WO1999049742A1

WO1999049742A1 - Bra

Info

Publication number: WO1999049742A1
Application number: PCT/EP1999/001702
Authority: WO
Inventors: Farajollah Banayan; Leah Gila Banayan
Original assignee: Farajollah Banayan; Leah Gila Banayan
Priority date: 1998-03-30
Filing date: 1999-03-16
Publication date: 1999-10-07
Also published as: FR2776481A1; CR5993A; UY25448A1; AU2837099A

Abstract

A bra comprising a front part which is provided with cups for receiving the breasts, a back part (5) and a fastening means, comprising a first component which is attached to one part of the bra and capable of engaging with a second component of the said fastening means that is attached to another part of the bra, in an adjustable and releasable manner. The engagement between the said first component and second component of the fastening means, once established, being maintained by pulling those components in opposite directions and being released by pushing them together. According to one preferred embodiment, the first component of the fastening means (9) includes a rod (10) which is capable of engaging with a groove, ridge or tooth (13) which is provided on the second component (14) of said fastening means.

Description

BRA

This invention relates to a bra or brassiere having an improved fastening means or device. More specifically, it relates to such a bra which provides effective uplift and support and that is therefore particularly well suited for women who have a large bust and/or those who have difficulty maintaining a good posture.

Existing bras generally close at the back, although bras which fasten at the front are also known. The fastening itself frequently takes the form of hooks and eyes and perhaps enables the girth of the bra to be adjusted to a very limited extent by providing two or three rows of eyes spaced apart. While strapless bras are known, most conventional bras have two shoulder straps. These are often rendered adjustable to some extent by the provision of a small ring which can be moved up or down the strap so as to shorten or lengthen it as desired by the wearer.

US Patent No. 5221227 discloses a sports bra which fastens at the side. The bras shown have only one side closure and the fastening means is typically velcro and/or hooks and eyes. US Patent No. 3484907 relates to adjustable closure devices that have a variety of uses, but which are said to be particularly well suited for brassieres. Typically, the devices are closed by pushing together the component parts and opened by pulling them apart. For example, the respective components may comprise a plurality of male and female members which slightly distort and inter-engage under moderate pressure so as to lock together with a snap action. They are then unlocked by the use of a transverse twisting motion. The relative positions of the components determines how many of the male and female members come into engagement. The tensile strength to the traction varies according to the number of such engagements. Furthermore, the devices can only be adjusted by completely undoing them. - 2 -

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bra that is highly adjustable, so as both to afford an exceptionally good fit and be able to accommodate changes in the weight (i.e. size) of the wearer, and which gives effective support and uplift to the breasts. There is also a need for a bra which is comfortable to wear for long periods of time, is not too bulky or cumbersome and that gives an attractive shape to the bust. In addition to meeting these needs, it is a still further object of this invention to provide a bra which is capable of improving the posture of the wearer.

According to the present invention there is provided a bra comprising a front part which is provided with cups for receiving the breasts, a back part and a fastening means, wherein the said fastening means comprises a first component which is attached to one part of the bra and capable of engaging with a second component of the said fastening means that is attached to another part of the bra, so as to secure those two parts of the bra together in an adjustable and releasable manner, the engagement between the said first component and second component of the fastening means, once established, being maintained by pulling those components in opposite directions and being released by pushing them together.

The fastening means employed is believed to be unique and is particularly effective. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that fastening means or devices which operate in the way defined in the preceding paragraph can be constructed in various forms. According to one embodiment, the first component of the fastening means takes the form of a slide or plate having a U-shape and having a rod which extends between the arms or branches thereof. According to this embodiment, the second component comprises a plate on which is mounted a series of grooves, ridges or teeth having curved ends such that they are capable of engaging with the aforementioned rod on the said first component of the fastening means. This engagement between the first and second components is then maintained when the two components are pulled apart (i.e. in opposing directions) and released when they are pushed together.

According to an alternative embodiment of the fastening means, the first component is in the form of a slide or plate which narrows to a spur at the mid-point of its free end, and which is also provided at that free end with two rods which extend from either side towards the middle spur. In this same embodiment, the second component is in the form of a plate that has a slot or hollowed-out area into which the said spur on the first component can locate, the second component is furthermore provided with a series of grooves, ridges or teeth with curved ends, positioned on either side of the said slot or hollowed-out area, and with which the said rods on the first component can engage. This engagement between the first and second components is then maintained when the two components are pulled apart (i.e. in opposing directions) and released when they are pushed together.

The fastening means described above are particularly suitable for use on a bra. It will appreciated, however, that they are well suited to other applications. Accordingly, the present invention also provides a fastening means which comprises a first component that is capable of engaging with a second component, so as to secure those two components together in an adjustable and releasable manner, the engagement between the said first component and second component of the fastening means, once established, being maintained by pulling those components in opposite directions and being released by pushing them together.

It is a feature of the bra according to this invention that it includes at least one fastening means of the type described above. This fastening means may be located at the back of the bra or at the front. Preferably, however, it is located at the side of the bra. According to a particularly preferred - 4 -

embodiment of this invention, the bra has a closure at either side and each of these is provided with such a fastening means.

The bra typically, but not necessarily, has shoulder straps. These may be rendered adjustable by the provision of the conventional ring system mentioned previously. More preferably, however, each of the shoulder straps can be detached from the front part and/or the back part of the bra and re-attached in an alternative position. The length of the shoulder straps can thereby be adjusted to suit the wearer. The straps may be attached to the front part and/or the back part of the bra by conventional means such as velcro or hooks and eyes. Alternatively, the attachment may involve a fastening means of the type described above. If the shoulder straps are detachable at only one end, the other end may be stitched to the bra or otherwise attached in a permanent manner. It is to be appreciated that the shoulder straps may additionally, or alternatively, be rendered adjustable by the use of the conventional ring system previously mentioned.

The bra of this invention has a number of significant advantages and benefits to the wearer. These include:-

. Most bras on the market have one closure system at the back. The bra of this invention preferably has closures on either side as well as closures on each of the shoulder straps. Thus, the bra is very adjustable and also the front part and the back part are completely separable. In other words, the bra is made up of two separate pieces - front and back - which are completely detachable and could be washed separately. The front/back piece could even be exchanged for a different front/back piece without necessiting the purchase of a totally new bra. This is a feature unique to the bra of this invention. - 5 -

2. Most conventional bras exert a disproportionately greater horizontal force than a vertical force. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, in addition to having the conventional ring system mentioned above, the shoulder straps can be adjusted to a much greater extent than is usually possible. This is because each of the shoulder straps is attached to the front/back part of the bra in a readily detachable and adjustable manner, for example by means of velcro, hooks and eyes or by use of a fastening means of the type described above.

In other words, the presence of the series of hooks and eyes, for example, which connect the shoulder straps to the front/back piece on the bra, produce a strong vertical force which most bras are lacking. This aids the ring system in the front which is conventionally used for the shoulder strap adjustment and thus gives the bra of the invention greater strength and greater ability to pull up the bust to the desired position and hold it in place. This is very advantageous for several reasons. It first of all provides a good uplift and good support. It also allows a pregnant woman, for example, to pull up the bust and relieve pressure to her expanding abdomen, ribs etc. and enables her to breathe more easily. The bust of a woman naturally pulls her forward and causes her to stoop forward. This is especially true for big busted women, pregnant and nursing women. The regular ring adjustment system on a normal bra strap does not allow an adequate vertical support to the bust. Even if conventional bras made with rigid material on the shoulder straps, thus possibly giving a little more vertical support than usual, and since this vertical support is not adequately balanced with any horizontal support (because all the wearer can do on a normal bra is to tighten it further in the back with the one closure area that a regular bra has), the body cannot help but stoop forward after time because of the weight of the bust. The advantage of the back piece and the two side closures in the bra of this invention, is that it allows a proper balance to the vertical support of the bust by exerting an equal pressure to the thoracic area in the back. Therefore, as the shoulders are automatically pulled back and the back is pushed inward a little, the woman wearing the bra will automatically no longer stoop over : the downward force of the bust is thus being balanced properly by the back support piece. All other posture or support bras previously known are a one piece device with little adjustability and heavy elasticity built into them. Even though they may seem to balance all around, after a while they create pain , are not comfortable, and are not properly adjustable.

The bra of this invention improves the posture of the wearer.

Because of the combination of upward pull on the shoulder straps (which pulls the shoulders backward also) as well as the pull from the two sides when closing the bra, the back piece of the bra exerts some pressure to the back of the woman (mid thoracic and upper thoracic areas) thus helping her to stand straighter and maintain a better posture. This is very good as a chiropractic benefit, because as mentioned above, women are more stooped forward than men and they have more back and neck problems due to poor posture. This improvement in posture is very good for nursing women as well who tend to stoop and bend over a lot when feeding their infants.

The bra helps the woman to keep a straighter back and not to become so tired or have neck and back pain from constantly bending forward, and also contributes to a better energy level.

Pregnant women would also benefit from this because by holding their shoulders back and holding the back area straighter, the bra - 7 -

aids in greater equilibrium since the expanding abdomen of a pregnant woman tends to put her balance off towards the front. The bra compensates for this by giving a mid and upper thoracic push on the back piece thus aiding her in achieving a greater balance equilibrium. This would help her to walk more comfortably, stand more on her feet and do her work more efficiently, with less tiredness and less back and muscle pain.

4. The special fastening (closure) means which are a feature of the bra of this invention are highly beneficial. It is very difficult to make a closure system to fit on the side of a bra which would not be uncomfortable, not be bulky, not rub under the arms or cut into the skin, etc. The fastening system of this invention moulds itself to the contour of the body and it is thin enough and smooth enough not to cause pain under the arms. It does not cut into the body yet it is strong enough to withstand the pull on it when the woman adjusts it to a tighter setting, etc. It is comfortable, not bulky and yet very strong. It is also very easy to adjust without even looking at it. Hooks and eyes or other fastening systems are often difficult to handle. The closure system now employed could be adjusted with one hand, easily moves to the desired position, is easy to release and is easy to utilize . Elderly women and people with musculoskeletal diseases may often have difficulty reaching around to the back to close a normal bra. With the present bra, however, since the closures are on the sides, it is much easier to close without twisting the arms backward, etc. Since the closure system is made of plastic or metal, and not of cloth material, it also makes it easier for the wearer to grab hold of it and to pull on the bra to get that tension in the back area.

5. The fact that the bra of this invention exerts such a good upward pull on the bust as well as such a good pull from the sides, allows proper and even distribution of weight all around so that there is not too much pressure to the shoulder area or to the back area. Many posture bras or posture devices on the market today cause shoulder pain, pain under the armpits, etc. and after wearing them for several hours people often have to take them off.

6. When a person gains weight or loses weight, or does exercise and their muscles expand (even temporarily) most bras are very difficult to adjust adequately to accommodate such weight changes.

The present bra, however, is so adjustable (due to preferably having two side closures and two shoulder closures, and on the side closures themselves there are many levels of adjustability, more than is provided by a regular hook and eye system etc.) that if someone gains or loses weight, the bra will easily accommodate their bodily changes.

The invention will now be described with more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bra according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view from the back of the bra of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the fastening means.

Figure 4 is a view from the side of the fastening means shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the fastening means.

Figure 6 is a view from the side of the fastening means shown in Figure 5.

In Figures 1 and 2 the bra (1) has a front or ventral band (2) on which are sewn two cups (3) each one extended by a shoulder strap (4). The straps (4) which go over the shoulder are terminated by two bands (4a and 4b) that are affixed to the straps (7) of the back or dorsal area (5). In order to adjust the length of the straps (4, including 4a and 4b) , the straps are equipped with hooks such that the top area (7) of the dorsal part (5) has a series of eyes to which they are connected.

It is possible that the shoulder straps (4) could come from the back area (5) and extend over the shoulders to be closed in the front. The closure system for the straps is not necessarily in the back or dorsal part. Alternatively, the straps could come from the front and pass over the shoulders to be connected to the back, and another variant of this version is that the straps have two branches each (4a and 4b) which hook onto the back part, thus allowing for a firmer closure and better weight distribution.

In the specific embodiments discussed above, hooks and eyes are shown as being the method to close the straps at the top back part of the bra. It is to be understood that other means could be employed, such as velcro for example.

The ventral band of the bra (2) extends towards the dorsal part (5) from two side straps (8) and onto the free end of those straps are sewn, or otherwise attached, a base (9), possibly in plastic, in the shape of a U with two small branches or arms between which a rod (10) extends. The lower end of the dorsal part (5) has sewn into it, or otherwise attached, two complementary elements (14) for fixation, which consist of a plate from which extend small teeth or grooves ( 3).

Using this fastening means, the straps (8) extending from the dorsal part (5) can be attached to the ventral part of the bra by means of a rod (10) which is hooked onto the teeth of the plate (13), thus firmly closing the bra - 10 -

in a way which is very adjustable.

It will be understood that it is also possible for the bra of this invention to have only one side closure as opposed to two. The invention is not limited to two side closures. In the case of one side closure, the other side strap (8) can be sewn directly to the corresponding dorsal part and affixed permanently.

It will be appreciated that the side closures (8) are very versatile and allow a precise adjustment of the bra so as to provide a bra having an exceptionally good fit.

In Figure 2, the side closures are affixed (or positioned) more towards the dorsal area of the bra. It will be understood that these elements could be attached more towards the ventral part of the bra or on the sides (under the arms), thereby facilitating opening and closing of the bra.

In Figures 5 and 6 an alternative embodiment of the fastening system is illustrated. The plate is sewn, or otherwise attached, at the free end of the strap (8) and has in the middle part a spur (17) and nearby two tongues (18) which have inserted into each a short rod (19). The complementary element (14a) has a plate (20) containing a hollow (21) destined to receive the spur (17) and two areas of grooves or teeth (22) on each side of the hollow to receive the rods (19). The hollow area (21) is slightly enlarged and then narrows, to receive and hold in place the spur (17). To assemble the elements 9a and 14a, one must fit the spur (17) in the extremity (23) of the hollow (21) and to slide the spur (17) forward until the rods (19) fit into the corresponding places of the grooves on each side (22).

The plates of the side closures (9a) may be formed in plastic which has enough flexibility that the part supporting the spur (17) can easily fit - 11 -

into the hollow (21) and can slide back and forth without any difficulty and will allow the rods (19) to fit easily into the grooves (22). Flexibility of the plastic plates allows the side closures to conform to the shape of the wearer's body after time and to be smooth and comfortable.

The bra according to this invention can also be made as part of a piece of clothing, such as a shirt, a bathing suit, a larger item of underwear, or other garment.

In the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, hooks and eyes are shown as being used to connect the shoulder straps (4) to the upper dorsal area (5). However, it is to be understood that fastening means of the type represented in Figures 3 and 6 (i.e. similar to those of the side closure) could be employed.

It will be appreciated that according to a preferred embodiment the fastening device of this invention is closed when the rod on the first component engages with a groove, ridge or tooth on the second component. Thus, there is a single point of engagement between the two components. The groove, ridge or tooth with which the rod is engaged bears the traction. The rod disengages from the groove, ridge or tooth when the force is reversed, giving the possibility of then either engaging the rod with another groove, ridge or tooth (and hence adjusting the size of the bra) or of opening the fastener completely. The movement of the rod from engagement with one groove, ridge or tooth to another can be accomplished in a curving motion - there is no need to completely undo the device.

This invention is not limited to the ways of realization described above. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many modifications of details can be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

- 12 -CLAIMS

1. A bra comprising a front part which is provided with cups for receiving the breasts, a back part and a fastening means, characterised in that said fastening means comprises a first component which is attached to one part of the bra and capable of engaging with a second component of the said fastening means that is attached to another part of the bra, so as to secure those two parts of the bra together in an adjustable and releasable manner, the engagement between the said first component and second component of the fastening means, once established, being maintained by pulling those components in opposite directions and being released by pushing them together.

2. A bra as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first component of said fastening means includes a rod which is capable of engaging with a groove, ridge or tooth which is provided on the second component of said fastening means.

3. A bra as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said fastening means comprises a first component which comprises a U-shaped plate that has a rod extending between the limbs thereof, and a second component which comprises a plate that is provided on its surface with one or more grooves, ridges or teeth having curved ends and which are capable of engaging with the rod of said first component.

4. A bra as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said fastening means comprises a first component which comprises a plate which narrows to a spur at the mid-point of its free end, and which is also provided at that free end with two rods positioned one on either side of and extending towards the said spur, and a second component which comprises a plate having a slot or hollowed-out area into which the said spur on the first component - 13 -

can locate, and one or more grooves, ridges or teeth with curved ends positioned on either side of said slot or hollowed-out area, and with which the said rods on the first component can locate.

5. A bra as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fastening means are located at a side closure.

6. A bra as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which has closures at either side and each of which is provided with said fastening means.

7. A bra as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bra has shoulder straps extending between said front part and said back part of the bra and which are separable at either or both of those points of attachment.

8. A bra as claimed in claim 7, wherein said shoulder straps are each attached to the front part and/or to the back part of the bra by a fastening means which comprises a first component which is attached to the bra and capable of engaging with a second component of the said fastening means that is attached to the said strap, so as to secure the same together in an adjustable and releasable manner, the engagement between said first component and second component of the fastening means, once established, being maintained by pulling those components in opposite directions and being released by pushing them together.

9. A bra as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said front part and said back part are completely separable.

10. A fastening means which comprises a first component that is capable of engaging with a second component of the said fastening means, - 14 -

so as to secure those two parts together in an adjustable and releasable manner, the engagement between the said first component and second component of the fastening means, once established, being maintained by pulling those components in opposite directions and being released by pushing them together.