US3709230A

US3709230A - Brassiere

Info

Publication number: US3709230A
Application number: US00110210A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Rich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-01-27
Filing date: 1971-01-27
Publication date: 1973-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-09

Abstract

A brassiere including a pair of breast uplifting support bands suspended by an elastic panel structure connected with chest encircling structure. The elastic panel structure is secured along the lower edges and the outward ends of the support bands and engage the chest of the wearer. Each of the support bands includes integral end portions forming truss triangles which aid in distributing the forces involved in breast support and contour. The shape, manner of suspension, a grain of the material forming the breast support bands provides optimum supporting and shaping of each of the breasts of the wearer. A suspension band extends along the upper sides and across the top of each breast and is connected with the support band for the encircled breast. A breast covering cup is secured with each elastic panel over each support band encircling panel providing a non-supporting covering for the breast encircled by the band. Each breast support band is drawn substantially taut along a generally straight line below the breast supported by the band while the arcuate shape of the upper edge of the band permits the band to form a proper breast supporting shape which retains its shape and does not turn down at its apex. Adjustable fasteners are provided at the back of the chest encircling structure, and adjustable shoulder straps are removably secured from the apex of each of the breast encircling suspension bands extending rearwardly to a back portion of the chest encircling band providing a shoulder strap for each shoulder of the wearer for symmetrical support of the brassiere along both the back and chest of the wearer.

Description

United States Patent [191 Rich [ 51 Jan. 9, 1973 [54] BRASSIERE [76], Inventor: Alberta Penny Rich, 9814 Kilarney Drive, Dallas, Tex. 75218 [22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 110,210

52 U.S. cl ..128/486 [51] Int. Cl ..A4lc 3/00 [58] Field of Search ..128/486 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,409,017 11/1968 Ramsell ...128/486 1,972,045 8/1934 Julius ...128/486 3,213,462 10/1965 Ramsell ..128/486 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorneyl-l. Mathews Garland [5 7] ABSTRACT A brassiere including a pair of breast uplifting support bands suspended by an elastic panel structure connected with chest encircling structure. The elastic panel structure is secured along the lower edges and the outward ends of the support bands and engage the chest of the wearer. Each of the support bands includes integral end portions forming truss triangles which aid in distributing the forces involved in breast support and contour. The shape, manner of suspension, a grain of the material forming the breast support bands provides optimum supporting and shaping of each of the breasts of the wearer. A suspension band extends along the upper sides and across the top of each breast and is connected with the support band for the .encircled breast. A breast covering cup is secured with each elastic panel over each support band encircling panel providing a non-supporting covering for the breast encircled by the band. Each breast support band is drawn substantially taut along a generally straight line below the breast supported by the band while the arcuate shape of the upper edge of the band permits the band to form a proper breast supporting shape which retains its shape and does not turn down at its apex. Adjustable fasteners are provided at the back of the chest encircling structure, and adjustable shoulder straps are removably secured from the apex of each of the breast encircling suspension bands extending rearwardly to a back portion of the chest encircling band providing a shoulder strap for each shoulder of the wearer for symmetrical support of the brassiere along both the back and chest of the wearer.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAN 9 ms sum 1 0P2 490 Alberto Penny Rich PATENIEUJAI 9137s 3.709230 SHEET 2 UF 2 INVENTOR Alberto Penny Rich BRASSIERE This invention relates to brassieres and, more particularly, to improved brassieres which achieve bust support and contour control through application of special suspension principles to apply forces to predetermined areas of the wearers body.

The invention disclosed and claimed herein particularly relates to improvements in brassieres shown in my U. S. Pat. No. 3,213,462 issued Oct. 19, 1965, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,017 issued Nov. 5, 1968. The brassieres of these patents utilize a concept of creating a desirable bust supporting and contour control function by inner brassiere structure in which interconnected chest engaging strips are positioned across the chest immediately beneath the breasts and held in position by band structure extending around the back of the wearer interconnecting the free ends of the strips for holding the strips along the chest of the wearer beneath the breasts. A support band for each breast of the wearer is sewn along the upper edge of each of the chest engaging strips. Each breast support band has a slightly curved lower edge sewn to a straight upper edge of its breast engaging band to provide a cup contour for enclosing and supporting the lower portion of the engaged breast.

The brassiere of U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,017 uses a truss type of structure for suspension of the bust support bands to carry most of the stress developed in the bands and apply the stress usefully to the flesh of the wearer. The truss structure includes a truss triangle formed integral with each breast support band along the back portion of the band near or beneath the arm of the wearer along the backside or base of the breast. A diagonal seam carries the band stress causing the truss triangle to exert inward, forward, and slightly upward forces on the flesh of the wearer urging more of the breast flesh forwardly, upwardly, and inwardly into the breast cups.

The brassiere of the present invention includes structure similar to that of the aforementioned patents along with additional improved truss features and other features which enhance the comfort of the brassiere on the wearer and achieve desired placement of the breast flesh and improved support. In accordance with some of the objectives of the aforementioned patents, the brassiere of the present invention urges flesh and underarm bulges forward into the breast cups to provide improved breast contour and support of body flesh.

It is a particularly important object of the invention to provide a new and improved brassiere.

It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved brassiere which enhances the contour of the body features of the wearer.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved brassiere which uses suspension principles to apply forces to predetermined areas of the wearers flesh for achieving optimum breast support and contour control with improved comfort.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved brassiere having a truss type structure which utilizes developed stresses applying them in a useful manner to the flesh of the wearer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improved brassiere in which the desired breast support and contour control is achieved by applying stress forces to breast band support structure with a minimum of binding of the chest surface below the breast of the wearer and thereby providing maximum comfort and flexibility in freedom of body movement for longer periods of wearing time.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved brassiere which includes a pair of breast support bands supported within an elastic panel or frame structure and causes the brassiere to fit snugly along the chest surface and allow the breast support bands to more fit and support the breasts of the wearer.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved brassiere where the seams between the breast support bands and the elastic panel support structure for the bands provides maximum flexing of the brassiere without affecting the breast supporting ability of the bands.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a new and improved brassiere of the character described wherein pressure outwardly at the force triangles formed at the outward end of each breast support band straightens out the support band material along the lower edge portions thereof so that substantially straight edges are thereby formed to fit snugly along the breast bases at the chest surface while the expansible panels supporting the bands fits along the chest below the breasts and the breast support bands form cups to accommodate the breasts in an uplifting manner.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a brassiere of the character described wherein the upper panel portions of the breast support bands have a greater upward arch or curvature than in previous forms of the type brassiere contemplated by the invention, which arch does not distort or turn down when supporting a breast.

It is another object of the invention to provide a brassiere of the character described wherein the warp of the breast support band material runs lengthwise of each band and thus across each breast for maximum strength.

The above objects and advantages of the invention will be better understood by reading the following description of a brassiere constructed in accordance with the invention taken in conjunction with the ac companying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a right front perspective view of a brassiere embodying the invention on a wearer;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged back perspective view of the brassiere open along its adjustable back fastener and 1 with the left breast cup released and folded forward;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the breast support bands and the elastic chest engaging supporting panel structure for the support bands oriented as in FIG. I; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a brassiere having a pair of complementary breast support bands secured together at adjacent ends along a vertical central seam and supported by an elastic chest engaging frame assembly. Each support band has curved lower edge and upper edges and a stress triangle formed by stitching along the outer underarm end of the band for stress distribution to shape the breast and urge it forward and upwardly. The maximum strength of the band material runs the length of the band and thus across the breast. A breast encircling suspension band is connected with eachsupport band extending across the top and down each side of each breast. Chest encircling band structure is connected with the elastic panel assembly and provided with center back securing means. A shoulder strap connects each suspension band with a back portion of the chest encircling band. A releasable breast covering cup is secured over each breast support and suspension band assembly.

Referring to the drawings, a brassiere embodying the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 on a wearer with the left breast cup released from the shoulder strap at the wearers left side and folded down slightly as when putting the brassiere on. The essential elements of the breast support and contour control structure of the brassiere 10 are shown in exploded perspective flattened form in FIG. 4 which shows the breast support bands themselves along with the elastic panels which suspend the support bands in the proper chest engaging and breast supporting relationship on the wearer.

I The breast support bands comprise a pair of complementary flexible

non-elastic fabric panels

11 and 12 which snugly support and shape the lower portion of each breast by urging the breast forwardly and upwardly. The right band 11 has an upper convex edge 13 and a lower concave edge 14. The band has a diagonal outward end portion 15 which comprises a truss triangle defined between the theoretical line along the body of the end portion of the band, such theoretical line along with a portion of the lower edge 14 and the end edge 21 of the band defining the truss triangle along the end portion of the band. The inward end of the band 13 is defined by the generally vertical edge 22. The material forming the band 11 is strong, flexible, non-elastic and has a flanneHike inner face for direct contact with the breast flesh to provide a comfortable, firm support for the breast. The grain structure of the material is oriented to align the warp of the material across the breast band 11 so that a straight line drawn from the upper inner corner 23 to the outer upper corner 24 runs along the warp line for maximum material strength across the supported breast. The left breast support band l2 has an upper arcuate or curved edge 30 which is convex and a concave arcuate lower edge 31. Theband has an outer end truss triangle portion 32 defined between the end edge 33 and a hypothetical boundary-line 34; The inward end of the band is defined by the vertical edge 35. The warp of the material, as in the case of the band 13, runs across the band in alignment with a line drawn from-the inner upper comer edge 40 and theouter upper corner edge The

breast support bands

11 and 12 are stitched to and supported in a yieldable suspended relationship by an elastic panel assembly comprising a right elastic panel 50and a complementary left elastic panel 51.

The panel 50 has a generally horizontal strip portion 52 and an outer end vertical strip portion 53. The strip 52 is defined by a bottom edge 54, a top edge 55, and an inner or central edge 60. The vertical panel portion 53 is defined by an outer upwardly and inwardly sloping edge 61, a top edge 62, and an inside vertical edge 63. Similarly, the elastic panel 51 has a generally rectangular horizontal panel portion 70 and a generally vertical end panel portion 71. The horizontal portion 70 is defined by an upper edge 72, a lower edge 73, and ah inner vertical end edge 74. The vertical panel portion 71 is defined by an outer upwardly and inwardly sloping edge 75, a top edge 80, and an inside vertical edge 81. The panels and 51 are formed of a material having elasticity in both directions, being yieldable, however, to a greater extent in a horizontal direction and may be a material such as a nylon monofilarnent.

The assembled relationship of the

breast support bands

11 and 12 and the yieldable

band support panels

50 and 51 is best understood by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The brassiere shall be referred to in the context of its orientation on the wearer and, thus, in FIG. 2 the left side of the brassiere shall be considered that portion on the left side of the drawing as viewed by the reader. The orientation of the breast support band and the yieldable panels in FIG. 4 is opposite that of FIG. 2 and is the same as that of FIG. 1. Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the yieldable breast band support panels 50 and 51'are joined together along their inside vertical edges and 74 and sewn to a vertical central strip of tape by double parallel stitching 92 extending along the opposite edges of the tape 90. The bottom edges 54 and 73 of the panels are turned under and joined to a chest encircling-elastic strip 92 by double parallel zigzag stitching 93 to permit the strip 92 to expand. The elastic strip 92' extends around the wearers chest, beneath her arms, and across her back.

The lower edge 14 of the right breast support band 11 is stitched in overlapping relationship by a zigzag stitch 94 and double parallel stitches 94a along the upper edge 55 of the panel 50.'A strip of bias tape 96 is also held by the

stitches

94 and 94a on the back face of the band 11 along the edge 14. The outer end force triangle portion 15 of the breast band 11 is sewn; in overlapping relationship to the vertical portion 53 of the panel 50. The vertical panel edge 63 is secured bydouble parallel stitches 96, FIG. 1, to the band 11 along the line 20 so that the force triangle portion 15 of the panel lies in overlapping relationship along the back face of the upper portion 53 of the panel 50. The band edge 21 is sewn by double stitches 100 which also secure a strip of bias tape 101 on the back face of the panel 11 along the edge 31. Similarly, the breast support band 12 is secured along the lower edge 31 to the upper edge 72 of the horizontal portion 70' of the panel 51 by the

stitches

94 and 94a and the bias tape 96 extends along the band edge-31. The tape 96 thus extends between the opposite lower corners 24a of the band 11 and 41a of the band 12. The force triangle end portion 32 of the panel 12 is secured in overlapping relationship against the back face of the vertical portion 71 of the panel 51. The'zigzag stitch 94 turns upwardly and diagonally outwardly along the line 34 of the band 12 securing the band along such line with the edge 81 of the panel 51 so that the force triangle 32 lies in the overlapping relationship across a portion of the vertical section 71 of the panel 51. A double stitch 105 secures the edge 33 of the band 12 to the back face of the section 71 of the panel 51. The stitches 105 also secure a strip of bias tape over the end edge 33 of the breast band. The

inward end edges 22 and 35 of the

breast bands

11 and 12, respectively,- are stitched together along a vertical centerline of the brassiere covered by the bias tape 90 by the double stitch 91.

The top arcuate edges of the

breast bands

11 and 12 are finished by bias tape strips 112 and 113, respectively, which meet in the center at the bias strip 111 and extend to the outer upper end corners 24 and 41, respectively, of the breast support bands. The binding tapes for the upper breast support band edges are folded around the bare cut edge of the band and sewn by a single stitch extending through the portion of the binding tape on the opposite faces of the band and the band material itself. The breast bands are thus joined together at the center and otherwise are yieldably suspended within the frame structure formed by the connecting elastic support panels 511 and 51 so that the

panels

50 and 51 snugly engage the chest surface of the wearer yieldably holding the breast support band in firm, breast uplifting and contour control relationship with the breasts of the wearer.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a breast encircling suspension band 12b is secured in front of and in partial overlapping relationship with the breast support band 11. The band 120 is a semi-oval panel which extends across the top of the support band 11 and down to the seam 94 so that when the brassiere is on a wearer, the band lies across the front of the breast support band 1 1 extending along the chest of the wearer over the right breast and down along the outside and inside of the breast to the bottom edge of the band 11. The inside vertical portion 120a of the band 120 is secured at the center along the vertical seam 111 and across the bottom edge of the band at the bottom of the band 11 by the

seams

94 and 94a. The outer or side vertical end portion 12Gb of the panel 120 is secured along its vertical outer edge with the tape 101 by the seam 1M and along a short lower end edge portion by the stitches 9d and 94a at the seam between the lower edge of the band 11 and the panel 50 extending inwardly from the corner edge 24a. The upper and lower edges of the panel 120 are finished by binding

tape

121 and 122, respectively. A short loop strap 123 is sewn to the apex of the band 12% for connection of a buckle 124 to which a shoulder strap 125 is connected. A breast cup 130 having panel sections 139a, 13Gb, and 13% is secured over the front of the breast support band 11 and the suspension band 120 to serve a breast covering function and to cover the front of the breast support band. The lower edge of the breast-covering cup panel 1300 is stitched to the bottom edge of the breast support band 11 and the top edge of the yieldable panel 51 along the seam or stitches 94 while the central or inside vertical edge of the breast support cup is secured along the center of the brassiere by the stitches 111. The outer vertical, near underarm edge portion of the breast cup 130 is sewn to the-breast support band 11 and the vertical portion 53 of the panel 51 by the stitches 96. The panels of the cup are suitably secured together by double stitches in overlapping relationship along the

lines

131 and 132. The upper edges of the breast cup are stitches and finished at 133 and 134 providing an attractive edge finish. A loop 135 sewnto the apex of the upper portion of the breast cup engages the buckle 124 to support the breast cup with the shoulder strap in a covering relationship over the breast support band 11 and the upper portion of the breast supported in such band.

The left breast covering cup 140 includes a bottom horizontal panel 140a and upper panels l40b and 140a. The breast covering cup is secured by the double stitches 111 along a central vertical edge and along a bottom edge by the

stitches

94 and 94a to the elastic panel 511. The sections of the cup 140 are sewn together by a horizontal double seam 141 and a vertical double seam 142. The

upper edges

143 and 144 are suitably stitched and finished to provide attractive edges. A loop strap 1 15 is sewn to the apex of the upper portion of the breast cup. The outer side end of the breast cup 1 3% is sewn to the front of the brassiere structure along the seam 105.

A breast encircling suspension band 150 for the left side of the brassiere structure corresponding to the panel is connected with the left breast support band 12 and the left elastic panel 50. The band 150 has an inside central vertical portion 150a secured along a vertical central or inside edge with the stitches 111 and along its lower end edge with the top edge of the panel 5% by the

stitches

94 and 94a. The vertical panel portion 156a is disposed between the breast cup and the front face of the inside end portion of the breast support band 12 as shown in FIG. 2. The outside vertical end portion 150b of the band 150is secured along its outer vertical edge between the support panel 12 and the breast cup by the stitches 105. The upper edge 151 of the band 150 is suitably double stitched for finish purposes. A loop strap 152 is sewn to the apex of the suspension band 150 connected with a buckle 153 secured with a shoulder strap 154. The breast cup upper loop is also securable withthe buckle 153 for holding the breast cup in position over the left breast along the front face of the suspension band and the breast support band 12. The band 150 extends across the upper portion of the left breast down the inside portion of the breast between the breasts of the wearer and on the outside downwardly toward the underarm area of the wearer to the side and toward the back of the breast supported in the support band 12.

The right and left breast support and covering assemblies comprising the

breast support bands

11 and 12, together with their respective suspension bands 120 and 15b and breast covering cups 131) and 140 are connected with complementary left and right trapezoidal side-back panels and 161 formed of a fabric, such as lace. The front end vertical edge' of the left panel 160 is secured in overlapping relationship by a double stitch 162 to the back vertical edge 7 l'of the elastic panel 51.

The back vertical edge 163 of the lace panel 160 is stitched to a horizontal elastic panel 164 which is secured along its back vertical edge 165 to a gusset having a plurality of rows of securing loops 171. The back end portion of the shoulder strap 154 is connected with the lace panel 160 where the panel joins the elastic panel 164 along the upper edges of the panel for support from the shoulder of the back portion of the brassiere. A finishing tape 172, which may be elastic, is

cal edge with a fairly stiff tape 181 having a plurality of vertically spaced hooks 182 which engage the loops 171 in the gusset 170 to secure the brassiere along the center back of the wearer. The top edges of the

panels

161 and 180 are finished by a continuous elastic tape 190 sewn by a stitch 191 along the top edges of the vertical elastic panel portion 53, the panel 161, and the elastic panel 180. The back end portion of the shoulder strap 125 connects with the tape 190 at the seam 179 between the

panels

161 and 180.

To put the brassiere on a wearer the breast cups 130 and 140 may be dropped to the open position illustrated in FIG. 1 by disengagement of the loop strap at the vertex of each cup from its respective hook connected with the shoulder straps and the breast band support panels. The shoulder straps 125 and 154 are placed over the shoulders of the wearer, and the back faces of the

elastic panels

50 and 51 along their lower horizontal

breather band portions

52 and 70 and the bottom elastic band 91 are disposed across the wearers chest below the breasts. The underarm and back portions of the brassiere structure, including the

panels

160 and 161 with connected structure, are manipulated under the arms to the back of the wearer with the hooks 182 being engaged in the loops 171 to secure the brassiere around the chest of the wearer. The

panels

50 and 51 are held snugly across the front of the wearers chest below the breasts. The breasts are then manipulated so that they each protrude through the respective openings defined by the

bands

120 and 150 and the

support bands

11 and 12 associated with the breast encircling bands. The breast cups 130 and 140 are raised and re-attached to the

hooks

124 and 153.

The

bands

11 and 12 fit along the side and bottom surfaces of the breasts to properly support and mold the breasts by urging them forward and upward so that they are supportedand shaped in a manner comfortable to the wearer. The encircling

bands

120 and 150 and the shoulder straps form a harness assembly which maintains the

breast supporting bands

11 and 12 at the proper position sothat the main stress along the supporting bands is carried by the diagonal stitches at the stress triangles at the outside end portions of the

bands

11 and 12. The use of the force triangles at the outward end portions of the breast support bands urges the flesh at the back of the breasts and underneath the arms for-- wardly into 'the breast cups, thereby minimizing or eliminating flesh bulge outwardly and sidewardly. The substantial areas of elastic support provided by the

panels

50 and 51 around the breast support bands permit maximum flexing of the panels while maintaining optimum breast support and contour control. The high point of the center of each of the

support bands

11 and 12 in the nipple area of each breastcups upwardly and inwardly to conform to the breast shape rather than folding downwardly-as in some of the prior art. A particularly outstanding advantage of the brassiere is the minimizing, if not eliminating, of the normal binding experienced by the wearer along the chest below the bust. Outward pulling pressure at the side force triangles of the

bands

11 and 12 straightens the arcuate

lower edges

14 and 31 of the

breast support bands

11 and 12, respectively, so that they fit along the chest of the wearer beneath the breasts while the substantial arcuate

upper edges

13 and 3 of the support bands permit the shaping of the support bands to accommodate and support the breasts and give them an uplifting effect. v

It will be evident that the various materials disclosed and discussed herein for forming the difierent components of a brassiere embodying the invention may be varied so long as they provide the functional requirements needed by such elements as the breast'support

band suspension panels

50 and 51 and the

support bands

11 and 12. The panel structure for the support band suspension panels must obviouslybe elastic as preferably should be the

panels

160 and 161. The sup-,

port bands

11 and 12 are generally of a soft,non-elastic flexible material such as a flannel having a stiffening sizing or a strong, substantially non-elastic material having at least one flannel-type surface which can be comfortably worn directly next to the skin. The breast encircling support panels and 150, together with the cups and are preferably made of attractive lace to improve the aesthetic appeal of the brassiere. The seams and exposed edges may be finished in various ways dependent uponthe appearance desired and economics of constructing the brassiere.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A brassiere comprising: a pair of complementary breast support bands each for supporting a breast of a wearer, said bands having first corresponding adjacent ends secured together along a seam for positioning between the breasts of the wearer and second outer corresponding opposite ends for positioning at the outside bases of the breasts of the wearer near under-arm locations, said bands being contoured to conform to and provide a desired shape to the breasts of the wearer while supporting and urging upwardly and forwardly said breasts; a pair of complementary breast band support frames for supporting said breast bands, each comprising elastic material having an opening for one of said breast bands for supporting said band in a yieldable relationship whereby said breast support bands are held tightly along the sides and bottom portions of said breasts extending between said breasts to and around the base portion of said breasts to the chest surface of said wearer,while said elastic breast band, support frames are held tightly against the chest surface of said wearer in body encircling relationship; each of said breast band support frames being a continuous integral elastic material member including a horizontal panel portion extending along and secured with the bottom edge of the breast support band connected with said frame and said frame including an outer vertical end panel portion secured at the vertical outer, near underarm end portion of said breast support band connected with said frame; and fastener means secured with the outside near under-arm free end portions of said breast band support means for releasably; securing said brassiere around the chest of said wearer, said fastener means connecting at a mid-back location. 1 2. A brassiere defined in claim 1 wherein each of said breast support bands includes an integral stress triangle 3. A brassiere in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said breast support bands comprises an elongate strip having arcuate upper and lower edges.

4. A brassiere in accordance with claim 3 wherein the warp of the material comprising each of said breast support bands extends lengthwise of said bands along a line of direction defined by a straight line between the upper outer and upper inner corner edges of said bands.

5. A brassiere in accordance with claim 3 wherein the degree of arc of said upper edge of each of said breast support bands has a shorter radius than the arc of each of said lower edges of said support bands.

6. A brassiere comprising: a chest encircling band assembly including means for detachably interconnecting the free ends thereof along the back of a wearer; elastic fabric suspension panel means secured in said chest band assembly extendable along the chest of a wearer beneath and to the back side of each breast of said wearer near the under-arm area, said panel means comprising an elongate narrow horizontal strip extending across said wearer to the outside base of each of said breasts, and said panel means having integral vertically extending panel portions connected with each outside end of said horizontal panel portion for disposition along the chest of said wearer at the back side of each breast of saidwearer near the under-arm area, said horizontal and vertical elastic panel portions defining an upwardly opening and generally rectangular frame; a pair of breast support bands aligned in end-to-end array connected together at adjacent ends along a substantially vertical seam at a between-breast location forming a breast band assembly for support and shaping of said breasts of said wearer, said breast support band assembly being secured along a bottom edge thereof with the top edge of said horizontal elastic horizontal strip and along outer vertical end edges in overlapping relationship with said vertical elastic panel portions of said suspension panel means, said outer end portions of said breast band support assembly and said vertical panel portions of said suspension panel means being secured together by lines of stitching defining a stress triangle defined generally vertically across each of said outer end portions of said breast support assembly, the hypotenuse of each of said triangles extending generally upwardly and outwardly from an outside base portion of each of said breasts of said wearer along the side portion of said breast toward the under arm area of said wearer; and means for supporting said chest encircling band assembly and said breast support band assembly from the shoulders of said wearer and covering said breasts of said wearer and said breast band support assembly including shoulder straps and breast covering cups connected with front portions of said chest encircling band assembly and breast support band assembly and back portions of said chest encircling band assembly.

7. A brassiere in accordance with claim 6 wherein each of said breast support bands has arcuate upper and lower edges whereby each of said bands forms a cup-like breast supporting structure when held against the chest and breast of said wearer, the upper central portions of said support bands fitting in a nondownwardly folding relationship with the breast suppogegt $532k in accordance with claim 7 wherein the arcuate upper edge of each of said breast support bands is formed on a radius shorter than the radius of said lower arcuate edge of said breast support band.

9. A brassiere in accordance with claim 8 including a breast suspension encircling band connected with said chest band encircling assembly and each of said breast support bands between said breast coveringcups and said breast support bands for supporting said chest band encircling assembly and said breast support bands along the front of said wearer from the shoulder of said wearer, said breast encircling bands being connected.

together along a central line coincident with the line of connection of the adjacent end edges of said breast support bands, and said breast encircling bands being connected at outside end edges with saidvertical portions of said elastic suspension panels means and said horizontal strip of said elastic panel suspension means, and said breast encircling bands each being connected at an upper central apex with the forward end of one of said shoulder straps and with an apex portion of the said breast covering cup over said encircling band.

Claims

1. A brassiere comprising: a pair of complementary breast support bands each for supporting a breast of a wearer, said bands having first corresponding adjacent ends secured together along a seam for positioning between the breasts of the wearer and second outer corresponding opposite ends for positioning at the outside bases of the breasts of the wearer near under-arm locations, said bands being contoured to conform to and provide a desired shape to the breasts of the wearer while supporting and urging upwardly and forwardly said breasts; a pair of complemeNtary breast band support frames for supporting said breast bands, each comprising elastic material having an opening for one of said breast bands for supporting said band in a yieldable relationship whereby said breast support bands are held tightly along the sides and bottom portions of said breasts extending between said breasts to and around the base portion of said breasts to the chest surface of said wearer,while said elastic breast band support frames are held tightly against the chest surface of said wearer in body encircling relationship; each of said breast band support frames being a continuous integral elastic material member including a horizontal panel portion extending along and secured with the bottom edge of the breast support band connected with said frame and said frame including an outer vertical end panel portion secured at the vertical outer, near under-arm end portion of said breast support band connected with said frame; and fastener means secured with the outside near under-arm free end portions of said breast band support means for releasably securing said brassiere around the chest of said wearer, said fastener means connecting at a midback location.

2. A brassiere defined in claim 1 wherein each of said breast support bands includes an integral stress triangle panel portion formed along corresponding outer end portions of said breast support bands, said outer end portions of each of said breast support bands being secured along a diagonal line with an adjacent vertical panel portion of said elastic breast band support means.

3. A brassiere in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said breast support bands comprises an elongate strip having arcuate upper and lower edges.

6. A brassiere comprising: a chest encircling band assembly including means for detachably interconnecting the free ends thereof along the back of a wearer; elastic fabric suspension panel means secured in said chest band assembly extendable along the chest of a wearer beneath and to the back side of each breast of said wearer near the under-arm area, said panel means comprising an elongate narrow horizontal strip extending across said wearer to the outside base of each of said breasts, and said panel means having integral vertically extending panel portions connected with each outside end of said horizontal panel portion for disposition along the chest of said wearer at the back side of each breast of said wearer near the under-arm area, said horizontal and vertical elastic panel portions defining an upwardly opening and generally rectangular frame; a pair of breast support bands aligned in end-to-end array connected together at adjacent ends along a substantially vertical seam at a between-breast location forming a breast band assembly for support and shaping of said breasts of said wearer, said breast support band assembly being secured along a bottom edge thereof with the top edge of said horizontal elastic horizontal strip and along outer vertical end edges in overlapping relationship with said vertical elastic panel portions of said suspension panel means, said outer end portions of said breast band support assembly and said vertical panel portions of said suspension panel means being secured together by lines of stitching defining a stress triangle defined generally vertically across each of said outer end portions of said breast support assembly, the hypotenuse of each of said triangles extending generally upwardly and outwardly from an outside base portion of each of said breasts oF said wearer along the side portion of said breast toward the under-arm area of said wearer; and means for supporting said chest encircling band assembly and said breast support band assembly from the shoulders of said wearer and covering said breasts of said wearer and said breast band support assembly including shoulder straps and breast covering cups connected with front portions of said chest encircling band assembly and breast support band assembly and back portions of said chest encircling band assembly.

7. A brassiere in accordance with claim 6 wherein each of said breast support bands has arcuate upper and lower edges whereby each of said bands forms a cup-like breast supporting structure when held against the chest and breast of said wearer, the upper central portions of said support bands fitting in a non-downwardly folding relationship with the breast supported therein.

8. A brassiere in accordance with claim 7 wherein the arcuate upper edge of each of said breast support bands is formed on a radius shorter than the radius of said lower arcuate edge of said breast support band.

9. A brassiere in accordance with claim 8 including a breast suspension encircling band connected with said chest band encircling assembly and each of said breast support bands between said breast covering cups and said breast support bands for supporting said chest band encircling assembly and said breast support bands along the front of said wearer from the shoulder of said wearer, said breast encircling bands being connected together along a central line coincident with the line of connection of the adjacent end edges of said breast support bands, and said breast encircling bands being connected at outside end edges with said vertical portions of said elastic suspension panels means and said horizontal strip of said elastic panel suspension means, and said breast encircling bands each being connected at an upper central apex with the forward end of one of said shoulder straps and with an apex portion of the said breast covering cup over said encircling band.