Bra with interior stretch support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9788579-B2
Application number	US-201514616365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2015
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A brassiere includes a back portion and a front portion coupled to the back portion at side areas. Straps are coupled to the front portion and the back portion. Cup panels are provided on the front portion and extend to the straps. Each cup panel includes a perimeter cup region and a central cup region located on the front portion and a strap region located on one of the straps. The perimeter cup region and the strap region having a greater elastic modulus than the central cup region. In at least one embodiment, each cup panel includes a first layer and a second layer. The second layer is provided by a polymer sheet including a plurality of openings formed in the polymer sheet. The arrangement of the openings on the polymer sheet contributes to the elastic modulus in the central cup region, the perimeter cup region, and the strap region of the cup panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A brassiere, comprising:
a back portion;
a front portion coupled to the back portion at side areas;
straps coupled to the front portion and the back portion;
cup panels included on the front portion and extending to the straps, each cup panel including a perimeter cup region and a central cup region located on the front portion and a strap region located on one of the straps, the perimeter cup region and the strap region having a greater elastic modulus than the central cup region, each cup panel further including a polymer sheet with a plurality of openings formed in the polymer sheet, the plurality of openings including a first group of openings arranged closer to the central cup region and a second group of openings arranged closer to the perimeter cup region, wherein the elastic modulus of the polymer sheet is greater in the perimeter cup region than in the central cup region at least in part because of the plurality of openings.

2. The brassiere of claim 1 , each cup panel further including a nipple region surrounded by the central cup region, and the perimeter cup region surrounding the central cup region, the nipple region having a greater elastic modulus than the central cup region.

3. The brassiere of claim 2 , the perimeter cup region of each cup panel extending to one of the side areas.

4. The brassier of claim 1 , each cup panel including a first layer and a second layer, the second layer comprising the polymer sheet with the plurality of openings formed in the polymer sheet.

5. The brassiere of claim 4 wherein the polymer sheet extends across substantially an entirety of the cup panel and a density of the plurality of openings varies across the cup panel.

6. The brassiere of claim 5 further comprising a nipple region surrounded by the central cup region, each of the plurality of openings aligned with at least one other of the plurality of openings along one of a plurality of rays extending from the nipple region.

7. The brassiere of claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of openings is defined by a major axis and a minor axis, the major axis of each of the plurality of openings extending along one of the plurality of rays.

8. The brassiere of claim 5 further comprising a nipple region surrounded by the central cup region, the nipple region substantially void of the plurality of openings such that the nipple region has an elastic modulus that is greater than the central cup region.

9. The brassiere of claim 4 wherein a density of openings in the central cup region is greater than a density of openings in the perimeter cup region and a density of openings in the strap region.

10. A panel for a brassiere, comprising:
a fabric layer including a cup portion and a strap portion;
a polymer layer coupled to the fabric layer and extending across substantially an entirety of the fabric layer including the cup portion and the strap portion, the polymer layer including solid polymer areas and openings, wherein the openings are dimensioned and arranged on the polymer layer such that an elastic modulus of the polymer layer varies across the polymer layer at least in part because of the openings, wherein the openings are arranged along line segments extending radially from a central polymer area, wherein the openings include a first group of openings arranged closer to the central polymer area and a second group of openings arranged more distant from the central polymer area, and wherein the elastic modulus of the polymer layer is greater in an area associated with the second group of openings than in an area associated with the first group of openings.

11. A panel for a brassiere, comprising:
a fabric layer including a cup portion and a strap portion; and
a polymer layer coupled to the fabric layer and extending across substantially an entirety of the fabric layer including the cup portion and the strap portion, the polymer layer including solid polymer areas and openings, wherein the openings are dimensioned and arranged on the polymer layer such that an elastic modulus of the polymer layer varies across the polymer layer at least in part because of the openings, wherein the polymer layer includes an outermost edge extending around substantially an entirety of the cup portion and the strap portion of the fabric layer, and wherein the openings are arranged along a plurality of line segments extending radially from a central polymer area to the outermost edge.

12. The panel of claim 11 , wherein the central polymer area is a solid polymer area.

13. The panel of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the line segments extends along the strap portion.

14. A brassiere, comprising:
a back portion;
a front portion coupled to the back portion at side areas;
straps coupled to the front portion and the back portion; and
cup panels included on the front portion, each cup panel extending from the front portion to one the straps and from the front portion to one of the side areas, wherein:
each cup panel includes a first layer and a second layer;
each second layer includes a plurality of openings arranged on substantially an entirety of the cup panel;
the second layer includes a central area,
each opening of the plurality of openings has major vertices and minor vertices, and
the plurality of openings are arranged in concentric circles about the central area such that a major vertex of each opening is arranged nearer to the central area than a minor vertex of the opening.

15. The brassiere of claim 14 , wherein a major axis length varies between openings of the plurality of openings, and a minor axis length varies between openings of the plurality of openings.

16. The brassiere of claim 15 , wherein the openings are arranged along line segments extending radially from the central area.

17. The brassiere of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the line segments extends along the strap.

18. A brassiere, comprising:
a back portion;
a front portion coupled to the back portion at side areas;
straps coupled to the front portion and the back portion; and
cup panels included on the front portion, each cup panel extending from the front portion along one of the straps and from the front portion to one of the side areas, wherein each cup panel includes a first layer and a second layer, wherein each second layer includes a plurality of openings arranged on substantially an entirety of the cup panel, and wherein an elastic modulus of the second layer varies in extent and directionality across the second layer.

19. The brassiere of claim 18 wherein the plurality of openings include a first group of openings arranged closer to a central area of the cup panel and a second group of openings arranged closer to a periphery of the cup panel, wherein the elastic modulus of the cup panel is greater in an area associated with the second group of openings than in an area associated with the first group of openings.

20. The brassiere of claim 10 wherein at least one of the line segments extends along the strap portion.

Assignees

• Under Armour Inc

Inventors

• Miller Merida
• Berns Jason

Classifications

• A41C3/0085

  with ventilation feature · CPC title

• A41B2500/50

  Synthetic resins or rubbers · CPC title

• A41C3/0057 Primary

  for sport activities · CPC title

• A41C3/10

  with stiffening or bust-forming inserts · CPC title