Abstrict The sports bra comprises two front panel sections with each front
panel section being a mirror image of the other and including a
main body portion and an upwardly extending wide strap forming portion
and a rear panel section including a body portion and two upwardly
extending wide strap forming portions. The body portion of the rear
panel section is attached on each side edge thereof to one of the
main body portions of one of the front panel sections and the upper
ends of each strap forming portion are attached to the upper end
of one of the strap forming portions of one of the front panel sections.
The rear panel section includes two elastic strap reinforcing bands
which extend from the upper end of one of the strap forming portions
angularly downwardly to the opposite side edge of the rear panel
section to form cross strap members. The sports bra has arm holes
and a neck hole which are defined between the areas of joining of
the front and rear panel sections. Securement means are provided
at opposing end edges of the mirror image front panel sections for
securing the two front panel sections together when the bra is worn.
Each of the front panel sections has a plurality of darts with the
darts being positioned in such a manner as to form the body section
with pouches that extend outwardly from the body when the bra is
secured around the body of the wearer.
Claims I claim:
1. A sports bra comprising: two front panel sections, each front
panel section being a mirror image of the other and including a
substantially planar main body portion and a wide strap forming
portion extending upwardly from the main body portion, a rear panel
section, said rear panel section including a body portion and two
upwardly extending wide strap forming portions, said body portion
being attached on each side edge thereof to one of said main body
portions of one of said front panel sections and the upper ends
of each strap forming portion being attached to the upper end of
one of said strap forming portions of one of said front panel sections,
said rear panel section including two elastic strap reinforcing
bands which extend from the upper end of one of said strap forming
portions angularly downwardly to the opposite side edge of the rear
panel section and forming cross strap members, said sports bra having
arm holes and a neck hole which are defined between the areas of
joining of the front and rear panel sections, securement means at
opposing end edges of the mirror image front panel sections for
securing the two front panel sections together when the bra is worn,
and each of said front panel sections having a plurality of darts,
the darts being positioned in such a manner as to allow a slight
outpouching of the front panel sections when the bra is secured
around the body of the wearer.
2. The sports bra as claimed in claim 1 wherein said front panel
sections each comprise first and second layers of a stretchable
power knit material.
3. The sports bra of claim 2 wherein said stretch of said first
layer is in a vertical direction.
4. The sports bra of claim 2 wherein said stretch of said second
layer is in a circumferential direction.
5. The sports bra of claim 1 wherein said rear panel section is
made of a single layer of power knit material which stretches in
the circumferential direction.
6. The sports bra of claim 1 wherein said shoulder strap forming
portions of said front and rear panel sections, when joined together
also have a layer of non-stretch material sewn thereto, said layer
of non-stretch material extending downwardly from the juncture of
said front strap forming member and said rear strap forming member
an equal distance into each strap forming member.
7. The sports bra of claim 1 wherein said front and rear panel
sections are all lined by a soft, stretchable material.
8. The sports bra of claim 1 wherein said rear panel section has
strips of a power knit material extending angularly across the main
body portion thereof from a side seam where said rear panel section
is attached to one of said front panel sections upwardly and terminates
at the area of joining of the strap forming sections of the front
and rear panel sections.
9. The sports bra of claim 1 wherein said securement means comprise
a zipper.
10. The sports bra of claim 1 wherein said securement means comprise
hooks and eyes.
11. The sports bra of claim 1 wherein said securement means comprises
a lace and eyes for receiving said lace.
12. The sports bra of claim 1 wherein the body forming portion
of each front panel section is provided with at least three darts.
13. The sports bra of claim 12 wherein one of said darts is short
and extends upwardly from the bottom edge of the front panel section
approximately in the center of the panel section.
14. The sports bra of claim 12 wherein a long dart extends angularly
upwardly from a point approximately 2/3 of the way up the side seam
into and toward the center of the body forming portion of the front
panel section.
15. The sports bra of claim 12 wherein at least two darts are provided
at a position which is the approximate center of the opposing edge
of the front panel section, each extending angularly away from the
other and toward the center of the body forming portion and forming
an approximately V shaped area of puckered material therebetween.
16. The sports bra of claim 1 wherein said front panel sections
and said rear panel section have a continuous bottom edge with an
elastic band secured to said bottom edge and coextensive with said
front and rear panel sections, said elastic band being elastic in
the circumferential direction and having an elasticity less than
that of said panel sections for securing the garment about the torso
of the wearer at a level just below the breasts and above the bottom
of the ribcage of the wearer.
17. A sports bra comprising: two front panel sections, each front
panel section being a mirror image of the other, comprising first
and second layers of a stretchable power knit material, and including
a main body portion and an upwardly extending wide strap forming
portion; a rear panel section, said rear panel section including
a body portion and two upwardly extending wide strap forming portions,
said body portion being attached on each side edge thereof to one
of said main body portions of one of said front panel sections and
the upper ends of each strap forming portion being attached to the
upper end of one of said strap forming portions of one of said front
panel sections, said rear panel section including two elastic strap
reinforcing bands which extend from the upper end of one of said
strap forming portions angularly downwardly to the opposite side
edge of the rear panel section and forming cross strap members,
said sports bra having arm holes and a neck hole which are defined
between the areas of joining of the front and rear panel sections,
securement means at opposing end edges of the mirror image front
panel sections for securing the two front panel sections together
when the bra is worn, and each of said front panel sections having
a plurality of darts, the darts being positioned in such a manner
as to form the body section with pouches that extend outwardly from
the body when the bra is secured around the body of the wearer.
18. The sports bra of claim 17 wherein said stretch of said first
layer is in a vertical direction.
19. The sports bra of claim 17 wherein said stretch of said second
layer is in a circumferential direction.
20. A sports bra comprising: two front panel sections, each front
panel section being a mirror image of the other, and including a
main body portion and an upwardly extending wide strap forming portion;
a rear panel section made of a single layer of power knit material
which stretches in the circumferential direction, said rear panel
section including a body portion and two upwardly extending wide
strap forming portions, said body portion being attached on each
side edge thereof to one of said main body portions of one of said
front panel sections and the upper ends of each strap forming portion
being attached to the upper end of one of said strap forming portions
of one of said front panel sections, said rear panel section including
two elastic strap reinforcing bands which extend from the upper
end of one of said strap forming portions angularly downwardly to
the opposite side edge of the rear panel section and forming cross
strap members, said sports bra having arm holes and a neck hole
which are defined between the areas of joining of the front and
rear panel sections, securement means at opposing end edges of the
mirror image front panel sections for securing the two front panel
sections together when the bra is worn, and each of said front panel
sections having a plurality of darts, the darts being positioned
in such a manner as to form the body section with pouches that extend
outwardly from the body when the bra is secured around the body
of the wearer.
21. A sports bra comprising: two front panel sections, each front
panel section being a mirror image of the other, and including a
main body portion and an upwardly extending wide strap forming portion;
a rear panel section, said rear panel section including a body portion
and two upwardly extending wide strap forming portions, said body
portion being attached on each side edge thereof to one of said
main body portions of one of said front panel sections and the upper
ends of each strap forming portion being attached to the upper end
of one of said strap forming portions of one of said front panel
sections, said strap forming portions having a layer of non-stretch
material sewn thereto, said layer of non-stretch material extending
downwardly from the juncture of said front strap forming portion
and said rear strap forming portion an equal distance into each
strap forming portion, said rear panel section including two elastic
strap reinforcing bands which extend from the upper end of one of
said strap forming portions angularly downwardly to the opposite
side edge of the rear panel section and forming cross strap members,
said sports bra having arm holes and a neck hole which are defined
between the areas of joining of the front and rear panel sections,
securement means at opposing end edges of the mirror image front
panel sections for securing the two front panel sections together
when the bra is worn, and each of said front panel sections having
a plurality of darts, the darts being positioned in such a manner
as to form the body section with pouches that extend outwardly from
the body when the bra is secured around the body of the wearer.
22. A sports bra comprising: two front panel sections, each front
panel section being a mirror image of the other, and including a
main body portion and an upwardly extending wide strap forming portion;
a rear panel section, said rear panel section including a body portion
and two upwardly extending wide strap forming portions, said body
portion being attached on each side edge thereof to one of said
main body portions of one of said front panel sections and the upper
ends of each strap forming portion being attached to the upper end
of one of said strap forming portions of one of said front panel
sections, said rear panel section including two elastic strap reinforcing
bands which extend from the upper end of one of said strap forming
portions angularly downwardly to the opposite side edge of the rear
panel section and forming cross strap members, said front and rear
panel sections being lined by a soft stretchable material, said
sports bra having arm holes and a neck hole which are defined between
the areas of joining of the front and rear panel sections, securement
means at opposing end edges of the mirror image front panel sections
for securing the two front panel sections together when the bra
is worn, and each of said front panel sections having a plurality
of darts, the darts being positioned in such a manner as to form
the body section with PG,23 pouches that extend outwardly from the
body when the bra is secured around the body of the wearer.
23. A sports bra comprising: two front panel sections, each front
panel section being a mirror image of the other, and including a
main body portion and an upwardly extending wide strap forming portion;
a rear panel section, said rear panel section including a body portion
and two upwardly extending wide strap forming portions, said body
portion being attached on each side edge thereof to one of said
main body portions of one of said front panel sections and the upper
ends of each strap forming portion being attached to the upper end
of one of said strap forming portions of one of said front panel
sections, said rear panel section including two elastic strap reinforcing
bands which extend from the upper end of one of said strap forming
portions angularly downwardly to the opposite side edge of the rear
panel section and forming cross strap members, said cross strap
members comprising strips of a power knit material, said sports
bra having arm holes and a neck hole which are defined between the
areas of joining of the front and rear panel sections, securement
means at opposing end edges of the mirror image front panel sections
for securing the two front panel sections together when the bra
is worn, and each of said front panel sections having a plurality
of darts, the darts being positioned in such a manner as to form
the body section with pouches that extend outwardly from the body
when the bra is secured around the body of the wearer.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sports bra which is created
to provide support, especially for the woman with large breasts,
during leisure time activities, such as jogging, horseback riding
and aerobics. More particularly, the sports bra is constructed in
such a manner as to provide firm support for the breasts and back
of the wearer and to avoid irritation commonly experienced by the
woman with large breasts during such activities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The Fredericks U.S. Pat. No. 3628539 discloses a mammary support
which comprises a postoperative mammary dressing or support constructed
of uniformly distensible material having a back panel and front
panels. The panels are detachably connected to one another for facilitating
application and removal of the dressing. Each front panel includes
a breast cup having an upper section of elliptical profile and a
lower section of semielliptical profile arranged and connected to
one another and to the detachable panels in a manner which, it is
stated, will reduce respiratory restriction and post operative hematoma
and seroma formation, while at the same time, exerting a uniform
force to maintain artificial implants in position during healing.
The Schreiber et al U.S. Pat. No. 4174717 discloses an athletic
brassiere which is designed to hold the breasts snugly to the body.
A wide elastic rib band and elastic strips which cross in the back
hold the brassiere firmly in place. A non-irritating material is
used and all seams face the outside. There is no hardware in this
brassiere. The cups are not shaped, but are made of an elastic material
to pull the breasts in snugly against the body.
The Dell et al U.S. Pat. No. 4289137 discloses a sports brassiere
which includes a one-piece back, strong under-bust support, and
breast cups which are made to limit upward bounce during jogging
or similar athletic activities. The breast cups have elastic panels
supporting the underside of the breast. The one-piece back is T-shaped,
with the shoulder straps and side panels being part of the one-piece
back. The garment has front fastening means.
The Schreiber et al U.S. Pat. No. 4311150 discloses an athletic
brassiere which comprises a wide elastic rib band and elastic straps
which cross in back to hold the brassiere firmly in place. The seams
of this brassiere all face the outside and a non-irritating material
is used in the formation of same. Again, all hardware is eliminated,
and the cups are not shaped but are made of elastic material to
pull the breasts in snugly against the body. Elastic edging material
lines the top of the front and side panels and merges to form straps
which criss-cross in the back.
The Speno U.S. Pat. No. 4314569 discloses a bra for athletic
activities. The bra is constructed to have top cups which extend
down farther than on conventional bras, putting the seam between
the top cups and the under cups below the apex to avoid irritation
of the nipples. Side panels at the outer ends of each under cup
extend only the height of the under cup, and each top cup extends
farther back above the adjacent side panel, to a seam at the rearward
edge of the top cup and side panel. All raw edges of seams on the
bra are either on the outside or, if inside, are concealed from
contact with the skin. The material for the top cups and under cups
may be soft and non-stretchable, such as cotton.
The Wilkinson U.S. Pat. No. 4325378 discloses a women's sports
garment which is in the general form of a brassiere for use when
engaged in a physical activity and in particular, jogging. The garment
comprises an inner liner and outer breast supporting flaps overfitting
the liner, the inner liner and outer flaps being independently displaceable,
at least in the area adjacent the breasts, with the flaps being
adjustably cinchable. The liner may be provided with breast-engaging
pockets in the general form of a brassiere. The liner may also have
shoulder straps and an elastic member disposed below the supporting
pockets. The two supporting flaps may be connected to the liner
behind the breast-engaging pockets. When the flaps are cinched together,
an inward pressure, independent of any vertical load caused by the
weight of the breasts, is created, thereby preventing excessive
movement. Movement of the liner is independent of movement of the
supporting flaps.
The Harned U.S. Pat. No. 4444191 discloses a comfort garment
which characterizes a jogging support for the upper female anatomy
and which may assume various forms, such as (1) a vest which includes
a non-elastic front panel and elastic straps attached thereto which
combine to restrict upward and downward breast movement, a non-elastic
back panel, and expandable bottom and side panels which permit stretching
action during jogging or like activity; (2) a similar form to that
of the vest, where the entire garment is made from an elastic material
and/or where the bottom, side and back panels are unitary and expandable,
or variations of the preceding; and (3) a continuous wrapped unit
serving the same breast movement restricting functions, but maintained
on the torso in a halter/strap fashion. The garment may be secured
in position on the wearer in a sweater-like relationship through
the use of hooks or loop-pile type fastening material ties, and
may serve as an undergarment, or as an outer garment.
The Henderson U.S. Pat. No. 4538614 discloses an athletic garment
for women which includes two front panels, a rear panel, shoulder
straps, and connecting means for connecting the front panels together
to secure the garment to the wearer. The garment includes various
types of elastic material of varying elasticity and spring rates
to provide support for the breasts while securing the garment in
the vertical direction to the torso of the wearer. In the vicinity
of the securing means on the front of the garment, it is relatively
inelastic to provide separation of the breasts. The front and rear
panels are of a generally planar configuration to their normal disposition
and expand to the form of the person wearing the garment to provide
support.
The Flanagan et al U.S. Pat. No. 4583544 discloses a sports bra.
The bra has no cups and seams are avoided. The bra is, essentially,
formed as one continuous knitted piece with a two way stretch, and
the rear of the bra has a height almost the same as that of the
front of the bra.
As will be disclosed in greater detail hereinafter, the sports
bra of the present invention differs from the prior art by providing
a structure that is particularly configured for use by the woman
with large breasts and which is made of a power knit material that
provides for stretching of the fabric around the body of the wearer,
provides extra wide straps for the garment thus eliminating pressure
on the shoulders of the wearer, the extra wide straps incorporating
a non-stretch material insert to limit or altogether eliminate up
and down movement of the breasts while jogging, and which has criss-crossed
stretchable support members across the back of the bra to provide
support for the back of the wearer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a sports bra comprising:
two front panel sections, each front panel section being a mirror
image of the other and including a main body portion and an upwardly
extending wide strap forming portion; a rear panel section, said
rear panel section including a body portion and two upwardly extending
wide strap forming portions, said body portion being attached on
each side edge thereof to one of said main body portions of one
of said front panel sections and the upper ends of each strap forming
portion being attached to the upper end of one of said strap forming
portions of one of said front panel sections, said rear panel section
including two elastic strap reinforcing bands which extend from
the upper end of one of said strap forming portions angularly downwardly
to the opposite side edge of the rear panel section and forming
cross strap members, said sports bra having arm holes and a neck
hole which are defined between the areas of joining of the front
and rear panel sections, securement means at opposing end edges
of the mirror image front panel sections for securing the two front
panel sections together when the bra is worn, and each of said front
panel sections having a plurality of darts, the darts being positioned
in such a manner as to form the body section with pouches that extend
outwardly from the body when the bra is secured around the body
of the wearer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sports bra of the present invention
and is illustrated on the torso of a wearer (the wearer being illustrated
in phantom).
FIG. 2 is a front view of the sports bra constructed in accordance
with the teachings of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the sports bra constructed according to
the teachings of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a back view of the sports bra constructed according to
the teachings of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective elevational view of the sports bra of FIG.
1 and has portions thereof broken away to illustrate the various
layers comprising the sports bra constructed in accordance with
the teachings of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated
in FIG. 1 a sports bra 10 constructed according to the teachings
of the present invention. As illustrated, the sports bra 10 comprises
two mirror-image front panel sections 12 and 14 which are substantially
identical to each other. Also, the sports bra 10 has a rear or back
panel section 16 which is joined at each lateral end edge 17 thereof
to a lateral end edge 17' of each of the front panel sections 12
and 14 at a side seam 18. The panel sections 12 14 and 16 are made
of a stretch material. With the panel sections 12 14 and 16 sewn
together as illustrated, a lower or bottom edge 20 for the sports
bra 10 is defined. Attached to this lower end edge 20 and extending
circumferentially about the upper torso, at a level just below that
of the breasts of the wearer, is an elastic band 22. This band 22
is elastic only circumferentially around the body of the wearer
and is substantially inelastic in the vertical direction. As further
illustrated, the two front panel sections 12 and 14 are provided
with securement means, such as a zipper 24 along a front center
opposing edge 25 of each panel section 12 14 to join the panel
sections 12 14 together, providing a garment or bra 10 which completely
surrounds the upper torso of the female wearer in a manner similar
to that in which a regular bra or very short vest would surround
the torso, with the elastic band member 22 being positioned just
below the level of the breasts and slightly above the end of the
wearer's rib cage.
Since each front panel section 12 and 14 is a mirror image of the
other, for the sake of brevity, only the front panel section 14
will be described. As shown in FIG. 2 the front panel section 14
is provided with several stitched tapering folds known in the clothing
field as darts. Two darts 30 and 32 are provided along the opposing
edge 25 of the section 14 at approximately the center thereof.
The darts 30 32 extend angularly away from each other as they extend
away from the opposing edge 25 and toward the center of the panel
14 to form a V-shaped area of puckered or pouched material therebetween.
An elongate dart 34 extends from the side seam 18 (FIGS. 1 &
3) toward an approximately central position on the front panel section
14. Further, a small dart 36 is provided at an approximately central
position along the lower end edge 20 of section 14. This dart 36
extends upwardly or away from the band 22. The front section 14
with the dart structure illustrated defines a body portion 40 for
the bra 10 the body portion 40 being so constructed as to receive
a breast therein and hold same firmly against the body of the wearer,
without binding, to prevent vertical motion of the breast during
activity, such as jogging. Also, an upwardly extending strap-forming
portion 42 is provided on front panel section 14 and terminates
at a free end edge 43 (better illustrated in FIG. 5).
In FIG. 3 there is illustrated a side view of the sports bra 10
of the present invention. As shown, the front panel sections 12
14 and rear panel section 16 are substantially of the same height
with the panel sections 12 14 being substantially planar, i.e.
without cup formations therein. In other words, although the front
panels 12 14 are made to encase the breasts of a female wearer,
no cups or other such structure is provided. In essence, the darts
30 32 34 and 36 provided within the material of the front panel
sections 12 14 in combination with the stretchable quality of
the material, will allow a slight outpouching of the material of
the front panel sections 12 14 to encase the breast mass of the
wearer in a flattening manner, to urge the majority of the breast
tissue against the sternum or rib cage of the wearer.
Turning now to FIG. 4 there is illustrated therein a rear or back
view of the sports bra 10 constructed in accordance with the teachings
of the present invention. As illustrated, the rear or back panel
section 16 is formed of a continuous piece of stretchable material,
such as a power-knit material, with the stretch of the material
extending in the circumferential direction around the body of the
wearer. The elastic band member 22 is shown as continuing along
the continuous bottom edge 20 of the rear panel section 16. Further,
the rear panel section 16 is provided with two cross strip members
50 and 52 which are layered along the outside surface of the back
panel 16 and cross each other at 54 forming a diamond shaped configuration
54 at that point. The crossed strip members 50 52 are each seen
to extend from each side seam 18 upwardly across the back panel
section 16 and into a strap forming portion 56 on each side of the
back panel 16. This criss-cross of sections 50 and 52 is provided
to give back support for a wearer by providing a pull upwardly on
the front panels, taking the weight of the breasts and distributing
it across the back and down into the side seams 18. Further, because
the two cross strip members 50 and 52 are placed across the back
section 16 in a diagonal manner, the direction in which they stretch
is angular relative to the direction of stretch of the rear panel
section 16 thus making the rear panel section 16 although stretchable,
more supportive by limiting the amount of circumferential stretch
available across the shoulder blade area.
As best illustrated in FIG. 5 the two strap forming portions 56
of the back panel 16 each have a free end edge 57 which, when the
front panels 12 14 and back panel 16 are joined, joins with the
free end portions 43 of the strap forming portions 42 of the front
panel sections 12 and 14. Once the front panel sections 12 14 and
rear panel section 16 are joined together along the side seams 18
and free end portions 43 57 of the strap forming portions 42 56
a vest-like bra 10 is provided. As illustrated, the sports bra 10
has arm holes 59 and a neck hole 62 which are formed between areas
of juncture of the front panel sections 12 14 with the rear panel
section 16.
Such vest-like configuation of the sports bra 10 together with
the provision of the front closure means 24 along the two opposing
edges 25 of the front panel sections 12 and 14 provides for ease
in putting on and removing of the sports bra 10. Further, by the
provision of relatively wide strap forming portions, areas or members
42 and 56 straps 60 formed thereby are kept from cutting into the
skin of the wearer, as often happens when straps of a bra are narrow
and, with the weight they bear when a woman has large breasts, often
gouge the skin underlying the straps.
It will be seen that the mirror image front sections 12 and 14
are first of all formed of two outer layers 66 and 68 of a power
knit type material with the stretch of the material going in the
vertical direction in one layer 66 and the stretch of the material
going in the horizontal direction in the other layer 68. Alternatively,
layer 68 may stretch vertically and layer 66 may stretch horizontally.
Also, to minimize the bounce effect during activity such as jogging,
a panel 70 of non-stretch material, approximately seven inches in
length, is sewn into each strap 60 and extends equally into the
front panel strap forming area 42 and into the rear panel strap
forming area 56 from the point at which they are joined. By the
provision of this non-stretch material panel 70 the sports bra
10 will not allow for stretching in the area of the shoulder straps
60 and will further keep the wide straps 60 of the bra 10 from digging
into the shoulders of the wearer by offering a maximum of anti-bounce
effect to the sports bra 10.
Also, the rear and front panel sections 12 14 and 16 are lined
with a very soft stretchable material layer 80 with the layer 80
having all the seams thereof facing outwardly and offset from seams
joining the panel section 12 14 and 16 together, thereby minimizing
any seam chafing that could develop against the skin of the wearer.
The non-stretch panel 70 extends in the rear strap forming portion
56 between the layer 80 and the layer 56 and in the front strap
forming portion 42 between the layers 68 and 80.
Turning now to a study of the formation of the rear panel section
16 the cross strap member 50 is shown to form an outer layer at
the side seam 18 with the layer forming the rear panel section 16
forming an inner layer at that point for the rear panel section
16 which also has a continuation of the lining layer 80 of soft
material with the inside seams here again all facing away from the
body of the wearer and being staggered relative to the seams joining
the outer layers together.
Although not shown in the drawings, it is possible to provide a
source of ventilation in various positions throughout the sports
bra to aid in cooling various areas where moisture collects, such
as at the front center of the bra in an area which would be between
and below the breasts when worn. Further, the closure means 24 may
be provided with some form of underlayment, such as a continuation
of the layer 80 of lining material, to prevent chafing which may
be caused by contact of the closure means 24 with the skin of the
wearer. Accordingly, although not all modifications are disclosed
within the specification, the specification should not be considered
as limiting with regard to modifications and the scope of the invention
should only be considered limited by the accompanying claims.
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