WO2003003862A1

WO2003003862A1 - Method for manufacturing lingerie article or bathing costume

Info

Publication number: WO2003003862A1
Application number: PCT/IB2002/002311
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aldo Bordignon
Original assignee: Liberti S.P.A.
Priority date: 2001-07-03
Filing date: 2002-06-21
Publication date: 2003-01-16
Also published as: ITBO20010423A0; ITBO20010423A1

Abstract

A method for manufacturing al lingerie article or a bathing costume provides : - to cut a plurality of layers of a fabric with the shape of a predetermined article model; - to superimpose two layers of each model, mating the fabric faces fit to be visible in the finished article; - to connect the edges of the two superimposed layers leaving at least a separated line; - to apply possible inner reinforcements of the article to the connected layers ; - to turn inside out the connected layers through at least the separated line ; - to connect the edges of the separated line. The method further provides to insert an under wire between the two fabric layer through the separated line, before connecting the related edges, and provides that said under wire is fixed to the fabric of at least a layer.

Description

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING LINGERIE ARTICLE OR BATHING COSTUME

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to methods for manufacturing clothes and refers to a method for manufacturing lingerie article or bathing costume in one or two pieces.

BACKGROUND ART

There are known methods for manufacturing lingerie requiring to made several seams for shaping these articles by joining several article parts and for finishing up the edges of the fabric. Said known methods provide to apply possible stiffening and supporting flexible elements, the so-called "under wires" independently from their material, to the cups of the bra by means of tubular housing carried out thanks to seams of the article fabric.

The main drawback of the known methods consists in that they require several seams, whose many of double type, for joining the numerous portions of the articles needed to confer to these latter the desired forms, requiring consequently several working phases a lot of which hands-on, causing uniformity lacks of the measures and in the article manufacturing and excessive manufacturing time which provides high costs.

Other drawback consists in that the seams, provided in the known methods, can generate pressures and/or frictions on the user's skin so causing irritations and discomfort.

Further drawback consists in that the under wires applied to the articles cups of the manufactured with the known methods, being kept in position only by the peripheral seams of the respective housings, can move causing discomfort to the user and, often, breaking the seam or the fabric in correspondence of one end of said under wires, escaping from their housing.

Further drawback consists in that the seams of the known methods don't allow the perfect adherence of the article to the user's body provoking, besides uneasiness, the visibility of the inner side of the articles which can have different color or pattern causing an unattractive effect. Other drawback of the known methods is that they are very complex and expensive for manufacturing "double-face" articles, that is reversible, made of two fabric layers.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to propose a method for manufacturing lingerie or bathing costumes having reduces number of working phases, of article portions and of their connections, with respect to the known methods, minimized and optimized for the finest working and constancy efficiency of product also for manufacturing double-face articles with two fabric layers.

Other object is to propose a method allowing to join the different article portions guaranteeing the adherence of this latter to the body, the best user's comfort and an excellent aesthetical aspect of the article.

Further object is to propose a method allowing to fix the under wires to the possible cups of the articles, avoiding movements and exits of the wires from their housings avoiding, at the same time, discomforts for the user.

Other object is to propose a method having simple soldier and low-cost manufacturing. The objects above-mentioned are achieved according to the content of the claims.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The method for manufacturing a lingerie article or a bathing costume object of the present invention provides to manufacture for each article, for instance consisting of slips, a bathing suit, or a lingerie or bathing bra, and obviously for each size, a respective model or the perimetric drawing along which to cut fabric for making the article.

An article requires a single model or a model for more portions of the same article, for instance a bath bra can provides a single model including both cups or two symmetrical models, one for each cup.

Each model is used for cutting a mattress or a plurality of layers of at least a fabric type. The number of layers or the mattress thickness depends on the cutting capacity of the numerical control automatic machine, semiautomatic or manual fit for cuj ing.

The whole fabric, cut according to the model, is made of same type, monochrome, printed and/or diapered, or made of different types for color, pattern and/or weft characteristics for manufacturing double face articles.

The material of the fabric can be of any type but, preferably, of heat weldable type and with an intrinsic elasticity such as, for instance the fabrics including Lycra microfiber.

Two fabric layers, of the same type or different, of each model are superimposed with the edges at reciprocal contact, mutually mating the fabric faces fit to be at sight in the completed article. The edges of the two superimposed layers are jointed, automatically or manually, leaving a separated line in correspondence of an end of the belt or the waist portion.

An inner reinforce of the article, for instance an elastic strip in PVC, can be fixed in correspondence of the brief waist or in correspondence of the bra shoulder strap. In this last case the application of the reinforce may simply consist in positioning this latter; in case of the application at the waist portion, the same application can optionally provide the possible use of an adhesive to facilitate the following phases.

The jointed layers are turned inside out through the separated line in order to mutually mates the faces of the two fabric layers, fit to be not in sight in the completed article.

The edges of the separated line or lines and the adjacent ends of the article portions originated by different models or the joining edges of the article portions, are reciprocally connected in automatic or manual way. The connection between the edges and the fixing of the possible inner reinforcements is carried out by heat-sealing, in case of heat weldable fabrics, and/or by seam for any kind of fabric.

In order to reduce the thickness of the edge connections and of the possible connections of the article portions, it is provided a stretching phase of said connections applying pressure and heat to these latter.

Since the cups of many types of bra require the under wires, the method provides that each of said wires is inserted between the two layers through a separated line of the turned inside out article and fixed to the fabric of both layers. To increase the article comfort and to avoid that the user can perceive the presence of the under wires, it is provided that these latter include a shape core made of flexible material, for instance metal, with an irremovable sheathing made of plushy material to which it is fixed a thermal or chemical adhesive material, for instance glue or thermal adhesive film or bi-adhesive strip with solvent glue.

The adhesive material can be in several portions, each one having a flat extension, and connected to both the ends of each under wire. The flat extension, for instance triangle shaped, increases the fixing surface of the under wire ends at one of or both of the two article fabric layers without increasing considerably the thickness of this latter in correspondence of said under wire.

It is also provided that the adhesive material, is irremovably applied to one or both the longitudinal surfaces of the under wire for fixing one or both of the article fabric layers.

If the adhesive material is of thermal type, the fixing of said material to the fabric can be made in correspondence of the edges connection or through a special heating phase. In case of solvent adhesive a pressing phase is provided.

The bra cups can have darts eventually provided by the related model or can be formed, after connecting all the edges, by thermoforming in a special mould automatically or manually operated. Possible clasps, clip, closings, hookups and decorations are fixed to the article by heat sealing or seam.

The main advantage of the present invention, is to provide a simple and low cost method for manufacturing lingerie and bathing costumes articles with a small number of article portions and their connections in comparison with the known methods and with working phases minimized and optimized for the greatest product working and constancy efficiency also for manufacturing double face articles with two fabric layers.

Other advantage is to provide a method allowing to connect the different portions of the article guaranteeing the adherence of this latter to the body, the finest user's comfort, an excellent aesthetical aspect of the article and the irremovably fixing of the under wires to the article cups, avoiding the breakup of said articles.

Claims

1) Method for manufacturing a lingerie article or a bathing costume characterized in that provides: - to cut a plurality of layers of at least a fabric with the shape of at least a predetermined article model; to superimpose two layers of each model, mating the fabric faces fit to be visible in the finished article; to connect the edges of the two superimposed layers leaving at least a separated line; - to apply possible inner reinforcements of the article to the connected layers; to turn inside out the connected layers through at least the separated line; to connect the edges of the separated line.

2) Method according to claim 1 characterized in that in correspondence of an article model including several separated portions, afterward the turning inside out of each portion, said method provides to reciprocally connect the joining edges of said portions.

3) Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the connection between the edges and the fixing of the possible inner reinforcements are carried out by heat sealing or seam.

4) Method according to claim 1 characterized in that provides to stretch the connected edges of the article in order to flatten said edges.

5) Method according to claim 1 characterized in that, in correspondence of articles with under wires, these latter are inserted between the two layers through the separated line, before connecting the related edges, and provides that said under wires are fixed to the fabric of at least a layer.

6) Method according to claim 5 characterized in that provides the under wires with a shaped core, made of metal or synthetic flexible material, with an irremovable sheathing made of plushy material.

7) Method according to claim 5 or claim 6 characterized in that provides to irremovably apply to the under wires sheathing at least a portion of adhesive material. 8) Method according to claim 5 or claim 7 characterized in that provides to apply respective portions of adhesive material to the ends of each under wire.

9) Method according to claim 5 or claim 7 characterized in that provides to apply the portion of adhesive material to the whole surface of each under wire.

10) Method according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that, in correspondence of an article provided with cups, provides to form these latter by thermoforming, afterward the connection of all the edges.

11) Method according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that provides to apply clasps, clip, closings, hookups and decorations to the article by heat sealing or seam.