combining the two closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / 4 , as far as which the respective second closure part to be positioned on the first closure part and to be latched fixedly thereto may be inserted into a V-shaped opening region between the hook limb  31  and the eye region, for example as far as a position in which the longitudinal central planes of the closure parts to be connected to one another run at right angles to one another or are inclined in an X-shape relative to one another, after which by pressing together the closure elements until their groove floors  37  bear against one another in a coplanar manner, the closed position is achieved in which the two closure parts are fixed to one another. Proceeding from the view of  FIG. 2   b , the overall view of the locking parts connected to one another is provided in the view according to  FIG. 3   a.    
     On the side remote from the planar groove floor  37  of the closure part  10 / r  or  10 / l , the view thereof being reproduced by the view of  FIG. 2   c , there is a step  46 / h  extending, so to speak, the curved edge of this step, a corner region  46 / r  thereof curved with a small radius merging with a bridge-edge region  46 / b  of the hook  29  curved with a relatively large radius of curvature, which in turn is again joined to the curved piece  26  with a small radius of curvature, which on this side borders the eye opening  21  of this closure part. 
     Between the sharply curved corner region  46 / r  ( FIG. 2   c ) and the transverse edge  46 / e  in the region of the transverse central plane  20 , extends a guide region  47  of right-triangular shape in the plan view of  FIG. 2   c  and forming the angled face  42  of  FIG. 2   a  that simplifies assembly of the two locking parts along the edge  46 . 
     A corner region  46 / a  at the vertex of this triangle is located on the plane of the floor  37  of the groove  38  of the locking part; the corner of the triangular guide surface  47  located closest to the “female” latching element  14  is, according to the view of  FIG. 2   a , level with the lower envelope surface  28  of the respective closure part; the same is true for the corner of the triangular guide surface  47  merging into the curved corner region  46 / r , which guide surface  47 , when viewed in the sectional view of  FIG. 2   a , forms the angle of 35° with the separation plane  12  of the closure part. 
     By means of the guide surfaces  47 , when assembling the locking parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  to be connected to one another, easy guidance of these parts relative to one another is achieved and thus the assembly in the correct position is substantially simplified. 
     In a typical design of the brassiere closure  10 , the locking parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  thereof are produced with, for example, the following dimensions:
         Length l of the locking part, measured between the outer sides of the rounded portions  24  and  26  of the eye region: 13 mm   Greatest thickness of the locking part, measured perpendicular to the separation plane  12 : 3.29 mm   Thickness of the longitudinal webs  22  and  23  of the eye region: 1.5 mm   Clear width of the eye opening, measured at a right angle to the longitudinal edges: 1.5 mm   Angle between the oblique base surface of the latching pin  17  and the separation plane of the closure element: 13°   spacing a between the respective outer longitudinal edges of the eye region remote from one another and of the hooking part: 10.96 mm   Greatest width b of the locking part measured between the outer longitudinal edge of the outer eye web and the outer edge of the latching projection  18  of the latching pin  17  remote therefrom: 11.19 mm.       

     In summary, the following is to be emphasized: in a closure  10  for a brassiere comprising two closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  of identical shape consisting of plastic, which by means of latches  13  having female latching elements  14  and male latching elements  17 , may be fixedly and releasably connected to one another by non-positive/positive mutual engagement, and may be released again from one another by release actuation, at least two such latches  13  being effective which, viewed in the closed configuration of the closure  10 , are arranged and designed to be point-symmetrical relative to the geometric center of gravity of the closure, the closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  for connecting to strip-shaped support elements having slot-shaped eyes  21  with longitudinal edges of the eye openings substantially symmetrical to a longitudinal central plane of the closure extending between the eye openings  21 . The latches  13 , viewed in the closed configuration, are between the edge webs  23  facing one another of the eye regions inside bridge regions of the closure parts  10 / l  and  10 / r  connecting the edge webs to one another, and are spaced from the transverse central plane  20  of the closure  10  extending at right angles to the longitudinal edges of the eye openings  21 . Stable latching pins  17  are provided as latching elements extending substantially at right angles to the separation plane  22  of the closure parts and each pass through a respective female latching opening  14  of the other closure part and engage behind a latching region of the edge thereof with a latching projection  18  and as a result secure the latching element against being moved out of engagement with the female latching element.