Garment Strap Sliding Adjustment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing straps for bras and similar garments often fail to adequately adjust to the wearer's body shape, being difficult to adjust and uncomfortable during exercise or athletic activities due to the presence of buckles or hasps.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates adjustable straps with sliding means that attach to the neck and back straps, allowing for easy adjustment of the fit across the upper and lower back, eliminating the need for buckles and providing comfort during exercise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional buckles or hasps are used for strap adjustment, then the straps can be adjusted to fit different body shapes, but the straps become uncomfortable during stretching, exercising, and athletic performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional buckle mechanism from the strap system entirely. Instead of using a buckle to secure the strap, the design employs a continuous strap that passes through a guide ring, eliminating the harmful buckle element that causes discomfort during exercise while maintaining adjustability through the guide ring mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using a rigid buckle to lock the strap in place, the invention inverts the approach by using a flexible guide ring that allows the strap to slide freely. This inversion transforms the adjustment mechanism from a rigid, potentially uncomfortable structure to a flexible, comfortable one that moves with the wearer's body.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional buckles or hasps are used for strap adjustment, then the straps can be adjusted to fit different body shapes, but the adjustment process becomes difficult or time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex buckle mechanism that requires threading and locking actions. The simplified guide ring system allows the strap to be adjusted by simply sliding it through the ring, eliminating the difficult manipulation steps associated with traditional buckles and making adjustment quick and intuitive.
3Device complexity
If fixed-length straps are used, then the garment structure is simple, but the straps cannot adequately adjust to the wearer's body shape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static, fixed-length strap into a dynamic system where the strap length can be adjusted by sliding it through the guide ring. This dynamic capability allows the same simple strap structure to adapt to various body shapes and sizes, providing versatility without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Straps for a garment, the garment having a body for covering at least a portion of a chest of a wearer, the straps comprising: at least one neck strap connected to an upper part of the body forming a neck opening; at least one back strap attached to the body forming a torso opening; and, at least one pair of adjustable straps each arm of the pair of adjustable straps having a lower end that is attached to the at least one back strap on either side of a midpoint thereof on a back of the garment and an upper end attached to the at least one neck strap, wherein the at least one pair of adjustable straps further comprise sliding means formed at the upper end such that the adjustable straps are slidable on either side of a midpoint of the neck strap, and wherein the second ends of the at least one pair of the adjustable straps are slidable along the neck strap between respective first positions proximate the midpoint of the neck strap and second positions proximate the body of the garment to adjust the fit of the garment across the upper back of the wearer and to adjust a spacing between the neck strap and the back strap.