GB2479392A

GB2479392A - Brassiere with shoulder pads

Info

Publication number: GB2479392A
Application number: GB1005852A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pennie Cullen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-04-08
Filing date: 2010-04-08
Publication date: 2011-10-12
Also published as: GB201005852D0

Abstract

A brassiere 30 has cups 12, 14, attached to a support band 16, with shoulder straps 32, 34. Shoulder pads 52, 54 are attached to the straps 32, 34, with the pads 52, 54 being so arranged as to engage the shoulder of the wearer. The pads 52, 54 may be formed of a foam material and may be wedge shaped in cross section. In use, they may lie under the shoulder strap 32, 34 or they may be incorporated between a first and second fabric layer of the shoulder portion 42, 50 of the strap 32, 34. The shoulder pads 52, 54 prevent movement of the straps 32, 34 off the shoulders. The incorporation of the pads 52, 54 into the shoulder straps 32, 34 may also enable the user to alter the emphasis of the shoulder region without needing to use separate shoulder pads.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN A BRASSIERE

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a brassiere.

Background of the Invention

A brassiere, commonly known as a bra, is widely worn by women to support and to shape their breasts. Figure 1 shows the features of an exemplary bra 10. The bra 10 has two cup members 12 and 14 arranged to provide support to the breasts of the bra user during use of the bra. The cup members 12, 14 are attached at their lower edges and/or side edges to a support band 16. The support band 16, in use, is disposed in a generally horizontal manner around the rib cage of the bra user. Shoulder straps 18, 20 are provided between the upper portion of each of the cup members and the support band and are arranged to pass over the shoulder area of the user while the user is wearing the bra, as will be understood by a skilled person.

A problem sometimes arises that shoulder straps of a bra may slip down the user's shoulders while the user is wearing the bra. This is a particular problem for bra users who have narrow or sloping shoulders. The loss of support from the shoulder straps may result in some discomfort for the user. In addition, the appearance of bra straps down the user's arms, or the adjustment in the user's attire necessary to reposition the shoulder straps to their correct position, may result in some embarrassment for the user.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved brassiere.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a brassiere comprising: two cup members; a support band, the cup members being attached to the support band; at least one shoulder strap, the or each shoulder strap having a front portion attached to the upper portion of a respective cup member, a back portion attached to the support band and a shoulder portion located between the front portion and the back portion; and a shoulder pad attached to the shoulder portion of the or each shoulder strap and arranged to engage the shoulder of a user during use of the brassiere.

The shoulder portion of the shoulder strap holding in place the shoulder pads may be made of fabric. In some embodiments the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap holding in place the shoulder pads is made of satin, In some embodiments the shoulder pads are fully incorporated between a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer of the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap.

In some embodiments the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap is wider than at least one of the front portion of the shoulder strap and the back portion of the shoulder strap.

The shoulder pads may be wedge-shaped. The shoulder pads may be made of foam.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 shows the main features of an exemplary bra; Figure 2 shows the main features of a bra in accordance with a first embodiment; Figure 3 shows a partial view of a bra in accordance with a second embodiment; Figure 4 a cross-sectional view of a shoulder pad and shoulder portion in accordance with an alternative embodiment; Figure 5 a cross-sectional view of a shoulder pad and shoulder portion in accordance with an alternative embodiment; Figure 6 a cross-sectional view of a shoulder pad and shoulder portion in accordance with an alternative embodiment; Figure 7 a cross-sectional view of a shoulder pad and shoulder portion in accordance with an alternative embodiment.

Detailed Description of the illustrated embodiments A bra 30 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment will now be described with reference to Figure 2. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 2, the cup members 12, 14 correspond generally in function with the corresponding cup members 12, 14 shown in Figure 1, and have therefore been given the same reference numbers.

The support band corresponds generally in function with the corresponding support band 16 of the bra 10. It will be appreciated by a skilled person that different types of support bands may be used. In particular, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment the support band is provided by two side straps 16a and 16b fastening at the back are shown and a front support portion 16c provided between the cup members at the front. However, as will be known to a skilled person, arrangements having a continuous support band at the back and fastening at the front between the cup members, or even an arrangement in which a continuous support band is provided without fastening means may be envisaged. All these different support band arrangements may be used in different embodiments.

Shoulder straps 32 and 34 are provided in the exemplary embodiment. Two shoulder straps are shown in the exemplary embodiment, since this arrangement is most common. However, the invention may also be applied in embodiments with only a single shoulder strap.

Shoulder strap 32 has a front portion 36 attached to the upper portion 38 of cup member 12 and a back portion 40 attached to the support band 16 (strap 16a in this arrangement) and a shoulder portion 42 located between the front portion 36 and the back portion 40.

Shoulder strap 34 has a front portion 44 attached to the upper portion 46 of cup member 14 and a back portion 48 attached to the support band 16 (strap 16b in this arrangement) and a shoulder portion 50 located between the front portion 44 and the back portion 48.

In the exemplary embodiment the shoulder strap 32 is provided with shoulder pad 52 attached to the shoulder portion 42 of the shoulder strap 32 and arranged to engage the shoulder of a user during use of the brassiere. In the exemplary embodiment the shoulder strap 34 is provided with shoulder pad 54 attached to the shoulder portion 50 of the shoulder strap 34 arranged to engage the shoulder of a user during use of the brassiere.

The bra in accordance with the exemplary embodiment thus incorporates shoulder pads 52, 54 into the bra. The greater stability offered by incorporating the shoulder pads 52, 54 into the shoulder straps 32, 34 of the bra will prevent movement of the shoulder straps 32, 34 off the shoulders of the user. In addition, incorporating the shoulder pads 52, 54 into the shoulder straps 32, 34 of the bra will enable the user of the bra to alter the emphasis of the shoulder region without needing to use separate shoulder pads, which can suffer from the disadvantage of being fiddly or of getting lost.

The shoulder portion 42 50 of the shoulder strap 32, 34 is sufficiently wide to accommodate the length L of the shoulder pad. The widening of the shoulder portion 42, 50 enables the shoulder pad 52, 54 to be concealed beneath or within the shoulder portion 42, 50 of the shoulder strap 32, 34.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 2 the shoulder portion 42, 50 of the shoulder strap 32, 34 is wider than at least one of the front portion 36, 44 of the shoulder strap 32, 34 and the back portion 40, 48 of the shoulder strap 32, 34. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 2 this is achieved by a general broadening of the strap from its point of attachment to the respective cup member to its widest point where the shoulder pads 52, 54 are attached to the respective shoulder portion 42, 50, and then by a general narrowing of the shoulder strap to its point of attachment with the support band.

However, the design of the bra straps may be varied quite considerably while ensuring that the width of the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap remains sufficiently wide to accommodate the shoulder pads.

Figure 3 shows a partial view of a further exemplary embodiment 60 in which a shoulder strap 62 has a front portion 64 attached to the upper portion 66 of cup member 68 and a back portion 70 attached to the support band 16 (strap 16b in this arrangement) and a shoulder portion 72 located between the front portion 64 and the back portion 66. A shoulder pad 74 is located in the shoulder portion 72 of the shoulder strap 62. The width of the front portion 64 and shoulder portion 72 of the shoulder strap 62 generally increases from its point of attachment to the cup member 68 to its widest point within the shoulder portion. The back portion 66 of the shoulder strap 62 attaching the shoulder portion 72 to the strap I 6a is much narrower that the front portion 64 and the shoulder portion 72 of shoulder strap 62.

In embodiments of the invention the shoulder straps are formed from fabrics that hold into place shoulder pads that enhance the shoulders.

Figures 4-7 are cross-sectional views showing different embodiments of the shoulder pad 74 and shoulder portion 72 of the shoulder strap shown in Figure 3. It will be understood that these different embodiments are equally applicable to the shoulder pad 52, 54 and shoulder portions 42, 50 shown in Figure 2 and to other embodiments of shoulder pads and shoulder portions.

As shown in Figures 4 and 6, in some embodiments the shoulder pad 74 may merely lie under and be covered by the shoulder portion 72 of the shoulder straps. In other embodiments, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, the shoulder pad 74 may be fully incorporated between a first fabric layer 72a and a second fabric layer 72b of the shoulder portion 72 of the shoulder strap. In some embodiments, as shown, the first fabric layer 72a and second fabric layer 72b may form a continuous piece of fabric folded over the shoulder pad 74.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5 in some embodiments the shoulder pads 74 have a wedge-shaped cross-sectional profile. In other embodiments the shoulder pads 74 have a generally pad-shaped cross-sectional profile, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. Other cross-sectional shapes may be used for the shoulder pads 74 to provide the required engagement with the shoulder of the user during use of the bra, as will be understood by a skilled person.

The shoulder pads 74 may be made of any suitable material, such as foam.

The shoulder pads 74 may be of any dimensions providing the required engagement with the shoulders of the user and being hidden underneath or within the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap of the bra.

In some embodiments the fabric of the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap substantially fulfils the support function of the shoulder strap of the bra. In other embodiments a support strap is provided to fulfil the support function of the shoulder strap.

These bras have been designed to accentuate shoulders of users at the same time as fulfilling the functions of more traditional bras.

Embodiments of the invention enable women who wish to minimise the effects of sloping or narrow shoulders to wear an item of lingerie that performs this function as well as the conventional functions of a bra. The bras are lightweight in spite of the extra padding, and can be made to look feminine and attractive. Within this basic design it is possible to produce a wide range of styles whilst still performing the function for which it has been designed.

Since the shoulder pads may be incorporated with the shoulder straps the pads will also be washed as frequently as the bras. Moreover, there is no possibility of delicate fabrics becoming damaged in the wash from shoulder pads becoming loose.

All women can benefit from use of embodiments of the invention to provide shoulder pads incorporated with a bra. For instance it is noted that from time to time, shoulder pads come into fashion. The invention enables this look to be achieved easily, while avoiding the difficulties in using external shoulder pads.

The invention has been described by way of example only, and variations from the illustrated embodiments may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A brassiere comprising: two cup members; a support band, the cup members being attached to the support band; at least one shoulder strap, the or each shoulder strap having a front portion attached to the upper portion of a respective cup member, a back portion attached to the support band and a shoulder portion located between the front portion and the back portion; and a shoulder pad attached to the shoulder portion of the or each shou'der strap, and arranged to engage the shoulder of a user during use of the brassiere.
2. The brassiere as claimed in claim I wherein at least the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap holding in place the shoulder pads is made of fabric.
3. The brassiere as claimed in claim 2 wherein shoulder pads are fully incorporated between a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer of the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap.
4. The brassiere as claimed in any preceding claim where the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap is sufficiently wide to accommodate the length of the shoulder pad.
5. The brassiere as claimed in any preceding claim where the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap is wider than at least one of the front portion of the shoulder strap and the back portion of the shoulder strap.
6. The brassiere as claimed in any preceding claim where the shoulder pads are wedge-shaped.
7. The brassiere as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the shoulder pads are made of foam.
8. The brassiere as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least the shoulder portion of the shoulder strap holding in place the shoulder pads is made of satin.
9. A brassiere substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2-7 of the accompanying drawings.