Self-inflating brassiere padding made of a spongy material

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-inflating brassiere padding for insertion in a pocket of a cup or into a cup of a brassiere to grant the user the desired appearance of enlarged breasts in a wide range of volume and shape, comprising; (a) a deflatable, preferably monoblock part made of spongy material for giving the breast any desired form, size and support; (b) an air-hermetic coating for the monoblock part making the padding airtight, which allows wide-range regulation of self-inflation volume of the padding, the coating being an integral part of the monoblock part and resulting from the property of self-skinning or a separate coating of the padding; (c) a venting opening/hole made in the coating to let atmospheric air into the padding, the opening/hole either being closed by an hermetic or air-hermetic cork or any other hermetic or air-hermetic closure means for stopping the self-inflation at any stage, or including a hermetic or air-hermetic valve, the valve providing a possibility of regulation of self-inflation volume of said padding by the user according to her needs.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a self-inflating breast padding for a brassiere. More specifically, the invention relates to a self-inflating brassiere padding made of spongy material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Sponge or silicon rubber paddings commonly inserted in brassiere cups do not always meet the users' individual needs since the volume of the paddings cannot be changed to suit the user, and the paddings are not always helpful to a user having breasts of different size. Inflatable brassiere paddings disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,697,974; 5,823,852; 5,833,515 are partially free of those disadvantages. However, to give the breasts a desirable volume, the paddings of said patents are inflated by means of inflating/deflating devices (syringes and special pumps), which is far from being practical nor comfortable. The change of volume in the mentioned patents is achieved through compressed air or injected liquid, which exposes the user to the deterring feeling that an embarrassing unwanted change of volume can occur during the use. Another disadvantage of these paddings is that in the process of inflation, they equally swell in all directions, and the exact shape of the breast, desired by the user, cannot be produced. The present invention provides insertable spongy brassiere paddings that can be produced in various shapes and sizes and are adjustable in volume to suit the user's breasts while not requiring external costly pumps, syringes, special brassieres, evasive liquid/compressed air, thus overcoming the disadvantages of the products known in the art.

[0003] German Patent DE 19827683 relates to a self-inflating pad designed to be part of, or to lie on a piece of furniture, to act as a mattress or a chair cushion. WO 9951899 relates to a self-inflating cushion designed to grant orthopedic support to a person, especially for the back or neck. The latter two documents utilize a foam-like material enclosed within an airtight envelope, and a valve to allow air to enter to inflate or deflate the pad or cushion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention provides a self-inflating brassiere padding which has substantial advantages over other products of that kind, concerning the following aspects: functionality, convenience of use and manufacturing cost.

[0005] Unlike common spongy brassiere paddings, the padding according to the invention is hermetically sealed so as it has only one venting opening/hole for self-inflation of said padding with atmospheric air or for its deflation. This allows regulation of the volume of air let into the padding through said venting opening/hole.

[0006] A self-inflating brassiere padding according to the present invention is inserted in a pocket of a cup portion of a brassiere to provide a desirable form of the breast in a wide range of volume. The padding comprises:

[0007] a) a deflatable, preferably monoblock part made of spongy material for giving the breast any desired form, size and support;

[0008] b) a hermetic (air-hermetic) coating for said monoblock part resulting from the self-skin-forming property of the material and making said padding airtight, which allows wide-range regulation of self-inflation volume of said padding, said coating being either an integral part of said monoblock part or being applied separately;

[0009] c) a venting opening/hole made in said coating to let atmospheric air into said padding, said opening/hole either being closed by an hermetic (air-hermetic) cork or by any other hermetic (air-hermetic) closure means for stopping the self-inflation at any stage, or including an hermetic (air-hermetic) valve, said valve providing the possibility of regulation of self-inflation volume of said padding by the user according to her needs.

[0010] Said deflatable monoblock part can be formed in any predetermined shape and size. E.g., it can be shaped as a cup or triangle or otherwise.

[0011] In an alternative embodiment said padding does not have the airtight coating, but is put in an airtight flexible bag.

[0012] A self-inflating padding according to the present invention can also be an internal integral part of the brassiere or to be designed as an independent add-on part to be put between the brassiere cup and the breast.

[0013] Said monoblock part can be made of open-cell polyurethane foam.

[0014] The airtight coating according to the present invention is made of polyurethane or of other flexible material.

[0015] The air can be pressed out of the padding by hand, whereafter said venting hole is hermetically closed by any closure means.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, said hole can include a hermetic valve having an orifice and a movable seal, providing hermetic closure of said monoblock part.

[0017] Said movable seal can be connected with a string that is the only external visible part of said padding. The string is passed through the housing of the valve. The air is let out of the padding by pressing the padding by hand. To inflate said monoblock, the string is to be pulled by hand from outside in order to move said seal away from said orifice.

[0018] Said valve comprises a spring fixed to a “tap”. By moving the seal, the user achieves a desired degree of self-inflation of the padding. The spring returns said seal to the normal position thereof so as the seal hermetically closes said orifice.

[0019] According to the present invention, a brassiere can be made, with the cup portions linked with each other by a short pipe placed between them so as this pipe connects both self-inflating paddings of the brassiere. The pipe has an opening, which allows to simultaneously inflate both paddings.

[0020] In another possible embodiment of the present invention, said deflatable part of the padding consists of two or more monoblock parts having said hermetic coating. Each of said parts has a hole containing said valve, which provides a possibility of self-inflation of a desired part of the padding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present invention will be described in detail by FIGS. 1-3. This detailed description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, but only to illustrate the preferred embodiments.

[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a self-inflating padding according to the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates the self-inflation valve of a self-inflating padding according to the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3a illustrates a self-inflating padding in a state of complete deflation.

[0025] FIG. 3b illustrates a self-inflating padding in a state of partial inflation.

[0026] FIG. 3c illustrates a self-inflating padding in a state of full inflation.

[0027] FIG. 4a illustrates a self-inflating padding in a state of complete deflation, applied to the user's breast.

[0028] FIG. 4b illustrates a self-inflating padding in a state of partial inflation, applied to the user's breast.

[0029] FIG. 4c illustrates a self-inflating padding in a state of full inflation, applied to the user's breast.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates a self-inflating padding according to the present invention, comprising monoblock part (1), air-hermetic coating (2) and valve (11) for regulation of self-inflation volume.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a part of cross-section through self-inflation valve (11). By means of the valve, the user can establish the desired volume of air entering monoblock part (1). To inflate the padding, the user pulls string (6), fixed to “tap” (5) and linked with hermetic seal (4) through connections (7), and thus moves seal (4) away from orifice (10) of valve body (9), placed in hole (3). Then, the user presses air out of the padding by hand. To provide a desired self-inflation volume, string (6) has to be pulled as far as necessary and left. Thereupon, spring (8) brings seal (4) to its initial position thus causing hermetic closure of the valve.

[0032] FIG. 3a-3c illustrate a self-inflating padding according to the present invention, comprising monoblock part (1), coating (2) and opening (3), in three different stages of inflation. Opening (3) can be closed by any suitable closure means. In this embodiment, monoblock part (1) is deflated by pressing air out of it by hand. Over this procedure, venting opening (3), placed in hermetic coating (2), is opened. When the desired degree of deflation is achieved, venting opening (3) is hermetically closed with any air-hermetic closure. To inflate the padding, the venting opening has to be opened so that atmospheric air could fill the padding. Thus, the padding can be inflated or deflated to the desired degree.

[0033] FIG. 4a - 4c illustrates a self-inflating padding according to the present invention, applied to the user's breast. The padding is depicted in the stages of inflation illustrated by FIG. 3.

Claims

1. A self-inflating brassiere padding for insertion in a pocket of a cup or into a cup of a brassiere to grant the user the desired appearance of enlarged breasts in a wide range of volume and shape, comprising;

a) a deflatable, preferably monoblock, part (1) made of spongy material for giving the breast any desired form, size and support;

b) an air-hermetic coating (2) for said monoblock part (1) making said padding airtight, which allows wide-range regulation of self-inflation volume of said padding, said coating (2) being an integral part of said monoblock part (1) and resulting from the property of self-skinning or a separate coating of said padding;

c) a venting opening/hole (3) made in said coating (2) to let atmospheric air into said padding, said opening/hole (3) either being closed by an hermetic or air-hermetic cork or any other hermetic or air-hermetic closure means for stopping the self-inflation at any stage, or including a hermetic or air-hermetic valve (11), said valve (11) providing a possibility of regulation of self-inflation volume of said padding by the user according to her needs.

2. A self-inflating padding according to claim 1 wherein said deflatable monoblock part (1) is formed in any predetermined shape and size.

3. A self-inflating padding according to claims 1, 2 wherein said deflatable monoblock part (1) is shaped as a cup or triangle or otherwise;

4. A self-inflating padding according to claims 1-3, which does not have said coating (2), but is inserted into an airtight structure.

5. A self-inflating padding according to any of the preceding claims, which is an internal integral part of the brassiere.

6. A self-inflating padding according to claims 1-3, which is an independent add-on part of a brassiere.

7. A self-inflating padding according to any of the preceding claims wherein said monoblock part (1) is made of open-cell foam.

8. A self-inflating padding according to any of the preceding claims wherein said coating (2) is made of flexible material or resulting from the property of self-skin-forming of the foam.

9. A self-inflating padding according to any of the preceding claims wherein said hermetic valve (11) is a valve having an orifice and a movable seal (4) providing hermetic closure of said monoblock part, said movable seal (4) being fixed through specific connections to a string (6) which is the only external visible part of said padding and is passed to the outside to be pulled by hand from outside in order to move said seal (4) away from said orifice to let the atmospheric air in said monoblock part, thus providing self-inflation of said padding; said string (6) being passed through a spring (8) fixed to said connections so as said spring (8) returns said seal (4) to the normal position thereof in which said seal (4) hermetically closes said orifice; said orifice being made in a valve body (9) containing said seal (4), said connections, said spring (8) and said “tap” (5); said valve body (9) being permanently fixed in a cavity of the padding.

10. A brassiere with two self-inflating paddings according to any of the preceding claims, including a short pipe located between the cup portions of the brassiere and having an opening that can be closed by any closure means, said pipe linking said paddings placed in both cups of the brassiere with each other, thus providing the possibility of simultaneous self-inflation of said paddings.

11. A self-inflating padding according to claims 1-9, wherein said deflatable part of the padding consists of two or more monoblock parts (1), each of said parts (1) having a hole (3) with a valve (11), which allows self-inflation of a desired part of the padding so as the volume of the rest of the padding does not change.