GB2208785A

GB2208785A - Brassiere

Info

Publication number: GB2208785A
Application number: GB8719659A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cecil Noble
Original assignee: Dora Noble
Current assignee: Dora Noble
Priority date: 1987-08-20
Filing date: 1987-08-20
Publication date: 1989-04-19
Also published as: GB8719659D0

Abstract

A brassiere comprising two interconnected cups (10, 11), a back strap (17) detachably connectable at each end (18, 19) to the outer sides of the cups (10, 11) and means (15, 16) for adhering the cups (10, 11) to a wearer when the strap (17) has been detached. <IMAGE>

Description

BRASSIERE This invention is concerned with brassieres.

A brassiere comprises two cups for receiving the breasts of the wearer and means for securing the cups to the wearer's body. Normally, the securing means comprises a strap which is passed behind the wearers back. Proposals have also been made for securing means comprising adhesive for securing the cups to the skin of the wearer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a brassiere which is more versatile in use than those at present available.

According to the invention, a brassiere comprises two interconnected cups, a back strap detachably connectable at each end to the outer sides of the cups, and means for adhering the cups to a wearer when the strap has been detached.

The cups may be of any suitable material, e.g.

textile material. Preferably, however, they are made by moulding, under heat and pressure, from plastics (e.g. polyethylene) foam sheet to which is laminated, on the outer side, stretch fabric of nylon or other material. The cups may be made separately and may then be joined by a flexible connector, e.g. ribbon or elastic strip, or by hooks.

The back strap is preferably made of elastic material. Means for detachably connecting the ends of the back strap to the outer sides of the cups may, for example, comprise hooks on the strap engageable in eyes or loops on the cups or vice versa. It is preferred that the connecting means comprises pads or strips which are secured to the ends of the back strap and to the outside of the cups, the pads or strips having a very large number of interengageable hooks and loops by which the pads or strips can be releasably connected.

A suitable material for the pads or strips is VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark).

The means for adhering the cups to the wearer may be of various kinds. They may be in the form of tabs of material (e.g. medical tape) with adhesive on both sides, one side of each tab being held by the adhesive against the inside of a cup and the other side being covered by a protective sheet which can be removed to expose the adhesive for application to the body of the wearer. The cups may be re-adhered by removing used tabs and replacing them by new ones or by using a liquid adhesive.

The following is a description, by way of example, of one embodiment of brassiere in accordance with the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view with the strap attached, Fig. 2 is a front view without the strap, Fig. 3 is an underneath view without the strap, Fig. 4 is a top view without the strap, Fig. 5 is a side view without the strap, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view from the rear and above with the strap attached.

The brassiere shown in the drawings comprises two cups 10, 11, which may be made of any suitable material but which are preferably moulded from expanded polyethylene foam in flat sheet form to which is laminated a stretch fabric, such as plain or lace nylon. Such material is cut into suitable pieces which are pressed into shape in a mould with applied heat. A piece, 12, 13 of "soft" [i.e. loop type VELCRO] (Registered Trade Mark) is sewn to the outside and near the outer edge of each cup. The cups are interconnected by a short length of ribbon 14 with a bow. (Other interconnections may be used, as previously explained). Generally triangular pieces 15, 16 of tape with self-adhesive coatings on both sides are attached inside the adjacent and distant corners of the cups 10, 11. The pieces 15, 16 have protective cover sheets which can be peeled off to expose adhesive. An elastic back strap 17 has pieces 18, 19 of "hook" VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark) sewn to its ends. The pieces 18, 19 can be releasably attached to the pieces 12, 13.

The brassiere can therefore be worn with the strap 17 attached and with the adhesive pieces 15, 16 inoperative because they are masked by their protective cover sheets. If desired, the strap 17 can be removed and the cover sheets removed from the adhesive pieces 15, 16 which can then be used to attach the cups to the body of the user. The cups can be removed easily by the user. A further supply of adhesive piecesl5, 16 may be provided with each brassiere for replacement purposes. If desired, a suitable skin adhesive may be used.

Claims

1. A brassiere comprising two interconnected cups, a back strap detachably connectable at each end to the outer sides of the cups and means for adhering the cups to a wearer when the strap has been detached.

2. A brassiere according to Claim 1, wherein said adhering means comprises tabs of material with adhesive on both sides thereof, one side of each tab being held by the adhesive against the inside of a cup.

3. A brassiere according to Claim 2, wherein the other side of each tab is covered by a protective sheet which can be removed to expose the adhesive for application to the body of G wearer.

4. A brassiere according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the tabs are removable and replaceable by new tabs, so that the cups can be re-adhered to a wearer.

5. A brassiere according to any preceding claim, wherein the cups can be re-adhered to a wearer using a liquid adhesive.

6. A brassiere according to any preceding claim, wherein the cups are of a textile material.

7. A brassiere according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the cups have been made by moulding a plastics foam sheet to which has been laminated, on the outer side thereof, stretch fabric or nylon or other suitable material.

8. A brassiere according to Claim 7, whereIn the plastics foam sheet is a polyethylene foam sheet which has been moulded under heat and pressure into the cups.

9. A brassiere according to any preceding claim, wherein the cups are made separately and are detachably connected together.

10. A brassiere according to Claim 9, wherein the two cups are detachably connected together by means of a flexible connector.

11. A brassiere according to Claim 1C, wherein the flexible connector is a ribbon or elastic strip.

12. A brassiere according to Claim 10, wherein the flexible connector comprises hooks.

13. A brassiere according to any preceding claim, wherein the back strap is made of an elastic material.

14. A brassiere according to any preceding claim, wherein the back strap is detachably connected to the outer sides of the cups by means of hooks on the strap engageable in eyes or loops on the cups or vice-versa.

15. A brassiere according to any of Claims 1 to 13, wherein the back strap is detachably connected to the outer sides of the cups by means of pads or strips which are secured to the ends of the back strap and to the outer sides of the cups and which have large numbers of interengageable hooks and loops.

16. A brassiere substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.