US3411510A

US3411510A - Brassiere

Info

Publication number: US3411510A
Application number: US572104A
Authority: US
Inventors: Child Marien Elaine
Original assignee: Strouse Adler Co
Current assignee: Strouse Adler Co
Priority date: 1966-08-12
Filing date: 1966-08-12
Publication date: 1968-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1985-11-19

Description

Nov. 19, 1968 M. E. CHILD 3,411,510

BRASSIERE Filed Aug. 12, 1966 INVENTOR.

MARIEN ELAINE CHILD BY MORGAN, FINNEGAN, DURHAM a PINE ATTORNEYS United States. Patent 3,411,510 BRASSIERE Marien Elaine Child, New Haven, Conn., assignor to The Strouse, Adler Company, New Haven, Conn., 21 corporation of Connecticut Filed Aug. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 572,104 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-434) This invention relates to improvements in brassieres.

The satisfactory performance of a brassiere as a figure shaping and supporting garment depends in important part upon its position on the body of the wearer.

Many brassieres have shoulder straps to prevent the brassiere from slipping downwardly on the body of the wearer. However, such shoulder straps also tend to cause the brassiere to move upwardly each time the wearer raises her arms, such shifts in position reduce the functional effects of the brassiere and cause discomfort to the wearer because the brassiere tends to ride up i.e., remain in progressively higher positions.

Other present practice brassieres are made with elastic body-encircling members that tightly grip the body of the wearer to prevent upward movement. However, such brassieres still tend to move upwardly with a chafing effect on the body, and, because of the tension created, tend to remain in the uppermost position.

It is a general object of this invention, therefore, to provide a brassiere which will remain properly positioned on the body of the wearer.

It is a more particular object of the instant invention to provide a brassierewhich will remain anchored in position at points on the body where other brassieres have a tendency to ride up.

These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished, according to the invention, by the novel arrangements and combinations of elements hereinafter fully described and particularly recited in the claims, and will become more apparent therefrom.

Briefly and generally, the invention resides in the provision of a pair of novel body-encircling members which will develop unequal tension when stretched, with the greatest tension being developed in the portions thereof which contact the body just below the shoulder blades, with somewhat lesser tension being developed in the portions thereof which overlie the shoulder blades, and with a relatively small amount of tension being developed below the portions of maximum tension. With this arrangement, the brassiere is anchored to and moves with the shoulder blades of the wearer both upwardly and downwardly. More specifically, the body-encircling members each comprise a back panel made of elastic material having an elastic tape stitched diagonally thereto from a point adjacent the top of its inner end to a point adjacent to the bottom of its outer end and a stiffening bone ex tending along the inner end of the back panel to stabilize the elastic tape. The bottom portion of the back panel situated below the diagonal tape is folded under and the two layers of material are stitched together along the tape.

Having briefly described the invention, a more detailed description is now made by reference to an exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing which forms a part of the specification, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a brassiere in accordance with the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of a back panel of the brassiere taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1.

Turning now in detail to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts on both halves of the brassiere in the several figures, the brassiere is provided with a pair of cups made of a suitable non-stretchable material for receiving and supporting the bust of the wearer.

ice

Each cup 10 is illustrative of a three-piece construction. The upper portion 11 of each cup 10 is formed from a single piece of material of substantially triangular configuration. The bottom portion of each cup is composed of an inner segment 12 and an outer segment 13 stitched together along seam 14.

Bottom segments

12 and 13 are in turn joined to upper portions 11 along seams 15.

Cups 10 are mounted into a front supporting member 16 which is also illustrative of a three-piece construction, having a centrally located panel 17 of an inelastic material and a pair of elastic bottom panels 18 which are secured to central panel 17 along seams 19. Cups 10 are secured to supporting member 16 by means of seams 20.

Laterally depending from bottom front panels 18 and cups 10 are a pair of body-encircling members 21. Each of body-encircling members 21 is, according to the invention, of atwo-piece construction having an inelastic side panel 22 positioned between two

stiffening bones

23 and 24 which extend transversely of the long dimension of member 21,,and an elastic back panel 25. Bone 23 ex tends along the outer ends of front supporting member 16 and cup 10, and bone 24 extends along the inner end of back panel 25.

The left back panel 25 terminates in a tab portion 26 which is provided with a plurality of eyelets 27. The right back panel (not shown) is provided with a mating plurality of hooks for releasably engaging eyelets 27 in order to secure the brassiere at the back of the wearer in accordance with the usual practice, as will be understood.

Each shoulder strap 28 of an adjustable pair is secured at one of its ends 29 to its associated back panel as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawing. The remaining end of a strap 28 is slidably and adjustably mounted by means of buckle 30 on a tape 31 secured at both of its ends to the apex of cup 10 also clearly shown in FIGURE 1.

Back panel 25 is constructed with an upper portion 25A and a lower portion 25B. The bottom portion 25B of the back panel is provided with an extra length of material which is folded under and to the rear of the garment (see FIGURE 2), and an elastic facing or tape 32 is stitched diagonally to the rear surface of the back panel where the edge of ,the folded under fabric meets the front fabric of the panel. Tape 32 extends from a point adjacent the top of bone 24 at the inner end of back panel 25 to a point adjacent the bottom of the outer end of back panel 25. Also, upper portion 25A of back panel 25 has elastic facing or tape 33 along its outer borders whereas bot-tom portion 25B is devoid of any similar facing or tape along its outer borders.

In accordance with the invention, the construction operates in the following manner to prevent the brassiere from riding up on the body of the wearer. When the brassiere is secured by means of hooks (not shown) and eyelets 27, side panels 22 and

bones

23, 24 are positioned on the sides of the body of the wearer and back panels 25 are positioned on the back of the wearer. The portions of back panels 25 immediately adjacent diagonal tapes 32 contact the back of the wearer just underneath the bottoms of the shoulder blades. These tape 32 portions are stabilized by bones 24 and inelastic side panels 22. In addition, the double layer of fabric combined with the stitching at tape portions 32 prevents substantial relief of tension therein. The tape portion 32 cannot shift and distort to accommodate the body of the wearer to the same degree as the other portions. Consequently, the tapes 32 are in greater tension than are the remaining portions of back panels 25. The upper portions 25A of back panels 25 overlie the shoulder blades and are in lesser tension than are tapes 32. The double-layered bottom portions 25B of the back panels contact the smaller part of the back below the shoulder blades and are in minimum tension relative to the tape 32 portions and upper portions 25A.

When the wearer raises her arms, both the shoulder and the shoulder blades move upwardly. The shoulder straps tend to raise the brassiere. Since the upper portions 25A of back panels 25 grip the shoulder blades with some tension, the brassiere remains fixed relative to the shoulder blades and is carried upwardly therewith. The bottom portions 25B of back panels 25, being in relatively minimum tension, move freely upwardly relative to the stationary smaller part of the back without discomfort to the wearer.

When the wearer lowers her arms, however, the brassiere does not remain in the upper position. The back panels, being in greatest tension at tapes 32 just below the shoulder blades, are carried downwardly by the shoulder blades with the bottom portions 25B of the back panels 25 sliding freely downwardly relative to the stationary part of the back. The brassiere returns to the original position. There is no ride up.

Hence, the brassiere is effectively anchored by and to the shoulder blades of the wearer. The brassiere may move with movements of the arms and shoulders but there is no ride up and chafing is eliminated.

In the practice and use of the invention, variations and modifications may occur, and it is understood that any changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts which have herein been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the ap pended claims and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. A brassiere adapted to anchor at the shoulder blades for movement therewith when in position on the body of the wearer comprising (a) a front supporting member (b) a pair of cups mounted in said front supporting member for receiving and supporting the bust of the wearer (c) a pair of body-encircling members extending laterally from the sides of said front supporting member and having means at the terminal ends thereof for releasably securing the brassiere at the back of the wearer (d) said body-encircling members each including a stiffening bone extending transversely thereof and an elastic back panel with its inner end adjacent said stiffening bone (e) said back panels each being formed with an extra length of material folded under at the bottom thereof, an elastic tape stitched diagonally thereto along the juncture of said under-folded fabric and the outer fabric of said panel from a point adjacent the top of said bone at the inner end thereof to a point adjacent the bottom of the outer end of said panel, whereby, when said brassiere is secured to the body of the wearer, the upper portions of said back panels above said diagonal tapes overlie and tightly grip the wearers shoulder blades for upward movement therewith, said diagonal tapes tightly contact the body immediately under and near the shoulder blades for downward movement therewith and the bottom portions of said back panels below said diagonal tapes lightly contact the smaller part of the back for free upward and downward movement relative thereto.

2. A brassiere according to claim 1 having a pair of shoulder straps, each of which is secured at one end to one of said body-encircling members and at the other end to one of said cups.

3. A brassiere according to claim 1 wherein each body-encircling member includes a first stiffening bone extending transversely thereof adjacent said front supporting member, a second stiffening bone spaced from and extending parallel to said first stiffening bone, and an inelastic side panel positioned between said first bone and said second bone, the elastic back panel having its inner end adjacent said second bone.

4. A brassiere according to claim 3 wherein an elastic tape is stitched along the upper border of each of said back panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,869,554 1/1959 Hollar 128-498 2,973,764 4/1961 Steiner 128476 2,971,513 2/ 1961 Gingras l28494 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A BRASSIERE ADAPTED TO ANCHOR AT THE SHOULDER BLADES FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH WHEN IN POSITION ON THE BODY OF THE WEARER COMPRISING (A) A FRONT SUPPORTING MEMBER (B) A PAIR OF CUPS MOUNTED IN SAID FRONT SUPPORTING MEMBER FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING THE BUST OF THE WEARER (C) A PAIR OF BODY-ENCIRCLING MEMBER EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM THE SIDES OF SAID FRONT SUPPORTING MEMBER AND HAVING MEANS AT THE TERMINAL ENDS THEREOF FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE BRASSIERE AT THE BACK OF THE WEARER (D) SAID BODY-ENCIRCLING MEMBERS EACH INCLUDING A STIFFENING BONE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREOF AND AN ELASTIC BACK PANEL WITH ITS INNER END ADJACENT SAID STIFFENING BONE (E) SAID BACK PANELS EACH BEING FORMED WITH AN EXTRA LENGTH OF MATERIAL FOLDED UNDER AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF, AN ELASTIC TAPE STITCHED DIAGONALLY THERETO ALONG THE JUNCTURE OF SAID UNDER-FOLDED FABRIC AND THE OUTER FABRIC OF SAID PANEL FROM A POINT ADJACENT THE TOP OF SAID BONE AT THE INNER END THEREOF TO A POINT ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF THE OUTER END OF SAID PANEL, WHEREBY, WHEN SAID BRASSIERE IS SECURED TO THE BODY OF THE WEARER, THE UPPER PORTIONS OF SAID BACK PANELS ABOVE SAID DIAGONAL TAPES OVERLIE AND TIGHTLY GRIP THE WEARER''S SHOULDER BLADES FOR UPWARD MOVEMENT THEREWITH, SAID DIAGONAL TAPES TIGHTLY CONTACT THE BODY IMMEDIATELY UNDER AND NEAR THE SHOULDER BLADES FOR DOWNWARD MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND THE BOTTOM PORTIONS OF SAID BACK PANELS BELOW SAID DIAGONAL TAPES LIGHTLY CONTACT THE SMALLER PART OF THE BACK FOR FREE UPWARD AND DOWNWARD MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO.