Brassiere Basque Foam Underwire Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Brassieres with underwiring cause discomfort and risk of injury due to rigid materials that do not adjust to the body's morphology, leading to blisters or skin tears during strenuous activities.

Innovation Solution

A brassiere design featuring a basque that covers the underwiring, made from a textile and foam assembly, providing compression reduction and breathability, with optional features like padding, apertures, and thermoformed construction to absorb impacts and distribute pressure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If underwiring is used to improve breast support, then support is improved, but comfort deteriorates due to rigid materials pressing on skin and bones

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebreast supportVSAvoidcomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a basque as an intermediary element between the rigid underwire and the user's body. This basque acts as a mediator that transmits the support function of the underwire while eliminating direct contact between the rigid material and the skin, thereby resolving the contradiction between support and comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The basque is constructed using flexible materials including fabric layers and foam padding that can conform to the body's morphology. This flexible structure replaces the rigid underwire's direct contact with the skin, maintaining support functionality while improving comfort during movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Strength

If rigid underwire materials are used to provide structural support, then support is improved, but adaptability deteriorates as they do not adjust to body morphology during movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidadjustment to body morphology

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The basque employs flexible fabric and foam materials that can dynamically adapt to the user's body movements and morphology changes, replacing the rigid underwire's direct interaction with the body while maintaining necessary structural support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The basque utilizes composite construction combining different materials (fabric, foam, padding) that collectively provide both structural integrity for support and flexibility for adaptability to body movements, resolving the contradiction between strength and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If underwiring is used to enhance support, then support is improved, but harmful factors increase due to risk of blisters and skin tears during strenuous activity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebreast supportVSAvoidskin injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The basque incorporates padding and cushioning layers that are positioned in advance between the underwire and the user's skin. This prior cushioning prevents direct contact and potential injury from the rigid underwire during strenuous activities, eliminating the harmful effects while maintaining support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The basque serves as a protective intermediary barrier that prevents the rigid underwire from directly contacting and potentially injuring the user's skin and bones, thereby eliminating the harmful factors associated with traditional underwired brassieres.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of operation

If foam padding is added to the basque to improve comfort, then comfort is improved, but breathability may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecomfortVSAvoidbreathability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The basque employs localized padding strategy where foam padding is applied selectively in specific areas that require cushioning, rather than uniformly across the entire basque. This allows comfort-critical areas to be padded while leaving other areas open for breathability, resolving the contradiction between comfort and breathability through spatial differentiation of material properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The basque reduces discomfort and injury risks by minimizing underwiring pressure on the skin and bones, enhancing breathability, and providing better support during movement.

Implementation Method 1

the basque is executed of an assemblage comprising a textile and a foam; impacts between the underwiring and the trunk of the user are thus absorbed well by the basque

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact absorption: Damping

Implementation Method 2

the foam is thermoformed and/or compressed or injected

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermoforming: Heat Treatment

Data Source

PatentUS11464261B2Brassiere including a foam support for the breasts

Publication Date: 2022.10.11 HANES OPERATIONS EURO SAS

AI summary

A brassiere (1) with at least one underwire designed to be disposed at least at the lower join zone between each breast and the trunk of a user, the brassiere (1) including two cups (2, 3) designed to cover the breasts at least in part and onto which the underwire is fastened, characterized in that it includes at least one basque (e.g., cradle), (4) disposed on brassiere (1), so as to there-with cover at least the underwiring, and designed to be interposed between at least the underwiring and the body of the user.