US3256886A - Distributed pressure brassiere - Google Patents

Description

June 21, 1966 c. M. SACHS 3,256,886

DISTRIBUTED PRES SURE BRASS IERE Filed March 50, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

INVENTOR Char/es M. Sachs BY $0M 96% ORNEY June 21, 1966 c. M. SACHS DISTRIBUTED PRESSURE BRASSIERE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 50, 1964 INVENTOR Char/es M. Sac/2s TTORNEY June 21, 1966 c. M. SACHS 3,256,886

DISTRIBUTED PRESSURE BRASSIERE Filed March 50. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 6

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I NVENTOR Char/es M. 500/75 ATTORNEY United States Patent Filed Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,884 7 Claims. (Cl. 128483) It has heretofore been found that a construction of a brassiere that has an underbust band made of overlapping panels of a particular configuration has desirable advantages. One example of such configuration is shown in US. Patent 3,024,789 issued to Pierre Amyot on March 13, 1962. A great merit of brassieres of that general construction is that, while performing the basic molding and uplifting functions of a brassiere, it at the same time allows maximum freedom for relative movement of the busts ining different tensional characteristics from the conventionally used material, distributes the pressure resulting from the tensional pull over its entire area thus giving low pressure over large areas, which is comfortable, in place of high pressure localized along a narrow line which is uncomfortable.

While the detailed analysis of the mechanical actions involved is somewhat complex and the cause and effect relationships-are not fully understood, it has been found that the simple modification of the present invention accomplishes simultaneously more than one advantageous result.

The pressures, as already indicated, are distributed over a larger area so the brassiere is more comfortable.

The underbust band stays flatter and smoother under different conditions of stretching, thus giving a more attractive appearance as is desired.

The curved lines of the bust cups are retained over different conditions of tension on the brassiere, avoiding the partial flattening of the bottom line that occurs when a brassiere of this geometric construction is made of conventional materials in the conventional manner.

By the use of material of the characteristics involved in the present invention, it is possible to dispense with the use of stays in the vertical side seams.

Somewhat surprisingly, it is also found that the use of material as here specified reduces the ride-up of the brassiere on the body in exertive-exercise.

Various other advantages are found to flow from this invention, including the observed fact that in the present invention the underbust band tends to give a sharper delineation where the vertical chest wall undergoes transition to forward protruding of the bust. Thi relatively a, 3,256,886 Ice Patented June 21, 1966 underbust band and the front portions of the dorsal bands. FIGURE 2 shows one panel member of the composite underbust band in the preferred construction of a laminated material. The top layer of cloth is partially peeled back to reveal the bottom layer of cloth and the adhesive between them.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, showing the composite laminated material comprising two layers of cloth bonded together by an inter-mediate coating of suitable adhesive.

FIGURE 4 is a showing of a laminated panel member for the underbust band complete with its edge bindings with divergent lines of tensional force indicated thereon.

FIGURE 5 is a polar plot of stretch characteristics of conventional ordinary single ply cotton cloth such as conventionally used in manufacture of underbust bands for brassieres.

FIGURE 6 is a polar plot of stretch characteristics of material as used in the present invention, such for example as the laminated material shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

A brassiere incorporating the present invention can have any desired means for holding the side sections back. Most frequently the dorsal bands will extend back to terminate the one in hooks and the other in eyes to receive the hooks. This means is not shown because the choice of back fastening means is independent of the present invention.

The brassiere comprises a pair of bust cups 10, 12, a pair of shoulder straps 14, 16 if desired, a pair of dorsal bands 18, 20, and underbust band 30.

The underbust band 30 comprises a pair of overlapping criss-cross or band members 33, and 35, which are similar but reversed. In the preferred embodiment shown here, the criss-cross or band members comprise panel pieces 32, 34 of non-elastic material, and inserts 36, 38 of elastic material, the inserts being continuations of the ends of the panel pieces.-

The bust cups are preferably joined together at their inner edges about midway of their height either with a link bond or directly by stitching 11. The outer edge of each bust cup is stitched to the adjacent dorsal band member along the front edge of same. The front edge of each dorsal band extends on downwardly a distance below the bottom edge of the cup.

The outer end of one of the band members is secured to the front edge of one dorsal band at its lowermost part. The bottom edge of the band member comes even with the bottom edge of the dorsal band, and the top edge of this end of the band member comes no higher than the bottom edge of this first cup and preferably somewhat below same.

The bottom edge of the band member extends across the front at a rising angle, and preferably is shaped slightly concave as seen from below. The bottom edge of its far end is secured to the second dorsal band at a point distinctly above the bottom edge thereof and preferably somewhat below the top edge of this end of the other band member, and the end of this band member is stitched to the second dorsal band on up to the bottom edge of the second cup. Tracing back now toward the front cen- -The top edge of the band member here approximately coincides with the bottom edge of the first cup and when on the body helps to define such edge. However, this portion of the band member is free from this cup.

The second band member has essentially identical configuration and relation, except for being reversed left-toright.

In each of the band members, where the panel piece joins the elastic insert there is a firm stitched seam 36a, 38a, preferably including binding tape. This seam has several thicknesses of material and its width is somewhere near a quarter of its length. Thus it does not flex freely within its own plane, and it transmits stresses in a fairly uniform manner, acting somewhat like a whippletree, with one virtual stress anchor point that may be approximately represented by A as shown in FIGURE 4.

When the brassiere is worn it will be under girthwise tension. This tension will vary with breathing and chest expansion, and with posture changes and various movements of the body.

The forces of girthwise tension are felt across various force patterns running along the panel piece of the band member, represented by radial lines 1-7. In conventional construction the panel piece is cut from the bolt of fabric with the parallel threads of the fabric weave running running lengthwise of the major axis of the piece. Its action when so cut will be described in detail, it being understood that similar description with suitable variations could be given for the panel piece when cut other than in the conventional manner. In FIGURE 4 the weave lines are indicated in a representative small portion of the material, and are seen to run in the direction of the major axis of the panel piece and approximately parallel to the force paths indicated by the numbers 3' and 4.

It has also been observed that the bottom of the bust 'cup tends to flatten out and lose its natural upwardly concave curve, when girthwise tension is applied to one of these brassieres whose panel piece is made of ordinary single ply cotton. I attribute this to the proposition that stress is concentrated mainly across the direct fastening between the two cups and along stress paths 3 and 4 of this panel piece and corresponding horizontal stress paths of the underlining panel piece. Stress is more relaxed, by stretching of the material, along paths 5 and 6. Thus the forces are no longer present in the same proportions-to preserve the natural curve line at the bottom of the bust cup. Stress is also inherently in some degree relaxed along stress paths 1 and 2, allowing the bottom edge to curl up.

In addition to the observed deep horizontal wrinkle along the center of the panel piece, it is observed that the top and bottom edges of the panel piece tend to bow outwardly; they do not lie flat and smooth upon the chest wall as they desirably should.

I have found that I can to a significant degree overcome these disadvantages and others as well by locking the square interstices between the successive threads so that they are no longer so free to be canted into diamond shape.

In doing this I wish to avoid giving these panel pieces a boardlike feel. My preferred way of substantially locking these interstices is to laminate together two thicknesses of cotton cloth 40, 42, with a suitable adhesive 41 between them to bond them together. The adhesive must be flexible, it must not impair the whiteness of the fabric, it must bond the layers together well, it must withstand perspiration and laundering with hot water and detergents. I have found a thin coating of polyvinylchloride to be a suitable example of such an adhesive. Single ply material for this type of article is ordinarily in the vicinty of ten thousandths of an inch thick. I use material of that thickness. When the two plies are bonded together they have a thickness of approximately twenty-thousandths of an inch. The coating of polyvinylchloride tends not to add significantly to the thickness of the two. plies that are bonded by it because it occupies for the most part microscopic open spaces within the structures of the woven fabrics. The laminating together of two plies of fabric in this below said breast cups, said underbust band comprising manner does not completely quash the ability of the material to stretch to different degrees along different angles relative to the weave lines. However, this laminating process does give a material that; while still flexible and to some degree accom modative, has a much more nearly uniform polar stretch plot. I

Reference is now made to the polar plots of stretch characteristic of conventional single ply material and the laminated material that I use for an understanding of the differences in the actions of these materials when constituting the panel pieces. FIGURE 5 shows a polar plot of single ply cotton broadcloth showing its radial lengths for each of -5 degrees of angle, when merely lying flat and when subjected to a radial load of approximately 1, 2, 3 and 4 pounds respectively. In this diagram the warp threads run and down on the page, and the fill threads run left and right across the page.

FIGURE 6 is a similar polar plot of the stretch characteristics of the two ply laminated material used in accordance with my present invention, at the four pound load.

It will be observed from these diagrams that the conventional single ply cotton broadcloth has, at the 4 pound pound load, an incremental length of about 3 /2 percent directly along the Warp thread angle, and an incremental length of 18-percent at the bias angle of 45 degrees to the warp direction. Stated comparatively, the difference of stretchability at a 4 pound load between the warp direction and the 45 degrees bias direction is approximately 14 percent.

Comparing now the polar stretch plot for the laminated material that I use, it will be seen that at the 4 pound load the stretch directly along the warp lines is approximately 0, while the stretch at the 45 degrees bias line is approximately 3, percent. In this case both the difference between the bias stretch and the bias rest length, and the difference between the bias stretch and the warp stretch, is 3 percent.

The material that I use in the preferred embodiment of my invention has, it will be seen, a very little residual bias stretch which allows for a little accommodation and departure from planarity. Probably the most important thing is that the difference between bias stretch and warp stretch is of a considerably lower magnitude than is the case with the single ply material. The benefits of my invention are realized at least in part when there is a distinct lowering of the 14 percent differential between bias stretch and warp stretch that the conventional single ply material exhibits. While this boundary cannot be precisely defined, I would say that benefits of my invention are achieved to a considerable degree when this differential is less than 10 percent, to greater degree when it is less than 7 percent, and to approximately full degree when that value is down to approximately the 3 percent value that is present in my preferred embodiment.

An additional unexpected result of my invention is that by imparting more nearly uniform polar stretch characteristics to the material of the panels in the criss-cross underbust band members I find that I can eliminate stays at the front edges of the dorsal bands without experiencing roping, or gathering in, at those areas. This saves cost and increases comfort. I attribute this benefit in part to the more evenly distributed tensions and pres sures, and in part to the greater thickness of the panel material which helps it resist puckering or gathering.

The benefits of my invention are most fully achieved in the preferred geometrical form of brassiere shown and described in detail herein, but may albeit perhaps to a lesser degree be utilized in various forms of brassieres with criss-cross underbust bands.

I claim:

1. A brassiere having a pair of breast cups, a pair of dorsal bands, an underbust band, and means for holding the dorsal bands back, each of said dorsal bands having upper and lower front edges with said upper edges being respectively joined to the outer edges of said breast cups and said lower edges respectively extending a distance two criss-cross members for distributing both horizontal and angled stresses over the surface area of said crisscross members, one of said criss-cross members having one of its ends joined to one of said dorsal bands with the bottom edges thereof approximately even, the bottom edge of said one crisscross member sloping upwardly as it extends across the front of the brassiere, the other end of said one criss-cross member being joined to the other dorsal band with the bottom edge thereof distinctly above the bottom edge of said other dorsal band, the top edge of said one criss-cross member being secured to the bottom edge of one of said breast cups along its length to near the center, said top edge of said one crisscross member thereafter sloping down and passing under, adjacent to, and free of the bottom edge of the other breast cup, the other criss-cross member being identical in configuration to said one criss-cross member but reversed in relation to said dorsal bands and breast cups, said criss-cross members consisting largely of a panel piece made of a material whose polar plot stretch characteristics vary by less than ten percent through all angles, for forces up to four pounds.

2. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the polar plot stretch characteristics of the panel piece vary by less than about 7 percent.

3. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the polar plot stretch characteristics of the panel piece vary by no more than about 3 percent.

4. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the panel piece is made of laminated material comprising two plies of fabric bonded together.

5. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the panel piece is made of fabric with square interstices partially bonded against canting into diamond shapes under bias tension by being partially locked by an impregnating plastic coating.

6. A brassiere according to claim 5 wherein the plastic coating comprises polyvinylchloride.

7. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the panel piece is made of fabric with square interstices partially bonded against canting into diamond shapes under bias tension by being partially locked through the bonding together of two such plies by an intermediate coating of polyvinylchloride.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,541,147 2/1951 Becker 128-496 X 2,736,898 3/1956 Lax et al 128483 2,897,822 8/1959 Amyot 128-483 3,021,845 2/1962 Smith 128-463 FOREIGN PATENTS 238,165 3/1962 Australia.

ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A BRASSIERE HAVING A PAIR OF BREAST CUPS, A PAIR OF DORSAL BANDS, AN UNDERBUST BAND, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING THE DORSAL BANDS BACK, EACH OF SAID DORSAL BANDS HAVING UPPER END LOWER FRONT EDGES WITH SAID UPPER EDGES BEING RESPECTIVELY JOINED TO THE OUTER EDGES OF SAID BREAST CUPS AND SAID LOWER EDGES RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING A DISTANCE TWO CRISS-CROSS MEMBERS FOR DISTRIBUTING BOTH HORIZONTAL AND ANGLED STRESSES OVER THE SURFACE AREA OF SAID CRISSCROSS MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID CRISS-CROSS MEMBERS HAVING ONE OF ITS ENDS JOINED TO ONE OF SAID DORSAL BANDS WITH THE BOTTOM EDGES THEREOF APPROXIMATELY EVEN, THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID ONE CRISS-CROSS MEMBER SLOPING UPWARDLY AS IT EXTENDS ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE BRASSIER, THE OTHER END OF SAID ONE CRISS-CROSS MEMBER BEING JOINED TO THE OTHER DORSAL BAND WITH THE BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF DISTINCTLY ABOVE THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID OTHER DORSAL BAND, THE TOP EDGE OF SAID ONE CRISS-CROSS MEMBER BEING SECURED TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF ONE OF SAID BREAST CUPS ALONG ITS LENGTH OF NEAR THE CENTER, SAID TOP EDGE OF SAID ONE CRISSCROSS MEMBER THEREAFTER SLOPING DOWN AND PASSING UNDER, ADJACENT TO, AND FREE OF THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE OTHER BREAST CUP, THE OTHER CRISS-CROSS MEMBER BEING IDENTICAL IN CONFIGURATION TO SAID ONE CRISS-CROSS MEMBER BUT REVERSED IN RELATION TO SAID DORSAL BANDS AND BREAST CUPS, SAID CRISS-CROSS MEMBERS CONSISTING LARGELY OF A PANEL PIECE MADE OF A MATERIAL WHOSE POLAR PLOT STRETCH CHARACTERISTICS VARY BY LESS THAN TEN PERCENT THROUGH ALL ANGLES, FOR FORCES UP TO FOUR POUNDS.

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