Abstrict An improvement in underwire bra construction wherein the ends of
the U-shaped underwire are secured to complementary fastening members
affixed to the material of the bra cup and wherein such U-shaped
underwire is free to swing up or down relative to said complementary
fastening members.
Claims What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by LETTERS
PATENT of the United States is as follows:
1. A new and improved underwear bra which comprises: a bra having
a pair of fabric breast cups; each of said fabric breast cups having
a bottom base portion and an upper edge portion; first and second
U-shaped underwires extending around the base portion of each said
breast cup and being enclosed in the fabric of said bra; each of
said first and second underwires having first and second opposed
ends; first, second, third and fourth fastening members proximal
to the the upper edge portions of each of said breast cups, respectively,
and fastened to the fabric thereof to receive and secure the first
and second opposed ends of each of said U-shaped underwires therein,
respectively; and first, second, third and fourth pivotal coupling
members attached to the opposed ends of said underwires, respectively,
for permitting the opposed ends of said underwire to be affixed
to said first, second third and fourth fastening members, respectively,
and for permitting each opposed end of said first and second underwires,
respectively, to pivot relative to the other end thereof and to
the other ends of the other underwire.
2. A bra as in claim 1 wherein said U-shaped underwire is composed
of a main segment and two end segments pivotally connected thereto.
3. A construction as in claim 1 wherein each said fastening member
has mounted thereon a pair of extending flanges adapted to receive
therebetween a corresponding opposed end of said U-shaped underwire
to engage between said pair of flanges; and a pivot pin extending
through said flanges and said opposed end to pivotally secure said
end to said flanges.
4. A construction as in claim 1 wherein each said fastening member
has an open bottom slot therein; each of said first and second underwire
opposed ends has a groove thereon adjacent the corresponding opposed
end thereof engaged within said slot with the corresponding opposed
end of each said underwire being sufficiently large in diameter
as to not pass through said slot, and wherein each of said opposed
ends of said first and second underwires further includes a pivotal
connection therein, respectively, to permit a main segment of each
U-shaped underwire to pivot relative to the opposed ends thereof
proximal to said corresponding fastener member.
5. A construction as in claim 1 wherein each said fastening member
has a socket on the surface thereof; and each of said first and
second underwire opposed ends has a ball on the corresponding end
thereof adapted to fit within said socket.
6. A construction as in claim 1 wherein each said fastening member
has a plurality of ball-receiving recesses on the surface thereof;
and each of said first and second underwire opposed ends has a ball-shaped
member on the corresponding end thereof adapted to engage within
any of said plurality of ball-receiving recesses.
7. A construction as in claim 1 wherein each said first and second
U-shaped underwire is formed of two minor opposed end segments and
a major U-shaped central segment therebetween; and further includes
means for pivotally connecting each said minor end segment to said
central major segment.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to underwire bras and more particularly
pertains to means for affixing the underwires so as to eliminate
any tending for the ends thereof to punch through the fabric of
the bra to which they are attached.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of underwire bras is known in the prior art. More specifically,
U-shaped underwires heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose
of insertion into women's bras are known to consist basically of
familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding
the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which
have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives
and requirements. Despite their use in a variety of bra designs,
the U-shaped underwires have usually been slideably inserted into
fabric sleeves and in use have a tendency to wear the fabric material
of the bra and frequently to poke a hole therein. The only remedy
for this problem noted in the prior art is incidentally mentioned
in U.S. Pat. No. 4153062 wherein the use of short rubber cushions
slipped on the ends of U-shaped underwire is referred to. Other
art such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3722513; 4798557; 4440174; and
3726286; disclose the use of the U-shaped support wire in various
types of bra configurations wherein such support wire is contained
loosely within pockets of such bras.
In this respect, the underwire bra according to the present invention
substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs
of the prior art, and in so doing provides a means primarily developed
for the purpose of securing an underwire in a bra so as to eliminate
puncturing of the bra material by the ends of the U-shaped underwire.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing
need for new and improved underwire bras which can be used without
failure due to fabric abrasure or puncture by such underwires. In
this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types
of underwire bras now present in the prior art, the present invention
provides an improved underwire bra construction wherein the same
can be utilized to provide a bra not susceptible to the damage inherent
in present construction. As such, the general purpose of the present
invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail,
is to provide a new and improved underwire bra and method of attachment
of the wires which has all the advantages of the prior art underwire
bras and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises an
improvement in underwire bra construction wherein the ends of the
U-shaped underwire are secured to complementary fastening members
affixed to the material of the bra cup and wherein such U-shaped
underwire is free to swing up or down relative to said complementary
fastening members.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important
features of the invention in order that the detailed description
thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that
the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There
are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be
described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of
the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the
invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is
not limited in its application to the details of construction and
to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following
description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable
of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various
ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology
employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not
be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception,
upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as
a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems
for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention.
It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including
such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from
the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially
the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not
familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine
quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the
technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither
intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured
by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope
of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
new and improved underwire bra which has all the advantages of the
prior art bras and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new
and improved underwire bra which may be easily and efficiently manufactured
and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new
and improved underwire bra which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a
new and improved underwire bra which is susceptible of a low cost
of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which
accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming
public, thereby making such bras economically available to the buying
public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide
a new and improved underwire bra which provides in the constructions
of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously
overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new
and improved more wear-resistant underwire bra.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new
and improved means for affixing U-shaped underwires in a bra construction.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with
the various features of novelty which characterize the invention,
are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and
forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of
the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects
attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying
drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred
embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than
those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is
given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description
makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an underwire bra of the present
invention in position on a user's body.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of one form of the present invention.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged perspective views of the fastening means
for the U-shaped underwire shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the element shown in FIG. 3.
FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged perspective views of a modification
of the U-shaped wire illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5.
FIGS. 8 and 9 are enlarged perspective views of a modified fastening
means for the U-shaped underwire shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the element shown in FIG. 8.
FIGS. 11 and 12 are enlarged perspective views of another means
for securing the ends of a U-shaped underwire to a bra.
FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate still another type of fastening means.
FIG. 15 shows the fastening means of FIG. 14 in relationship to
another form of the U-shaped underwire.
FIG. 16 shows still another type of fastener means.
FIG. 17 is a sectional view on line 17--17 of the fastener means
of FIG. 16.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1
thereof, a new and improved underwire bra embodying the principles
and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by
the reference numeral 10 will be described.
The bra 10 embodying the present invention is shown in position
on a wearer 11 (shown in broken lines), and consists of the conventional
shoulder straps and bra cups 12 and 13. Inserted in the fabric of
each of bra cups 12 and 13 at the lower edges thereof is a U-shaped
wire member 14 having fastening means 15 secured to the fabric of
the bra 10 and engaging with the ends of such U-shaped wire member
14. Obviously a strap-less bra utilizing the underwire arrangement
of the present invention is also within the scope thereof.
FIG. 2 shows in more detail one means for such engagement wherein
the fastening means 15 is seen to provide a pivoted link 16 with
the ends 18 of wire member 14 with such ends 18 free to pivot about
the axis indicated by broken lines 17. Preferably, wire 14 is divided
at each end into two segments 18 and 19 immediately below pivoted
link 16 said segments 18 and 19 again being pivotally connected
one to the other as at 20 and free to pivot about axis 21 shown
in broken lines. These pivots at 16 and 20 allow for freedom of
movement by the wearer while the engagement with means 15 prevents
displacement of the ends 18 of wire member 14 other than in the
pivotal motion described. It will be understood that underwire 14
has the same configuration at both fasteners so that segment 19
is common to both ends of such underwire 14 i.e. such underwire
14 has two end segments 18 and a single segment 19 therebetween.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show in greater detail the fastening means 15. As
illustrated in this modification, the two-piece underwire 14 having
the main segment 19 and end segment 18 has a flattened terminus
22 on the end of segment 18 having a hole 23 extending therethrough
designed to accept a pivot pin (not shown). The fastening means
15 adapted to be sewn or otherwise attached to the fabric of the
bra 10 as shown in FIG. 1 bears on its surface 24 a pair of complementary
flanges 25 adapted to receive therebetween said flattened terminus
22 and to be secured thereto by a pivot pin extending through holes
26 in such flanges 25 and the corresponding hole 23 in said flattened
terminus. When secured by such pivot pin, the unit makes up the
pivotal link 16 shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 5 the segment
18 is then permitted to pivot about axis 17. Also as shown in the
drawing, the main segment 19 is pivotally connected to end segment
18 at 27 where it is free to pivot about axis 21. While the division
of underwire 14 into two segments is shown in the preceding figures,
it may be formed in one piece with the flattened terminus 22 at
the end thereof as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein the engagement
with fastening member 15 is as described in connection with FIGS.
3 and 4.
FIGS. 8 9 and 10 illustrate another type of fastening means 15-A
wherein the pivoting of underwire 14 is solely at the junction 27
between segments 18 and 19. In this modification, a groove 28 is
provided adjacent the end 29 of segment 18 adapted to engage within
an open-ended slot 30 in means 15-A and to be held therein by the
end 29 of segment 18.
FIG. 11 shows a minor modification 15-B of the fastening means
15 of FIGS. 6 and 7. Instead of flanges 25 here the securing means
comprises a pair of U-shaped brackets 31 affixed to fastening means
15-B and adapted to receive a pivot pin 32 therein, extending through
both brackets 31 and through the hole 23 in the flattened terminus
22 on the end of U-shaped underwire 14 thus permitting such underwire
14 to pivot about such pin 32.
In FIGS. 13 and 14 the pivoting of underwire 14 is achieved through
the use of a ball and socket joint 32 having the socket portion
thereof secured to fastening member 15-C and the ball portion thereof
secured to the end of segment 18. Likewise a second ball and socket
joint 33 forms the pivot means 27 at the juncture of segments 18
and 19. Again, as shown in FIG. 15 only the one ball and socket
joint 32 may be used if desired.
FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate a variation of the fastening means shown
in FIGS. 13 and 14 wherein such fastening means 15-D permits lateral
adjustment of the relationship between such fastening means 15-D
and the associated U-shaped underwire 14. In this case, the end
segment 18 of underwire 14 terminates in a ball-shaped member 34.
Fastening means 15-D has a generally rectangular receptacle 35 affixed
to the face thereof, said receptacle 35 having a laterally extending
opening 36 in the face thereof. The portion of receptacle 35 defining
the upper edge of opening 36 has a plurality of arcuate grooves
37 uniformly spaced there along. The opening 36 is such that ball-shaped
member 34 when aligned with one of said grooves 37 will fit into
said receptacle 35. When the underwire 14 is allowed to drop downward,
the ball-shaped member 34 locks into place within said receptacle
35 as shown in FIG. 17. The multiple grooves 37 allow adjustment
as shown in the lateral spacing of the end segment 18 of underwire
14 to permit adjusting for better fit on the wearer. Again, as shown
in FIG. 16 the ball and socket point joint 33 between end segment
18 and the major segment 19 of underwire 14 permits pivoting of
underwire 14 as described in connection with FIGS. 13 and 14 above.
Whereas most of the descriptions above relate to a single end of
the U-shaped underwire, it is to be understood that the description
of one side of the bra and the associated underwire is duplicated
in actual construction; i.e. both ends of the underwire bra are
secured in the same manner for each modification described.
As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention,
the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly,
no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation
will be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized
that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the
invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form,
function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily
apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent
relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described
in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present
invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of
the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications
and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is
not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications
and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of
the invention.
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