WO2000007470A1

WO2000007470A1 - Breast support device

Info

Publication number: WO2000007470A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/017579
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nahekeaopono Katuwailani
Original assignee: Laura Smith Innovative Designs
Priority date: 1998-08-04
Filing date: 1999-08-04
Publication date: 2000-02-17
Also published as: AU5252899A

Abstract

A backless breast support device comprising a flexible web or support shelf to support the breasts, with either shoulder straps or a neck strap securing the breast support device to the wearer. The width and stiffness of the flexible web may vary according to the size of the breast. The flexible web and the straps can be elastic, cushioned, non-slip surface, and adjustable. A breast covering may be included for modesty purposes. The breast support device can be incorporated into a garment and may have fastening means in the web and/or strap to facilitate donning of the same.

Description

BREAST SUPPORT DEVICE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to breast support devices and more specifically to a backless breast support device that does not require the use of cups to hold

and support the breasts. The present invention further relates to breast support devices integrated into a garment, particularly without the need for stocking a variety of sizes.

Background of the Invention

Presently, breast support devices are in the form of a brassiere, generally consisting

of two cups to support the breasts and a trunk-encircling elastic strap to secure the cups to the body of the wearer around the trunk region by means of a releasable securing device in

either the back or the front of the brassiere and two shoulder straps are utilized to provide

additional support and security to the wearer. Where a backless brassiere is used without

the shoulder straps, relatively cumbersome support systems are used that extend around the

wearer's midriff or complicated strap arrangements are used to cross the wearer's back

below the level of most backless fashions. These typical brassiere designs are uncomfortable and confining and often impractical to wear with backless apparel;

furthermore, such a design for swimwear results in unwanted tan lines. Furthermore, the

use of the strap to encircle the trunk or torso of the wearer often presses into the flesh of

the wearer creating protruding swelling on either side of the strap, resulting in an unsightly

appearance and discomfort.

The object of the present invention is to provide a backless breast support device

that does not use a cup design to provide the support to the wearer's breasts but furnishes the full support of a regular bra but without the uncomfortable strap around the torso and binding cups covering the bust even during athletic activity. The invention can also be used for wearing backless dresses or incorporated into clothing such as one-piece and two-piece bathing suits, shirts, and dresses. Several previous inventions including U.S. Patent Numbers 3,998,231, 3,306,299,

3,216,425, and 3,109,431 have disclosed manufactures of backless bras; however, unlike the present invention, all of those brassieres require the use of cups to support the breasts, with some requiring the use of additional support means such as underwires or strings. The present invention eliminates these problems with conventional brasseries by providing a

significantly more comfortable breast support device that does not encircle the trunk or

torso of the wearer, thus enabling backless apparel and obviating tan line problems.

Furthermore, the breast support device of the present invention is comfortable and practical,

even for active women, and avoids the tan line problem when incorporated into a bathing suit. Additionally, the breast support device can readily be incorporated into garments

without the prior art problem of sizing according to the cup size of the wearer. No other

previous brassieres or breast support devices have solved these problems in the unique

manner of the present invention.

Summary of the Invention The present invention is directed to a breast support device provides comfortable

support to even active women without encircling the trunk or torso of the wearer and without requiring the use of cups to support the breasts. It has been unexpectedly

discovered that a flexible web or support shelf can be used to support the breasts, with

either shoulder straps or a neck strap securing the breast support device to the wearer. The flexible web can be made of any suitable width necessary for supporting the breasts, with a wider width used for larger breasts. Additionally, stiffening means can be used in the

flexible web for providing additional support and comfort to the wearer. The flexible web and the straps can be made of any suitable material, and in a preferred embodiment may be elastic, cushioned, may have a non-slip surface at skin contact points, and may have adjustment means for shortening or lengthening the straps or web to better fit the wearer.

In an alternative embodiment, the breast support device is a unitary structure with the web

tapering to form the strap or straps. In further embodiments, the breast support device of the present invention can include a breast covering for modesty.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, the breast support device is incorporated

into a garment to provide support for the breasts and thus obviating the need for wearing a

brassiere. In further embodiments, the web and/or the strap or straps may have opening

means and length adjustment means. The garments into which the breast support device

can be incorporated into include bathing suits, dresses, shirts, tops, pull-overs, sweaters,

jumpsuits, nightwear, and the like.

Other objects and features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully

appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments

of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of the present invention in which

two shoulder straps are used to secure the breast support device to the wearer. Figure 2 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the device shown in figure 1 wherein the straps are adjustably connected.

Figure 3 is a schematic view of another embodiment with cushioned straps and an adjustable web.

Figure 4 is a schematic view of still another embodiment of the present invention with the breast support device incorporated into a bathing suit top.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of yet another embodiment showing the breast support device incorporated into a one piece bathing suit.

Figure 6 is a schematic view of a breast support device incorporated into a shirt with one shoulder strap sewn into the seam and the other shoulder strap disconnectable.

Figure 7 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention showing a breast support device with a neck strap.

Figure 8 is a schematic view of a further embodiment of the invention depicting the

breast support device with a neck strap incorporated into a halter style dress with a front

clasp.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of breast support

device 1 of the present invention comprising a support shelf 10 made of a flexible web or

other material. The support shelf 10 is made of any suitable material known to one of skill

in the art such as soft flexible materials with sufficient strength. At each end 11a and lib of

the support shelf 10 are attached, respectively, shoulder straps 20a and 20b which are also

made of any suitable material known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The flexible web making up support shelf 10 and shoulder straps 20a and 20b may be made of a material exhibiting elastic properties, may be cushioned, may have an non-slip surface, or any combination thereof. The cushioning and the non-slip surface may be an integral part of the flexible web material or may be attached by any suitable means such as sewing, glue, adhesives, and the like. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the breast support device 1 may be covered with another material, such as velvet, to impart a softer and more elegant look. The width of the support shelf is adjustable and will vary according to the size of the breast to be supported. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, on the side of the support shelf 10 which comes into contact with the wearer's midriff under the breasts is a non-slip surface 14. Cushioning material 21 is located on each of shoulder straps 20a and 20b at the point of contact with the shoulder of the wearer to provide cushioning and additional comfort and to help prevent rolling of strap and cutting into the arm or neck of the wearer.

An alternative embodiment of breast support device 1 is shown in Fig. 2 wherein the breast support device 1 is of a unitary construction with the flexible web making up support shelf 10 tapering by means of portions 12a and 12b into shoulder strap portions 20a and 20b, respectively. The shoulder strap portions 20a and 20b are releasably attached to the breast support device 1 at either the taper portions 12a and 12b or at the ends 11a and lib of the flexible web 10 by means of fasteners 13a and 13b, respectively. A cushioning material 15 is located on the flexible web 10 to provide additional comfort and non-slip means 14 is located on each of the shoulder straps 20a and 20b.

In yet another preferred embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the breast support device 1 of the present invention is removeable or adjustable by means of fastener 16. To provide additional support, boning material 17, or any other suitable stiffening means known to one of skill in the art is used to provide additional support for the breasts of the wearer. In an alternative embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3, straps 20a and 20b are preferably provided with an adjustable slide 23 so that the length of the straps 20a and 20b encircling each of the shoulders can be adjusted to fit the particular wearer.

Fig. 4 depicts another preferred embodiment of the present invention in which a single strap 20 is attached at each of its ends to the ends 11a and lib of the flexible web making up support shelf 10. The single strap 20 may alternatively be an extension of a unitary support shelf with tapering means as discussed in Fig. 2 above. The use of a wider web to provide additional support is shown. As described above for the embodiments showing two shoulder straps, cushioning and non-slip means can be used on both the support shelf 10 and the strap 20. Also a boning or stiffening material can be used to provide additional support. The support shelf 10 and the strap 20 can be releaseably fastened or adjusted as described above. It is to be understood that various details of stitching construction are possible with the contemplation of the present invention and will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Fig. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the breasts are covered. In this embodiment, the breast support device 1 has the tapered form as shown in Fig. 2 and the boning material 17 as shown in Fig. 3, but this embodiment also has fabric 18 covering the breasts for those who prefer to have their breasts covered.

The breast support device 1 of the present invention particularly lends itself to incorporation or integration into a garment since it is able to provide comfortable support for a wide range of body types and sizes. In fact, a particularly appealing feature of the present invention is that it finally enables manufacturers of garments to include a true "one-size-fits-all" breast support device in a garment. No longer are manufacturers constrained by the "cup" size differences between women having the same clothing size. One embodiment of this integration of the breast support device 1 of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 6, where it is incorporated into a bathing suit top 30. The shoulder straps 20a and 20b are integrated into the shoulder straps 30a and 30b of the

-6/1 - bathing suit top 30 providing comfortable support that still allows swimming and other athletic activities. Another bathing suit top embodiment is shown in Fig. 7, where breast support device 1 is incorporated into bathing suit top 30 just as in Fig. 6 except that this embodiment provides only one strap 20 encircling the neck as discussed in Fig. 4 above.

An alternative embodiment is portrayed in Fig. 8, where the breast support device 1 is integrated into a one piece swim suit 31 with shoulder straps 20a and 20b integrated into swimsuit straps 30a and 30b. In this embodiment, the ends of the flexible web making up support shelf 10 are extended out into a vee instead of tapered inward to provide additional support and stability within the one piece swim suit 31.

Still further examples of the breast support device 1 integrated into garments is shown in the remaining Figures. In Figs. 9 and 10, the use of the breast support device 1 is shown in a shirt. The shirt may be either a pull-over shirt (Fig. 9) or a button-up shirt (Fig. 10). The shoulder strap portions 20a and 20b can be sewn into the shoulder seam or tacked in place. To provide ease of ingress and egress into the garment, releaseably securable shoulder strap fasteners 13a,b or support shelf fastener 16 may be incorporated into breast support device 1 as discussed above with regard to Figs. 1-3 and 7. Another embodiment is shown in Fig. 11, in which the breast support device 1 of the type shown in Fig. 4, is integrated into a halter or backless style dress. A releasable fastener 16 permits easier ingress and egress into the garment and it may, in further embodiments, allow for adjustment of the size of the support shelf 10.

As clearly shown above, and in the drawing figures, the breast support device of the present invention is easy to put on, with no inaccessible hoods or fasteners in the back which require contortions by the wearer to connect them together, and is comfortable to wear.

-7- It is also to be understood that the novel breast support device of the present invention can be used in conjunction with other strap arrangements know in the art as well as others which be apparent to those skilled in the art. In addition, the straps used may be

■7/1 - non-elastic or part elastic as appropriate. Also, adhesive sections or tabs may be used to permit securement of the breast support device without straps which completely encircle the shoulder.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will be readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

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Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A breast support device that supports the breasts without encircling the trunk of the wearer, said breast support device comprising a flexible web for supporting the breasts of the wearer;

a strap attached to said flexible shelf for securing said flexible web to the wearer.

2. The breast support device of claim 1 wherein said strap has a first end and a second end and said flexible web has a first end and a second end and said first end of said

strap is secured to said first end of said web and said second end of said strap is secured to

said second end of said web so that the strap is placed around the neck of the wearer and

the web beneath the breasts.

3. The breast support device of claim 1 further comprising a second strap attached

to said flexible web, wherein said flexible web has a first end and a second end and said first

strap is connected to said first end and said second strap is connected to said second end so

that in wearing the breast support device the web is placed under the breasts and said straps

are placed so as to encircle the shoulders of the wearer.

4. The breast support device of claim 1 wherein said web is tapered at the ends

where the strap is secured.

5. The breast support device of claim 1 further comprising a strap adjustment

means.

6. The breast support device of claim 5 wherein said strap adjustment means is located at the point of connection of said strap to said flexible web.

7. The breast support device of claim 1 further comprising a flexible web

adjustment means.

8. The breast support device of claim 1 wherein said breast support device is

incorporated into a garment.

9. The breast support device of claim 8 wherein said breast support device is sewn

into said garment.

10. The breast support device of claim 9, wherein said garment is selected from the

group consisting of a bathing suit, a dress, a shirt, a top, a pull-over, a sweater, a jumpsuit,

and nightwear.

11. The breast support device of claim 1 wherein the width of the web is increased

for breasts of larger size.

12. The breast support device of claim 11 further comprising stiffening means in

said flexible web.

13. The breast support device of claim 1 further comprising a non-slip surface on

said flexible web at the point of contact with the wearer.

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14. The breast support device of claim 1 wherein said straps are elastic.

15. The breast support device of claim 1 wherein said straps are cushioned.

16. The breast support device of claim 1 wherein said flexible web is elastic.

17. The breast support device of claim 1 wherein said flexible web is slightly

stiffened.

18. The breast support device of claim 1 further comprising a breast covering

means.

19. A backless breast support device comprising a shelf of slightly stiffened but soft

strap-like material which supports the breasts from underneath with a slimmer continuation

of said shelf extending under the armpits and over the shoulders and reattaching forming shoulder straps to hold the shelf in place under the breasts without binding the trunk, said

shelf having a non-slip inside surface to keep the shelf snugly in place beneath the breasts.

20. A backless breast support device comprising a sling of slightly stiffened but soft

of said sling extending upward and around the neck in order to hold the sling in place

without binding the trunk.

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21. A garment containing a breast support device that supports the breasts without encircling the trunk of the wearer, said breast support device comprising a flexible web for supporting the breasts of the wearer;

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