Adhesive bra

Abstract

An improved adhesive bra as well as an improved bra cup for receiving and supporting the breast is provided. The adhesive bra includes a pair of bra cups and each of the bra cups includes a surface facing towards one of the breasts and having an indentation corresponding to an area of the nipple and includes an adhesive layer on the surface. In comparison with the conventional ones, the provided adhesive bra fits the breast much more and allows women to create an additional breast push-up enhancement.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This application claims priority to a Patent Application filed in Taiwan R.O.C. having application number 094201464, filed Jan. 26, 2005. This priority claim is made under 35 U.S.C. 119, as per an agreement signed between the United States and Taiwan on Apr. 10, 1996.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a structure of a backless and strapless bra, and more particularly to a structure of a backless and strapless bra having an adhesive disposed thereon for adjoining the bra breast.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nowadays, women wear bras not only for protecting their breasts and fixing the breast shape, but also for fitting their clothing. More and more kinds of bras with different functions are hence developed and provided, so as to respectively meet the demands of variability and multiplicity for the bras as possible.

For example, women wearing haltertop or a low-cut will feel more comfortable if they wear bras with transparent straps or even the strapless bras thereunder. However, because the back straps are still retained in such bras, women still have to be very gingerly for preventing the back straps from happening to be revealed while wearing a backless dress. Such a case always makes the women feel unrelieved.

Adhesive bras, e.g. the so-called Nubras, are developed and provided for meeting the mentioned requirements. The adhesive bra is typically composed of a pair of silicon cups with an adhesive coated thereon. When women wearing such bras, they only need to make the pair of silicon cups to adjoin their breast through the adhesive and hence the straps of the bra are not needful. Moreover, the adhesive bra further contains a connector for connecting the pair of cups with each other, which is useful for gathering the breast and modifying the breast shape. Such adhesive bras help women a lot not only for omitting the inconvenient wearing process, but also for releasing the constriction resulting from the straps of the conventional ones. Furthermore, when women wearing such an adhesive bra under a backless dress, they do not have to worry about the reveal of underwear anymore.

However, the mentioned adhesive bras are not ventilative due to the silicon cups, and bring an uncomfortable feeling and even an allergic reaction to the breast skin. In addition, the silicon material is heavy and difficult to be processed, and it is thus difficult to enhance the breast by means of thickening the cup or by means of changing the cup shape.

Such drawbacks are overcome by the adhesive bra which is made of a foam material. Please refer to FIG. 1, which shows the structure of such an adhesive bra disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,780,081. The adhesive bra 10 includes a pair of bra cups 12 adjoined by a connector 14 that is positioned between opposing surfaces of the two bra cups 12. The bra cups 12 are made of a thermoplastic material 121 which is thermal laminated with a fiber layer 122. On an interior surface of each bra cup 12, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer is disposed for the bra cup 12 to adjoin the breast. Besides,. a foam material 124 is sandwiched between the thermoplastic material 121 and the fiber layer 122 for further supporting the breast.

A further adhesive bra is disclosed in the Taiwan Patent Application No. 92215566. Please refer to FIG. 2(a), which schematically illustrates the adhesive bra according thereto. The adhesive bra 20 includes a pair of cups 22, and on each of cups 22 further includes a pocket 221 containing a foam material 222 therein. An adhesive layer 223 is applied on the pocket 221 for the adhesive bra 20 to adjoin the breasts. Besides, the adhesive bra 20 also has a connector 24 that is positioned between the cups 22, so as to help for gathering the breast received in the cups 22.

Please refer to FIG. 2(b), which schematically shows another adhesive bra disclosed in the Taiwan Patent Application No. 92218248. The adhesive bra 20′ includes a pair of bra cups 22′ and an adhesive silicon layer 223′ is located on a specific portion of the interior surface of each bra cup 22′ except for the portion correspondent to the nipple thereon, so as to prevent the sensitive area of the nipple from hurting when the adhesive bra 22′ is removed from the breast.

A typical scheme for enhancing the breast is to lift it up via a thickened cup. The three kinds of adhesive bras mentioned above are all advantageous for this purpose, because the cup made of a foam material is much lighter than that of silicon. However, either the adhesive bra of silicon or the adhesive bra of a foam material mentioned above would always makes women's nipples being compressed and shape changed. In addition, skin around the nipple is so sensitive that it may get hurt while the adhesive bra is removed from the breast. Moreover, the sensitive nipple may easily get allergic while being contacted with the adhesive layer in a long time. Hence it is apparent that the conventional adhesive bra is still unable to satisfy the woman who cares for the sense of comfort while wearing and removing the bra.

For overcoming the mentioned drawbacks in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved adhesive bra with a pair of well-designed bra cups. In comparison with the conventional ones, the present invention provides a novel adhesive bra that fits the breast much more, and allows women to create an additional breast push-up enhancement and a desired amount of breast cleavage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, an adhesive bra is provided. The provided adhesive bra includes a pair of bra cups for receiving and supporting a pair of breasts. Each of the bra cups includes a surface facing towards one of the breasts and having an indentation corresponding to a breast point and includes an adhesive layer on the surface.

Preferably, the bra cups are made of a foam material.

Preferably, the surface has plural vacancies, and the bra cups further includes an isolation layer having a polymer layer with plural particles distributed therein so as to fill the vacancies on the surface.

Preferably, the adhesive bra further includes a connecting element for connecting the bra cups with each other.

Preferably, the adhesive bra further includes a first cloth for surrounding each of the bra cups.

Preferably, the adhesive bra further includes a second cloth for wrapping each of the bra cups.

Preferably, the adhesive layer is applied on the second cloth.

Preferably, each of the bra cups further includes at least a first bra cup layer and a second bra cup layer.

Preferably, each of the bra cups further includes a supporting element between the first bra cup layer and the second bra cup layer for supporting each of the breasts.

Preferably, the supporting element is a steel underwire.

Preferably, the adhesive layer is a silicon layer.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a bra cup for receiving and supporting a breast is provided. The bra cup includes a surface facing towards the breast and having an indentation corresponding to the nipple of the breast.

Preferably, the bra cup is made of a foam material.

Preferably, the bra cup further includes a first cloth for surrounding the bra cup.

Preferably, the bra cup further includes a second cloth for wrapping the bra cup.

Preferably, the bra cup further includes at least a first bra cup layer and a second bra cup layer.

Preferably, the bra cup further includes a supporting element between the first bra cup layer and the second bra cup layer for supporting the breast.

Preferably, the supporting element is a steel underwire.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, an adhesive bra is provided. The provided adhesive bra includes a pair of bra cups for receiving and supporting a pair of breasts. Each of the bra cups further includes a surface facing towards one of the breasts and having an indentation corresponding to an area of the nipple and an adhesive layer mounted on the surface.

Preferably, the adhesive layer includes a base layer with a first surface and a second surface and an adhesive agent being applied on the first surface and the second surface, wherein the first surface adjoins the surface of the bra cup, and the second surface adjoins one of the breasts.

Preferably, the bra cups are made of a foam material.

Preferably, the adhesive bra further includes a connecting element for connecting the bra cups with each other.

Preferably, the adhesive bra further includes a first cloth for surrounding each of the bra cups.

Preferably, the adhesive bra further includes a second cloth for wrapping each of the bra cups.

Preferably, the adhesive agent includes a silicon.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through the following descriptions with reference to the drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are diagrams illustrating the structure of a first conventional adhesive bra according to the prior art;

FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are diagrams respectively illustrating structures of a second and a third conventional adhesive bras according to the prior art;

FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are diagrams schematically illustrating an adhesive bra according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are diagrams schematically illustrating an adhesive bra according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) are diagrams schematically illustrating an adhesive bra according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are diagrams schematically illustrating the thermal lamination process for fabricating the adhesive bra according to the prior art; and

FIG. 6(c) is a diagram schematically illustrating the thermal lamination process for fabricating the adhesive bra according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.

Please refer to FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), which are diagrams schematically illustrating an adhesive bra according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Typically, the adhesive bra 3 includes a pair of cups 30 which are made of a thermally laminated and well-cut foam material 32, such as a PU material, and a surrounding cloth 35 disposed around each of the cups 30 as well as a wrapping cloth 31 attached thereon for providing a sense of smooth and comfort for the breast skin.

What is the most important in this case is that each of the cups 30 includes an indentation 36 fabricated on a surface facing towards the breast thereof. The indentation 36 is positioned correspondingly to a breast point, i.e. the nipple, so that women can place each of the nipples therein while wearing the adhesive bra 3. Besides, each of the cups 30 includes an isolation layer 33a composed of a polymer layer with plural particles distributed therein, so as to fill the inevitable vacancies on the surface facing towards the breast of the cups 30 or of the wrapping cloth 31. An adhesive layer 33b of silicon is further applied on the isolation layer 33a so as to make the adhesive bra 30 to adjoin the breasts.

In this embodiment, the isolation layer 33a as well as the adhesive layer 33b is only applied on a partial surface of each of the cups 30, especially except for the surface of the indentation 36, which is distinguished from the conventional ones.

As a result, when women wear such an adhesive bra, the indentation on each of the cups is able to prevent the nipple from being compressed and shape changed. In addition, the adhesive bra is more ventilative than the conventional ones since the indentation thereon helps to achieve a thinner structure of the bra. In this case, neither the isolation layer nor the adhesive layer is applied on the surface of the indentation, therefore women wearing this adhesive bra will not feel uncomfortable anymore, and their sensitive area of the nipples will not hurt while the adhesive bra is removed from the breast. Moreover, the particles distributed in the isolation layer between the bra cup and the adhesive layer would fill the surface vacancies of the bra cups or of the wrapping cloth, so as to achieve a smooth surface thereon for preventing the bra cup and the wrapping cloth from absorbing the adhesive. The present invention is more advantageous for fabricating a uniform structure of the cup with the adhesive layer which improves the adherence between the adhesive bra and the breasts significantly.

Moreover, the adhesive bra 3 further includes a connector 38 for connecting the pair of cups 30 with each other, which helps for gathering the breasts received in the cups 30 and provides a breast push-up enhancement and a desired amount of breast cleavage thereby.

Please refer to FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), which are diagrams schematically illustrating an adhesive bra according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Typically, the adhesive bra 4 includes a pair of bra cups 40 and a connector 48 for connecting the bra cups 40 with each other. Each of the bra cups 40 includes a first bra cup layer 421 and a second bra cup layer 422 which are thermally laminated for adjoining each other, and a steel underwire 44 disposed therebetween for further supporting the breast and fixing the breast shape. In this case, both of the first bra cup layer 421 and the second bra cup layer 422 are made of a foam material, such as a PU material, and the steel underwire 44 is disposed therebetween while the first bra cup layer 421 and the second bra cup layer 422 are thermally laminated for forming the bra cups 40.

Similarly, each of the bra cups 40 includes a surrounding cloth 45 disposed around each of the bra cups 40 as well as a wrapping cloth 41 attached thereon for providing a sense of smooth and comfort for the breast skin.

Each of the bra cups 40 includes an indentation 46 on the surface facing towards the breast, and an isolation layer 43a and the adhesive layer 43b are only applied on a partial surface of each of the bra cups 40, especially except for the surface of the indentation 46, so as to provide a sense of comfort for the breast skin when women wear the adhesive bra 4 or remove it.

In the present invention, the adhesive layer is typically composed of silicon and is initially liquid. The liquid silicon is applied on the surface of the wrapping cloth or directly on the surface of the thermally laminated foam material, and then is heated to be rapidly solidified. Hence the provided isolation layer serves for preventing the wrapping cloth and the cup from absorbing the liquid silicon, so as to improve the forming of the adhesive layer. In more specific, the particles distributed in the isolation layer would fill the surface vacancies on the wrapping cloth or on the bra cup so that a smooth surface is formed thereby. Then the liquid silicon is subsequently applied on the smooth surface, and as a result of which the variation of adhesive composition resulted from the adhesive absorption of the bra cup or the wrapping cloth is sufficiently prevented.

Please refer to FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), which are diagrams schematically illustrating the adhesive bra according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the adhesive layer 53 includes a base layer 530 whose surfaces 530A and 530B are both coated with an adhesive agent of silicon 531. The adhesive layer 53 is not attached to the bra cup 50 directly, but rather adjoined thereon via the surface 530A. The surface 530A correspondingly adjoins the bra cup 50 of the adhesive bra 5, while the surface 530B correspondingly adjoins the breast. Moreover, a central portion 56′ on the surface of the adhesive layer 53, which corresponds to an indentation 56 on the bra cup 50 is not coated with the adhesive agent of silicon 531, so as to provide women with a sense of comfort for the breast skin.

Such an adhesive bra 5 makes it possible for women to replace a used adhesive layer 53 by a clean one while the adhesive bra 5 is repeated used, and prevents the adherence thereof from decreasing. Therefore, the present invention not only improves the duty life of the adhesive bra 5, but also allows the adhesive bra 5 to have a greater flexibility.

Furthermore, a significant advantage of the present invention is that the adhesive bra provides a breast push-up and lift-up enhancement that is not achievable by the conventional ones. In more specific, referring to FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) which are diagrams schematically illustrating the thermal lamination process for fabricating the adhesive bra according to the prior art, while a thermal lamination process for fabricating a bra cup 60a is performed, the upper mold 62a is over-pushed towards the lower mold 61a for forming a concave surface on a central portion 605a of the bra cup 60a so as to receive the breast. However, such a bra cup 60a still fails in enhancing the breast since the central portion 605a as well as the periphery portion 606a is not thick enough for sufficiently lift the breast up, as shown in FIG. 6(a).

Referring to FIG. 6(b), in order to obtain a bra cup 60b which is thick enough for sufficiently lift the breast up, the upper mold 62b must be under-pushed towards the lower mold 61b in the thermal lamination process, so as to fabricate the bra cup 60b whose central portion 605b and periphery portion 606b are both thick enough. In this case, however, the under-push of the upper mold 62b may result in a chink 63b remaining between the upper mode 62b and the lower mold 61b. The central portion 605b is hence unable to be completely laminated, so that the shape of the fabricated bra cup 60b is not full.

Both of the mentioned drawbacks are overcome through the present invention. Please refer to FIG. 6(c), which is a diagram schematically illustrating the thermal lamination process for fabricating the adhesive bra according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the present invention, the indentation 601 on the bra cup 60c is fabricated by means of the thermal lamination process, wherein an upper mold 62c with a protrusion 621 thereon is pushed towards the lower mold 61c, so that the indentation 601 as well as a well-formed central portion 605c is correspondingly formed while the bra cup 60c is laminated. By means of the protrusion 621, an over-push of the upper mold 62c is not necessary anymore, so that the periphery portion 606c is not over-laminated and the thickness thereof still retains accordingly. Therefore, the fabricated bra cup 60c not only gathers the breast sufficiently, but also provides a significant breast push-up and lift-up enhancement for the breast.

As an alternative, the upper mold 62c with the protrusion 621 thereon is adaptable to perform a thermal lamination process for a typical thick bra cup, e.g. the bra cup 60b, so as to fabricate a bra cup with an indentation thereon, e.g. the bra cup 60c with the indentation 601.

Based on the above, the present invention provides an improved adhesive bra for women. In comparison with the conventional ones, the adhesive bra having an indentation on each of bra cups prevents the nipple from being compressed and shape changed, and allows a sufficient ventilation effect. In addition, the surface of the indentation is not coated with the adhesive layer, and as a result of which women wearing the adhesive bra will not feel uncomfortable anymore. Besides, their sensitive nipples will not hurt while the adhesive bra is removed from the breast. Furthermore, through the disposition of a steel underwire in the fabricated cup, the breast is able to be sufficiently supported so that the breast shape is hence more wonderful. Therefore, the adhesive bra actually allows amore excellent breast enhancement than the conventional ones.

Hence, the present invention not only has a novelty and a progressive nature, but also has an industry utility.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Claims

1. An adhesive bra, comprising:

a pair of bra cups for receiving and supporting a pair of breasts, wherein each of said bra cups comprises:

a surface facing towards one of said breasts and having an indentation corresponding to an area of the nipple; and

an adhesive layer on said surface.

2. The adhesive bra according to claim 1, wherein said bra cups are made of a foam material.

3. The adhesive bra according to claim 2, wherein said surface has plural vacancies, and said bra cups further comprise an isolation layer having a polymer layer with plural particles distributed therein so as to fill said vacancies on said surface.

4. The adhesive bra according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting element for connecting said bra cups with each other.

5. The adhesive bra according to claim 1, further comprising a first cloth for surrounding each of said bra cups.

6. The adhesive bra according to claim 1, further comprising a second cloth for wrapping each of said bra cups.

7. The adhesive bra according to claim 6, wherein said adhesive layer is applied on said second cloth.

8. The adhesive bra according to claim 1, wherein each of said bra cups further comprises at least a first bra cup layer and a second bra cup layer.

9. The adhesive bra according to claim 8, wherein each of said bra cupss further comprises a supporting element between said first bra cup layer and said second bra cup layer for supporting each of said breasts.

10. The adhesive bra according to claim 9, wherein said supporting element comprises a steel underwire.

11. The adhesive bra according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive layer is a silicon layer.

12. A bra cup for receiving and supporting a breast, comprising:

a surface facing towards said breast and having an indentation corresponding to a breast point of said breast.

13. The bra cup according to claim 12 being made of a foam material.

14. The bra cup according to claim 12, further comprising a first cloth for surrounding said bra cup.

15. The bra cup according to claim 12, further comprising a second cloth for wrapping said bra cup.

16. The bra cup according to claim 12, further comprising at least a first bra cup layer and a second bra cup layer.

17. The bra cup according to claim 16, further comprising a supporting element between said first bra cup layer and said second bra cup layer for supporting said breast.

18. The bra cup according to claim 17, wherein said supporting element comprises a steel underwire.

19. An adhesive bra comprising:

a pair of bra cups for receiving and supporting a pair of breasts, wherein each of said bra cups further comprises: a surface facing towards one of said breasts and having an indentation corresponding to an area of the nipple; and an adhesive layer mounted on said surface and comprising a base layer with a first surface and a second surface and an adhesive agent being applied on said first surface and said second surface, wherein said first surface adjoins said surface of said bra cup, and said second surface adjoins one of said breasts.

20. The adhesive bra according to claim 19, wherein said bra cups are made of a foam material.

21. The adhesive bra according to claim 19, further comprising a connecting element for connecting said bra cups with each other.

22. The adhesive bra according to claim 19, further comprising a first cloth for surrounding each of said bra cups.

23. The adhesive bra according to claim 19, further comprising a second cloth for wrapping each of said bra cups.

24. The adhesive bra according to claim 19, wherein said adhesive agent comprises a silicon.