Brassiere for use with or without wires

Abstract

 In a two-function brassière (1), a thin supporting arc-shaped element (4) - of generally known type, with end protections (8) - is inserted into a tubular cloth element (3A, 3B), sewn along the lower circular part of each of the two cups (2A, 2B) of the bra, through a steadily hemmed slot (7) formed, by applying ultrasounds, at one end (5, 6) of said cloth element and apt to be partially covered by another component (9) of the bra, it being possible to draw the arc-shaped element (4) out of said slot (7) by at least partially lifting said component (9).

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns an improved two-function brassière, namely a brassière apt to alternatively acquire, in a simple, comfortable and fast manner, the characteristics of a bra with and without arc-shaped support elements.

[0002] As known, the brassières used at present are either wholly made of fabric with no arc-shaped elements (or metal bows), or else they contain such elements in the form of an arc-shaped support - usually of metal or of plastic material - inserted along the lower circular part of each of the two cups of the bra.

[0003] The first type of brassière is simply meant to contain and protect a female breast, while the second type also performs a strong supporting action, which is however accompanied by a certain pressure, not always easy to bear for a long time without feeling uncomfortable.

[0004] Up-to-date, the arc-shaped elements of the second type of brassière have generally been fitted into the lower circular part of the cups, with no possibility of removal. This arrangement, besides making it impossible to convert said bra into one without arc-shaped elements, is also apt to create washing problems; for instance, in the washing machine, the arc-shaped elements may easily be forced against moving parts of the machine, causing damages both when they remain in their own seat, and when they are accidentally driven out of it.

[0005] On the other hand, all the attempts made so far to produce a bra with removable fitting of its arc-shaped elements have been vain, due to the considerable difficulties met in satisfying - at the production costs having to be faced - the simultaneous requirements of an easy insertion and removal of said elements, of an efficient retention of such elements into their seats, and of a long life of said seats.

[0006] Thus, the attempts made with the solution proposed by the French Patent No. 1.517.931 and Patent of Addition No. 74.511 met neither with technical nor with commercial success; according to this solution, the arc-shaped elements were inserted into seats, formed by sewing a simple ribbon along the lower circular part of the two cups of the bra and leaving one end of the ribbon with no cross-seam. Such seats, besides requiring a long and expensive machinework, did not allow the arc-shaped elements to be easily and positively guided therein; moreover, their free open end of insertion and extraction of said elements was subject to fraying and breaking, hence getting easily and rapidly worn.

[0007] The problem is now satisfactorily solved with the two-function brassière of the present invention, characterized in that a thin supporting arc-shaped element - of generally known type, with end protections - is inserted into a tubular cloth element, sewn along the lower circular part of each of the two cups of the bra, through a steadily hemmed slot formed, by applying ultrasounds, at one end of said cloth element and apt to be partially covered by another component of the bra, it being possible to draw the arc-shaped element out of said slot by at least partially lifting said component.

[0008] The bra component apt to partially cover the slot preferably consists of the usual side hem of the bra, finished with a special seam in correspondence of said slot.

[0009] The invention is now described in further detail, by mere way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which diagrammatically illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 shows the two-function brassière according to the present invention with an arc-shaped element partially inserted into one of the cups;

Figs. 2A and 2B show a detail of the brassière of fig. 1 illustrating, respectively, the arc-shaped element in a fully inserted position, and said element as it starts to be drawn out (or at the end of its insertion); and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of fig. 1, which shows how to insert the arc-shaped element into its tubular seat, or remove it therefrom.

[0010] As shown in fig. 1, on the brassière 1 of the present invention two elements 3A, 3B, of tubular cloth are sewn along the lower circular part of each of its two cups 2A and 2B, it being possible to insert an arc-shaped element 4 in each of said two elements 3A, 3B. Each tubular element 3A, 3B, has only one of its two ends 5 and 6 (in the example shown, it is the outermost end 5) provided with a slot 7 allowing to insert and pull out the arc-shaped element 4.

[0011] According to the invention, the slot 7 is obtained by applying ultrasounds on the cloth forming the tubular elements 3A, 3B. Since such elements are generally made from synthetic material, said ultrasound treatment produces a burn which, on one hand, forms the slot 7 and, on the other hand, forms a steady hem for said slot. According to the preferred embodiment illustrated herein, each slot 7 is formed as an oval or elliptical hole, which is only partially covered by the outer hem 9 of the corresponding cup of the bra, suitably finished by cross-seams 9A, 9B, on the sides of the tubular element 3A and of the slot 7. According to an alternative embodiment, the slot 7 could be interrupted and open at one end and be U-shaped, as a notch, on the end 5 (or 6) of the tubular elements 3A, 3B.

[0012] The cloth forming the tubular elements 3A, 3B, preferably consists - as already said - of a synthetic fibre. Suitably, at least part of said synthetic fibre is texturized, especially inside the tubular elements, so as to create a very soft and yielding seat for the arc-shaped elements 4 and thus facilitate and favour the movements of insertion and extraction thereof.

[0013] The arc-shaped element 4 comprises, at its ends, protections 8 of synthetic plastic material. If the element 4 is of metal, the protections 8 can be applied thereon by dipping; whereas, if the element 4 is of synthetic plastic material, its end protections 8 can be obtained by moulding. The protection 8 at one end of the arc-shaped element 4 facilitates the insertion of said element into the tubular element 3A or 3B, through the slot 7 (for example, following the arrow F1 in fig. 3). Once the arc-shaped element 4 is fully housed in its seat into said tubular element, its end protection 8 can then be inserted under the corresponding outer hem 9 of the bra - as shown in fig. 2A - so as to prevent its accidental outlet from the tubular element 3A or 3B and/or prevent it from catching into some other clothing article.

[0014] When wishing to draw the arc-shaped element 4 out of the tubular element, for instance 3A, the protection 8 is pulled out from under the hem 9 of the bra 1 by lifting said hem in correspondence of the slot 7. Said element 4 is then caused to slide in the direction of arrow F2 in fig. 3. Usually, this operation is started by acting with both hands onto the arc-shaped element 4, housed into the respective tubular element, and by causing it to slide in the direction of F2. Once a sufficiently long piece of the element 4 has been drawn out of the slot 7, said piece can be gripped with one's hand (fig. 3) and the whole element 4 can be drawn out following the direction of arrow F2.

[0015] The brassière is thus converted into one without arc-shaped elements, comfortable to wear and suited for the normal practical requirements of daily life.

[0016] When wishing to obtain again the supporting and modeling effect given by the bra with arc-shaped elements, one simply introduces once more said elements 4 into the slots 7 of the bra 1, as explained above.

[0017] The brassière according to the present invention offers to the female world an underwear article which can be converted, in a few seconds and very simply and practically, from a type without arc-shaped elements - of current use, comfortable and easy to wear, but less apt to model the body - into a type with arc-shaped elements - less practical and comfortable to wear, but apt to provide support and give shape and elegance to the breast - and viceversa, with no need to change the brassière. In to-day's woman's life, full of all kinds of engagements, this underwear article provides obvious advantages of practicalness and confort which will no doubt be appreciated, allowing whoever will wear this article to adapt it to the most different requirements and appear at best in the various circumstances.

[0018] Another important advantage of the brassière according to the present invention concerns its washing: it will in fact be simply necessary to remove the arc-shaped elements from the bra before introducing it into the washing machine and it will get washed like any other normal clothing article, with no risks of tearing and/or damaging the washing machine, as it happens instead with all the present brassières containing arc-shaped elements.

[0019] Although up to now specific reference has been made to a brassière, it is evident that the invention can be applied also to other underwear articles, or clothing articles in general, which include a bra or cups to contain and support the breast, particularly corsets, one-piece and two-piece swimsuits, clothes incorporating a bra or cups to contain and support the breast, and the like.

[0020] It is understood that there may be other practical embodiments of the invention, differing from those described and illustrated heretofore, without thereby departing from its protection scope. In particular - as already pointed out further above - the slot 7 formed at the ends 5 of the tubular elements 3A, 3B, could have a different configuration, for instance be U-shaped, or it could be positioned on the innermost end 6 of said elements, in which case the arch-shaped elements 4 could be inserted and drawn out in correspondence of the central part of the brassière 1, instead of its outermost ends 5.

Claims

1. Two-function brassière, characterized in that a thin supporting arc-shaped element - of generally known type, with end protections - is inserted into a tubular cloth element, sewn along the lower circular part of each of the two cups of the bra, through a steadily hemmed slot formed, by applying ultrasounds, at one end of said cloth element and apt to be partially covered by another component of the bra, it being possible to draw the arc-shaped element out of said slot by at least partially lifting said component.

2. Brassière as in claim 1), wherein the bra component apt to partially cover the slot consists of the usual side hem of the bra, finished with a special seam in correspondence of said slot.

3. Brassière as in claims 1) and 2), wherein said slot is formed in correspondence of the outermost end of said tubular cloth element.

4. Brassière as in claims 1) and 2), wherein said slot is formed in correspondence of the innermost end of said tubular cloth element.

5. Brassière as in claims 1) to 4), wherein said slot is continuous and it is oval or elliptical.

6. Brassière as in claims 1) to 4), wherein said slot is interrupted and it is U-shaped.

7. Brassière as in claims 1) to 6), wherein the arc-shaped element is of metal and its end protections are formed with a coat of synthetic plastic material applied by dipping.

8. Brassière as in claims 1) to 6), wherein the arc-shaped element is of plastic material and its end protections are obtained by moulding.

Drawing