IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BRAS

Abstract

 A bra including respective first and second sides each adapted to fit respective breasts; each side including a cup adapted to fit a predetermined cup size; a hook free shoulder strap; and an attachment strap capable of attaching the bra to a body in use, wherein the attachment strap includes a plurality of slots which can be engaged by a hook located at one end of the strap to thereby regulate the size of the bra for each user.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to bras

[0002] It is usual for women to wear a bra. There are many different types, sizes and models. Some bras are more comfortable than others. Some bras fit well and some do not. Some bras are easy to put on and some are not, especially when arm movement is inhibited in one way or another.

[0003] One particular issue that is not addressed well by bra designers and manufacturers is the fact that often one breast may be a different size to the other. This generally means that the cup size for each breast is different. This may be a natural phenomenon or may be brought about by breast or lump removals in the case of illness. Whatever the reason, women have been looking long and hard for a comfortable bra which addresses some or all of the problems associated with current bras.

[0004] Bras which have different cup sizes for each breast have been proposed, for example in WO2014089762. Whilst addressing some problems these bras are uncomfortable, difficult to fit and difficult to put on.

[0005] The present invention attempts to solves at least some of the problems associated with the prior art.

[0006] The invention is defined in the independent claims. Various optional features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0007] Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an extended front view of a first side of a bra, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2a is a front view of a first side of a bra on a body, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2b is a front view of a second side of a bra on a body, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a front view of a first and second side of a bra, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4a is a rear view of a first side of a bra on a body, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4b is a rear view of a second side of a bra on a body, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a rear view of a first and second side of a bra on a body, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a view of an infinity under band used to attach the bra sides to the user, according to one embodiment of the present invention

Figure 7 is a front view of first and second side of a bra for a narrow breast frame, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a front view of a first and second side of a bra for a wide breast frame, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0008] The present invention relates to a bra which has two separate sides one for each breast. The two separate sides may be of different sizes to accommodate women having breasts of different cup sizes.

[0009] Referring to figure 1, a first bra side 100 is illustrated. The bra side includes a cup 102, a shoulder strap 104, a back panel or rear portion 103 and an infinity under band 106 for attaching the bra to the user.

[0010] The bra cup can be sized according to known sizing such as A, D, C, D, DD etc. The cup is made of a soft material such as a microfiber cloth which can be positioned over the breast in an optimal position for each user. There are no wires to dig into the flesh of the user, which can be very uncomfortable, especially for the larger woman. By having the correct cup size for each breast the cup will conform as close as possible to the breast and hold it in place. There will be no sagging of the bra and no bad fitting of each cup. The cup can be sewn or molded in a microfiber material

[0011] The shoulder strap can be of a fixed length as the cup size is correct and the user does not need to shorten or lengthen the shoulder strap to accommodate for a poor fitting cup size as is the case of many previously existing bras. In addition, as there is no need to adjust the length of the strap, an adjustment mechanism on the shoulder strap is not necessary. This makes the bra more comfortable and much less fiddly to wear and adjust. In addition, there is a saving in manufacturing costs and time as a shoulder strap adjustment mechanism does not need to be added to the bra. The reason why no strap adjustment is due in part to the back panel or rear portion 103, which is wide enough to keep control of the bra balance and to avoid the strap digging into the user.

[0012] As the user can buy different cup sizes for each breast the final bra is completely adapted to be the right size for both breasts. There is no longer a need to have a bra which is saggy on one side because it is too big for the breast size on that side. Users can now have a bra which fits perfectly even if there is a large different in cup size from one breast to the other.

[0013] Figure 2a shows the first bra side in situ on a body. The shoulder strap 104 extends over the shoulder. The cup 102 is positioned over the breast. The infinity under band 106 extends around the body underneath the breast and is fixed by the hook 108 to one of the slots 110. Figure 2b shows the position of a second bra side on the body.

[0014] Figure 3 shows a front view of a user wearing both a RHS and a LHS bra side, where each side is substantially as shown in figures 1, 2a and 2b, except for one bra side is for the RHS and the other for the LHS. Each of the RHS and LHS sides are attached under the opposing arm by a respective hook engaging a respective slot.

[0015] In order to put the bra on, the user will first position the first bra side bra by threading the bra onto the arm. The bra side is then close and then the second side is similarly positioned and closed. Which side is positioned first is not important and depends on the user's preferences.

[0016] As can further be seen in figure 3 there is no "center front" to the bra. Usually, all bras include a center front albeit small or large depending on the exact nature of the bra. The center front defines a predetermined gap between the two breasts and forces the breasts to be in a position defined by the bra, which may not be natural or comfortable. Again this is a limitation of current bras, as not all women have the same gap between their breasts. If the center front is the wrong length, it may be uncomfortable. By having no center front, the bra of the present invention can be adapted to suit users having different gaps between the two breasts. This is clearly a further advantage of this bra over the prior art. In addition, there is a further advantage of not having a center front; there is still a further saving in terms of the manufacturing process, since attaching a center front between the cups is an additional manufacturing step which is fiddly and time consuming and requires addition material.

[0017] Figure 4a and 4b show the rear of the first and second sides when worn by the user. There is a rear portion 103 or 112 for each bra side which makes the bra comfortable to wear. The rear portion is made of an appropriate microfiber and may be lined with a breathable power mesh in order to adhere to the back. This helps with the natural balance of the bra and avoids the bra slipping. Figure 5 shows the two sides together from the rear and shows and overlap 114.

[0018] Figure 6 shows the infinity under band or attachment strap 106 in more detail and shows the generally desired position of the hook 108 when engaged with a slot 110. For optimal comfort and ease of closing the bra side, the hook engages a slot under the arm or at the side of the chest of the user, opposite the breast for which the bra side is to be used. This can be done without looking and by a single arm and the user does not need to twist and turn to attach the bra.

[0019] The infinity under band includes a plurality of slots along the length thereof. The infinity under band 106 includes a hook 108 which can engage with one of the plurality of slots 110 located along the length of the infinity under band 106. The infinity under band is made of a combination of microfiber and elasticated yarn that gives a light pressure on the body and keeps the bra in the same place all through the day.

[0020] The size of the infinity under band 106 is regulated by the position of the hook along the length thereof in the most suitable slot 110 for the person concerned. For a large size the infinity under band may be longer than for a short size, this can be determined by the user after purchase of the bra and the infinity under band may be cut to size by the user to avoid excessive overlap. The infinity under band may include one or more marks indicating where the cut should be made based on the normal size of the user. For example, if a user is size 95B for one breast and 95C for the other, the user can buy a B cup side and a C cup side for the relevant breast and then cut the infinity under band to the 95cm marker on both sides. The user may decide to cut to any appropriate length based on the users own comfort and tightness requirements. It may not be necessary to cut the band to size for different cup sizes as the length of the infinity under band under the cup will be different for different cup sizes and as a result may be suitable to fit the user without a further adjustment. The infinity under band ensures that the fitting is completely personalized.

[0021] By using the infinity under band 106 bra manufacturers may make a single sized bra side for each cup size for each breast. In this way manufacturing costs may be significantly reduced. The only changes from one bra side to the next is the cup size and whether the breast is on the right hand side or the left hand side.

[0022] Figures 7 and 8 show the bra of the present invention on a narrow breast frame and a wide breast frame respectively showing two morphologies having the same size and different shape. The amount of overlap of the two sides is different for each situation. This further shows the adaptability of the bra of the present invention and the reason why the center front has been left out.

[0023] A bra according to the present invention can be manufactured in the following non-limitative manner.

[0024] Manufacturing a bra cup of a predetermined cup size; attaching the cup to a back panel via a shoulder strap at an upper portion of the cup; attaching the cup to an attachment strap at a base of the cup; and attaching back panel at a predetermined location on the attachment strap. The attachment infinity under band includes a plurality of slots which can be engaged by a hook located at one end of the infinity under band to thereby regulate the size of the bra for each user.

[0025] The present invention has been described by way of examples as presented above, these are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which may include alternatives and different features without limitation.

Claims

1. A bra including respective first and second sides each adapted to fit respective breasts; each side including a cup adapted to fit a predetermined cup size; a shoulder strap; and an attachment strap capable of attaching the bra to a body in use, wherein the attachment strap includes a plurality of slots which can be engaged by a hook located at one end of the strap to thereby regulate the size of the bra for each user.

2. The bra of claim 1, further including each bra side having a different cup size.

3. The bra of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the bra sides overlap at the front thereof by different amounts depending on the separation of the breasts.

4. The bra of any preceding claims, wherein the bra is wireless.

5. The bra of any preceding claim, wherein the shoulder strap has a fixed length.

6. The bra of any preceding claim, wherein the attachment strap includes a number of marks for indicating a location to cut the attachment strap for different bra sizes.

7. The bra of any preceding claim, wherein there is no center front.

8. The bra of any preceding claim, including a rear portion for balancing the bra side and holding the same in place.

9. A method for manufacturing a bra comprising the steps of:

making a cup of a predetermined cup size;

attaching the cup to a rear portion via a shoulder strap at an upper portion of the cup;

attaching the cup to an attachment strap at a base of the cup;

attaching the rear portion at a predetermined location on the attachment strap;

wherein the attachment strap is capable of attaching the bra to a body in use and wherein the attachment strap includes a plurality of slots which can be engaged by a hook located at one end of the strap to thereby regulate the size of the bra for each user.

Drawing