BRA STRAP WITH STABILIZING MATERIAL

Abstract

A stabilizing shoulder strap for an upper torso garment is provided, having enhanced stability in the shoulder region. The stabilizing shoulder strap has a first end, a second end, and an intermediate shoulder portion in between the first end and the second end. The intermediate shoulder portion may have a greater width than the first end and the second end of the stabilizing shoulder strap. A panel is attached to opposing longitudinal edges of the intermediate portion of the stabilizing shoulder strap, and may be more rigid than the intermediate shoulder portion to which it is attached, thereby providing improved stability to the shoulder strap.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to shoulder straps for upper torso garments.

BACKGROUND

A properly designed shoulder strap for an upper-torso garment achieves several goals to obtain widespread consumer acceptance. Load-bearing capability, strap stability, and end-user comfort are some considerations taken into account in developing a shoulder strap. These attributes are balanced against the appearance of the shoulder strap, manufacturability, cost, and varying consumer preferences. While load-bearing is an important consideration in the design of a shoulder strap for upper torso garments, such as brassieres, stabilizing a strap is a well known problem. “Stabilizing” with respect to shoulder straps means that the shoulder straps should distribute load efficiently, while minimizing twisting and curling, and thus improving comfort. Comfort may also be improved by reducing strap slippage. Thus, twisting, curling, slippage, and load-bearing are aspects of the stability of a shoulder strap. Finding a balance between the stability-comfort dichotomy can be difficult in light of varying and changing consumer preferences in upper torso garments.

Attempts have been made to improve and stabilize shoulder straps for upper torso garments. Some have attempted to fold the shoulder strap longitudinally to create a stiffening rib, thereby improving stability. Others have incorporated foam materials into the confined areas of a shoulder strap to improve the comfort of the wearer. Others extend the foam insertion concept by using silicon gels as cushioning devices. The addition of plastic stays also has been attempted. Each mechanism employed to date, however, has disadvantages.

Various features and aspects of the invention will become apparent upon review of the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, which are briefly described as follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a stabilizing shoulder strap of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of a stabilizing shoulder strap.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a section of a stabilizing shoulder strap.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a stabilizing shoulder strap taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an environmental view showing a chest panel of a brassiere employing a stabilizing shoulder strap.

FIG. 6 is an environmental view showing a back panel of a brassiere employing a stabilizing shoulder strap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below and illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention, which, of course, is limited only by the claims below. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art, and all such alternate embodiments, modifications and improvements are within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is directed to a stabilizing shoulder strap for an upper torso garment. An “upper torso garment” refers to a garment such as a brassiere, sports brassiere, one-piece swimsuit, two-piece swimsuit, tank-top, etc.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a stabilizing shoulder strap 10 comprises three portions: a first end portion 12, an intermediate shoulder portion 14, and a second end portion 16. The first end portion 12 may be described as a chest portion of a stabilizing shoulder strap of an upper torso garment. A “chest portion” refers to the segment of a stabilizing shoulder strap that contacts the chest of a wearer of an upper torso garment. The second end portion 16 may be described as a back portion of a stabilizing shoulder strap of an upper torso garment. A “back portion” refers to the segment of a stabilizing shoulder strap that contacts the back of a wearer of an upper torso garment. Depending on the garment type, the first end portion 12 may be either a chest portion or a back portion of a stabilizing shoulder strap 10. Alternatively, the second end portion 16 may be either a chest portion or a back portion of a stabilizing shoulder strap. The stabilizing shoulder strap 10 may be further characterized by a shoulder strap material 18 with hems 20 extending down longitudinal peripheral edges of the stabilizing shoulder strap. The first end portion 12, the intermediate shoulder portion 14, and the second end portion 16 may all be formed of the selected shoulder strap material 18. The first end portion 12 and the second end portion 16 alternatively may be formed from different materials. For example, the second end portion 16, or a back portion, may be an adjustable elastic strap, or a woven fabric. Thus, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a stabilizing shoulder strap 10 with a first end portion 12, an intermediate shoulder portion 14, and a second end portion 16, each portion formed of the same material 18, with hems 20 along each portion.

As shown in FIG. 2, a panel 28 is attached to the intermediate shoulder portion 14 between opposing longitudinal edges of the stabilizing shoulder strap 10. The term “attached” refers to joining or affixing the panel 28 to the shoulder strap material 18 by sewing, stitching, serging, ultrasonic bonding, application of heat activated adhesives, application of a chemical binder, or other mechanism known in the art. The hems 20 described herein may thus serve two functions in the present invention. First, hems 20 secure the panel 28 to the intermediate shoulder portion 14. Second, hems 20 provide smooth edges to the stabilizing shoulder strap 10. The smooth edges created by hems 20 contribute to the comfort of the upper torso garment. The hem 20 may itself be the material 18 forming the intermediate portion 14 folded around the longitudinal edges of the panel 28. The hem 20 may be sewn, stitched, serged, ultrasonically bonded, adhesively bonded, or chemically bonded, attaching panel 28 to the shoulder strap material 18.

Panel 28 provides the additional stability to improve the load-bearing capacity, to minimize twisting and/or curling, and to improve the comfort of stabilizing shoulder strap 10. In one embodiment, panel 28 is a knitted fabric. The knitted fabric forming panel 28 is a densely or tightly knitted construction. The dense construction provides a level of rigidity that is greater than the rigidity of the intermediate shoulder portion 14, and which improves the load-bearing capacity of the stabilizing shoulder strap 10, and more evenly distributes the load over the entire intermediate portion 14. The rigidity also minimizes curling or twisting of stabilizing shoulder strap 10 when worn. The knitted fabric forming panel 28, however, remains sufficiently flexible enough to provide an adequate range of motion to a wearer, thus minimizing discomfort. In alternate embodiments, the panel 28 can be formed from woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, laminates, or other suitable materials constructed in a manner to meet the objectives described herein.

Panel hems 30 may define the ends of panel 28 attached to the shoulder strap material 18 and may be stitched, sewn, serged or ultrasonically sealed. The panel hems 30 help eliminate unraveling of yarns or fibers and provide smooth end edges to panel 28. The panels hems 30 may also add additional rigidity to panel 28, thus further stabilizing the shoulder strap 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, panel 28 is attached to shoulder strap material 18 on the underside of the shoulder strap 10 so that the panel 28 will be in contact with the skin of the wearer.

Referring to FIG. 4, panel 28 may be attached to shoulder strap material 18 only along the hems 20. So attached, an open region may be created between the shoulder strap material 18 and the panel 28. Alternatively, the panel 28 may be attached or secured to the shoulder strap material over some of all of the inner surface area of the panel 28 and/or intermediate portion 14.

To provide enhanced stability, the width of the intermediate shoulder portion 14 may be greater than the width of the first end portion 12 and/or the second end portion 16 of the stabilizing shoulder strap 10. A smooth curvilinear shape for the intermediate shoulder portion 14 may be used. A “curvilinear shape” refers to a shape formed, bounded, or characterized by curved lines.

Different material constructions for intermediate shoulder portion 14 and panel 28 also may be used to improve the stability of the shoulder strap 10, or to minimize curling or twisting when worn. This further improves comfort to the wearer of the upper torso garment. Panel 28, for example, may be thicker, more dense, or more rigid than shoulder strap material 18, as described above. In one embodiment, the panel 28 may further comprise a slip-resistant surface 36. Referring to FIG. 4, the slip-resistant surface 36 of panel 28 is in contact with a wearer's skin. A “slip-resistant surface” refers to a surface that inhibits the tendency of the panel 28 to move or migrate across the skin of the wearer. Such a slip-resistant surface 36 may result from the knitted structure or the knitted density of the panel 28.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the chest panel 40 and back panel 42 of an exemplary upper torso garment, such as a brassiere, are shown, respectively. A “chest panel” refers to a portion of an upper torso garment that covers the chest area of a wearer. A “back panel” refers to a portion of the upper torso garment that covers a portion of the back of the wearer. The chest panel 40 may be comprised of breast receiving cups 44. The amount of coverage of the chest will depend on the specific type of upper torso garment. For example, a chest panel on a one-piece swimsuit would cover the chest area and the abdomen of the wearer. A pair of stabilizing shoulder straps 10 are connected to the top of each breast receiving cup 44 at the first end portion 12 of the stabilizing shoulder strap 10. The back panel 42 may be connected to the second end portion 16 of the stabilizing shoulder strap 10. The amount of coverage of the back will depend on the type of upper torso garment employed.

The invention has been described herein in terms of several embodiments and constructions that are considered by the inventor to represent the best mode of carrying out the invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, variations, changes and additions can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. These and other modifications are possible and within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A stabilizing shoulder strap for an upper torso garment comprising:

a first end portion having a width;

a second end portion having a width;

an intermediate shoulder portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, having first and second surfaces, a length, opposing longitudinal edges, a thickness, and a rigidity;

a panel attached to one of the first and second surfaces and extending along some portion of the length of the intermediate shoulder portion and between the opposing longitudinal edges of the intermediate shoulder portion; and

the panel having a rigidity greater than the rigidity of said intermediate shoulder portion.

2. The stabilizing shoulder strap of claim 1, wherein the panel comprises a slip-resistant surface.

3. The stabilizing shoulder strap of claim 1, wherein the intermediate shoulder portion has a width greater than the width of at least one of the first end and the second end.

4. The stabilizing shoulder strap of claim 1, wherein the intermediate shoulder portion has a curvilinear shape.

5. The stabilizing shoulder strap of claim 1, wherein the panel is a knitted jersey fabric having a thickness greater than the thickness of the intermediate shoulder portion.

6. The stabilizing shoulder strap of claim 1, wherein the panel is a knitted jersey fabric having a knitted density greater than the density of the intermediate shoulder portion.

7. An upper torso garment comprising;

a chest panel;

a back panel;

a pair of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap comprising: a first end portion having a width; a second end portion having a width; an intermediate shoulder portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, having first and second surfaces, a length, opposing longitudinal edges, a thickness, and a rigidity; a stabilizing panel attached to one of the first and second surfaces and extending along some portion of the length of the intermediate shoulder portion and between the opposing longitudinal edges of the intermediate shoulder portion; and

the panel having a rigidity greater than the rigidity of the intermediate shoulder portion.

8. The upper torso garment of claim 7, wherein the garment is selected from the group consisting of a brassiere, a swimsuit, and a tank top.

9. The upper torso garment of claim 8, wherein the chest panel is a brassiere and comprises breast receiving cups.

10. The upper torso garment of claim 7, wherein the stabilizing panel comprises a slip-resistant outer surface.

11. The upper torso garment of claim 7, wherein said stabilizing shoulder strap comprises an intermediate shoulder portion having a width greater than said first end and said second end.

12. The upper torso garment of claim 7, wherein the stabilizing panel is a knitted jersey fabric having a thickness greater than the thickness of the intermediate shoulder portion.

13. The upper torso garment of claim 7, wherein said panel is a knitted jersey fabric having a density greater than the density of the intermediate shoulder portion.