Sport bra with moisture-transporting molded cups

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10104918-B2
Application number	US-201615134742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2016
Priority date	May 25, 2012
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

Different molding materials and methods are provided for producing a sport bra having moisture-transporting molded bra cups. The different molding materials comprise foams having different average cell sizes, fibers having different average deniers per filament, injection-molding materials having different degrees of hydrophilicity, and different hydrophilic treatments. The molding materials are arranged to create a hydrophilic gradient from a skin surface of the wearer of the sport bra to the exterior of the sport bra.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bra cup comprising:
a first fabric layer comprising an inner-facing surface of the bra cup, the first fabric layer formed of yarns having a first average denier per filament (DPF);
a second fabric layer comprising an outer-facing surface of the bra cup, the second fabric layer formed of yarns having a second average DPF, wherein the first average DPF is greater than the second average DPF; and
a spacer mesh material disposed between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer, wherein a hydrophilic gradient is formed from the first fabric layer to the second fabric layer.

2. The bra cup of claim 1 , wherein the first average DPF is greater than 1.04, and the second average DPF is less than 1.04.

3. The bra cup of claim 1 , wherein the spacer mesh material is formed separately from the first and second fabric layer.

4. The bra cup of claim 1 , wherein the spacer mesh material comprises a knit material.

5. The bra cup of claim 1 , wherein the spacer mesh material comprises a woven material.

6. The bra cup of claim 1 , wherein the spacer mesh material is integrally knit with at least one of the first fabric layer or the second fabric layer.

7. The bra cup of claim 1 , wherein the spacer mesh material is integrally woven with at least one of the first fabric layer or the second fabric layer.

8. A bra cup comprising:
a first fabric layer comprising an inner-facing surface of the bra cup, wherein the first fabric layer is formed of yarns having a first average denier per filament (DPF);
a second fabric layer comprising an outer-facing surface of the bra cup, wherein the second fabric layer is formed of yarns having a second average DPF, wherein the first average DPF is greater than the second average DPF;
and
a plurality of tie yarns extending from the first fabric layer to the second fabric layer.

9. The bra cup of claim 8 , wherein the first average DPF is greater than 1.04, and the second average DPF is less than 1.04.

10. The bra cup of claim 8 , wherein the tie yarns are formed from man-made materials.

11. The bra cup of claim 8 , wherein the tie yarns are formed from natural materials.

12. A bra cup comprising:
a first fabric layer comprising an inner-facing surface of the bra cup, the first fabric layer comprised of a hydrophilic material having a first degree of hydrophilicity;
a second fabric layer comprising an outer-facing surface of the bra cup, the second fabric layer comprised of a hydrophilic material having a second degree of hydrophilicity that is greater than the first degree of hydrophilicity; and
a unitary and continuous foam layer disposed between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer, the foam layer having a third degree of hydrophilicity that is between the first and second degrees of hydrophilicity associated with the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer respectively, wherein a hydrophilic gradient is formed from the first fabric layer to the second fabric layer.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Hurd Rebecca P

Classifications

• A41C5/005

  by moulding (shaping of textile material made from plastics fibres by thermoforming B29C51/004) · CPC title

• A41C3/0085

  with ventilation feature · CPC title

• A41C3/12

  Component parts · CPC title

• A41C3/0057 Primary

  for sport activities · CPC title

• A41C3/14

  Stiffening or bust-forming inserts · CPC title