Patent Publication Number: US-2006009123-A1

Title: Cup structure for bras

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a cup structure including a flexible layer sandwiched between an inner layer and an outer layer. The flexible layer is composed of fibers which are continuous woven.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A conventional cup structure of a bra is disclosed in  FIG. 10 , and generally includes an inner layer  40  and an outer layer  400 , and a fine cotton layer  41  is sandwiched between the inner layer  40  and the outer layer  400 . The inner layer  40  and the outer layer  400  are made by cotton and woven in one direction so that the cup can only be extended in the direction. If the cup is applied a force in a direction other than the weaving direction, the cup tends to be deformed permanently. Furthermore, the fine cotton layer  41  is not strong enough to support the whole cup so that the cup cannot maintain its shape after a period of use and wash. This is one of the reasons that the bars have to be replaced so frequently.  
      The present invention intends to provide a cup structure for a bra wherein the cup includes a flexible layer sandwiched between an inner layer and an outer layer and the flexible layer is durable and not deformed permanently.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a cup structure which comprises an inner layer and an outer layer, and a flexible layer sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer. The flexible layer is made of fibers which are continuously woven with each other so as to be a high density and air-permeable flexible layer.  
      The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows the three layers of the cup of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view to show the three layers of the cup of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  shows a bra with two cups of the present invention and a lace fabric is connected to each cup;  
       FIG. 3-1  shows a cross sectional view of each cup in  FIG. 3 ;  
      FIGS.  4  to  6  show the flexible layer can be stretched in different directions;  
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show that the flexible layer can be compressed;  
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show two different ways of weaving of the flexible layer, and  FIG. 10  shows a conventional cup structure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cup structure of the present invention of a bra that includes two cups connected by a cup frame and each cup comprises an inner layer  10  and an outer layer  20 , and a flexible layer  30  sandwiched between the inner layer  10  and the outer layer  20 . The inner layer  10  and the outer layer  20  are made by cotton or other soft material which his air permeable. The flexible layer  30  is made of fibers which are continuously woven with each other so as to be a high density and air-permeable flexible layer  30 . As show in  FIGS. 3 and 3 - 1 , a lace fabric “a” can be connected to the outer layer  20  of each cup so as to have a good visual attraction.  
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show that the flexible layer  30  does not deform permanently even it is stretched in different directions and compressed as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . By this important feature, the flexible layer  30  elongates the lift of the bra.  
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show that the flexible layer  30  can be made by different ways of weaving to have different thickness and density. The flexible layer  30  can b made by 100 percent of Nylon fibers, or by Tetolon fibers, Nylon fibers and OP fibers. A thickness of the flexible layer  30  is at least 2 mm so as to perform a better structural strength and effectively maintains the shape of the cup.  
      While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.