Athletic Bra Topography for Motion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional athletic bras provide support by restricting all breast motion, which can lead to discomfort and potential damage due to excessive pressure and underwire pressure.
Innovation Solution
An athletic bra featuring a unitary support panel with a topography of valleys and ridges, where the valleys define flexure lines to encourage motion and the ridges resist motion, directing and controlling breast motion during athletic activities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional athletic bras use compression or encapsulation to restrict all breast motion, then breast support and motion control are improved, but wearer comfort deteriorates due to increased pressure and underwire pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The support panel incorporates a topography with varying local properties: raised ridges provide support and resistance to motion in specific areas, while recessed valleys provide flexibility and accommodate natural breast movement. This localized differentiation allows the garment to provide support where needed while reducing pressure in areas requiring flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The topographic structure creates dynamic regions within the support panel that can adapt to breast movement during athletic activities. The raised and recessed areas work together to allow controlled motion in certain directions while providing support in others, transitioning from static compression to dynamic motion management.
2Reliability
If conventional athletic bras restrict all breast motion to provide support, then motion control is improved, but natural breast movement is overly constrained causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The topographic pattern creates zones with different motion characteristics: raised ridges constrain motion perpendicular to their orientation, while recessed valleys allow greater freedom of movement. This spatial variation in local properties enables the garment to control harmful motion while preserving natural movement patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The support panel is segmented into multiple raised and recessed regions that independently manage motion in different areas. This segmentation allows different parts of the breast to move naturally while the overall structure provides coordinated support and motion control across the entire panel.
Data Source
AI summary
An athletic bra includes a support panel shaped to include first and second cups. Grooves are formed into the panel to provide areas of increase flexure and/or stretch. A textile layer can be secured to the support panel.