AU2011101704A4 - Attachment for a Brassiere - Google Patents

Abstract

A cover for covering a portion of a chest of a wearer, the cover including a body of material 5 extending in use across the portion of the chest, and attachment means for attaching the cover to a garment to support the cover in position on the chest. 3046945_1 (GHMatters) P89186.AU 23/12/11 3z

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Innovation Patent Applicant(s): Ms Megan Corrie Invention Title: Attachment for a Brassiere The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: - 2 A cover for covering a portion of the chest of a wearer Field The present invention relates to a cover for covering a 5 portion of the chest of a wearer. Background When a brassiere is worn under a garment it can often be the case that more of the chest of the wearer, e.g. the 10 cleavage, is exposed than is desirable. Moreover, some garments, e.g. low-cut dresses, leave parts of the brassiere undesirably exposed. To address these issues, a wearer may wear a T-shirt or is singlet between the brassiere and a garment worn over the brassiere. However, this can look unfashionable particularly where the garment worn over the brassiere is slim fitting, leaving little room for a T-shirt, or where the T-shirt can be seen through the material of the 20 garment. Moreover, buying different T-shirts to suit each garment can become expensive. In addition, during warmer months wearing a T-shirt between a brassiere and garment can make the wearer hot. 25 Summary In accordance with the present invention, there is provided cover for covering a portion of a chest of a wearer, the cover including a body of material extending 30 in use across the portion of the chest, and attachment means for attaching the cover to a garment to support the cover in position on the chest. 3046945_1 (GHMatters) P89186 AU 23/12/11 - 3 In some embodiments, the attachment means is for attaching the cover to a brassiere and, preferably, to opposite breast cups of the brassiere. s In some embodiments, a portion of the cover passes around straps of the garment. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a brassiere for supporting a cover as described 10 above, the attachment means of the cover forming a first part of a two part attachment system, the brassiere having a second part of the two part attachment system, the first part and second part attaching together so that the brassiere supports the cover in position on a wearer when 15 in use. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cover as described above in combination with a brassiere as described above. 20 Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention cover up the chest of a wearer and/or give the appearance of a T-shirt or other undergarment being worn, without requiring the need for the entire undergarment. 25 Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention are cheap to manufacture due to the small amount of fabric required when compared with T-shirts and shirts. Thus multiple covers as described above may be cost-effectively 30 made, each having a different design/pattern, so that an appropriate design/pattern can be selected to suit a particular garment (e.g. a dress). 3046945_1 (GHMatters) P89186 AU 23/12111 Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 5 Figure 1 is a front view of a cover in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention attached to a brassiere; 10 Figure 2 is a rear view of a cover in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a front view of the cover shown in Figure 2; 15 Figure 4 is a rear view of the cover and brassiere shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a front view of a brassiere adapted for attachment to a cover; and 20 Figure 6 is a rear view of the brassiere of Figure 5. Detailed Description While the embodiments described herein show the attachment 25 of a cover to a brassiere, it will be appreciated that the cover may instead attach to another type of garment e.g. a low-cut dress, and that such alternatives are intended to fall within the present disclosure. 30 Figure 1 shows a combination of a cover 10 attached to a garment, presently a brassiere 12. The cover 10 covers a portion of a chest of a wearer (not shown) in use, and the 3046945_1 (GHMatters) P89186.AU 23/12/11 - 5 brassiere 12 supports the cover 10 in position on the chest. The cover 10 includes a body of material that extends 5 across the portion of the chest of the wearer. The body of material is substantially triangular in shape, including a downwardly pointing tip 14 and lateral wings 16, 18. The tip 14 attaches to a junction 20 between breast cups 22, 24 of the brassiere 12, and the wings 16, 10 18 attach along edges of the breast cups 22, 24 to fix the cover 10 in position. Though a portion of the junction 20 of the brassiere 12 is visible below the tip 14, the tip 14 can be shaped so as 15 to entirely obscure the junction 20 and may also extend past the junction 20 e.g. downwardly below the brassiere 12. This can be particularly useful when the cover 10 is used with a low-cut dress. 20 For attaching the cover 10 to the brassiere 12, the cover 10 includes attachment means (discussed hereafter). In the present case, the cover 10 is attachable to the brassiere 12 by a series of press studs. As shown in Figure 2, the rear face 26 of the cover 10 is provided 25 with first portion of each press stud, presently a plurality of spaced sockets 28 positioned substantially along the edge of the cover 10. The brassiere 12 is therefore provided with a second 30 portion of each press stud, presently being a corresponding plurality of spaced studs 30 (see Figure 5) that are received in the sockets 28 in a known manner, to hold the cover 10 to the brassiere 12. In particular, the 30469451 (GHMatters) P89186 AU 23/12/11 -6 studs 30 are positioned along an edge of the breast cups 22, 24 to enable to cover 10 to be attached to the breast cups 22, 24. 5 It will be appreciated that the present combination of cover 10 and brassiere 12 provides for continuous coverage from the edge of the brassiere 12 upwards. However, sockets 28 and/or studs 30 may not be positioned along the edges of the cover 10 and brassiere 12 respectively as 10 shown, but may instead be positioned so that the cover 10 covers a greater proportion of the brassiere 12. The sockets 28 of the cover 10 engage studs 30 provided on the front of the breast cups 22, 24 of the brassiere 12 as is discussed above. For additional support, or where the brassiere has not been provided with any attachment means (i.e. no studs 30), a portion of the cover 10, presently corners 36, pass around the straps 32 (see Figure 1) of the brassiere 12. In the present embodiment, the corners 20 36 of the cover 10 are adapted to fasten onto a rear face of the brassiere 12. To facilitate attachment of the cover 10 to the brassiere 12, the rear face further includes a pair of sockets 34 25 near the corners 36 of the cover 10. The sockets 34 engage with studs 38 (see Figure 6) provided on the inside of the brassiere 12 (i.e. the side that is in contact with the wearer in use) near the point at which the straps 32 are attached to the breast cups 22, 24. 30 As shown in Figure 4, the corners 36 of the wings 16, 18 wrap around the straps 32 and the sockets 34 and studs 38 3046945_1 (GHMatters) P89186.AU 23/12/11 - 7 of the press studs engage to hold the cover 10 to the brassiere 12. Alternatively, the corners 36 of the wings 16, 18 may be 5 provided with studs 40 so that the corners 36 can be wrapped around the straps 32 and clipped back onto themselves by engagement of the sockets 34 with the studs 40, rather than attaching to studs 38 of the brassiere 12. As such, the wings 16, 18 each provide a closed loop 10 through which a respective strap 32 extends, the retention of the straps 32 in the loops supporting the cover 10 in position on the chest of the wearer. An arrangement where the cover 10 attaches to itself to 15 hold the cover 10 in position on a brassiere 12 (i.e. an arrangement in which the cover 10 does not attach to the brassiere 12) can be particularly useful where the brassiere 12 is off-the-shelf and does not include studs 30 as the cover 10 can then hang or depend from the straps 20 32 and rest against the front of the brassiere 12 between the brassiere 12 and garment (not shown). In such cases, the cover 10 need not include sockets 28 as there is no corresponding spaced series of studs 30 provided on the brassiere 12. Conversely, where the brassiere 12 is 25 strapless the sockets 34 and studs 40 will serve no function and may thus not be provided. It will be appreciated that the wings 16, 18 may take on any shape to suit e.g. a shape of particular breast cups 30 22, 24 of a brassiere 12, or the cut or neck line of a particular garment. Moreover, the wings 16, 18 may include a more pronounced lateral extension at their 3046945_1 (GHMatters) P89186.AU 23/12/11 - 8 respective corners 36 so as to assist with fastening of the cover 10 about the straps 32. The sockets 28, 34 and studs 30, 40 are not visible from 5 the front face 40 of the cover 10 when in use (see Figure 3). In this manner, when the edge of the cover 10 is obscured by a garment the cover 10 creates the appearance that the wearer is in fact wearing a T-shirt or undergarment. Therefore, the cover 10 provides a similar 10 visual appearance to a T-shirt whilst covering substantially only that part of the chest of the wearer that would otherwise have been left exposed by the garment. 15 As alternatives to sewing press stud arrangements onto the cover 10 and brassiere 12 to hold the former to the latter, the attachment means may comprise any other suitable attachment system. For example, the cover 10 may be held to the brassiere 12 by clips provided on one or 20 both of the cover 10 and brassiere 12. Alternatively, Velcroo may be used, the hooks of the Velcro" being provided on one of the cover 10 and brassiere 12, and the loops of the Velcroo being provided on the other of the cover 10 and brassiere 12. Many other attachment means 25 will be apparent to the skilled person and are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. The cover 10 may be decorative in nature, comprise lace, patterned material or any other visual features. The 30 design of the cover 10 may also be selected to be consistent with the design of the garment or to give the appearance that there is a T-shirt underneath the garment. 3046945_1 (GHMatters) P89186.AU 23/12/11 - 9 Though the cover 10 in the described embodiments is substantially triangular in shape, covers 10 may be any desired shape as appropriate for a particular garment, brassiere 12 or desired appearance. 5 The cover 10 may be provided on its own, and be designed for attachment to any appropriate brassiere 12. Similarly, the brassiere 12 may be provided on its own and include a second part of a two part attachment system 10 (e.g. studs 30) for engagement with a first part of the two part attachment system (e.g. sockets 28) provided on an appropriate cover 10. In the latter case, the brassiere 12 may then be used with any number of different covers 10. 15 Alternatively, the cover 10 and brassiere 12 may be provided in combination. It will be understood to persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made without 20 departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary 25 implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. 30 It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute 30469451 (GHMatters) P89186.AU 23/12/11 - 10 an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country. 30469451 (GHMatters) P89186.AU 23/12/11

Claims (13)

1. A cover for covering a portion of a chest of a wearer, the cover including a body of material 5 extending in use across the portion of the chest, and attachment means for attaching the cover to a garment to support the cover in position on the chest.

2. A cover according to claim 1, wherein the attachment 10 means is for attaching the cover to a brassiere.

3. A cover according to claim 2, wherein the attachment means is attachable to opposite breast cups of the brassiere. 15

4. A cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the attachment means is positioned substantially along an edge of the cover. 20

5. A cover according to any preceding claim, wherein a portion of the cover passes around straps of the garment.

6. A cover according to claim 5, wherein the portion of 25 the cover includes attachment means for attaching to one of a rear face of the garment or a rear face of the cover.

7. A cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the 30 cover attaches to the garment by use of press studs, the cover being provided with a first portion of each press stud and the garment being provided with a 3046945_1 (GHMatters) P89186.AU 23/12111 - 12 second portion of the press stud for engaging the first portion to hold the cover to the garment.

8. A cover according to claim 7, wherein the first 5 portion is sewn onto a rear face of the cover so as not to be visible when the cover is in position on the wearer.

9. A cover according to any preceding claim, being 10 substantially triangular.

10. A brassiere for supporting a cover according to any preceding claim, the attachment means of the cover forming a first part of a two part attachment 15 system, the brassiere having a second part of the two part attachment system, the first part and second part attaching together so that the brassiere supports the cover in position on a wearer when in use. 20

11. In combination, a cover according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and a garment.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein the garment 25 is a brassiere according to claim 10.

13. A cover, a brassiere, or a cover and brassiere in combination, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 3046945_1 (GHMatters) P89186 AU 23/12/11