Nipple covering device for clothing

Abstract

A teat covering device for a garment. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved method of covering the teat and breast such that a bra or other material that adheres / adheres to the skin is not required to be worn. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for the use of HTV as a material for making teat covering devices, as disclosed herein. Cutting is performed in HTV, so that the flexibility and the wrinkle resistance of the covering device under the clothes are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] In general, the present invention is directed to a device that can be used with an article of clothing to cover the wearer's nipples while ensuring that the garment remains comfortable. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved method of covering nipples and breasts so that the wearing of a bra or other material that adheres / sticks to the skin is not required, especially for modesty purposes. Background Art

[0002] Bra (short for brassiere) is a female undergarment used to cover, support or change the appearance of breasts. Women around the world use many types of bras, such as strapless bras and sports bras.

[0003] In addition to providing support for the breasts, covering the nipples for modesty purposes is also a major purpose of bras. When the wearer is not wearing a bra or some accessories to cover the nipples, the nipples are usually visible through tops such as T-shirts or dresses.

[0004] To cover their nipples, women may also use other products such as nipple covers (usually silicone and sticky) or nipple tapes, which use adhesive to cover the nipple and areola.

[0005] In some conservative cultures, especially in Asia, it is considered inappropriate for a woman's nipples to be visible even through the clothing she wears, whether in public or private. In such cultures, even at home, it is considered immodest and inappropriate for nipples to be visible through clothing.

[0006] To address this issue, women often wear uncomfortable bras and adhesive-based accessories such as nipple tape / silicone-based covers to maintain modesty, even at home. They may also wear a shawl or jacket over their tops to ensure that their nipples are not visible through their clothes. Women may also place their hair over their chests to temporarily cover their breasts when not wearing a bra or nipple covers. None of these solutions are comfortable or practical at home, especially in warmer climates and higher temperatures. Typically, these solutions also do not provide full coverage. Bras may also not be very comfortable for women in general, depending on their breast size, breast tightness, and sweat from the clothing.

[0007] This problem also applies to adolescent girls who have underdeveloped breasts and cannot wear a bra. Males may also face the problem of nipples being visible through clothing if they have large or very prominent nipples. Males often solve this problem by wearing a tight tank top under their clothing to reduce the visibility of the nipples through the top.

[0008] Another problem women face during or after pregnancy is that their breast size can be different for a short time, even after their lactation period ends (usually due to hormonal changes). To solve this problem, they have to buy and wear bras of different sizes, but these bras may not be useful when their breasts return to their normal size. Secondly, the distance between the two breasts may change, making it difficult to find the right bra size to fit.

[0009] Nipple tapes, sticky nipple covers (e.g., silicone nipple covers), and other forms of adhesive-based coverings can also be used. However, because they require adhesive to stick to the skin, they often prove ineffective in the presence of sweat and can be painful to remove. They also lose their stickiness over time and are often easily discarded after a single use, or become unusable after a few uses.

[0010] Although bras come in many forms, shapes and materials based on a woman's needs, they can be uncomfortable due to padding, tightness, type of fabric or the presence of wires or support structures at the bottom. This is a bigger problem for women in informal settings, such as when they are at home, where they want to look modest but still wear something comfortable.

[0011] Alternative garments with built-in padding or heavy embroidery around the breast area (to cover the nipples) are intended to reduce the need to wear a separate bra. However, the problem with these garments is that, firstly, they compress the nipples to reduce their size and make them invisible, reducing the comfort of the wearer. Secondly, their design is still very similar to a bra, which does not solve the problem of wearing a bra, which can be tight, uncomfortable and unwelcome in informal settings such as at home.

[0012] The main purpose of wearing a bra is to provide support to the breasts, cover the nipples, and adjust the visual shape or size of the breasts for aesthetic purposes. However, bras are not always comfortable. Some bras, such as sports bras, may be more comfortable than regular bras because they usually have no wires and are usually unpadded or softly cushioned. However, wearing a sports bra may cause increased sweating and can be very uncomfortable due to the tightness. Sports bras usually cover the nipples by increasing the tightness of the garment on the body.

[0013] At home and in other informal settings, the primary and often only purpose of wearing a bra is modesty, i.e. covering the visibility of the nipples through clothing. However, wearing a bra at home is highly unpopular because it is very uncomfortable. Therefore, there have been several attempts to create female clothing that does not require the wearing of a bra.

[0014] An attempt to manufacture such garments is disclosed in US8113910B2, in which a garment lining kit for combining a garment lining with a garment is provided. The garment lining kit comprises a garment lining, the garment lining comprising a main body portion, and having an adhesive surface placed on the main body portion. The garment lining kit also comprises an adhesive for combining the adhesive surface with a garment fabric layer. The adhesive combines the garment lining with the garment fabric layer. However, wearing this type of garment lining is not comfortable for the wearer.

[0015] Another such attempt is found in US4440174A, in which a tank top garment comprises an independently supported shelf bra having a front portion and a back portion with top edges secured to a shell. An elastic band is provided at the lower edge of the shelf bra to pull it around the wearer. These garments are difficult for the wearer to put on because the garments themselves contain excess material, elastic fabric, and unnatural attachments. Multiple sizes of elastic fabric, cups, or fabric strips must be used to accommodate female breasts of varying sizes and shapes. The elastic material used to pull the product around the wearer may be susceptible to wear, causing durability and comfort issues for the wearer.

[0016] Furthermore, CA2874858A1 discloses women's pajamas, which are specially designed to hide the breasts inconspicuously. The invention is characterized in that they are designed to hide the nipples of the breasts while remaining comfortable and feminine. In order to hide the nipples, decorative patterns, comfortable linings on the sides of the body, lace or ribbons, pleats, tassels, etc. are used. This has various practical disadvantages, because the materials used are uncomfortable for the wearer and are not easy to wash, which affects the life of the product itself.

[0017] Therefore, there is a need for a device that can be incorporated into clothing to cover the wearer's nipples and breast area while keeping the garment comfortable (especially in hot temperatures), lightweight, and washable. The device must be inexpensive and should not wrinkle with regular use. The device, when incorporated into clothing, would eliminate the need to wear a bra for modesty, nipple coverage purposes, and generally improve the comfort of the garment. Summary of the invention

[0018] The main object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be incorporated into a garment for covering the nipples of the wearer of said garment.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of making a device that can be incorporated into a garment for covering the nipples of a wearer of the garment.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that can be integrated into a garment to alleviate the need to wear a bra for modesty purposes while keeping the garment comfortable.

[0021] Another object of the present invention is to provide a garment having one or more integrated means for covering the wearer's nipples for modesty purposes while keeping the garment comfortable, especially in hot weather areas.

[0022] Another object of the present invention is to provide a garment having one or more integrated means for covering the wearer's nipples.

[0023] Summary of the Invention

[0024] The following information is a simplified summary of the present disclosure, and is intended to provide the reader with a basic understanding. This summary is not an extensive overview of the present disclosure, and does not specify the key / critical elements of the present invention. This summary does not limit the scope of the present invention, and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present invention. The sole purpose of this summary is to summarize some of the concepts disclosed herein, as a preface to a more detailed description later.

[0025] In order to overcome the problem of wearing uncomfortable garments / undergarments (such as bras) and / or accessories (such as adhesive-based nipple covers), the present invention discloses a device, namely a covering device, and a method of manufacturing such a covering device, which can be integrated into a garment to cover the wearer's nipples and / or breasts.

[0026] The device disclosed in the present invention can be used for any clothing, including but not limited to T-shirts, pajamas, house clothes, collarless long-sleeved shirts, shirts and tops. The present invention is not limited to any specific clothing.

[0027] The device disclosed in the present invention is manufactured in a manner that makes it light, wrinkle-resistant, cheap and washable. The materials used for the device disclosed in the embodiments are thin, solid and flexible. As described in the preferred embodiment, it can be made of materials such as heat transfer vinyl (Heat Transfer Vinyl, HTV). Other materials can also be used to manufacture and produce the device, and such materials will be within the scope of the present invention.

[0028] As disclosed herein, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides the use of HTV as a material for making the covering device. HTV typically has a layer of heat-activated adhesive for integration with the garment. HTV comes in different forms, such as standard HTV, glossy HTV, silicone HTV, flocked HTV, elastic HTV, and holographic HTV. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are different materials commonly used as HTV. Other materials such as spandex, latex, and laminated fabrics can also be used to make the covering device. Other methods of integrating the covering device into the garment are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the material used to make the covering device, i.e., HTV, is used and prepared in such a way that it can easily assume the shape of the wearer's breast. HTV is flexible, durable and washable. HTV has an adhesive layer that activates and adheres to the garment when heated to integrate the covering device with the garment. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, cuts are made in the HTV to increase the flexibility and wrinkle resistance of the covering device under clothing. The cuts are made in a certain shape and size so that there are gaps between the HTV sheets. This makes the device easy to integrate with the garment and the device will not wrinkle when used. The size, width and length of the gap can be varied. The gap in the preferred embodiment is narrow. In a preferred embodiment, the width of any gap between any two pieces of HTV is not more than 2 cm.

[0030] In the embodiment, the covering device (made of HTV) is placed at the desired location on the garment and heated. The heat activates the adhesive on the garment side of the HTV, making the covering device made of HTV permanently adhered to the garment.

[0031] Multiple layers of HTV may also be used for the cover and are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0032] HTV, which typically has a layer of heat activated adhesive on one side, is commercially available and can be used to implement the described embodiments.

[0033] In another embodiment of the present invention, the material used to manufacture the covering device is specifically polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or a combination / mixture thereof, which is also used as HTV.

[0034] In another embodiment of the present invention, the composition of the material used to manufacture the covering device includes a combination of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0035] In another embodiment of the present invention, the material used to make the covering means may be another synthetic material, including plastic. As described in the preferred embodiment, the synthetic material may have its own adhesive properties, or may have an adhesive layer thereon.

[0036] In another embodiment of the invention, the material used to make the covering means may be natural, such as leather.

[0037] In another embodiment of the present invention, the material used in the covering device may have its own adhesive properties, which may not require a separate adhesive layer to effectively integrate with / effectively adhere to the garment.

[0038] In another embodiment of the invention, the covering device is integrated into the garment using techniques such as sewing or knitting rather than using adhesives. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 An exploded view of a garment having multiple layers of garment and a covering device is shown.

[0040] Figure 2 The placement of the covering device on the inner layer of the garment is shown.

[0041] Figure 3 An enlarged view of the covering device is shown.

[0042] Figure 4 An exploded view of a garment having two layers of garment and a covering device is shown.

[0043] Figure 5 The placement of the covering device on the inner surface of the front layer of the garment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The implementation of the embodiments of the present invention is discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that the present invention provides a wide range of inventive concepts that can be embodied in multiple specific embodiments. The specific embodiments discussed herein only illustrate specific ways to implement the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

[0045] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details.

[0046] If the specification discloses a component or feature that "may", "can", "could", or "might" include or have a feature, that particular component or feature is not required to include or have the feature.

[0047] As used in the specification herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of the indefinite article ("a", "an") and the definite article ("the") includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the specification herein, the meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0048] Throughout the specification, use of the words “comprise” and “include” and variations such as “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and “including” may imply the inclusion of additional elements not specifically recited.

[0049] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. However, the present invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In addition, all statements of embodiments of the present invention and its specific examples recorded herein are intended to include their structural equivalents and functional equivalents. In addition, such equivalents include currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future (that is, the elements of the performance of the same function of any development, regardless of their structure).

[0050] Many modifications, variations, changes, substitutions, and equivalents of the embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0051] There are many types of clothing, apparel and accessories on the market that women can wear to support their breasts or cover their nipples, or both. This includes bras, pads, nipple tapes and nipple covers. There are even tops available that come pre-padded. However, none of these garments or accessories offer a solution for covering the wearer's nipples while keeping the wearer comfortable.

[0052] The preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses a covering device that can be integrated into a garment such as a blouse, T-shirt, kurta or shirt, thereby covering the wearer's nipples and having little impact on the wearer's comfort. The wearer's comfort is more important when wearing home clothes and pajamas at home. The covering device is lightweight, washable and durable.

[0053] The area covered by the covering device can be larger than the padding area of ​​the bra used by the wearer. This will help to change the size and position of the nipple and breast on the wearer's body.

[0054] Methods of making the covering device and integrating it with the garment are also disclosed as part of the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 1 An exploded view of multiple layers 102, 104, and 108 of garment 100 is shown. Layer 102 is the back of the garment. Layer 104 is the inner layer of the front of garment 100, and layer 108 is the outer layer of the front of garment 100. Two covering devices 106a and 106b integrated into garment 100 are also shown. Figure 1 The covering device is placed between the inner layer 104 and the outer layer 108 on the front side of the garment 100.

[0056] Figure 2 A front view 200 of layer 104 of garment 100 is shown with covering means 106a and 106b placed in a desired position to integrate with the garment. The covering means position may vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the garment, the size of the breasts, etc.

[0057] Figure 3 A detailed enlarged view 300 of one of the covers 106b is shown. The cover 106b is made using a material such as heat transfer vinyl (HTV), which includes several materials including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or combinations / mixtures thereof.

[0058] To make the covering device, HTV is used. Cuts are made in the HTV layer so that the covering device effectively assumes the shape of the breast without wrinkling. In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, straight cuts 112 are made in the HTV layer so that the HTV pieces are separated by gaps to form triangles 110. However, other forms of cuts, gaps and shapes may also be formed in other embodiments of the present invention.

[0059] After making the cut 112, the HTV, typically with a layer of heat activated adhesive, is integrated with the garment at the desired location as the covering device by applying heat, such as Figure 2An iron or heat press may be used to apply the heat and integrate the HTV-based covering device with the garment.

[0060] Another embodiment of the present invention is as Figure 4 4, which is an exploded view of two layers 402 and 408 of garment 400. Layer 402 is the back of garment 400 and layer 408 is the front of garment 400. Two covering devices 106a and 106b integrated into garment 400 are also shown. Figure 4 This embodiment is relative to Figure 1 The advantage of the preferred embodiment disclosed in is that this embodiment comprises only two layers (front and back), which will make it more comfortable and lightweight for the wearer in hot climates. Figure 1 The preferred embodiment shown has a layer of clothing between the wearer's skin and the covering device, which will be more comfortable for the wearer and will improve the durability of the covering device.

[0061] Figure 5 Layer 408 is shown, which is the front side of garment 400. It includes two surfaces, 408a (outer surface) and 408b (inner surface). Two covering devices 106a and 106b are adhered to the inner surface 408b of layer 408 of garment 400 at the desired position integrated with the garment. The covering device position can vary according to a variety of factors including the size of the garment, the size of the breasts, etc. The non-adhesive side of the covering devices 106a and 106b will directly contact the wearer's skin, and the non-adhesive side is soft and skin-friendly. The adhesive side of the covering devices 106a and 106b contacts the fabric of garment 400.

[0062] In another embodiment of the present invention, covering devices 106a and 106b can be made of materials such as heat transfer vinyl (HTV), which can be from materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or combinations / mixtures thereof. In another embodiment of the present invention, the composition of the material used to make covering devices 106a and 106b includes a combination of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In addition, in another embodiment of the present invention, synthetic materials including plastics can be used to make the covering device. As described in the preferred embodiment above, the synthetic materials can have their own adhesiveness, or they can have additional adhesive layers thereon. In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the covering device can be made by using naturally occurring materials such as leather. In another embodiment of the present invention, the material used to make the covering device can have its own adhesiveness, so that it can be effectively and permanently integrated with the clothing / pasted on the clothing without the need for additional adhesive layers.

[0063] Multiple layers of HTV may also be used with the coverings disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention and would be within the scope of the present invention.

[0064] The present invention also provides an embodiment in which the covering device can be attached to the garment using a number of different methods including sewing, stitching or knitting, without the use of adhesives.

[0065] The embodiments of the present invention described above are exemplary and non-restrictive. These embodiments describe specific embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. The present invention can be implemented in different ways and with modifications, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device comprising: at least one thermal transfer vinyl (HTV) layer; and a plurality of gaps in at least one of the heat transfer vinyl (HTV) layers; Therein, the device is attached to clothing to cover a person's nipples.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is attached to the garment by a heat activated adhesive.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a combination thereof.

4. A garment comprising a nipple covering device, wherein the nipple covering device is attached to the garment and the device comprises at least one heat transfer vinyl (HTV) layer having a plurality of sheets separated by gaps.

5. The garment of claim 4, wherein the nipple covering device is attached to the garment by a heat activated adhesive.

6. The garment of claim 4, wherein the heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a combination thereof.

7. A method of making a nipple covering device for a garment, comprising: a. cutting a heat transfer vinyl (HTV) layer into a plurality of sheets such that each sheet of heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is separated from another sheet of heat transfer vinyl (HTV) by a gap; and b. Attaching the heat transfer vinyl (HTV) layer to the garment via a heat activated adhesive.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a combination thereof.

9. A nipple covering device comprising at least one heat transfer vinyl (HTV) layer, wherein one of the at least one heat transfer vinyl (HTV) layer is cut into a plurality of pieces such that each piece of heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is separated from another piece of heat transfer vinyl (HTV) by a gap.

10. The nipple covering device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the at least one heat transfer vinyl (HTV) layers is attached to the garment using a heat activated adhesive.

11. The nipple covering device of claim 9, wherein the heat transfer vinyl (HTV) is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a combination thereof.

12. The nipple covering device of claim 9, wherein the composition of heat transfer vinyl (HTV) material comprises a combination of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane (PU) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

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