Improvement in brassiere wires and method of forming same

Description

[0001] The present invention relates generally to brassieres and more particularly, relates to improvements in wire members for use in brassieres.

[0002] The use of metallic wires or frames as stiffening members or frames in the manufacture of brassieres is well known in the art. The wires have a generally U-shaped configuration extending along the side peripheral portions of the brassiere cups and are generally of a rectangular cross sectional configuration with the longer dimension extending radially with respect to the curvature of the wire. The wires are secured to the brassiere by enclosing the wires within the fabric along the perimeter of the brassiere cups. The wires may be retained by means of stitching about the ends of the wires. Reference may be had to U.S. Patent 3,799,175 to Rowell which illustrates a typical wire.

[0003] Typically, as is known in the art, the brassiere wires or frames may be formed of a spring steel and in particular, a high carbon spring steel which is well known for its suitability.

[0004] As aforementioned, the use of metallic wires as stiffening members for frames has been found to be suitable insofar as they provide suitable support and definition for the garment. However, since the wire used is by its very nature a stiff wire, it can cause problems insofar as comfort is concerned and in addition, when the brassiere is repeatedly washed, shrinkage of the fabric can cause the wires to tear through the stitching or fabric of the brassiere (poke-through) and bevome a source of discomfort. It has been proposed in the art to provide plastic end caps or tips on the ends of the wires; although such plastic wires have a lesser tendency to tear through the fabric, the ends of the wires remain relatively stiff and can be a source of discomfort to the wearer.

[0005] It has also been proposed in the art to provide end caps or tips wherein the plastic material forming the cap extends beyond the end of the wire for a substantial distance. The end cap is of a flexible material and thus renders the end of the wire more resilient than would otherwise be the case. While such a construction provides substantial advantages over the bare metallic stiffening member, it has been found that these members which are slipped on the wire may become disengaged therefrom after repated washing of the garment. Furthermore, these end caps are frequently secured to the wire after the same has been inserted in the garment and the manual operation of so doing is an expensive one.

[0006] There is disclosed in US-A-4 285 113 a brassiere as defined in the pre-characterizing portion of claim 1 of the present application.

[0007] It is the object of the described embodiment to provide an improved stiffening member suitable for use in a brassiere wherein the stiffening member has one or more portions which are softer and more flexible than the remaining portions.

[0008] It is the further object of the embodiment to provide a method for rendering a stiffening member in a brassiere softer and more flexible.

[0009] It is a still further object of the embodiment to provide a brassiere having a greater comfort for the wearer and having less of a "poke-through" problem. According to the invention there is provided a brassiere and a method of treating a stiffening member used in a brassiere and a stiffening member made by such method, as defined in the accompanying claims.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a stiffening member for a brassiere is formed of a metallic spring wire material having a generally U-shaped configuration. A portion of the stiffening member is subjected to an annealing operation to thereby soften said portion.

[0011] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a method for treating a stiffening member suitable for use in a brassiere comrises the step of annealing a portion of the member which is formed of a metallic spring wire material.

[0012] In greater detail, the preferred improved stiffening member comprises a conventional U-shaped wire having a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration with the longer dimension extending radially with respect to the curvature of the wire. The wire is formed of a spring wire material. At least a portion of the spring wire is subjected to an annealing step to soften the portion treated and thereby render the same more flexible or bendable and to provide greater comfort to the wearer.

[0013] The stiffening member may be subjected to the aforesaid annealing operation at one or more places. Thus, it is within the scope of the present invention to only anneal the wire at a single location where the desired material softness is required. Preferably, however, the stiffening member is annealed at two different places, each place being adjacent the end of one of the legs of the member. The location of the annealed por- . tion of the wire may vary depending upon the size of the wire and the particular garment in which it is to be utilized. In general terms, the wire would be annealed at a position ranging from the end of each leg to a distance of 10,16 cm (4 inches) from the end of the leg. In the most preferred embodiment, the stiffening member or frame would be annealed at a position ranging between 0,635 cm (1/4") to 2,54 (1 inch) from the end of the leg and a distance of 1.27 cm (1/2") has been found to be very suitable.

[0014] The length of the annealed portion can also vary according to the requirements of the designer. Thus, a very small portion, typically 0,318 cm (1/8") to 1.905 cm (3/4") in length, may be subjected to the annealing or alternatively, again depending on the ultimate end use of the member, a larger length may be annealed.

[0015] Following the annealing, the annealed portion is desirably provided with a protective coating or subjected to a further treatment to prevent oxidation of the metallic member.

[0016] The means of annealing the member may be chosen from among many well known to those knowledgeable in the art. Thus, one may use various types of flames to anneal or alternatively, an induction type of annealing could be utilized. One attractive alternative is to utilize high intensity infrared line heaters. These heaters generate highly concentrated radiant heat flux density along a thin line at the external focal axis of an elliptical reflector. Such heaters produce rapid heating rates and high temperatures which can be focused very precisely at the desired location. The specific time and temperature will again be a choice which can be made by those knowledgeable in the art; typically, the spring wire to be used in a brassiere wire would be heated to a temperature of above 1600°F and air cooled. The specific temperature and time of treatment can be varied as is well known by those skilled in the art in order to achieve the desired result. This annealing treatment will substantially reduce the hardness of the material; again, it is well within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to vary the hardness to achieve the results desired for a partpcular required design of brassiere wire.

[0017] Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof, in which:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a typical brassiere wire according to the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1.

[0018] Referring to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated in Figure 1 a typical stiffening member 10 which is suitable for use in a brassiere. Member 10 has a generally U-shaped configuration with two leg portions which are designated by reference numerals 12 and 14. Adjacent the free end of legs 12 and 14, the material is subjected to an annealing operation as designated by reference numeral 16. This annealing operation at the point 16 renders this point "softer" and permits movement of the free ends as shown by arrow 18. Subsequent to the annealing operation, a protective coating 20 is provided; protective coating 20 may be of a suitable material, typically a latex material.

[0019] The method for forming the stiffening member is well understood by those knowledgeable in the art. Thus, a roll of a suitable continuous spring wire material is supplied. This material has normally been subjected to annealing and tempering treatments as is conventional in the art. The wire material is cut to a suitable length and formed into the U-shaped members such as shown in Figure 1. Subsequent to the forming of the material into the individual U-shaped stiffening members, the legs are subjected to the annealing treatment to soften the desired portion. Subsequently, the protective coating is applied to the ends of the stiffening members or wires.

Claims

1. A brassiere comprising a stiffening member wherein the stiffening member is formed of a metallic spring wire material and has a generally U-shaped configuration characterized in that a portion of said member has been annealed to thereby soften said portion.

2. A brassiere according to Claim 1, characterized in that said U-shaped member has a pair of legs, each of said legs having a portion thereof which has been annealed.

3. A brassiere according to Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said annealed portion is provided with a protective coating.

4. A brassiere according to Claim 2 characterized in that said annealed portion is spaced a distance of between 1/4" to about 1" from the end of said legs.

5. A method of treating a stiffening member for use in a brassiere, characterized in that the method comprises a step of annealing a portion of said member to thereby render said portion softer.

6. A method of treating a stiffening member used in a brassiere wherein said stiffening member has a generally U-shaped configuration, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of supplying a continuous length of wire which has been annealed and tempered, cutting and forming said continuous length of wire into U-shaped members having a pair of legs, subjecting at least a portion of each said pair of legs to an annealing treatment to soften said portion, and subsequently applying a protective coating to said annealed sections.

7. The method of Claim 6 characterized in that the step of subjecting said legs to an annealing treatment comprises the step of subjecting a length of between 0.381 cm (1/8") to 1.905 cm (3/ 4") to said annealing treatment, said portion being spaced a distance of between 0.635 cm (1/4") and 2.54 cm (1") from the end of the legs.

8. A stiffening member made by a method according to any one of Claims 5, 6 and 7.

9. A brassiere comprising a stiffening member according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 and 8.

Ansprüche

1. Büstenhalter mit einem Versteifungsglied, in welchem das Versteifungsglied aus einem metallischen Federdrahtmaterial geformt ist und eine im allgemeinen U-förmige Konfiguration aufweist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß ein Teil des Gliedes weichgeglüht worden ist, um dadurch diesen Teil weich zu machen.

2. Büstenhalter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das U-förmige Glied ein Paar von Schenkeln aufweist, wobei jeder Schenkel ein Teil umfaßt, der weichgeglüht worden ist.

3. Büstenhalter nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der weichgeglühte Teil mit einer Schutzbeschichtung vorgesehen ist.

4. Büstenhalter nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der weichgeglühte Teil um eine Distanz zwischen 0,6 mm und etwa 2,5 cm (1/ 4" bis 1") von dem Ende der Schenkel mit Abstand angeordnet ist.

5. Verfahren zur Behandlung eines Versteifungsgliedes für eine Benutzung in einem Büstenhalter, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Verfahren einen Schritt des Anglühens bzw. Weichglühens eines Teils des Gliedes umfaßt, um dadurch den Teil weicher zu machen.

6. Verfahren zur Behandlung eines in einem Büstenhalter benutzten Versteifungsgliedes, wobei das Versteifungsglied eine im allgemeinen U-förmige Konfiguration aufweist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Verfähren die Schritte umfaßt, eine kontinuierliche Länge von Draht, der angeglüht bzw. weichgeglüht und getempert worden ist, zuzuführen, die kontinuierliche Drahtlänge zu schneiden und in U-förmige Glieder mit einem Paar von Schenkeln zu formen, zumindest einen Teil jedes Paares der Schenkel einer Weichglühbehandlung zu unterwerfen, um den Teil weicher zu machen, und nachfolgend eine Schutzbeschichtung auf die weichgeglühten Abschnitte aufzubringen.

7. Verfahren nach Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Schritt, die Schenkel einer Weichglühbehandlung zu unterwerfen den Schritt umfaßt, eine Länge zwischen 0,3 cm (1/8") und 1,9 cm (3/4") der Weichglühbehandlung zu unterwerfen, wobei der Teil um eine Distanz zwischen 0,6 cm (1/4") und 2,5 cm (1") von dem Ende der Schenkel entfernt ist.

8. Versteifungsglied hergestellt mit einem Verfahren gemäß einem der Ansprüche 5, 6 und 7.

9. Büstenhalter mit einem Versteifungsglied nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4 und 8.

Revendications

1. Soutien-gorge comprenant une armature, dans lequel l'armature est formée d'un fil élastique métallique et a une configuration sensiblement en forme de U, caractérisé en ce qu'une partie de ladite armature a été recuite afin de rendre plus tendre ladite partie.

2. Soutien-gorge suivant la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ladite armature en U comprend deux branches, chacune desdites branches comportant une partie qui a été recuite.

3. Soutien-gorge suivant la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que ladite partie recuite est pourvue d'un revêtement de protection.

4. Soutien-gorge suivant la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que ladite partie recuite est située à une distance comprise entre 6 mm et 25 mm environ de l'extrémite desdites branches.

5. Méthode de traitement d'une armature utilisable selon un soutien-gorge, caractérisée en ce que la méthode comprend une opération de recuit d'une partie de ladite armature afin de rendre ladite partie plus tendre.

6. Méthode de traitement d'une armature utilisée dans un soutien-gorge, dans lequel ladite armature a une configuration sensiblement en forme de U, caractérisée en ce que la méthode comprend les opérations de fourniture d'une longueur continue de fil qui a été recuit et trempé, de coupe et de formage de ladite longueur continue de fil en armatures en forme de U comportant deux branches, de soumission d'au moins une partie de chacune desdites deux branches à un traitement de recuit afin de rendre plus tendre ladite partie, et d'application subséquente d'un revêtement protecteur auxdites parties recuites.

7. Méthode suivant la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que l'opération de soumission desdites branches à un traitement de recuit comprend l'opération de soumission d'une longueur de 0,318 cm à 1,905 cm audit traitement de recuit, ladite partie étant espacée d'une distance comprise entre 0,635 cm et 254 cm de l'extrémité des branches.

8. Armature fabriquée par une méthode suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 5, 6 et 7.

9. Soutien-gorge comprenant une armature suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4 et 8.

Drawing