Braided bra with integrated lacings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12063986-B2
Application number	US-202217734485-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2022
Priority date	May 6, 2021
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

Aspects herein are directed to a braided textile component for a bra. The braided textile component includes base strands of a first material forming a breast-covering portion and a lacing that includes one or more strands of a second material with a property that is different from the first property. The lacing is integrally braided within a portion of the braided textile component. A first segment of the lacing may extend in a first direction away from a medial perimeter of the breast-covering portion, and a second segment may extend in a second direction towards the medial perimeter. The lacing may extend along the lateral region of the breast-covering portion, and the braided textile component may include a second lacing extending along the medial region. The braided textile may also include a second breast-covering portion with base strands and an integrated lacing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bra comprising: a braided textile component forming a first breast-covering portion and a second breast-covering portion, the first breast-covering portion and the second breast-covering portion each braided together with base strands of a first material having a first property; and
a first lateral lacing at least partially interwoven with one or more of the base strands of the first breast-covering portion at least along a lateral region of the first breast-covering portion, and the second lateral lacing at least partially interwoven with one or more base strands of the second breast-covering portion along a lateral region of the second breast-covering portion, wherein the first lateral lacing and the second lateral lacing each including one or more strands of a second material having a second property that is different from the first property of the first material,
wherein the first lateral lacing extends from a lower perimeter of the first breast-covering portion, along the lateral region of the first breast-covering portion, and to an upper region of the first breast-covering portion, and
wherein the second lateral lacing extends from a lower perimeter of the second breast-covering portion, along the lateral region of the second breast-covering portion, and to an upper region of the second breast-covering portion.

2. The bra of claim 1 , wherein the first lateral lacing includes a first unintegrated section such that the first lateral lacing floats over at least part of the braided textile component in the upper region of the first breast-covering portion; and wherein the second lateral lacing includes a second unintegrated section such that the second lateral lacing floats over at least part of the braided textile component in the upper region of the second breast-covering portion.

3. The bra of claim 1 , wherein:
the first lateral lacing includes a first integrated segment that is interwoven with the base strands of the first breast-covering portion and extends in a first direction away from a central region between the first breast-covering portion and the second breast-covering portion and a second integrated segment that is interwoven with the base strands of the first breast-covering portion and extends in a second direction towards the central region, and
the second lateral lacing includes a first integrated segment that is interwoven with the base strands of the second breast-covering portion and extends in a third direction away from the central region and a second integrated segment that is interwoven with the base strands of the second breast-covering portion and extends in a fourth direction towards the central region.

4. The bra of claim 3 , wherein the first direction and the fourth direction are parallel, and wherein the second direction and the third direction are parallel.

5. The bra of claim 1 , wherein the upper region of the first breast-covering portion forms a first shoulder portion and wherein the upper region of the second breast-covering region forms a second shoulder portion.

6. The bra of claim 1 , wherein the first breast-covering portion and the second breast-covering portion are affixed together.

7. The bra of claim 1 further comprising a first medial lacing and a second medial lacing each integrated into the braided textile component and made of one or more strands of the second material, wherein:
the first medial lacing extends from the lower perimeter of the first breast-covering portion, along a medial region of the first breast-covering portion, and towards the upper region of the first breast-covering portion; and
the second medial lacing extends from the lower perimeter of the second breast-covering portion, along a medial region of the second breast-covering portion, and towards the upper region of the second breast-covering portion.

8. A braided textile component for a bra, the braided textile component comprising: a breast-covering portion comprising base strands of a first material having a first property and braided together to form the breast-covering portion; and
a lacing including one or more strands of a second material integrally braided with the base strands in a portion of the breast-covering portion such that a first segment of the lacing extends in a first direction away from a medial perimeter of the breast-covering portion and a second segment of the lacing extends in a second direction towards the medial perimeter, the second material having a second property that is different from the first property of the first material, the lacing including an unintegrated segment that floats over the braided textile component at a portion of an upper region of the breast-covering portion.

9. The braided textile component for the bra of claim 8 , wherein the second material has a higher denier than the first material.

10. The braided textile component for the bra of claim 8 , wherein the lacing is a lateral lacing that extends from a lower perimeter of the breast-covering portion, along a lateral region of the breast-covering portion, and to the upper region of the breast-covering portion.

11. The braided textile component for the bra of claim 10 further comprising a medial lacing including one or more strands of the second material integrally braided with a second portion of the breast-covering portion along a medial region of the breast-covering portion, wherein a first segment of the medial lacing extends in a third direction towards the medial perimeter of the breast-covering portion and wherein a second segment of the lacing extends in a fourth direction away from the medial perimeter.

12. A method of manufacturing a bra, the method comprising:
braiding together base strands of a first material having a first property to form a first braided textile component and a second braided textile component, the first braided textile component forming a first breast-covering portion and the second braided textile component forming a second breast-covering portion;
integrally braiding a first lacing with the first braided textile component such that a first segment of the first lacing extends in a first direction away from a medial perimeter of the first breast-covering portion and a second segment of the first lacing extends in a second direction towards the medial perimeter, the first lacing including an unintegrated segment that floats over the first braided textile component at a portion of an upper region of the first breast-covering portion; and
integrally braiding a second lacing with the second braided textile component such that a first segment of the second lacing extends in a third direction away from a medial perimeter of the second breast-covering portion and a second segment of the second lacing extends in a fourth direction towards the medial perimeter, the second lacing including an unintegrated segment that floats over the second braided textile component at a portion of an upper region of the second breast-covering portion,
the first lacing and the second lacing each including one or more strands of a second material that has a second property that is different from the first property of the first material.

13. The method of manufacturing a bra of claim 12 , wherein the first braided textile component and the second braided textile component are braided separately and affixed together.

14. The method of manufacturing a bra of claim 12 , wherein the first lacing is a first lateral lacing that extends from a lower perimeter of the first breast-covering portion, along a lateral region of the first breast-covering portion, and to the upper region of the first br

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Casillas Tina M
• Farmer Adam R

Classifications

• A41C5/00

  Machines, appliances, or methods for manufacturing corsets or brassieres · CPC title

• A41C3/0057 Primary

  for sport activities · CPC title

• A41C3/0021 Primary

  with suspension construction for the breasts · CPC title