BRASSIERE PAD

Abstract

A brassiere pad includes a generally cup-shaped body having a base perimeter, a neckline perimeter, and an underarm perimeter. The thickness of the cup-shaped body gradually tapers from the base perimeter to an apex of the cup-shaped body and then to the neckline perimeter. The base perimeter has a seam allowance of uniform thickness and has a generally rhombus-shaped cross section.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority of Chinese patent application no. 200820114206.7 filed on May 23, 2008, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF PATENT APPLICATION

The present patent application relates to a brassiere pad with graduating thickness.

BACKGROUND

It is well known in the field of brassieres to use elastic brassiere pads to give contour and beautify the breasts of a female. However, beauty is not the only factor to satisfy a female. Comfort and health have become the new trends. Nowadays, most brassieres come with metal underwires to support and hold the breasts in position in order to give the desired contour. However, there are defects in using these metal underwires in existing brassieres. In view of the fact that the metal underwires are made of metal and the breasts are soft skin, it can be uncomfortable to wear the existing brassieres with these metal underwires.

The above description of the background is provided to aid in understanding a brassiere pad with graduating thickness, but is not admitted to describe or constitute pertinent prior art to the brassiere pad with graduating thickness disclosed in the present patent application, or consider any cited documents as material to the patentability of the claims of the present patent application.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a brassiere pad is provided. The brassiere pad includes a generally cup-shaped body having a base perimeter, a neckline perimeter and an underarm perimeter. The thickness of the cup-shaped body gradually tapers from the base perimeter to an apex of the cup-shaped body and then to the neckline perimeter. The base perimeter includes a seam allowance of uniform thickness and a generally rhombus-shaped cross section.

In another aspect, a brassiere is provided. The brassiere includes a brassiere pad which has a generally cup-shaped body having a base perimeter, a neckline perimeter and an underarm perimeter. The thickness of the cup-shaped body gradually tapers from the base perimeter to an apex of the cup-shaped body and then to the neckline perimeter. The base perimeter includes a seam allowance of uniform thickness and a generally rhombus-shaped cross section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Specific embodiments disclosed in the present patent application will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1(a) is a front view of a brassiere pad according to an embodiment disclosed in the present patent application;

FIG. 1(b) is an enlarged view of one end of the base perimeter of the brassiere pad of FIG. 1(a);

FIG. 1(c) is an enlarged view of another end of the base perimeter of the brassiere pad of FIG. 1(a);

FIG. 2 is a side view of the brassiere pad;

FIG. 3(a) is a cross sectional view taken along line C-C of the brassiere pad in FIG. 1(a);

FIG. 3(b) is an enlarged cross sectional view at the base perimeter of the brassiere pad of FIG. 3(a);

FIG. 4 is an illustrative diagram of the brassiere pad in a final brassiere product;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative diagram showing a first step of producing the brassiere pad; and

FIG. 6 is an illustrative diagram showing a second step of producing the brassiere pad.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the brassiere pad with graduating thickness disclosed in the present patent application, examples of which are also provided in the following description. Exemplary embodiments of the brassiere pad with graduating thickness disclosed in the present patent application are described in detail, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some features that are not particularly important to an understanding of the brassiere pad with graduating thickness may not be shown for the sake of clarity.

Furthermore, it should be understood that the brassiere pad with graduating thickness disclosed in the present patent application is not limited to the precise embodiments described below and that various changes and modifications thereof may be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure and appended claims.

Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right,” “left,” “lower,” “upper,” “top,” and “bottom” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The terminology includes the words noted above as well as derivatives thereof and words of similar import.

FIG. 1(a) is a front view of a brassiere pad with graduating thickness according to an embodiment disclosed in the present patent application, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the brassiere pad. The brassiere pad is adapted to be incorporated into a brassiere to support and give contour to the breast of a wearer. The brassiere pad may be generally cup-shaped with an outer convex surface and an inner concave surface. The brassiere pad may have a base perimeter 1, a neckline perimeter 2, and an underarm perimeter 3. The base perimeter 1 is the edge of the brassiere pad that extends generally along the base of a breast of a wearer. The neckline perimeter 2 is the edge of the brassiere pad that extends generally along or near the neckline of a wearer. The underarm perimeter 3 is the edge of the brassiere pad that extends generally under the arm of a wearer.

FIGS. 1(b) and 1(c) are enlarged views of the two ends A, A′ of the base perimeter 1 of the brassiere pad. It can be seen that there may be a smooth cut 5 at one end of the base perimeter 1 joining the neckline perimeter 2 and a similar smooth cut 5′ at the other end of the base perimeter 1 joining the underarm perimeter 3. A smooth cut is a design which creates a re-shaped graduate new shape from a high point to narrow forward to neckline and armhole. This smooth cut is in ridge shape with thickness and creates a ridge shape of 3 dimensional surface areas of the pad structure.

The smooth cuts 5 and 5′ are formed to provide smooth edges of the brassiere bra and comfort to a wearer. The smooth cuts 5 and 5′ may have a length X of about 15 mm. The smooth cuts 5 and 5′ of the base perimeter 1 may have the same curvature.

FIG. 3(a) is a cross sectional view taken along line C-C of the brassiere pad with graduating thickness in FIG. 1(a). It can be seen that the thickness of the brassiere pad gradually tapers from the base perimeter 1 to an apex 4, and then to the neckline perimeter 2. The base perimeter 1 may have a seam allowance of uniform thickness. A seam allowance is a platform which provides the width of the wire casing placing flat on the pad. It can help to improve the uncomfortable feeling caused by the metal wire when the wire casing is moving without any special holding. The width W of the seam allowance may be about 8.5 mm to about 10.5 mm. The width W of the seam allowance depends on the size of the brassiere pad. For example, the width of the seam allowance of a small brassiere pad may be about 8.5 mm to about 10 mm, and the width of the seam allowance of a large brassiere pad may be about 10 mm to about 10.5 mm. The thickness at the apex 4 may be about 3 mm to about 5 mm. The thickness of the brassiere pad tapers to zero at the neckline perimeter.

FIG. 3(b) is an enlarged cross sectional view at B of the base perimeter 1 of the brassiere pad shown in FIG. 3(a). The base perimeter 1 may be generally rhombus shape in cross section and may have a first edge portion 6 and a second edge portion 7. The first edge portion 6 in cross section may have an angle of about 50 degrees to about 60 degrees. The second edge portion 7 in cross section may have an angle of about 85 degrees to about 95 degrees. In the illustrated embodiment, the first edge portion 6 has an angle of 53 degrees, and the second edge portion 7 has an angle of 90 degrees.

FIG. 4 is an illustrative diagram of the brassiere pad with graduating thickness being incorporated in a brassiere product. The brassiere pad P may be affixed behind a front fabric 10 by stitches or any other appropriate means known to a person skilled in the art. A stabilizing strip 12 can be stitched along the base perimeter 1 of the brassiere pad. The lower portions of the front fabric 10 and the stabilizing strip 12 can be folded backwards and may be stitched together with a wrapping strip 20 by stitches 13, 14. A sleeve 15 is formed between the front fabric 10, the stabilizing strip 12, and the stitches 13, 14 for receiving therein a breast supporting and shaping metal underwire. When a metal underwire is inserted into the sleeve 15, it is positioned underneath the base perimeter 1 of the brassiere pad.

Since the thickness of the base perimeter 1 is larger than the width of the metal underwire, the metal underwire can be kept at a distance from the breast of a wearer. In use, the breast of a user will be in contact with the base perimeter 1 of the brassiere pad rather than the metal underwire. Since the metal underwire is concealed behind the base perimeter 1 of the brassiere pad, the brassiere product so formed is more appealing as compared to conventional brassiere products with metal underwires that are visually noticeable even though they are covered by a fabric material. Furthermore, since the metal underwire is out of contact with the breast of a wearer, the brassiere pad of the present patent application is more comfortable to wear.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the steps of producing the brassiere pad of graduating thickness according to an embodiment disclosed in the present patent application. The brassiere pad may be formed from a moldable elastic fiber material 17, or any suitable material, of uniform thickness. The material 17 can be heated in a first set of upper and lower molds 18, 19 to form the rhombus-shaped base perimeter 1. Another formable elastic fiber material 21 of uniform thickness can be adhered to and heated together with the formed material 17 in a second set of upper and lower molds 22, 23 to form the brassiere pad with graduating thickness.

While the brassiere pad with graduating thickness disclosed in the present patent application has been shown and described with particular references to a number of preferred embodiments thereof, it should be noted that various other changes or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appending claims.

Claims

1. A brassiere pad comprising:

a generally cup-shaped body comprising a base perimeter, a neckline perimeter and an underarm perimeter; the thickness of the cup-shaped body gradually tapering from the base perimeter to an apex of the cup-shaped body and then to the neckline perimeter; and the base perimeter comprising a seam allowance of uniform thickness and a generally rhombus-shaped cross section.

2. The brassiere pad as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the seam allowance is about 8.5 mm to about 10.5 mm.

3. The brassiere pad as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness at the apex is about 3 mm to about 5 mm.

4. The brassiere pad as claimed in claim 1, wherein ends of the base perimeter joining the neckline perimeter and the underarm perimeter have smooth cuts of the same curvature.

5. The brassiere pad as claimed in claim 4, wherein the length of each of the smooth cuts is about 15 mm.

6. The brassiere pad as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base perimeter comprises a first edge portion and a second edge portion.

7. The brassiere pad as claimed in claim 6, wherein the angle of the first edge portion is about 85 degrees to about 95 degrees, and the angle of the second edge portion is about 50 degrees to about 60 degrees.

8. The brassiere pad as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pad is made of a moldable elastic fiber material.

9. A brassiere comprising a brassiere pad, the brassiere pad comprising:

a generally cup-shaped body comprising a base perimeter, a neckline perimeter and an underarm perimeter; the thickness of the cup-shaped body gradually tapering from the base perimeter to an apex of the cup-shaped body and then to the neckline perimeter; and the base perimeter comprising a seam allowance of uniform thickness and a generally rhombus-shaped cross section.

10. The brassiere as claimed in claim 9, wherein the width of the seam allowance is about 8.5 mm to about 10.5 mm.

11. The brassiere as claimed in claim 9, wherein the thickness at the apex is about 3 mm to about 5 mm.

12. The brassiere as claimed in claim 9, wherein ends of the base perimeter joining the neckline perimeter and the underarm perimeter have smooth cuts of the same curvature.

13. The brassiere as claimed in claim 12, wherein the length of each of the smooth cuts is about 15 mm.

14. The brassiere as claimed in claim 9, wherein the base perimeter comprises a first edge portion and a second edge portion.

15. The brassiere as claimed in claim 14, wherein the angle of the first edge portion is about 85 degrees to about 95 degrees, and the angle of the second edge portion is about 50 degrees to about 60 degrees.

16. The brassiere as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pad is made of a moldable elastic fiber material.

17. A brassiere comprising a brassiere pad, the brassiere pad comprising a generally cup-shaped body comprising a base perimeter, a neckline perimeter and an underarm perimeter; the thickness of the cup-shaped body gradually tapering from the base perimeter to an apex of the cup-shaped body and then to the neckline perimeter; and

the base perimeter comprising a seam allowance of uniform thickness and a generally rhombus-shaped cross section; wherein:

the width of the seam allowance is about 8.5 mm to about 10.5 mm;

ends of the base perimeter joining the neckline perimeter and the underarm perimeter have smooth cuts of the same curvature.

18. The brassiere as claimed in claim 17, wherein the length of each of the smooth cuts is about 15 mm.

19. The brassiere as claimed in claim 17, wherein the base perimeter comprises a first edge portion and a second edge portion, the angle of the first edge portion is about 85 degrees to about 95 degrees, and the angle of the second edge portion is about 50 degrees to about 60 degrees.