Free motion sports bra

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10959466-B2
Application number	US-201916405222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2019
Priority date	Oct 16, 2017
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

Article, such as sports bras, and methods of making the same are described. A sports bra may comprise a front panel comprising a bust panel, a first shoulder strap, and a second shoulder strap. The sports bra may comprise a rear panel comprising a first back strap and a second back strap. The first back strap may coupled to the first shoulder strap at a first shoulder seam and the second back strap may coupled to the second shoulder strap at a second shoulder seam. The first back strap may be coupled to the bust panel at a first side seam and the second back strap may be coupled to the bust panel at a second side seam. One or both of the back straps may have the second a curve-linear shape exhibiting a tapered width.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article comprising:
a front panel comprising a bust panel, a first shoulder strap, and a second shoulder strap, wherein the first shoulder strap and the second shoulder strap are spaced from each other and extend from the bust panel to define at least a portion of a neck hole configured to receive a neck of a wearer; and
a rear panel comprising a first back strap and a second back strap configured such that one of the first back strap or the second back strap overlays a portion of the other of the first back strap and the second back strap,
wherein the first back strap is coupled to the first shoulder strap at a first shoulder seam and the second back strap is coupled to the second shoulder strap at a second shoulder seam,
wherein the first back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a first side seam, the first side seam having a length that is greater than a length of the first shoulder seam,
wherein the second back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a second side seam, the second side seam having a length that is greater than a length of the second shoulder seam, and
wherein one or both of the first back strap and the second back strap comprises an outer layer and a mesh liner disposed adjacent the outer layer.

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the first back strap is coupled to the second back strap using a bar tack, and wherein the bar tack has a length between ⅜″ and ½″.

3. The article of claim 1 , wherein the front panel and the rear panel are configured such that one or more of the side seams are biased towards a central axis of a back of the wearer.

4. The article of claim 1 , wherein the bust panel does not comprise a supplemental elastic circumferential band.

5. The article of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first back strap, a portion of the second back strap, and a portion of the front panel define an arm hole configured to receive an arm of a wearer.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the length of one or both of the first side seam and the second side seam is between 4½″ and 4⅝″.

7. The article of claim 1 , wherein the length of one or both of the first shoulder seam and the second shoulder seam is between 1″ and 1.5″.

8. The article of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the length of the first side seam and a length of the first shoulder seam is about 2.5:1 and wherein a ratio of the length of the second side seam and a length of the second shoulder seam is about 2.5:1.

9. The article of claim 1 , wherein the mesh liner comprises from 80% to 81% nylon.

10. The article of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first back strap and the second back strap has a curve-linear shape.

11. The article of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first side seam and the second side seam is overlaid by a mesh material coupled to a corresponding one of the first back strap and the second back strap.

12. An article comprising:
a front panel comprising a bust panel, a first shoulder strap, and a second shoulder strap, wherein the first shoulder strap and the second shoulder strap are spaced from each other and extend from the bust panel to define at least a portion of a neck hole configured to receive a neck of a wearer; and
a rear panel comprising a first back strap and a second back strap,
wherein the first back strap is coupled to the first shoulder strap at a first shoulder seam and the second back strap is coupled to the second shoulder strap at a second shoulder seam,
wherein the first back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a first side seam, the first back strap having a curve-linear shape exhibiting a tapered width between the first side seam and the first shoulder seam,
wherein the second back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a second side seam, the second back strap having a curve-linear shape exhibiting a tapered width between the second side seam and the second shoulder seam, and

wherein the bust panel does not comprise a supplemental elastic circumferential band.

13. The article of claim 12 , wherein the first back strap and the second back strap are configured in a crossback pattern.

14. The article of claim 13 , wherein the first back strap overlays at least a portion of the second back strap, thereby defining the crossback pattern.

15. The article of claim 12 , wherein the first back strap is coupled to the second back strap using a bar tack, and therein the bar tack has a length between ⅜″ and ½″.

16. The article of claim 12 , wherein the length of one or both of the first side seam and the second side seam is between 4½″ and 4⅝″.

17. The article of claim 12 , wherein the length of one or both of the first shoulder seam and the second shoulder seam is between 1″ and 1.5″.

18. The article of claim 12 , wherein a ratio of the length of the first side seam and a length of the first shoulder seam is about 2.5:1 and wherein a ratio of the length of the second side seam and a length of the second shoulder seam is about 2.5:1.

19. The article of claim 12 , wherein the front panel and the rear panel are configured such that one or more of the side seams are biased towards a central axis of a back of the wearer.

20. An article comprising:
a front portion comprising a bust panel, a first shoulder portion, and a second shoulder portion, wherein the first shoulder portion and the second shoulder portion are spaced from each other and extend from the bust panel to define at least a portion of a neck hole configured to receive a neck of a wearer; and
a rear portion comprising a first back strap and a second back strap,
wherein the first back strap extends from the first shoulder portion at a point having a first width to a first side portion of the article at a point having a second width,
wherein the second back strap extends from the second shoulder portion at a point having a third width to a second side portion of the article opposite the first side portion at a point having a fourth width,
wherein the first back strap has a curvilinear shape an taper from the second width to the first width,
wherein the second back strap has a curvilinear shape an taper from the fourth width to the third width,
wherein the bust panel does not comprise a supplemental elastic circumferential band.

Assignees

• North Face Apparel Corp

Inventors

• Kelley Jennifer
• Martini-Boulware Erin Francesca
• Haak Ashley

Classifications

• A41F15/00

  Shoulder or like straps · CPC title

• A41F15/02

  Means for retaining the straps in position · CPC title

• A41C3/0057 Primary

  for sport activities · CPC title

• A41C3/00

  Brassieres · CPC title