Patent Publication Number: US-2009233522-A1

Title: Brassiere

Description:
The present invention relates to a brassiere according to the preamble of claim  1 . 
     Such a brassiere (also referred to as bra and bikini top) has been known for a long time. When engaging in vigorous physical exertion, particularly exertion wherein the female body undergoes abrupt changes in speed, a conventional brassiere usually provides insufficient support, or at least a limited support such that the breasts can begin to move in irksome manner because of their mass inertia. This is particularly the case during for instance sport and dancing. Diverse brassieres therefore exist which provide an increased measure of support. Such sports bras are generally characterized in that they have an extra-tight fit compared to conventional brassieres, optionally in combination with a non-releasable coupling of the back fastening straps. A popular type of the already existing sports bra thus has to be put on and taken off over the head. The drawback of existing brassieres which provide an increased measure of support to the breasts is that they are generally less easy to put on and take off, and furthermore do not often succeed in providing the required level of support. This is of course more of a problem in the case of larger cup sizes. 
     The American patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,236 describes a brassiere comprising two mutually coupled cups, two back fastening straps which connect to a longitudinal side of one of the two different cups and which can be releasably coupled to each other on the sides remote from the cups, two shoulder straps which each engage on a top side of one of the two different cups, which shoulder straps connect to a back panel on the sides remote from the cups. One of two back panel straps connects in each case to two opposite longitudinal sides of the back panel, wherein the back panel straps are releasably coupled on the side remote from the back panel. While the brassiere described in this document is easy to put on and take off, the wearer comfort of the brassiere leaves something to be desired. When the back panel straps are firmly tightened (tensioned), a great force will thus be exerted on the breasts, which will result in considerable deformation (squeezing) of the breasts, and so little wearer comfort. The present invention has for its object to provide an improved brassiere of the type stated in the preamble which combines a high measure of support to the breasts with wearer comfort. 
     The present invention provides for this purpose a brassiere as according to claim  1 . For a further elucidation of the concept of the present invention the individual components of the brassiere and their associated functionality will be discussed. The cups are designed such that they can each at least partially engage round a breast. The best-fitting cup size will be chosen subject to the size of specific breasts. The cups are urged against the breasts with the back fastening straps; the back fastening straps are mutually connected at the back by means of a suitable closing mechanism. The shoulder straps hold the cups at the desired height and provide a significant part of the forces required to support the breasts. The back wrap is a component known in the prior art; in the above mentioned publication however, the shoulder straps generally connect to the back fastening straps, while in the brassiere according to the present invention the back wrap is a separate component of the brassiere which on the contrary does not go together with the back fastening straps. The back wrap lies against the back of a wearer of the present brassiere and is held in place by, among others, the two back wrap straps. The back wrap straps come from the back to the front side of the wearer such that they can be coupled to each other (most advantageously under the cups). 
     The back wrap straps now make it possible to support the shoulder straps in simple manner without the forces running through the shoulder straps being exerted on the cups; a specific positioning of the breasts can thus be realized by means of the cups without considerable force being exerted on the breasts, this being undesirable because of wearer comfort. In the present invention the force exerted by the shoulder straps is after all not transmitted wholly through the cups. This is because armhole parts are arranged for this purpose on the cups (n.b. on the arm side of each of the two cups). A substantial part of the forces will now be transmitted through these armhole parts between a shoulder strap and a back fastening strap without the relevant cup hereby being loaded. When the supporting action of the shoulder straps and the position in which they position the cups are varied in simple manner by tensioning the back wrap straps more tightly or less tightly (i.e. the working length of the co-acting back wrap straps is variable), the changing play of forces will be “perceived” particularly by the armhole parts and not, or at least to a much lesser extent, by the cups and the breasts held by the cups. A significant advantage here is that forces transmitted through the shoulder straps can now be absorbed very well while the supporting action can be very readily adjusted by making the co-acting back wrap straps (easily accessible on the front side of the wearer) longer or shorter. The brassiere according to the invention is also easy to put on and take off. Particularly after great exertion has been made the brassiere can be unfastened on two sides, i.e. the back fastening straps and the back wrap straps can be unfastened from each other such that it is no longer necessary to displace close-fitting parts of the brassiere over the (transpiring) body. The brassiere according to the invention can therefore be applied particularly advantageously while engaging in vigorous physical exertion. The brassiere as described can further be given an extremely comfortable form; wearing thereof does not therefore need result in any hindrance to the wearer, while this advantage is combined with the option of a very specific positioning of the breasts. The armhole part thus prevents too heavy loading of the cups locally and can engage on a cup on a large part of a longitudinal side and thus further contribute toward an increased measure of support for the breasts. 
     In a preferred variant of the brassiere the back wrap is manufactured at least partially from an elastic material. The direction in which the back wrap particularly advantageously has to be elastic is in a direction which connects the engaging position of a back wrap strap on the back wrap to the engaging position of the associated shoulder strap on the back wrap. Such an elasticity can absorb shocks during support of the breasts by the shoulder straps and can thus be compared to a “damping” built into the brassiere. The elasticity must not be too great that it thus reduces the action of supporting the breasts too much. Other components of the brassiere can also advantageously be manufactured from an elastic material, such as more particularly the back fastening straps and the shoulder straps. Other components are on the other hand preferably manufactured with a less elastic or non-elastic material; specifically the cups and the back wrap straps are envisaged here. A further advantage of applying resilient (elastic) material is that this results in a good fitting of the brassiere on the body. 
     Both armhole parts are preferably embodied such that they are force-transmitting during use. This is understood to mean that the transmission of force between a back fastening strap and an associated shoulder strap is substantially not transmitted to the associated cups. Undesirable (excessive or considerable) deformation of the cups, also resulting in a deformation of the breasts held in the cups, can thus be prevented. Both armhole parts may for this purpose be given only limited resilience, or even none at all. 
     It is noted in respect of all materials used that they can advantageously be manufactured from breathing and/or moisture-absorbing fabrics. Use can of course also be made of layered materials in order to thus enable the function of the individual material layers to be optimized for their specific use. 
     It is also advantageous if a centre line through a shoulder strap and a centre line through the associated back wrap strap, both at the position of engagement on the back wrap, enclose a mutual angle which is greater than 90°, preferably between 100 and 130°. A desired play of forces can hereby be obtained, as a result of which a substantial part of the forces exerted by the shoulder straps on the cups (and breasts) are transmitted via the back wrap to the back wrap straps. This considerably enhances wearer comfort, particularly in circumstances where considerable forces are transmitted through the shoulder straps. 
     It is also desirable that on the sides remote from the back wrap the back wrap straps are located in a coupled active position at a distance of less than 2 centimetres from the underside of the cups. In this way the back wrap straps are used not only to absorb a considerable part of the forces transmitted through the shoulder straps, but also function as a support for the cups (breasts). 
     In yet another alternative embodiment variant the back fastening straps are permanently connected to each other on the sides remote from the cups; they can even be embodied as a single material part. Putting on and taking off the brassiere will be less easy with such a construction, but the embodiment thereof is also simpler. This embodiment variant of the brassiere according to the invention differs to a lesser extent from the existing sports bras than the embodiment variant with a releasable coupling of the back fastening straps, but is however still very different. The presence of the back wrap with the back wrap straps fixed on two opposite longitudinal sides also makes this brassiere wholly different from the existing one. The advantages of an improved support and a readily adjustable support (by means of adjusting the coupling of the back wrap straps) also result in this embodiment variant realizing the advantages sought after according to the invention. 
     The back wrap straps can preferably be coupled in a plurality of relative positions on the sides remote from the back wrap. The coupling of the back wrap straps can for instance consist of a velcro fastening and/or an at least single hook-eye fastening. Such fastenings are easy to operate, certainly on the front of the female body. A velcro fastening even makes possible a continually adjustable length, so that exactly the correct support of the shoulder straps can be adjusted. Conversely, a hook-eye fastening has the advantage that it can be readily fastened in fixed discrete positions and that it is little susceptible to wear. 
     In yet another embodiment variant the cups can be coupled in mutually releasable manner. In addition to the advantage that it thus becomes simple to (temporarily) leave clear one or both breasts, for instance for the purpose of breast-feeding, the brassiere can thus also be divided into two completely separate components. This can be advantageous in the manufacture, washing and repair of the brassiere. Furthermore, brassiere parts of different sizes can be combined as required, for instance in the case the brassiere is used with a non-symmetrical female body. 
    
    
     
       The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of the non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures Herein: 
         FIGS. 1A-1D  show four different perspective views of a brassiere according to the present invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows the brassiere as in  FIGS. 1A-1D  in removed position, and 
         FIGS. 3A-E  show five successive stages in putting on the brassiere as in the foregoing figures. 
     
    
    
       FIGS. 1A-1D  show a brassiere  1  on a display  FIG. 2 . Brassiere  1  is provided with two cups  3 ,  4 , to the longitudinal sides of which connect respective armhole parts  5 ,  6 . On the top side the armhole parts  5 ,  6  transpose into respective shoulder straps  7 ,  8 . The cups are mutually connected via a middle front part  9  while a chest strap  10 , less clearly discernible in these figures, is situated under cups  3 ,  4 . Shoulder straps  7 ,  8  transpose into a back wrap  11 , this back wrap  11  in turn transposing on the longitudinal sides into back wrap straps  12 ,  13 . Back wrap straps  12 ,  13  are mutually connected on the front side with a velcro fastening  14  such that the supporting force exerted by shoulder straps  7 ,  8  on cups  3 ,  4  can be regulated. Chest strap  10  transposes on the two opposite longitudinal sides into back fastening straps  15 ,  16 . These back fastening straps  15 ,  16  are releasably coupled on the back of display  FIG. 2  with a back fastening  17  (of the hook-eye type). The parts of brassiere  1  shown darker in this FIG. are manufactured from an elastic material, and the lighter parts are manufactured from a material which is less elastic or not elastic at all. It is noted that this relates only to a single embodiment variant; it is possible to opt for differing choices of material or alternative design. It is finally noted that shoulder straps  7 ,  8  are still provided with more traditional length adjusting means  18 ,  19 . 
     All the stated parts can be seen clearly in the divested brassiere  1  shown in  FIG. 2 . It will be apparent that being able to fully unfasten the back fastening straps  15 ,  16  and back wrap straps  12 ,  13  simplifies putting on and taking off brassiere  1 . Velcro fastening  14  has now been taken apart into two velcro fastening parts  14 A and  14 B, while back fastening  17  has been unfastened into two back fastening parts  17 A and  17 B. 
       FIGS. 3A-3E  show the successive stages of putting on brassiere  1 . In  FIG. 3A  a model  20  shows the placing of back wrap  11  over the head  21 , whereby shoulder straps  7 ,  8  can be placed on shoulders  22 ,  23  on either side of head  21 . Cups  3 ,  4  are now situated in front of the breasts and back wrap  11  is situated at the back of model  20 . In  FIGS. 3B and 3C  the back fastening straps  15 ,  16  are tightened such that back fastening parts  17 A and  17 B can be coupled to each other. Once the back fastening parts  17 A and  17 B have been coupled, the back wrap straps  12 ,  13  can, as shown in  FIG. 3D , be moved to the chest side and there fixed relative to each other by coupling the velcro fastening parts  14 A and  14 B at a desired relative position. This final stage of putting on brassiere  1  is shown in  FIG. 3E , where tightening of the velcro fastening parts  14 A and  14 B is almost completed.