1 Bust Support Assembly of a Garment Field of the invention [001] The invention relates to garment construction and, more particularly, to a support assembly of a garment for supporting a women's bust. Background of the invention [002] People come in all shapes and sizes and, similarly, the bust sizes of women vary enormously. Correspondingly, bras (including bras for underwear and swimwear) come in a very wide range of shapes and sizes. Numerous bras have been developed for providing support for the bust of the wearer, particular those designed for women of larger bust sizes. Other bra designs are directed more towards aesthetic appearances and provide very little bust support. [003] Existing bras do not, therefore, provide the features of vertical support, lateral support and pleasant aesthetic appearance, all within the one bra. The present invention is therefore directed towards a bra which has the benefit or providing both vertical support and lateral support for a women's bust together with providing a pleasant aesthetic appearance. The present invention is particularly directed towards bra assemblies for women having larger bust sizes. The present invention is further directed towards providing a bra assembly which provides the abovementioned vertical and lateral support and which holds the bust more firmly in place, thereby giving the appearance of a smaller and firmer bust. [004] Any reference herein to known prior art does not, unless the contrary indication appears, constitute an admission that such prior art is commonly known by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, at the priority date of this application. Summary of the invention [005] According to this invention, there is provided a bust support assembly of a garment, comprising: [006] a bust compression panel extending from a first side of the assembly to a second side of the assembly and being affixed to the garment at said first and second sides; and [007] lift support means comprising at least one secondary panel, overlying the bust compression panel, said at least one secondary panel comprising a first cup region having a first apex section and a second cup region having a second apex section, said first and second apex 2 sections being connected to first and second strap sections, respectively, of at least one strap adapted to secure the garment to the body of a wearer. [008] The bust compression panel extends across the bust of a wearer and applies a tightening force which compresses the bust giving it a smaller and firmer appearance. The at least one secondary panel, being connected to the at least one strap, provides vertical support to the wearer's bust. The at least one secondary panel preferably comprises two separate substantially triangular panels each of which comprises one of the cup regions. [009] The combined effect of the bust compression panel and the at least one secondary panel provide a significant degree of lateral support to the wearer's bust. This further serves to enhance the firmer appearance of the wearer's bust. [010] A bottom edge of the bust compression panel is connected to the garment along a transverse seam extending substantially between the first and second sides of said bust support assembly. [011] It is further preferred that a bottom edge of the at least one secondary panel is also connected to the garment along said transverse seam. When the at least one secondary panel comprises two triangular panels, each triangular panel preferably includes a bottom edge which is connected to the garment along the transverse seam. [012] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the bust support assembly further comprises two curved underbust cradle supports positioned substantially beneath the first and second cup regions, each underbust cradle support having a first edge connected to the garment, preferably along said transverse seam, an opposed second edge having a strengthening means therealong, and a bust supporting panel extending between the first edge and the second edge. The curvature of the underbust cradle supports is intended to substantially correspond with the curvature of lower surfaces of the wearer's breasts. [013] The strengthening means along the second edge of each underbust cradle support may be a curved wire, a curved plastic strip, a curved strip of carbon fibre or any other suitable strengthening means. Again, the curvature of these strengthening means is intended to substantially correspond with the curvature of adjoining surfaces of the wearer's breasts. [014] The underbust cradle supports may also include extension limiting means for limiting the extent to which the bust supporting panel can be stretched by the bust of a wearer. The extension limiting means may be formed of a suitable inelastic material, such as tricot fabric or some other substantially inelastic mesh material. Preferably, the extension limiting means 3 comprises sections of tricot fabric or other inelastic mesh material located adjacent lateral ends of the bust supporting panel. The incorporation of the extension limiting means, in the underbust cradle supports, enhances the support provided to the wearer's bust. This results in the bust having a firmer appearance. [015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first and second strap sections, which are connected to the first and second apex sections, are on separate straps. In this embodiment, the strap which includes the first strap section is adapted to extend over a shoulder of the wearer and to be connected to a first back portion of the back of the garment. Similarly, the strap which includes the second strap section is adapted to extend over the other shoulder of the wearer and be connected to a second back portion of the garment. [016] In an alternative embodiment, the first and second strap sections may be contained on a single strap which is adapted to extend behind the neck of the wearer (such as in a 'halter top' arrangement). [017] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first cup region includes a first neckline edge extending from the first apex section to a first connection point on the transverse seam and the second cup region includes a second neckline edge extending from the second apex section to a second connection point on the transverse seam. [018] The first and second connection points are preferably located substantially midway between said first and second sides. In this embodiment, the first and second connection points may be the same point or they may be located adjacent to each other. [019] It is particularly preferred that, when the garment is being worn, a central portion of the bust compression panel is visible in a region between the first neckline edge and the second neckline edge. Having a central portion of the bust compression panel being visible between the first and second neckline edges provides a particularly pleasing aesthetic appearance. It also reduces the amount of wearer's cleavage which is visible and this further assists in reducing the apparent size of the wearer's bust. [020] The bust support assembly of the present invention is particularly applicable to swimwear garments, including swimwear bras and one piece swimwear garments. However, the subject bust support assembly may also conveniently be used for other garments, including underwear bras, dresses, gowns, tank tops and the like. [021] As will be appreciated by garment manufacturers, the abovementioned bust support assembly may be formed of any suitable textile material. It is particularly desired that 4 the textile material (or materials) has (or have) elastic properties, as is common for swimwear and many other sporting garments. A particularly suitable textile material for the bust support assembly is lycra. Brief description of the drawings [022] An embodiment or embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [023] Figure 1 is a front view of a garment incorporating a bust support assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [024] Figure 2 is a rear view of the garment shown in Figure 1; [025] Figure 3 is a rear view of a front section of the garment shown in Figure 1 (with back section removed); [026] Figure 4 is a rear view of a bust compression panel for inclusion in the bust support assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [027] Figure 5 is a rear view of the bust supporting panel for inclusion in the bust support assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [028] Figure 6 is a rear view of a bust supporting panel shown in Figure 5 incorporating underwire casing for encasing underwires; [029] Figure 7 is a rear view of the bust compression panel shown in Figure 4 sewn to the bust cradle support shown in Figure 6; [030] Figure 8 is a front view of a pair of substantially triangular panels of the bust support assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [031] Figure 9 is a front view of the pair of substantially triangular panels shown in Figure 8 with a portion of the bust compression panel visible between the triangular panels; [032] Figure 10 is a rear view of the bust compression panel shown in Figure 4 sewn to the bust supporting panel shown in Figure 6 and showing portions of the substantially triangular panels of Figure 8. Detailed description of the embodiment or embodiments [033] Figure 1 shows a swimwear garment 1 having a front section 2 and a rear section 3. The swimwear garment 1 incorporates a bust support assembly 10 located above a torso portion 20 of the front section 2.
5 [034] The bust support assembly 10 includes two triangular shaped cup sections 1 Ia, 11 b which are joined to the torso portion 20 of the front section 2 along a transverse seam 12. [035] The cup sections 1 Ia, 1 lb of this embodiment include neckline bands 17a, 17b located in a V-shaped orientation. The cup sections 1l a, 1 b also include apex sections 13a, 13b which are connected to adjoining strap sections 30a, 30b of a strap extension 30. As shown in Figure 2, the strap extension 30 typically includes a first strap which extends over a first shoulder of the wearer and is connected to a first back section 31 a of the rear section 3 of the garment 1 and it further includes a second strap which extends over a second shoulder of the wearer and which is connected to a second back section 3 1b of the rear section 3. [036] The cup sections 1 Ia, 1 lb include neckline band edges 14a, 14b which extend from adjoining strap sections 30a, 30b down to a common point 15 on the transverse seam 12 approximately mid-way between a first side 16a and a second side 16b of the bust support assembly 10. Consequently, the neckline band edges 14a, 14b form a 'V' shape beneath the neck of a wearer. [037] As shown in Figure 1, a portion 41 of a bust compression panel 40 (shown better in Figures 4, 7 and 10) is visible between the neckline edges 14a, 14b in the vicinity of the common point 15. [038] The various panels used in the construction of the bust support assembly of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, are described below, with particular reference to Figures 4 to 10. [039] The bust compression panel 40 shown in Figure 4 has a gently curved concave upper edge 42, a lower edge 43 comprising two symmetrical gently curved convex edge sections 44a, 44b and a first taper point 45 where the two convex edge sections 44a, 44b meet. The bust compression panel 40 also has two side edges 46a, 46b and two underarm edges 47a, 47b. The bust compression panel 40 includes two pleats 48a, 48b to provide said panel with substantially cup-shaped sections for improved conformity with the shape of the wearer's breasts. [040] The bust supporting panel 50 shown in Figure 5 includes a top edge 51 having two symmetrical, substantially semi-circular concave edge sections 52a, 52b and an intermediate flat edge section 53. The bust supporting panel 50 also has two side edges 53a, 53b and two short underarm sections 54a, 54b. The bust supporting panel 50 also includes a lower edge 55 comprising two symmetrical gently curved convex edge sections 56a, 56b which meet at a second taper point 57. The abovementioned two symmetrical gently curved convex edge 6 sections 56a, 56b of the bust supporting panel 50 substantially correspond with the shape and profile of the two symmetrical gently curved convex edge sections 44a, 44b of the bust compression panel 40. [041] As can be appreciated by reference to Figure 6, the bust supporting panel 50 includes underwire casing portions 58a, 58b adjacent to the semi-circular concave edge sections 52a, 52b for encasing strengthening wires (or similar strengthening elements). [042] As can be seen in Figure 7, the bust compression panel 40 and the bust supporting panel 50 are joined (e.g. sewn) together along their lower edges 43 and 55, along the side edges 46a, 46b and 53a, 53b, and along the underarm sections 47a, 47b and 54a and 54b. [043] Figure 8 shows a pair of substantially triangular symmetrical panels 60a, 60b which are adapted to form an outer layer of the bust support assembly 10. These panels 60a, 60b include cup sections 1 la, Ib and neckline band edges 14a, 14b as mentioned above. The neckline band edges 14a, 14b meet at a common point 15 located substantially in-between the two panels. The substantially triangular symmetrical panels 60a, 60b include a lower edge 61 comprising two symmetrical gently curved convex edge sections 62a, 62b which meet at a third taper point 63. The abovementioned two symmetrical gently curved convex edge sections 62a, 62b of the substantially triangular symmetrical panels 60a, 60b substantially correspond with the shape and profile of the two symmetrical gently curved convex edge sections 44a, 44b (as seen in Figure 4) of the bust compression panel 40 and they similarly substantially correspond with the shape and profile of the two symmetrical gently curved convex edges 56a, 56b (as seen in Figure 5) of the bust supporting panel. The pair of substantially triangular symmetrical panels 60a, 60b also include two side edges 64a, 64b and two underarm edge sections 65a, 65b. [044] As can be seen in Figure 10, the bust compression panel 40, the bust supporting panel 50 and the substantially triangular symmetrical panels 60a, 60b are joined (e.g. sewn) together along the lower edges 43, 55, 61 of the respective panels so that the first, second and third taper points 45, 57, 63 are joined at a common point. These panels are also joined (e.g. sewn) together along side edges 46a, 46b and 53a, 53b and 64a, 64b, and along the underarm sections 47a, 47b and 54a, 54b and 65a, 65b. [045] In the embodiment of the bust support assembly 10 shown in Figure 10, it can be seen that the bust support assembly 10 comprises a number of layers including an outer layer formed of the substantially triangular symmetrical panels 60a, 60b and an inner layer formed of the bust compression panel 40. The breasts of a wearer are provided with vertical support by the 7 bust supporting panel 50. This vertical support is enhanced by the operation of the substantially triangular symmetrical panels 60a, 60b which, when attached to one or more straps which is/are secured around the shoulders or neck of a wearer, provide significant vertical support for the wearer's bust. [046] Lateral support for the wearer's bust is also provided by the bust support assembly of this invention illustrated above. This lateral support is provided primarily by the bust compression panel 40 but the substantially triangular symmetrical panels 60a, 60b also provide some lateral support. [047] Where ever it is used, the word "comprising" is to be understood in its "open" sense, that is, in the sense of "including", and thus not limited to its "closed" sense, that is the sense of "consisting only of'. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words "comprise", "comprised" and "comprises" where they appear. [048] It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention. [049] While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all modifications which would be obvious to those skilled in the art are therefore intended to be embraced therein.