Front-opening and adjustable bra

Abstract

A front-opening, adjustable bra having an elastic base band having free ends, an inside end portion adjacent one of said free ends and an outside end portion adjacent to other of said free ends, a back flap disposed between said free ends, and a pair of front flaps disposed between said free ends and said back flap, each flap having a breast covering flap. The inside end portion having an outwardly extending latch-engaging structure and a set of at least two spaced latching structures, and the outside end portion having an inwardly extending latch-engaging structure and at least two inwardly spaced extending latch structures. The latch-engaging structures engage a selected one of the respective latching structures to set the size of the bra. The latch-engaging structures and the latch structures can be reversed on the bra. A slide having three loops for receiving shoulder straps of a bra is also described.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to brassieres or bras, and in particular to adjustable brassieres which open from the front, and more particularly to front-opening bras which are easily adjustable in size, having closure devices which are not irritating to the wearer's skin, and which remain in place on the wearer while the wearer undergoes rigorous physical activity. The inventive bra can be adapted for use as a nursing bra, a sports bra or a conventional bra.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]There have been many changes in the construction of brassieres since they were first introduced in the beginning of the twentieth century to replace corsets. Brassieres are not only for providing proper support from below the breasts of a wearer, but also to give the breasts an uplift. Brassieres generally are torso encircling, and usually employ shoulder straps attached to breast cup assemblies for providing the required b...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022]As described in detail below, the present invention provides a simple brassiere which is adjustable, openable in the front, and if used for nursing, is easy to undo to expose a breast for a baby to nurse. A big advantage of the present invention is that it is simple to manufacture, and can be manufactured inexpensively at high volume. The foregoing brassiere is capable of incorporating simple yet highly effective clasps for the straps and a slide for the straps where they are connected to the back of the brassiere for firmly holding the brassiere in place, while enabling a cup to be lowered to enable nursing. The inventive bra further moves back to its desired position once it has moved partway around the wearer's body.

[0023]An object of the present invention is to provide a front-opening brassiere which is easy for a woman to put on and take off.

[0024]Another object of the present invention is to provide a front-opening brassiere which is adjustable according to the size of a woman's breasts, the adjustment being easy to do and effective in operation.

[0025]A further object of the present invention is to provide a front-opening brassiere having easy to use adjusting structure on the front of the brassiere.

[0026]It is an additional object of the invention to provide a front-opening, adjustable bra which has an attaching element which is comfortable to wear and not irritating to the wearer.

[0027]Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a front-opening, adjustable brassiere which is a nursing brassiere, and which the cups can be opened to enable the nursing of a baby.

Problems solved by technology

Brassieres are generally closed by back closings which are often inconvenient to use, particularly for women with large breasts and for women who have physical restrictions such as arthritis in their arms, shoulders or hands, or due to rotator cuff disorders.

The brassieres shown in each of the foregoing patents had problems.

It is cumbersome to insert the strap member through the slot.

Further, as with other brassieres discussed herein, the use of the pair of straps in the back of the undergarment offers little support during physical activity such as athletics, and cause the brassiere to shift uncomfortably during such activity.

In addition, the buttons used on the brassiere are relatively large, and would be uncomfortable and irritating to the wearer of the brassiere.

Adjustment is accomplished by means of fastener elements and vertical slits, but the slits are likely to be torn or stretched—resulting in a loose fitting brassiere.

This is a cumbersome task to perform.

1969) is somewhat different than the brassieres discussed above, in that it adjusts the uplift of the breasts and is quite complicated in that the adjustments are a series of eyes positioned around the curved area on the upper inside of each cup.

The brassiere of the '524 patent has at least ten components, requiring a considerable amount of time to manufacture, thus increasing its cost.

Furthermore, the front closing apparatus is rather involved, apparently having stiff strips of material for holding the fasteners, adding to the unwieldy characteristic of this brassiere.

This brassiere is also complicated in construction having a body made up of about at least ten components.

Operating this device would be difficult, particularly with respect to threading a tab through the slit and engaging it with the fastening structure below the cup which is opposite to the cup where the tab is attached.

An examination of the brassiere disclosed in the '750 patent shows that it has unusual construction, about thirteen major components, making it a fairly complicated piece to manufacture.

This device is complicated to use due to the shape of the straps, and it is difficult to secure the straps to the fastening means on the upper inner portion of the respective brassiere cups.

Furthermore, the manner of the front-opening of the brassiere of the '190 patent is a very unwieldy device due to the position and orientation of the fastening structure.

A shortcoming of the foregoing brassieres is that it is difficult to operate the fastening structure when it is on the sides of the wearer and not in clear visible view, and it may provide less support than brassieres having front attachment structure.

All of the foregoing nursing brassieres involve fairly complex manufacturing steps and / or are difficult to use due to the problems in undoing a part of the brassiere to expose a breast for nursing.

Although the foregoing nursing bra has advantages, it also has serious disadvantages.

The respective ball and socket parts of the respective snaps are difficult to operate, since they must be respectively engaged sight-unseen, since the wearer of the bra cannot see the pairs of snap components being urged together.

Additionally, the bulk of the snaps press against the wearer's skin, which may be uncomfortable and irritating to the wearer.

In addition, in order for a mother to nurse her child, she has to unlatch the clasp, which may be difficult, since the clasp is unwieldy to begin with, and must be done close to the wearer's neck—which is a cumbersome task.

Another problem is that the foregoing pair of generally parallel straps is attached at the back of the bra at spaced locations.

It thus cannot be a bra for use in sporty or athletic activities, as it does not have a single strap in the back of the bra to keep the bra in place, and prevent the shifting motion which may occur.

Some of the clasps noted above are for special purposes and are not appropriate for different types of bras.

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