Bra

Abstract

A bra having a chest band, a portion of the chest band including a pair of recesses, each recess being located beneath one of the wearer's breasts. A pair of curved support members are respectively attached to the chest band along the pair of recesses. Cups are located within each recess. Each cup has a lining, an outer lining, and a foam padding sandwiched between the lining and the outer lining. The lining and / or the outer lining of each cup is attached to the chest band along the respective recess. Except through the lining and / or the outer lining, the foam padding of each cup is not attached to the chest band. The chest band has an inner layer that contacts the wearer's skin, an outer layer facing away from the wearer, and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer.

Description

[0001] Citation of Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 147,462, filed on Feb. 9, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to a bra and a garment or bra-like garment including the bra. Background Art

[0004] U.S. Patent No. 7,427,226 discloses a female breast support garment, such as a bra, configured to enhance the comfort of a wearer by allowing the cups to move or float relative to the torso in multiple directions. The bra structure features a soft intermediate strip at the junction between the lower edge of each cup and the upper edge of the torso.

[0005] U.S. Patent No. 9,480,287 discloses a bra having a front portion, a rear portion, a torso band, and a pair of shoulder straps. The front portion is selectively provided with an inner layer, an outer layer, and an intermediate fabric layer. The intermediate fabric layer is made of a relatively supportive material and is configured to be positioned along the top and lateral sides of the wearer's breasts.

[0006] International Application Publication No. WO2020 / 073163 discloses a clothing article and a method of manufacturing the same. The clothing article includes a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer. The clothing article further includes an elastic mesh. The elastic mesh is sandwiched between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer. Here, the elastic mesh has a higher elasticity along a first direction than along a second direction. The elastic mesh is heat-sealed to at least one of the first fabric layer or the second fabric layer.

[0007] Warner's sells a bra called "FLEX Contour with Flexible Wire," which has mesh inserts that are located below the wire at the lower outer edge of each cup and below the wire at the cup junctions at the center front of the bra.

[0008] Victoria's Secret sold a bra in its "Body by Victoria" fashion show around 1998, where the foam padding of each cup is not attached to the metal wire supporting the cup, but is attached through the inner and / or outer lining fabrics of the cup. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention content is provided to introduce some concepts that will be further described in the following detailed description. The present invention content is not intended to identify the key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to help limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0010] According to one example, the present disclosure relates to a bra that includes a chest band configured to surround and abut against the wearer's thoracic cage. A portion of the chest band includes a pair of recesses, and each recess of the pair of recesses is configured to be located beneath one of the wearer's breasts when the wearer wears the bra. A pair of curved support members are respectively attached to the chest band along the pair of recesses. The bra includes a pair of cups, each cup being located within a respective one of the pair of recesses. Each cup includes a lining, an outer lining, and a foam padding sandwiched between the lining and the outer lining. The lining and / or the outer lining of each cup is attached to the chest band along the respective recess. The foam padding of each cup is not attached to the chest band except through the lining and / or the outer lining. The chest band includes an inner layer configured to contact the wearer's skin, an outer layer configured to face outward from the wearer, and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer.

[0011] According to one example, the lower region of the lining of each cup extends beyond the lower edge of the foam padding and the lower edge of the outer lining of each cup, and the lower portion of the lower region of the lining of each cup overlaps with the chest band.

[0012] According to one example, the lining is made of a fabric having an elastic modulus smaller than that of the foam padding.

[0013] According to one example, the upper portion of the lower region of the lining of each cup extends beyond the lower edge of the foam padding and the lower edge of the outer lining and does not overlap with the chest band.

[0014] According to one example, the upper edge of the intermediate layer of the chest band overlaps with the lower portion of the lower region of the lining of each cup.

[0015] According to one example, the intermediate layer of the chest band is a mesh.

[0016] According to one example, the mesh is made of an extruded polymer.

[0017] According to one example, the chest band includes a foam frame that at least partially defines the pair of recesses and is configured to at least partially extend beneath the wearer's arms.

[0018] According to one example, the foam frame includes a foam inner layer and a foam outer layer, and a pair of curved support members are embedded between the foam inner layer and the foam outer layer.

[0019] According to one example, the lower edge of the foam padding of each cup is thinner than the portion of the foam padding immediately above the lower edge.

[0020] According to another example, a bra includes a chest band configured to surround and abut against a wearer's thoracic cage. A portion of the chest band includes a pair of recesses, and each recess of the pair of recesses is configured to be located beneath one of the wearer's breasts when the wearer is wearing the bra. A pair of curved support members are attached to the chest band along the pair of recesses respectively. The bra includes a pair of cups, and each cup is located within a corresponding one of the pair of recesses. Each cup includes a lining, an outer lining, and a foam padding sandwiched between the lining and the outer lining. The lining and / or the outer lining of each cup is attached to the chest band along the corresponding recess. The foam padding of each cup is not attached to the chest band except through the lining and / or the outer lining. The chest band includes a foam frame that at least partially defines the pair of recesses and is configured to at least partially extend beneath the wearer's arms.

[0021] According to one example, a lower region of the lining of each cup extends beyond a lower edge of the foam padding of each cup and a lower edge of the outer lining, and a lower portion of the lower region of the lining of each cup overlaps with the chest band.

[0022] According to one example, an upper portion of the lower region of the lining of each cup extends beyond the lower edge of the foam padding and the lower edge of the outer lining and does not overlap with the chest band.

[0023] According to one example, the chest band further includes: an inner layer configured to contact the wearer's skin; an outer layer configured to face outward from the wearer; and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer. The foam frame is also sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer of the chest band.

[0024] According to one example, an upper edge of the intermediate layer overlaps with a lower portion of the lower region of the lining of each cup.

[0025] According to one example, the intermediate layer is a mesh.

[0026] According to one example, the mesh is made of an extruded polymer.

[0027] According to one example, the foam frame includes a foam inner layer and a foam outer layer, and a pair of curved support members are embedded between the foam inner layer and the foam outer layer.

[0028] According to one example, a lower edge of the foam padding of each cup is thinner than a portion of the foam padding located immediately above the lower edge.

[0029] According to one example, the lining of each cup is made of a fabric having an elastic modulus smaller than that of the foam padding of each cup. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The present disclosure is described with reference to the following drawings. The same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to denote the same features and the same components.

[0031] Figure 1 Shows the outer surface of a bra according to the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 2 Shows the inner surface of the bra.

[0033] Figure 3 Shows an exploded view of the layers in the cup of the bra.

[0034] Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 the cup formed by the combined layers.

[0035] Figure 5 Shows an exploded view of the layers in the foam frame of the band for the bra.

[0036] Figure 6 Shows an exploded view of the layers in a part of the wing of the band.

[0037] Figure 7 Is an exploded view of the layers of the bra in an unassembled state.

[0038] Figure 8 Shows a part of the bra in a partially assembled state as viewed from the inner surface.

[0039] Figure 9 Shows the inner surface of the assembled bra in more detail.

[0040] Figure 10 Is an exploded view of the layers of another example of a bra according to the present disclosure, where the bra is in an unassembled state.

[0041] Figure 11 Shows the cup and wing of the bra Figure 10 as viewed from the inner surface of the bra.

[0042] Figure 12 Shows the cup of the bra Figure 10 as viewed from the inner surface of the bra in a close-up view.

[0043] Figure 13 Shows the wing of the bra Figure 10 as viewed from the inner surface of the bra in a close-up view. Detailed Description

[0044] Figure 1 and Figure 2 Shows a bra 10 according to the present disclosure. Figure 1 Shows the outer surface of the bra 10 (i.e., the surface seen when the wearer wears the bra 10), while Figure 2Shows the inner surface of the bra 10 (i.e., the part that will contact the wearer's skin). The bra 10 includes a chest band 12 configured to surround and rest against the wearer's thoracic cage. The chest band 12 includes a lower chest portion 12a ("bracket") and wing portions 12b. Although Figure 1 only one wing portion 12b is shown, those skilled in the art will understand that another wing portion 12c (see Figure 2 ) extends from the other side of the lower chest portion 12a. More specifically referring to Figure 2 , a portion of the chest band 12 includes a pair of recesses 14, each of the pair of recesses 14 being configured to be located beneath one of the wearer's breasts when the bra 10 is worn.

[0045] The bra 10 also includes a pair of cups 16, each cup being located within a corresponding one of the pair of recesses 14. Each cup 16 has an upper edge 18, a lower edge 20, and an underarm edge 22. The bra 10 also includes shoulder straps 24, an eyelet closure 26, and a hook closure 28. As is known, the hook closure 28 can be connected to the eyelet closure 26 to secure the chest band 12 around the wearer's thoracic cage. In other instances, the bra 10 is strapless and / or has stretchable wings 12b, 12c that allow the wearer to put on and take off the bra 10 by pulling the bra over her head. In yet another instance, the bra 10 is a front-closure bra, where a back strap extends from the outer edge of one cup 16 to the outer edge of the other cup 16.

[0046] Turning to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , each cup 16 includes a lining 30, an outer lining 32, and a foam padding 34 sandwiched between the lining 30 and the outer lining 32. (However, it should be noted that the outer lining 32 is not the outer finishing surface of the bra 10, but is provided by an outer layer 50, as described below.) The lining 30 and the outer lining 32 can be woven from fabrics such as polyester, spandex, nylon, and / or mixtures thereof, and can have a lower modulus of elasticity than the foam padding 34. Nevertheless, the foam padding 34 is slightly more stretchable than the foam padding typically used in bra linings. Figure 3 The shown layers 30, 32, 34 can be laminated and / or molded together using adhesives and heat treatment / molding processes to form Figure 4 the cup 16a. (It should be noted that the two cups 16 are mirror images of each other, so only one cup will be further described herein.) According to the present disclosure, the lower region 36 of the lining 30 of each cup 16a extends beyond the lower edge of the foam padding 34 and the lower edge of the outer lining 32 of each cup 16. The lower edge of the foam padding 34 and the lower edge of the outer lining 32 can coincide with each other and can be along Figure 4The dashed line 38 shown positions (it should be understood that in this view, the foam liner 34 and the outer liner 32 are behind the inner liner 30). In another example, both the lower region of the inner liner 30 and the lower region of the outer liner 32 extend beyond the lower edge 38 of the foam liner 34. The purpose of this structure will be further described below, in which the lower edge 38 of the foam liner 34 does not extend to the lower edge of at least one of the inner liner 30 and the outer liner 32.

[0047] Go to Figure 5 , the chest band 12 includes a foam frame 40 that at least partially defines a pair of recesses 14. The bra 10 also includes a pair of curved support members 42. The foam frame 40 includes a foam inner layer 44 (which is closer to the wearer's body when worn) and a foam outer layer 46 (which is further away from the wearer's body), and a pair of curved support members 42 are embedded between the foam inner layer 44 and the foam outer layer 46. The curved support members 42 can be made of flexible plastic or other types of polymers, and in one example, are made of thermoplastic polyurethane. In another example, the curved support members 42 are made of foam, such as a length of foam that is denser than the foam of the foam inner layer 44 and the foam outer layer 46. When molded between the foam inner layer 44 and the foam outer layer 46, the curved support members 42 can be fused to the foam inner layer and the foam outer layer by applying heat and pressure. This increases the strength of the molded composite chest band 12 and prevents the support members from being pierced. In other examples, the curved support members 42, as well as the foam inner layer 44 and the foam outer layer 46, can be attached together using an adhesive. Thus, a pair of curved support members 42 are attached to the chest band 12 along a pair of recesses 14 respectively. The pair of curved support members 42 can be positioned such that their upper edges are a few millimeters below the upper edges of the foam layers 44, 46, or can be positioned such that their upper edges coincide with the upper edges of the foam layers 44, 46.

[0048] The outer edges 40a, 40b of the foam frame 40 can be configured to at least partially extend circumferentially around the wearer's torso under the wearer's arms to provide support for her breasts and smooth any axillary bulges. For example, the outer edges 40a, 40b can extend to a position under the wearer's arms that is midway between her front side and her back side. In some examples, these outer edges 40a, 40b are compressed, for example, by molding, to increase their density and provide more support than the rest of the chest band 12. However, generally, the foam frame 40 is mainly located in the lower bust region 12a of the chest band 12.

[0049] The lower bust region 12a of the chest band 12 may be formed in a manner different from that described above. In one example, the curved support member 42 is made of metal to resemble a conventional underwire and may optionally be coated with a gel-like material or surrounded by an underwire casing and / or foam. In some examples, no curved support member is provided. Instead, for example, the entire lower bust region 12a of the bra 10 may include a sheet or film of thermoplastic material (such as thermoplastic polyurethane) secured between an inner layer and an outer layer of fabric and / or foam. In additional examples, the lower bust region 12a has no additional support between the inner and outer layers of the foam 44, 46, such as for a maternity, leisure, or sleep bra.

[0050] As Figure 6 shown, the wings 12b, 12c of the chest band 12 include an inner layer 48 configured to contact the skin of the wearer, an outer layer 50 configured to face outward from the wearer, and an intermediate layer 52 sandwiched between the inner layer 48 and the outer layer 50. In one example, the inner layer 48 and the outer layer 50 are fabrics similar to the fabrics of the inner and outer linings 30, 32 of the cups, but one or both of the layers 48, 50 may be a mesh to provide a cooling effect to the wearer. In some examples, particularly if the bra 10 is strapless, the inner layer 48 may be made of a fabric that inherently adheres to the skin of the wearer, such as 100% spandex. In additional examples, the inner layer 48 may be painted or otherwise treated to be set to be soft when against the skin of the wearer.

[0051] The intermediate layer 52 may be a sheet of mesh or netting material. In some examples, the mesh may be a non-woven material. The mesh may be made of a polymer (such as polystyrene) by gravure printing or extrusion. More particularly, the mesh sheet may be made of 100% polystyrene. Other suitable materials for the mesh are polyolefins or shape memory polymers. Some suitable materials of this type are available from Meiwa Gravure Co., Ltd. in Higashi-Osaka, Japan. Additionally, the mesh may be made of a polymer that is screen printed or 3D printed onto a release sheet and then removed after solidification to be incorporated into the wings 12b, 12c. In other examples, the polymer may be applied directly onto the inner layer 48 or the outer layer 50 of the fabric in a mesh pattern. If the intermediate layer 52 is made of a netting material, the netting material may be a woven fabric netting material. For example, the netting material may include polyethylene and thermoplastic elastomer threads. Some other types of suitable mesh and / or netting materials are available under the trademark CONWED TMSold by Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. of Albany, Georgia. The web or mesh material can have holes of any shape, such as square, diamond, circular, oval, parallelogram, or rectangular. The size of the holes will typically be 1 to 3 millimeters or less. Additionally, in a particular instance, the size of the holes is 0.5 to 1.5 millimeters, preferably 0.8 to 1.1 millimeters. The thickness of the web or mesh material can be 100 to 160 microns, preferably 130 microns. The porosity (fraction of open area to total area) of the web or mesh material can be 30% to 50%, more specifically, 35% to 40%. The web or mesh material can have a weight of 30 gsm to 70 gsm, or more particularly 50 gsm.

[0052] In a particular instance, a 100% polystyrene web with a thickness of 130 microns, a weight of 50 gsm, having holes with a measurement of 0.9 to 1.1 millimeters in one direction and 0.8 to 0.95 millimeters in a direction transverse to that direction, and an average porosity of 40% has an elongation of approximately 120% and a recovery of approximately 88% from 0.1 kg to 1 kg. For example, when the web is worn on the body as part of a bra 10, the elongation and recovery do not vary significantly with temperature. Thus, incorporating the web into the bra 10 can provide higher stretch to the fabric laminate and cause it to recover quickly. It should be noted that the overall stretch and recovery will depend on the fabric laminated to the web, and in one instance, the inner layer 48 and the outer layer 50 on either side of the intermediate layer are nylon-spandex.

[0053] The layered structure of the wings 12b, 12c provides enhanced resiliency to the wings, smoothing the back and underarm bulges while still being tight enough around the thoracic cavity to keep the bra 10 in place and support the breasts. The middle layer 52 can have greater stretch and recovery capabilities than the inner layer 48 and the outer layer 50. Thus, using a mesh / netting material between the inner layer 48 and the outer layer 50 of the fabric stabilizes the inner layer 48 and the outer layer 50 of the fabric at their edges and provides overall stretch and resiliency to the wings 12b, 12c. This allows the upper and lower edges of the wings 12b, 12c to be roughly cut and joined to each other and to the middle layer 52 by an adhesive means, such as by laminating and / or molding (i.e., no stitching is required). Additionally, because the middle layer 52 provides stretch and recovery over the entire height and length of the wings 12b, 12c (even in the lower bust region 12a), there is no need for a separate elastic band along the top edge and / or bottom edge of the wings 12b, 12c as in common bras. This eliminates the bite of the wings 12b, 12c and provides a smooth underarm and back area appearance for the garment while still keeping the garment tight enough to support the breasts. It should be noted that in other instances, the middle layer 52 can be provided only near the top edge and / or bottom edge of the wings 12b, 12c and, optionally, an elastic band can be provided where the middle layer 52 is absent. In additional instances, even if the middle layer 52 extends the entire height and length of the wings, an elastic band (which can be knitted or woven or made of a thermoplastic tape / membrane) can be provided at the top edge and / or bottom edge of the wings 12b, 12c to provide increased support, but the elastic band does not need to be as tight as might be required if the middle layer 52 were not provided.

[0054] Now turning to Figure 7 , the layers of the bra 10 are shown exploded to describe how the layers are molded together. Figure 7 The outer layer is shown at the top of the figure and the inner layer is shown at the bottom of the figure, transitioning from the outer layer to the inner layer. These layers are placed in the female mold part so as to be placed from the top (the outside of the garment) to the bottom (the inside of the garment).

[0055] The outermost layer (i.e., Figure 6The outer layer 50 described with respect to the wings 12b, 12c is first placed in the female mold part. The outer layer 50 extends not only across the two wings 12b, 12c, but also across the entire front part of the bra 10 including the cups 16 and the lower chest region 12a. An adhesive 58 (such as a silicone adhesive) is placed at the lower edge of the outer layer 50 to bond the outer layer 50 to the foam frame 40 and the intermediate layer 52, which are located on top of the outer layer 50. In another example, the outer layer 50 is sewn tangentially to the inner layer 48 of each wing 12b, 12c and the fabric inner layer in the lower chest region 12a. Additional adhesives, such as spray adhesives, printed adhesives or adhesive dots, can also be applied to selected locations of the outer layer 50, for example, to adhere the outer layer 50 to the intermediate layer 52 along the entire height and length of the wings 12b, 12c and / or to adhere the outer layer 50 to the foam frame 40 in the lower chest region 12a. In another example, these layers 50, 48, 52 are only connected along their outer edges. Additionally or alternatively, by purposefully applying adhesives, the outer layer 50 can be loose (non-adhesive) where it covers the cups 16, but adheres to the remaining layers of the bra 10 in the chest band 12. In yet another example, the outer layer 50 can be loose (non-adhesive) where it covers the cups 16 and the lower chest region 12a, but can be adhesive where it covers the wings 12b, 12c. In such an example, if the intermediate layer 52 for the wings 12b, 12c self-bonds by applying heat and pressure, little or no adhesive may be required in the wings 12b, 12c to bond the outer layer 50 to the intermediate layer 52. For example, when applying a pressure of 3 - 5 bar for 10 - 20 seconds at 150 - 180 °C, 100% polystyrene net as described above can self-bond to nylon-spandex fabric. The self-bonding of the net and the fabric allows the garment to be breathable and have a soft feel, which may not be the case if additional adhesives are required.

[0056] The foam frame 40 can be pre-assembled before being placed in the mold, for example, by laminating and / or molding into a shape configured to bend around the wearer's chest. The foam frame 40 with the embedded curved support member 42 is placed on top of the outer layer 50, where the recesses in the foam frame 40 are aligned with the edges of the recesses in the female mold part. In another example, the foam inner layer 44, the foam outer layer 46 and the curved support member 42 are placed separately into the garment mold instead of being pre-assembled, but an adhesive is provided between them. The foam inner layer 44 can be coated with an adhesive to bond it to the intermediate layer 52, or the intermediate layer 52 can self-bond to the foam inner layer 44 when heat and pressure are applied.

[0057] Then, the one related to Figure 6The same intermediate layer 52 as described is placed on top of the foam frame 40 and the outer layer 50. Also, during this placement, the recesses in each layer are aligned. It should be noted that the intermediate layer 52 extends not only across the wings 12b, 12c, but also across the lower bust region 12a. However, in other instances, the intermediate layer 52 is located only along the wings 12b, 12c or only in the lower bust region 12a. The intermediate layer 52 can be coated with more adhesive, or the adhesive applied to the outer layer 50 can be capable of extending through the holes in the mesh of the intermediate layer 52 and bonding with the inner layer 48 of the bra 10. In some instances, by purposefully applying adhesive in the wings 12b, 12c, the intermediate layer 52 can be adhered to the inner layer 48 and the outer layer 50 of the fabric in the form of a strip that extends only a few centimeters inward from the edges of the wings 12b, 12c, where the intermediate vertical extent of the wings 12b, 12c is not adhered. Alternatively, if the intermediate layer 52 self-bonds by applying heat and pressure, heat and pressure can be applied only along the upper and lower edges of the wings 12b, 12c as needed.

[0058] The cup 16 is then placed in the recess of the female mold part, and the lower edge 38 of the cup is aligned with the recess 14 defined by the foam frame 40 and the intermediate layer 52. The cup 16 can be pre-assembled or even molded into a cup shape before being inserted into the garment mold. In other instances, the cup 16 is laminated but not molded with the other layers of the bra 10 before being placed in the garment mold. In additional instances, each of the three layers of the cup 16 is loose before being placed in the garment mold, and adhesive is applied between each layer, and then the layers are bonded together in the garment mold. The cup 16 is thus located in the garment mold such that the foam padding 34 in the cup 16 does not contact or overlap with the components of the chest band 12, specifically the foam frame 40 and the intermediate layer 52, as now described.

[0059] Briefly refer to Figure 8, the lower part 36a of the lower region 36 of the lining 30 of each cup 16a, 16b overlaps with the upper edge 56 of the intermediate layer 52 (and the corresponding upper edge of the foam frame 40 behind the intermediate layer 52) in the recess 14. At the same time, the upper part 36b of the lower region 36 of the lining 30 of each cup 16 that extends beyond the lower edge 38 of the foam padding 34 and the outer lining 32 does not overlap with the intermediate layer 52 and, in fact, does not overlap with any layer of the chest band 12, but overlaps with the outer layer 50. Similarly, only the lower part 36a of the lower region 36 of the lining 30, rather than its upper part 36b, overlaps with the upper edge of the foam frame 40. Thus, between (a) the overlapping foam frame 40, the intermediate layer 52, and the lower part 36a of the lower region 36 of the lining 30 and (b) the lower edge 38 of the foam padding 34, only the upper part 36b of the lower region 36 of the lining 30 connects the cup 16 to the chest band 12 on the inner surface of the bra 10. (It should be noted that the outer layer 50 connects the cup 16 to the chest band 12 on the outer surface of the bra 10.)

[0060] Return to Figure 7 , and then an adhesive strip 54, which can be made of silicone, is placed on the cup 16 below the lower edge 38 of the foam padding 34. More specifically, the adhesive strip 54 is placed on top of the lower part 36a of the lower region 36 of the lining 30. Then the innermost layer of the chest band 12 (which is the inner layer 48 as described with respect to Figure 6 is placed in the mold. It can be seen that the inner layer 48 extends not only along the wings 12b (and 12c, although not shown herein), but also across the lower chest region 12a of the chest band 12. In this example, the inner layer 48 is formed from a single piece of fabric to provide a seamless surface that contacts the wearer's skin. However, in other examples, two or more pieces of fabric can be stitched or bonded together to form the inner layer 48. The inner layer 48 is aligned such that the upper edge of the recess therein is located on top of the adhesive strip 54, specifically such that the non-adhesive portion of the inner layer 48 is not located on the adhesive strip 54.

[0061] In some examples, then the upper edge 50a of the outer layer 50 is folded over the lining 30 of the cup 16, and they are bonded together at the upper edge 18 and the underarm edge 22 using an elastic adhesive strip to form a smooth upper edge. See Figure 2 and Figure 9 , if the layers 48, 52, 50 are laminated together, the edges of the wings 12b, 12c can be rough cut. The edges of the wings 12b, 12c can alternatively be trimmed by stitching (e.g., reverse stitching) and / or bonding.

[0062] Figure 8 and Figure 9Further details regarding attaching the cup 16 to the foam frame 40, the intermediate layer 52, and the inner layer 48 are provided. As described above, the inner liner 30 and / or the outer liner 32 of each cup 16 extends beyond the lower edge 38 of the foam pad 34. According to the present disclosure, at least one of the inner liner 30 and the outer liner 32 of each cup 16 is attached to the chest band 12 along the corresponding recess 14. As described above, the inner liner 30 is the inner liner attached to the chest band 12, for example, by attaching the lower portion 36a of the lower region 36 of the inner liner 30 to the adhesive strip 54 of the inner layer 48, and the intermediate layer 52 overlaps and adheres to the lower portion 36a of the lower region 36 of the inner liner 30. The foam pad 34 of each cup 16 (whose lower edge is shown at 38) is not attached to the chest band 12 except through at least one of the inner liner 30 and the outer liner 32 (here, through the inner liner 30). Since the lower portion 36a of the lower region 36 of the inner liner 30 of each cup 16 overlaps the chest band 12 and this overlap is sealed with the adhesive strip 54, the wearer cannot feel the "seam" created here. While having the inner liner 30 extend beyond the lower edge 38 of the foam pad 34 provides this benefit, in other instances, only the extended lower edge of the outer liner 32 may overlap and be connected to the components of the chest band 12. In other instances, both the inner liner 30 and the outer liner 32 overlap the components of the chest band 12. However, by leaving a gap between the lower edge 38 of the foam pad 34 and the chest band 12, particularly between the lower edge 38 of the foam pad 34 and the curved support member 42 in the chest band 12, the bra 10 has increased flexibility and comfort.

[0063] In some instances, the lower edge 38 of the foam pad 34 of each cup 16 is thinner than the portion of the foam pad 34 immediately above the lower edge 38. For example, the lower edge 38 can be thinned down to almost nothing to prevent a noticeable bulge where the foam pad 34 stops, and the cups 16a, 16b include only the inner liner 30. If additional support is needed in this area, the lower edge 38 of the foam pad 34 can instead be compressed to provide a denser support area that is still thinner than the rest of the foam pad 34 above it.

[0064] In one example, the lining 30 extends a distance of 1 / 4” to 5 / 8” beyond the lower edge 38 of the foam padding 34. In a more specific example, the lining 30 extends a distance of 3 / 8” to 1 / 2” beyond the lower edge 38 of the foam padding 34. In an even more specific example, the lining 30 extends a distance of 7 / 16” beyond the lower edge 38 of the foam padding 34. In one example, 1 / 8” to 3 / 8” of the lower region 36 of the lining 30 overlaps with the chest strap 12. In a more specific example, 3 / 16” to 5 / 16” of the lower region 36 of the lining 30 overlaps with the chest strap 12. In an even more specific example, 1 / 4” of the lower region 36 of the lining 30 overlaps with the chest strap 12. In some examples, 1 / 16” to 5 / 16” of the lining 30 does not overlap with the foam padding 34 or the chest strap 12 and can bend with the movement of the wearer and changing breast size. In a more specific example, 1 / 8” to 1 / 4” of the lining 30 does not overlap with any other layer of the bra 10 but overlaps with the outer layer 50. In an even more specific example, 3 / 16” of the lining 30 does not overlap with any other layer of the bra 10 but overlaps with the outer layer 50.

[0065] Figures 10 to 13 Another example of a bra 110 according to the present disclosure is shown. It should be noted that Figures 10 to 13 Similar components in the second example shown are marked with a “1” in the hundreds place, such that the cup 116 corresponds to Figures 1 to 9 cup 16 of the first example, the chest strap 112 corresponds to the chest strap 12 of the first example, and so on. Thus, where components provide the same function and are manufactured in the same (or similar) manner as the first example, those components will not be described further below, it being understood that the description of those components above applies equally to Figures 10 to 13 the second example of the bra in Figures 11 to 13 Unless otherwise indicated, the description of the materials used in the bra 10 above applies equally to the materials used in the bra 110. Additionally, although only one cup 116 and a wing 112b are shown in Figure 10 it should be understood that, as

[0066] Figure 10 An unassembled bra 110 is shown, which includes a chest strap 112 configured to surround and abut against the wearer's thoracic cage, and a portion of the chest strap 112 includes a pair of recesses 114, each of the pair of recesses 114 being configured to be located beneath one of the wearer's breasts when the bra 110 is worn. As with Figure 7Similarly, the layers of the bra 110 are shown with the outer layer at the top of the figure and the inner layer at the bottom of the figure, transitioning from the outer layer to the inner layer. A pair of curved support members 142 are attached to the chest band 112 along a pair of recesses 114, respectively. A pair of cups 116 are also provided. Each cup 116 is located in a respective one of the pair of recesses 114, and each cup 116 includes a lining 130, an outer lining (on the opposite side of the cup 116, not shown), and a foam padding 134 sandwiched between the lining and the outer lining, as described with respect to Figure 3 At least one of the lining and the outer lining of each cup 116 is attached to the chest band 112 along the respective recess 114. Except through at least one of the lining and the outer lining, the foam padding 134 of each cup 116 is not attached to the chest band 112. Here, only the lining 130 connects the foam padding 134 of the cup 116 to the chest band 112, as will be described below.

[0067] As described with respect to Figure 6 and Figure 7 the chest band 112 includes an inner layer configured to contact the skin of the wearer, an outer layer 150 configured to face outward from the wearer, and an intermediate layer 152 sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer. The intermediate layer 152 of the chest band 112 can be a net or mesh material as described above. Here, compared to the first example, the inner layer of the chest band 112 is the same as the lining 130 of the cup 116. In other words, also referring to Figure 11 and Figure 12 the lining 130 of the cup 116 extends downward from the cup 116 as a single continuous piece of fabric across the gap between the lower edge 138 of the foam padding 134 in the cup 116 and the upper edge of the recess 114, and extends to the lower edge of the chest band 112, where the lining 130 is sewn tangentially to the outer layer 150 of the bra 110 in reverse. As in the first example, the chest band 112 also includes a foam frame 140 that at least partially defines a pair of recesses 114 and is configured to at least partially extend under the arms of the wearer. For example, the most lateral extent of the foam frame 140 is shown as 140a in Figure 13 As described with respect to Figure 5 the foam frame 140 of the chest band 112 includes a foam inner layer 144 and an (opposite) foam outer layer, and a pair of curved support members 142 are embedded between the foam inner layer and the foam outer layer.

[0068] As in the first example, the lower region 136 of the lining 130 of each cup 116 extends beyond the lower edge 138 of each foam padding 134 and beyond the lower edge of the outer lining (on the opposite side of the cup 116) of each cup 116. Additionally, referring to Figure 11 and Figure 12, the lower part 136a of the lower region 136 of the lining 130 of each cup 116 overlaps with the chest band 112. The upper part 136b of the lower region 136 of the lining 130 of each cup 116 extends beyond the lower edge 138 of the foam padding 134 and the (opposite) outer lining and does not overlap with the chest band 112. The lining 130 is made of a fabric with a lower modulus of elasticity than that of the foam padding 134, thereby providing stretch in the "gap" between the lower edge 138 of the foam padding 134 and the upper edge of the recess 114 in the chest band 112. Similarly to the first example, the upper edge of the intermediate layer 152 of the chest band 112 (which also includes the recess 114) may overlap with the lower part 136a of the lower region 136 of the lining 130 of each cup 116.

[0069] For assembly Figures 10 to 13 of the bra 110, the cups 116, the lining 130, the intermediate layer 152, and the foam frame 140 can be molded together first. The cups 116 and the foam frame 140 can be placed in the female part of the mold first, where the lower edge 138 of the foam padding 134 of the cup 116 is spaced from the upper edge of the recess 114 in the foam frame 140. In this case, the cup 116 can include only the foam padding 134 and the (opposite) outer lining, and an adhesive can be applied to the inner surface of the foam padding 134 for future bonding with the lining 130. Next, the intermediate layer 152 can be placed in the mold in a manner that overlaps with the foam frame 140 but does not overlap with the foam padding 134. Then, the lining 130 can be placed in the mold, and heat and pressure are applied to mold the lining 130 to the inner surface of the foam padding 134 and to the intermediate layer 152. In this example, the lining 130 and the intermediate layer 152 can be fabric pieces that are only as wide as the lower chest region 112a of the chest band 112 (see Figure 10 130a and 152a). Thus, a pre-molding sheet subassembly of the cup 116, the foam frame 140, the intermediate layer 152a, and the lining 130a is formed.

[0070] Specific reference Figure 10 and Figure 12, the wings 112b, 112c of the bra 110 can then be formed by adhering and / or molding the wing-shaped intermediate layers 152b, 152c and the wing-shaped liners 130b, 130c to the outer lateral edges of the front sub-assembly. The outer layer 150 can then be sewn to the front sub-assembly and the bottom edges of the laminated wings 112b, 112c, and the outer layer 150 can be reverse-tangented to fold the outer layer over the front of the bra 110. Elastic strips 155 are provided at the bottom of each wing 112b, 112c, or between the liners 130b, 130c and the intermediate layers 152b, 152c, or between the intermediate layers 152b, 152c and the outer layer 150. The elastic strips 155 can be knitted or woven, or made of a thermoplastic tape / membrane. The upper edge 150a of the outer layer 150 can be folded over the top edges of the front sub-assembly and the wings 112c, 112c and bonded or sewn thereto. By applying heat and pressure, due to the self-bonding nature of the intermediate layer 152, the outer layer 150 can be bonded to the outer face of the intermediate layer 152. Thus, the outer layer 150 can be loose (unbonded) where it covers the cups 116 and the lower bust region 112a, but bonded where it covers the wings 112b, 112c. Then, the ends of the wings 112b, 112c can be attached with trims such as hook-and-eye closures.

[0071] In additional examples of the bras 10, 110, the intermediate layers 52, 152 are not provided in the lower bust regions 12a, 112a, but only in the wings 12b, 12c and 112b, 112c. In this case, since there are no self-bonding intermediate layers 52, 152, an adhesive is applied to bond a portion of the inner layer 48 or the liner 130 to the foam frames 40, 140.

[0072] It should be noted that the concepts of the present invention can be applied to other types of bras and bra-like garments. For example, the bra can be a sports bra, a long-line bra, or a nursing bra. The bra can be incorporated within a covering garment, such as a camisole or a T-shirt. The structures shown and described herein can alternatively be part of a petticoat, a dress, or a swimsuit. Those skilled in the art will understand to which other types of garments the concepts of the present invention can be applied.

[0073] In this specification, some terms are used for the sake of brevity, clarity, and ease of understanding. Since these terms are for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly interpreted, they should not be construed to imply unnecessary limitations beyond the requirements of the prior art. The different components described herein can be used alone or in combination with other systems. Within the scope of the appended claims, various equivalents, alternatives, and modifications are possible.

Claims

1. A bra, comprising: A chest band configured to surround and abut against the wearer's chest cavity, a part of the chest band including a pair of recesses, each of the pair of recesses being configured to be located under one of the wearer's breasts when the wearer wears the bra; A pair of curved support members respectively attached to the chest band along the pair of recesses; And A pair of cups, each cup being located within a corresponding one of the pair of recesses, and each cup including an inner lining, an outer lining, and a foam padding sandwiched between the inner lining and the outer lining; Wherein the inner lining of each cup is attached to the chest band along the corresponding recess; Wherein, except through the inner lining, the foam padding of each cup is not attached to the chest band; and Wherein the chest band includes: an inner layer configured to contact the wearer's skin; an outer layer configured to face outward from the wearer; and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer; Wherein a lower region of the inner lining of each cup extends beyond a lower edge of the foam padding of each cup and a lower edge of the outer lining, and wherein a lower portion of the lower region of the inner lining of each cup overlaps with the chest band; Wherein an upper portion of the lower region of the inner lining of each cup that extends beyond the lower edge of the foam padding and the lower edge of the outer lining does not overlap with the chest band; and Wherein, between the lower portion of the lower region of the inner lining and the lower edge of the foam padding, only an upper portion of the lower region of the inner lining connects the cup to the chest band on an inner surface of the bra.

2. The bra according to claim 1, wherein, The inner lining is made of a fabric having an elastic modulus smaller than that of the foam padding.

3. The bra according to claim 1, wherein, An upper edge of the intermediate layer of the chest band overlaps with the lower portion of the lower region of the inner lining of each cup.

4. The bra according to claim 3, wherein, The intermediate layer of the chest band is a mesh.

5. The brassiere according to claim 4, wherein The mesh is made of an extruded polymer.

6. The bra according to claim 1, wherein, The chest band includes a foam frame that at least partially defines the pair of recesses and is configured to at least partially extend under the wearer's arms.

7. The brassiere according to claim 6, wherein, The foam frame includes a foam inner layer and a foam outer layer, and wherein the pair of curved support members are embedded between the foam inner layer and the foam outer layer.

8. The brassiere according to claim 1, wherein, A lower edge of the foam padding of each cup is thinner than a portion of the foam padding immediately above the lower edge.

9. A bra, comprising: A chest band configured to surround and abut against the wearer's chest cavity, a part of the chest band including a pair of recesses, each of the pair of recesses being configured to be located under one of the wearer's breasts when the wearer wears the bra; A pair of curved support members respectively attached to the chest band along the pair of recesses; And A pair of cups, each cup being located within a corresponding one of the pair of recesses, and each cup including an inner lining, an outer lining, and a foam padding sandwiched between the inner lining and the outer lining; Wherein the inner lining of each cup is attached to the chest band along the corresponding recess; Wherein, except through the inner lining, the foam padding of each cup is not attached to the chest band; and Wherein, the chest strap includes a foam frame that at least partially defines the pair of recesses and is configured to at least partially extend under the wearer's arms; Wherein, the lower region of the lining of each cup extends beyond the lower edge of the foam padding of each cup and the lower edge of the outer lining, and wherein the lower portion of the lower region of the lining of each cup overlaps with the chest strap; Wherein, the upper portion of the lower region of the lining of each cup that extends beyond the lower edge of the foam padding and the lower edge of the outer lining does not overlap with the chest strap; and Wherein, between the lower portion of the lower region of the lining and the lower edge of the foam padding, only the upper portion of the lower region of the lining connects the cup to the chest strap on the inner surface of the bra.

10. The brassiere according to claim 9, wherein, The chest strap further includes: an inner layer configured to contact the wearer's skin; an outer layer configured to face outward from the wearer; and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer; and Wherein, the foam frame is also sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer of the chest strap.

11. The bra according to claim 10, wherein, The upper edge of the intermediate layer overlaps with the lower portion of the lower region of the lining of each cup.

12. The brassiere according to claim 10, wherein, The intermediate layer is a mesh.

13. The brassiere according to claim 12, wherein, The mesh is made of an extruded polymer.

14. The brassiere according to claim 9, wherein, The foam frame includes a foam inner layer and a foam outer layer, and wherein the pair of curved support members are embedded between the foam inner layer and the foam outer layer.

15. The brassiere according to claim 9, wherein, The lower edge of the foam padding of each cup is thinner than the portion of the foam padding immediately above the lower edge.

16. The brassiere according to claim 9, wherein, The lining of each cup is made of a fabric having a lower modulus of elasticity than the foam padding of each cup.

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