WO2003094641A1

WO2003094641A1 - Strapless bra

Info

Publication number: WO2003094641A1
Application number: PCT/EP2003/004389
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cristina Alberton
Original assignee: Cristina Alberton
Priority date: 2002-05-10
Filing date: 2003-04-27
Publication date: 2003-11-20
Also published as: ITPD20020120A1; AU2003240467A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a bra and to a method of making same, said bra comprising at least a cup comprising at least one layer, said layer being made at least in part of EVA (Ethyl vinyl acetate).

Description

'STRAPLESS BRA

In the name of Ms Alberton Cristina - Via Forlanini 4 - 35136 - Padova - (PD)

This invention generally relates to a bra which provides lift and support and enhanced appearance of the breasts of an user. In the production of undergarments, a bra is often required that can be worn without being seen by others while maintaining uniform lift and support for the user' s breasts.

It is known, for example, to use a supporting garment having two cups and a plurality of surfaces on which adhesive is placed. Such cups and the placement of the adhesive surfaces along the tops of the cups cause however the bra to be exposed when worn with a low cut or other revealing garment.

Other known possibilities comprise to provide a bra comprised of two separate cups having adhesive positioned along the periphery thereof. With such known bras, however, a user will not have uniformity and support of both breasts and, due to the large quantity of adhesive used, will experiment unnecessary discomfort in both the application and removal of the bra.

Moreover this configuration leads to decreased lift and support of a user's breasts while giving the breast an undesired or unflattering shape. The material of the known bras is normally a synthetic or natural material whereby lift and support of the breasts is not optimised.

Therefore there is a necessity for a bra that can be worn with revealing clothing while lifting and supporting the breasts of a user with uniformity and comfort.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a bra which frees a user's shoulders and back of straps, thereby allowing women to have more freedom of fashion.

A further object is to provide, lift and conformity between both breasts and to allow enhanced appearance of breast size and shape.

A further object of the invention is to provide a breast support that is firm, comfortable, breathable and pliable. A further object is to provide a bra which is simple and cost-effective to manufacture.

A further object is to provide a bra which is ecologic and of easy recyclability and biodegradability.

The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the related art by providing a bra made at least in part of Ethyl Vynil Acetate, also known as EVA.

Such material is a thermoplastic resin produced e.g. by the polimerisation of a vinyl acetate added to an ethylene chain and is used, alone or mixed with other materials, in many fields of the industry, for instance in the packaging industry, in the lining of snow boots or in the lining of bicycle helmets.

Typical productions for an EVA film include blown films, extruded films, cast films, coextruded films, and blends with other resins.

The material can be available in different EVA grades, which are normally classified by vinyl acetate content. The vinyl acetate units in the copolymer modify the basic polyethylene structure and its properties. The addition of vinyl acetate in it provides normally the following advantages: lower sealing temperature, increased flexibility and softness, greater adhesion. By varying the vinyl acetate content, the molecular weight (melt index) and additive levels, it is possible to provide EVA products for different end-use applications. The material is available for instance as film and, alone or mixed with others non-EVA materials, in different EVA-grades, i.e. in different percentage of presence of Ethyl Vinyl acetate in the material according to the end use to be made. An example of an EVA material usable in order to carry out the invention is an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer whose vinyl acetate content lies between 5 % and 95% by weight, in particular in the range of 30% to 75% by weight and more particularly in the range of 45% to 60% by weight, with respect to the weight of the ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer . A mixture of such EVAs may also be used having different molecular weights.

A mixture of said EVA or EVAs with different molecular weights with a non-EVA material is also envisageable.

It is to be noted that the use of EVA improves the ricyclability and biodegradability of the bra object of the invention, because the EVA material is easily ryciclable and biodegradable.

The above is to be considered as exemplary only, and other modifications and variations are possibile which may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Figure 1 is a side view of the bra in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the bra in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a three-dimensional view of the bra in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a front view of the bra in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a cross-section of a cup of a bra in accordance with the present invention.

In the following a detailed description of a preferred embodiment will be given. In the figures, like numerals indicate like parts.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the manner in which the bra object of the present invention is worn. The bra (1) comprises two concave cups (2, 3) each of them comprising a layer (4) having an outer side (5), an inner side (6), an upper portion (7) and adhesive layer (8) to provide adhesion of the bra ( 1 ) to the user.

The layer (4) is made at least in part of EVA whose vinyl acetate content lies between 5 % and 95% by weight, in particular in the range of 30% to 75% by weight and more particularly in the range of 45% to 60% by weight, with respect to the weight of the ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, while the upper portion comprises a band of elasticised material (8) which presses slightly the breasts and contribues to give it a more rounded form.

The adhesive layer (8) includes a body side adhesive on one side and a fabric side adhesive on the other side. Body side adhesive is preferably a hypoallergenic, pressure sensitive, re-usable acrylate adhesive that is non-toxic and reduces possible irritation of the skin of a user. Fabric side adhesive is preferably a random oriented polyester fiber in an hypoallergenic, pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive.

Alternatively, known disposable or re-usable dermal surgical adhesives such as pressure-sensitive adhesives containing dioctyl phthalate, dibutyl succinate and diethyl azelate can be used.

Although preferred compounds has been cited for both adhesives, it should be appreciated that many equivalents exist.

It is of course possible to use only one type of adhesive on both body and fabric sides in order to improve costs and ease of manufacturing.

To wear the bra object of the invention, after removal of a protective film on the body side adhesive (if present), the cups are positioned to contact the breasts as indicated in figures 1 and 2 as the user leans forward slightly and adhered to them to optimise the lift, support and appearance of the user's breasts. The bra is then held in place for approximately 10-15 seconds to allow the adhesive to satisfactorily bond to the skin.

In a second embodiment of the invention as shown in figure 4, the cups

(2, 3) can be connected by a bridge (9), preferably of the same material of the cups.

Alternatively the bridge can be made of any material suitable for undergarments, e.g. a nylon or cotton tricot.

In figure 5 it is visible the succession of layers of which the bra object of the present invention is composed, i.e. EVA-containing layer (4) and adhesive layer (8).

It is to be noted that the use of a bra according to the invention is not limited to the use as undergarment; due to the presence of EVA in the fabric said bra when wet dries in a short time, whereby it is also suitable to the use as a bathing suit. For the use as bathing suit the already described adhesives may be used or adhesives which resist more to the water as they are known to the skilled man.

Claims

1. A bra comprising at least one cup, said cup comprising at least one layer, said layer being made at least in part of ethyl vinyl acetate.

2. The bra of claim 1 comprising two cups, at least one of them being made at least in part of ethyl vinyl acetate, said cups further comprising at least a layer of adhesive covering at least in part their inner side in order to adhere to an user's body.

3. The bra of claim 1 or 2, wherein the ethyl vinyl acetate has a vinyl acetate content which lies between 5 % and 95% by weight, in particular in the range of 30% to 75% by weight and more particularly in the range of 45% to 60% by weight, with respect to the weight of said ethyl vinyl acetate.

4. The bra of claims 1 , 2, or 3, said bra being strapless.

5. The bra of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 where the cups are connected.

6. The bra of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 wherein said cups comprise an upper portion made of elasticised material.

7. The bra of claims 1 , 2, 3, 5, or 6, said bra having straps.

8. A method of producing a bra comprising the following steps: providing a fabric having an EVA content, forming cups with the same, providing an adhesive on the part of the cups to be in contact with an user's body and optionally providing a bridge between said cups, straps to said cups and an upper portion to said cups, said upper portion being made of elasticised material, said steps being opera,ble in any temporal sequence.

Use of a bra according to claims 1-7 as bathing suit.