GB1577099A - Brassiere cup moulding - Google Patents

Description

(54) BRASSIERE CUP MOULDING (71) We, KHAN & CO., (LUTON) LIMITED, a British Company, of Celform House, 46 Church Street, Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 3JG, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention is concerned with moulded brassiere cups. Brassiere cups have been provided with a pad extending around the underside of the cup to provide additional uplight and support to the wearer's breast when such a cup is incorporated into a conventional brassiere frame or complete garment. Such uplift pads have hitherto been applied to the cup after its formation by sewing them on or by inserting them into a pocket sewn on to the cup. Besides being time consuming and expensive this method has necessitated stitching around the cup which has caused irritation to the wearer.

From one aspect, the invention provides a moulded brassiere cup heat formed - by moulding a flat non-woven fibrous fabric made from synthetic fibres mouldable into three-dimensional shapes and including an inwardly protruding integral uplift pad extending partially around the lower portion of the cup and formed during the moulding of the cup.

From another aspect, the invention provides a method of forming a brassiere cup with an integral uplift pad comprising pressing a flat piece of high-loft non-woven fibrefil fabric of synthetic fibres mouldable into three dimensional shapes between heated male and female moulds, the male mould being formed with a recess into which the material flows to form the uplift pad.

Inner and/or outer coverings may be laminated to the non-woven fabric, preferably before moulding since this will obviate the extra operation of moulding these coverings separately and laminating them to the core of moulded fabric.

The high loft non-woven fibrefil fabric is preferably formed from polyester semicrimped fibres impregnated with cross linking resins, which after a time and at a suitable temperature will cross link and hold the shape in its three dimensional form.

Other parts of the invention are embodied in the preferred form which will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a section of a brassiere cup according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a section of non-woven fabric from which the cup is formed.

Figure 3 shows a mould for forming the cup in the open position, and Figure 4 shows the mould in the closed position.

As shown in Figure 1 a moulded brassiere cup 1 is integrally formed with a projecting pad 2 produced by varying the thickness of the cup within the area of the cup below the bust point. The pad 2 extends partially around the lower edge of the cup and may vary in thickness along its length to provide uplift and support in desired manner to the wearer's breast when in use.

The cup is heat formed from a laminated sheet comprising as shown in Figure 2 a non-woven mass of randomly distributed synthetic fibres 3, forming a high loft nonwoven fibrefil fabric, sandwiched between inner and outer coverings or linings 4, 5. The fibres 3 are of semi-crimped polyester impregnated with cross linking resins which when cured hold the mass in a three dimensional shape.

The outer and inner coverings may be of any suitable fabric, such as the knitted polyester fabrics known as Tricot or Simplex or a synthetic lace fabric, which can be moulded into three dimensional shape.

In forming the cup, the fabric is placed between the male mould 6 and a female mould 7, each of which are heated by a heat source indicated at 8,9. The moulds are of a material having high heat conductivity such as cast aluminium.

The male mould 6 is formed with a recessed portion 10 complementary to the shape of the pad 2 so that when the moulds are closed, a space of the required thickness is provided between the male and female moulds.

The moulds are closed under pressure and the fabric is pressed into shape with the material extendmg into the recessed portion 6.

After curing the cup is removed from the moulds and its edges trimmed.

Conventional methods of clamping and mould closures may be used to operate both male and female moulds, as well as giving the usual slip control necessary on the actual fabric to be moulded.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the details of the preferred form described by way of example which may be modified without departure from the scope of the accompanying claims.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A moulded brassiere cup heat formed by moulding a flat non-woven fibrous fabric made from synthetic fibres mouldable into three-dimensional shapes and including an inwardly protruding integral uplift pad extending partially around the lower portion of the cup and formed during the moulding of the cup.

2. A brassiere cup according to Claim 1, having inner and outer coverings laminated to the non-woven fabric before moulding.

3. A brassiere cup according to any of the preceding claims formed from polester semi-crimped fibres impregnated with cross linking resins.

4. A method of forming a brassiere cup with an integral uplift pad comprising pressing a flat piece of high-loft non-woven fibrefil fabric of synthetic fibres mouldable into three dimensional shapes between heated male and female moulds, the male mould being formed with a recess into which the material flows to form the uplift pad.

5. A brassiere cup substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A method of moulding a brassiere cup substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. mould 7, each of which are heated by a heat source indicated at 8,9. The moulds are of a material having high heat conductivity such as cast aluminium. The male mould 6 is formed with a recessed portion 10 complementary to the shape of the pad 2 so that when the moulds are closed, a space of the required thickness is provided between the male and female moulds. The moulds are closed under pressure and the fabric is pressed into shape with the material extendmg into the recessed portion 6. After curing the cup is removed from the moulds and its edges trimmed. Conventional methods of clamping and mould closures may be used to operate both male and female moulds, as well as giving the usual slip control necessary on the actual fabric to be moulded. It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the details of the preferred form described by way of example which may be modified without departure from the scope of the accompanying claims. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A moulded brassiere cup heat formed by moulding a flat non-woven fibrous fabric made from synthetic fibres mouldable into three-dimensional shapes and including an inwardly protruding integral uplift pad extending partially around the lower portion of the cup and formed during the moulding of the cup.

2. A brassiere cup according to Claim 1, having inner and outer coverings laminated to the non-woven fabric before moulding.

3. A brassiere cup according to any of the preceding claims formed from polester semi-crimped fibres impregnated with cross linking resins.

4. A method of forming a brassiere cup with an integral uplift pad comprising pressing a flat piece of high-loft non-woven fibrefil fabric of synthetic fibres mouldable into three dimensional shapes between heated male and female moulds, the male mould being formed with a recess into which the material flows to form the uplift pad.

5. A brassiere cup substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A method of moulding a brassiere cup substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.