Patent ID: 7407430

Claim:
A combination comprising: a brassiere having a pair of cups having adjacent but spaced inner edges at a wearer's cleavage, and a front connector at the cleavage between the cups and in turn comprising: respective flexible cords attached to the cup inner edges and each carrying a succession of spaced relatively hard pearls; a generally rigid body separate from and between the cups and formed with a pair of adjacent throughgoing passages through each of which a respective one of the pearl cords passes and along which the pearl cords can slide; respective latch elements each shiftable on the body relative to the respective passages between a freeing position generally clear of the respective passage and allowing the respective pearl cord to slide therein and a latching position engaging at least one pearl of the respective cord and preventing the respective pearl cord from sliding therein in at least one direction; and respective springs urging the latch elements into the respective latching positions.