US2908275A - Brassiere cup - Google Patents

Description

J. L. MAY BRASSIERE CUP Oct. 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1958 INVENTOR. JAMES I.. MAY

ATTORNEYS J. L. MAY

BRASSIERE CUP Oct. 13, 1-959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 15, 1958 FIG. 5

FIG. 7

INVENTOR. JAMES L. MAY

u-MW ATTORNEYS United States Patent I 2,908,275 BRASSIERE cur. James L. May, Irving Tex. Application July 15, 1958, Serial No. 748,720

3 Claims. 01. 128-425) Another object of the invention is to support the non-nursing breast in such a way as to prevent stasis of lymph and blood in the lateral quadrant of the breast. The lateral and lower quadrants may be supported in such a way as to bring the breast more up and in for a more attractive and revealing upper bust line.

According to the invention, the cups for the right and left breasts are mirror images of each other, each cup being shaped with a relatively small convex central area to accommodate the nipple or the nipple and its areola, this central area being surrounded by a wider area some of which is convex and some of which is concave, as hereinafter described.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof, and to the drawing, of which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a brassiere embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the left cup of the brassiere shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diagram of the sectors of material which are ready to be joined together along their edges to make a cup like that shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2, shown on a larger scale;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of a modified form of a brassiere cup;

Figure 6 is a diagram of sectors to be joined to make the cup shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a front elevational view of another modified form of the invention; and

Figure 8 is a diagram of sectors to be joined to make the cup shown in Figure 7.

As indicated in Figure 1, the brassiere 10 embodying the invention may be of conventional form except for the cups 12 and 14 which cover and support the breasts, and the arrangement of the supporting straps 16 and 18 which go over the shoulders of the wearer, the straps being attached to the cups at points slightly more spaced apart than on the conventional brassiere. The cups 12 and 14 are attached to a band 20 which is of customary shape, the novelty of the invention residing in the shape of the cups themselves.

The cup 14 for the left breast is hereinafter described in detail and is illustrated in Figure 2. It can conveniently be made of suitable soft inextensible material, such as one or more layers of cotton broadcloth, by cutting out five sectors according to patterns and joining the edges of successive sectors as hereinafter described. The resulting cup is characterized chiefly by the con- 2,908,275 Patented Oct. 13

cavity of the lower half and the outer side portion. The inner and upper portion of the cup, amounting to little more than a quadrant, has the usual convexity. The concave portions provide more effective support for the breast than does the conventional convex cup, the lower half and outer side portion of the breast being compressed and elevated by the shape of the cup. In some cases, more particularly the extra large sizes of cups for nursing breasts, the convex upper and inner portions of the cup may be made of elastic or extensible fabric preferably having a resilient two-way stretch for the purpose of preventing overextension and consequent stasis. Modified forms of the cup hereinafter described, have lesser areas of concavity.

The particular shape of the cup can best be described and understood by the steps by which a cup can be formed, though it is to' be understood that the inve'n tion is not limited to this particular way of making the'cup; Figure 3 shows five sectors A, B, C, D and E which can be made by cutting a circular piece of cloth or vother suitable material into fivepieces and shaping thepieces according to the patterns shown. Actual sizef patterns for one size of cup may conveniently be'in'ade by striking a circle on paper with a radius of 7.5 cm. From a point about 1 cm. below the center of this circle draw radial lines making angles at the point of 105, 50, 60 and 55. Trace the irregular sectors thus formed on another sheet of paper and modify the radial lines as indicated in Figure 3. It will be noted that adjacent side edges of successive sectors are mutually symmetrical,

that is, they curve equally toward or away from each other. When the margins along such edges are joined together to make a seam, the portions of the edges which are convex toward each other, as for example at 22, result in a convexity of that area of the cup. If the edges are concave toward each other, as at 24, that area of the cup is concave. B, C, D and E thus determine the shape of the cup. Thus, the cup for the left breast has a central convex area 26 a little below the center of the cup to receive the nipple or the nipple and its areola. Surrounding this central convexity are concave areas A, B and C, and convex areas D and E. The concave areas comprise the portion of the cup below a horizontal line extending through the center of the central convexity 26, as indicated at 28 in Figure 4, and the adjacent outer portion up to a radial line inclined at about 60 to the horizontal. The sectors are preferably made of flexible, inextensible material such as one or more layers of broadcloth, except that in the very large sizes, the sectors D and B may be made of elastic fabric.

The cup by its shape and without the use of pads or other devices gives proper support to the breast from below and on the outer side.

The cup for the right breast is similarly made except that it is a mirror image of the cup illustrated on the drawing.

The modified form of cup illustrated in Figure 5 has the usual convexity except for the outside lateral quadrant A'. To obtain the desired shape, four modified quadrants A, B, C and D' are cut as indicated in Figure 6. The seaming together of concave opposed edges 24' results in quadrant A being concave, while the seaming together of convex opposed edges such as 22' produces convex areas on the cup, as indicated at B, C and D' in Figure 5. The opposing edges of the quadrants are all convex near the apices of the quadrants, as at 25'. These convexities result in a convex central area 26 in the finished cup of suflicient size to receive a nipple and its areola when the brassiere is in use.

In like manner, quadrants A", B", C" and D" may The contours of the sectors A,

mutually opposed edges seamed to form a cup as shown in Figure 7 with the outer and lower quadrants A and B" concave, the inner and upper quadrants C and D. being convex. This cup also has a central convex'area to receive a nipple and its areola,.the convexity 26 resulting from convex portions 25 of opposing edges near the apices of the quadrants. The cups illustrated in Figures 5 and 7 are for a left breast. Chips for the right breast are mirror images of these. v

In each of the foregoing cases, the outside lateral portion of the breast is given extra support by the con cavity of the portion of the cup on which it bears. The condition of the breast will determine to what extent concave support will be furnished for the under side of the breast.

I claim:

1. A brassiere having right and left cups which are generally convex and are of inextensible sheet material, each said cup having an approximately circular periphery, a relatively small convex central area, and an area surrounding said central area, said surrounding area of each cup consisting of an inner portion adjacent to one ofsaid cups and an outer portion remote from the other of said cups, the outer lateral portion of said surrounding area being concave.

2. A brassiere having right and left cups of inextensible sheet material, each cup having a central convex area, and a circular area surrounding said central area, said surrounding area of each cup consisting of an inner portion adjacent to one of said cups and an outer portion remote from the other of said cups, the lower half and an adjoining sector of the outer portion of said surrounding area being concave, the remaining portion of said surrounding area being convex.

3. A brassiere cup as described in claim 2, said concave portion comprising the area below the horizontal diameter of the cup and the adjoining area terminated by a radius making an angle of about with said diameter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,031,124 France Mar. 18, 1953

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