EP0853894B1 - Brassiere with reinforcing wires - Google Patents

Description

Technical field:

The invention relates to a brassiere with two cups and two side parts connected to them, in which a pocket for receiving a U-shaped stiffening strap is arranged along the lower edges of the cups, which has an opening for insertion or insertion in the area of one of the ends of the brackets Has removal of the respective bracket. Such a bra is known from document FR-A-0 941 366.

State of the art:

In known bras of this type, the shape-retaining underwire consist of a relatively rigid, spring-elastic material such as. B. metal or plastic, which are inserted in an elongated, formed of textile material and running along the bust seam and closed at the ends pocket.

Since the straps in these pockets are longitudinally movable, there is a risk that the ends of the straps at the ends of the pockets will not only be worn, but especially when such bras are washed in a washing machine, by the knitted fabric of the pockets Work through materials. When washing, the hangers can even be flung out of the pockets. If such a hanger is completely detached from the laundry item, there is a risk that it will pass through the holes in the washing drum and can block the further rotary movement of the washing drum. In the past, many washing machines have been damaged in this way by bra braces.

For this reason, many laundry manufacturers recommend washing such bras only by hand. However, hand washing is expensive and in any case is not satisfactory if the bra's knitted fabric contains cotton, the pollution of which can hardly be removed by hand washing at low temperatures.

In order to also be able to wash such bras in the washing machine, it is known to design the pockets for receiving the underwire so that the underwire can be removed for washing and then pushed back in again. For this purpose, an opening is made at the ends of the pockets, e.g. a slit running transversely to the direction of extension of the bag is provided or the end of the bag is covered by a tape running transversely thereto, in order to prevent the stirrups from inadvertently coming out (EP 0 752 213 A1). These openings are primarily provided at the outer ends of the pockets. Nevertheless, it cannot be ensured, especially after prolonged wear or several washes, that the ends of the hangers do not nevertheless emerge from the openings and can irritate or injure the wearer's skin.

In contrast to this, in order to prevent longitudinal movements of the stiffening straps in the pockets, it has already become known to firmly connect the stiffening straps at their ends to the bra in question (US Pat. No. 5,387,150). In order not to impair the possibility of movement of the wearer, on the one hand articulated fastenings are provided on the temple ends at least in one direction and on the other hand further joints are arranged in the course of the temple. Apart from the fact that this requires a very complicated configuration of the bracket and the fastening devices, the danger is not eliminated that both when worn, but especially when Washing can also loosen the fastening means from the material of the bra and the strap can nevertheless damage the bra or other items of laundry, possibly even the washing machine.

Presentation of the invention:

Against this background, the invention has for its object to provide a way to prevent longitudinal displacements of the straps or the emergence of the straps from the openings required for insertion or removal in bras with removable stiffening straps.

This object is achieved with a brassiere of the type mentioned in the introduction in that means for fixing the respective earpieces in the inserted position are provided in the region of the opening of the pockets, these means consisting of at least one holding element attached between the cups in the front middle region of the brassiere exist with which one associated end of a bracket can be brought into a releasable operative connection.

The basic idea of the invention thus consists in releasably fixing the stirrups in the inserted state by mechanical means. These means are expediently arranged at the point at which the openings of the pockets of both cups lie closest together, namely in the front middle region of the bra between the cups. At this point, mechanical holding elements for the stirrups are the least disruptive, especially since they can also be designed there, for example, in the form of an agraffe or other piece of jewelry, which are often provided for decorative reasons anyway at this point.

According to the invention, a separate holding element can be assigned to each stirrup or the holding elements of both stirrups can be combined to form a uniform holding device.

The releasable operative connection can be designed like a push button, with a projection on one part being assigned a recess receiving this projection on the other part. This creates the prerequisite for, for example, that a mandrel at the end of a bracket can be inserted into a recess in a holding element or that an opening at the end of a bracket can be plugged onto a mandrel on the holding element. Such a connection is easy to make and solve; in addition, it enables certain rotary movements in the level of the bra following the body surface because it acts like a joint.

If the holding elements of both brackets are combined to form a single holding device, then it is expedient to arrange the holding elements on a common base plate, which can also be covered by a cover plate which is articulated and foldable with the base plate.

The holding element or the holding device and / or the bracket are suitably made of plastic, which is known to be brought into any shape in a simple manner. The holding elements or the holding device and / or the ends of the brackets assigned to them can also be aesthetically pleasing and / or ornamentally decorated.

Brief description of the drawings:

Fig. 1

eine Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäß ausgebildeten Büstenhalters mit einer im vorderen mittleren Bereich angeordneten Haltevorrichtung für beide Versteifungsbügel,

Fig. 2

eine vergrößerte Darstellung des vorderen mittleren Bereichs mit der Haltevorrichtung im geschlossenen Zustand,

Fig. 3

eine der Fig. 2 entsprechende Darstellung mit geöffneter Deckplatte,

Fig. 4

eine der Fig. 3 entsprechende Darstellung, bei der ein Bügel aus der Fixierung gelöst ist,

Fig. 5

eine vergrößerte Darstellung des vorderen mittleren Bereichs eines Büstenhalters, bei dem jedem Bügel ein Halteelement zugeordnet ist und

Fig. 6

die Darstellung nach Fig. 5 mit einem teilweise herausgezogenen Bügel.

The invention is explained below with reference to the drawing. It shows

Fig. 1

2 shows a view of a brassiere designed according to the invention with a holding device for both stiffening straps arranged in the front middle region,

Fig. 2

2 shows an enlarged illustration of the front middle region with the holding device in the closed state,

Fig. 3

2 with the cover plate open,

Fig. 4

3 corresponding representation in which a bracket is released from the fixation,

Fig. 5

an enlarged view of the front central region of a bra, in which each hanger is assigned a holding element and

Fig. 6

5 with a partially pulled out bracket.

WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION AND MERCHANTABILITY:

1 shows, the brassiere 1 according to the invention consists of two side parts 2, which are brought together in the front central region 3 of the brassiere 1 and are provided at the outer ends with parts 4a, 4b for a back closure. The bust cups 6 are sewn in along the bust attachment seam 5, which can basically be formed in any manner. Carrier tapes 7 are attached to the upper edges of the cups 6 and run in the usual way to the rear areas of the side parts 2.

The individual parts of the brassiere 1 are made of textile material, which can be made stretchable in whole or in part, without this having any effect on the invention. The application of the invention is also not limited to the described embodiment of a brassiere; In principle, it can be used for all women's underwear articles with a fitted or worked-on bust part with stiffening bars including swimsuits.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, which shows an enlarged representation of the upper part of the front central region 3 of the brassiere, pockets 8 run along the bust attachment seams 5 of the cups 6, into each of which stiffening brackets 9 are inserted. The pockets 8 can be placed from the outside or from the inside or can also be formed or worked out from the material of the side parts 2; it is essential that each of the pockets 8 has openings 10 at the ends located in the front middle region 3 of the brassiere, through which the straps 9 can be inserted into the pockets 8 or removed therefrom. The bracket 9 consist in the usual way of a stiff, spring-elastic material such. B. metal or plastic.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the upper inner ends of the brackets 9, which protrude from the pockets 8, lie relatively close to one another and are combined there in a holding device 11. The design and function of this holding device 11 can be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, which, in contrast to FIG. 2, show the holding device 11 in the opened state.

3 shows, the holding device 11 consists of a base plate 12 with holes 13, by means of which they like a Button on the textile material of the bra 1 can be sewn on. Two mandrels 14 protrude from the base plate 12, onto which the brackets 9 can be plugged with openings 15 which they carry at their ends (FIG. 4). This allows the brackets 9 to be fixed in the pockets 8 against longitudinal movements, especially against stepping out.

The holding device 11 is completed by a cover plate 16 which is connected to the base plate 12 along the upper straight edge 17 thereof by means of joints 18 (FIG. 2). A catch can be provided in order to hold the cover plate 16 in the folded-down position, which covers the mandrels 14 with the temple ends.

In order to remove the brackets 9 from the pockets 8 for a washing process, the cover plate 16 of the holding device 11 is first opened, as can be seen in FIG. 4, as a result of which the ends of the brackets 9 become free. The bracket 9 are removed from the thorns 14; the straps 9 can then be pulled out of the pockets 8 and the brassiere 1 can be washed. After washing or after drying, the stirrups 9 are pushed back into the pockets 8, the ends of the stirrups 9 are pushed back onto the mandrels 14 with the openings 15, and the cover plate 16 is folded down.

5 and 6, another embodiment of a brassiere according to the invention is shown, in which each hanger 9 is assigned its own separate holding element 21. 5 shows the brassiere with brackets 9 pushed into the pockets 8 and FIG. 6 shows the situation that the right bow in the illustration is pulled out of its pocket in the direction of arrow 20.

In this example, the holding elements 21 each consist of a small rosette-shaped base plate 22 with a central recess 23. At the end of the bracket 9, a rosette 24 corresponding to the base plate 22 in shape and size is formed, which has a mandrel 25 on the underside facing the base plate 22. After inserting the bracket 9 into the pocket 8, it can be fixed in a simple manner by pressing the mandrel 25 into the recess 23 of the base plate 22. The active connection is released in the reverse manner.

Claims (10)

1. A brassiere (1) with two bust cups (6) and two side parts (2) connected to the latter, in which a respective pocket (8) for accommodating a U-shaped support underwire (9) is provided along the lower edges (5) of the cups (6), which pocket (8) has in the vicinity of each end of the underwires an opening (10) for the insertion or removal of the respective underwire, characterised in that means for securing the respective underwire in its inserted position are provided in the vicinity of this opening, these means comprising at least one retaining element (11,21) attached to the brassiere, with which retaining element the ends of an underwire (9) associated therewith can be brought into a releasable operative connection.
2. A brassiere according to Claim 1, characterised in that the retaining element or retaining elements (11,21) is/are disposed between the cups (6) in the front middle zone of the brassiere (1).
3. A brassiere according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each underwire (9) is associated with a separate retaining element (11).
4. A brassiere according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the retaining elements of both underwires (9) are combined to form a uniform retaining means (21).
5. A brassiere according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the releasable operative connection is in the form of a press-stud, a projection (14,25) on one part being associated with a recess (15,23) on the other part receiving this projection (14,25).
6. A brassiere according to Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the retaining elements are arranged on a common base plate (12).
7. A brassiere according to Claim 6, characterised in that in that the base plate (12) can be covered by a cover plate (16).
8. A brassiere according to Claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the cover plate (16) is connected in a pivotably hinged manner with the base plate (12).
9. A brassiere according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the retaining elements (21) or the retaining means (11) and/or the underwires (9) consist of plastics material.
10. A brassiere according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the retaining elements (21) or the retaining means (11) and/or the ends of the underwires (9) associated therewith are attractively and aesthetically designed and/or ornamentally decorated.