BRA FASTENER
A bra fastener designed for persons with a disability and/or partially incapacitated to be easily fastened independently with one hand, either left hand or right hand. The bra fastener includes a strip of material, bra slider hardware with hooks or bra slider hardware with eyes, hook-and-loop fastening material, and finger/thumb loops. The bra fastener may be used with any bra equipped with hook and eye fasteners allowing a wearer to more easily put on and take off the bra using only one hand.
Certain exemplary embodiments described herein relate generally to a bra fastener attachment designed for bra wearers who have a disability and/or are partially incapacitated and/or for some other reasons have a need for a bra that can be fastened independently with one hand using either the right hand or left hand.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARYThis invention relates generally to bras. It is widely known that bra wearers young and old who have disabilities and/or are partly incapacitated physically, such as from Stroke, Arthritis, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatism, or simply a broken hand/wrist find it difficult to fasten/manage the hooks and eyes on the back of a conventionally fastened bra. Fastening and removal of a conventionally fastened bra by the wearer requires the wearer to reach behind their back with both arms and attach/detach the hooks and eyes of the bra using both hands. Alternatively, a wearer of a conventionally fastened bra could secure the bra with the fastener facing forward, holding in place one bra wing of the bra and securing the closure in front by bringing around the other bra wing and fastening the hooks and eyes of the two bra wings together, then shifting the bra around the body to a position the fastened portion in the back. This series of manipulations likewise requires the use of both hands.
The bra fastener described herein includes embodiments that allow a bra to be fastened and/or removed by the wearer using only one hand. The finger/thumb loop included in the described bra fastener is utilized in fastening and/or removing the bra, for example, by a wearer bringing their hand behind their back and utilizing the described finger/thumb loop to fasten or remove the bra. One-handed front fastening of the bra may also be accomplished utilizing the described finger/thumb loop to fasten the bra with the fastener positioned in front of the wearer, using the finger/thumb loop to swing the bra fastener around to the desired back position. One-handed removal of the bra in the front position may also be accomplished by utilizing the finger/thumb loop to swing the bra fastener around from the back to the front position and further utilizing the loop to unfasten the bra while the fastener is positioned in front of the wearer.
A bra wardrobe typically includes a number of back closure bras. Certain exemplary embodiments herein provide a wearer with the opportunity to wear a bra from their existing bra wardrobe and enjoy the advantages of one-handed fastening without the inconvenience and expense of purchasing an additional bra. In this way, a favorite or preferred bra from a wearer's existing bra wardrobe can be adapted to permit more convenient one-handed fastening and removal in accordance with the embodiments described herein.
Certain exemplary embodiments herein include hook-and-loop fastening material, such as Velcro, to fasten the bra. Prior art bras that use such fastening materials tend to be large, bulky bras that are generally not esthetically pleasing. Because the exemplary embodiments described herein may be applied to bras commercially available from any number of manufacturers, the wearer may enjoy the advantages of one-hand fastening and removal with a wide variety of bra styles and designs.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that it is desirable to provide a bra fastener which is designed for attachment and detachment using one hand to provide, for example, easier bra fastening and removal for a wearer who finds it difficult to reach or manipulate the hooks and eyes of a conventionally fastened bra, as a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from the description herein.
One aspect of certain exemplary embodiments herein relates to a bra fastener attachment that facilitates one-handed fastening and removal of a bra.
Another aspect of certain exemplary embodiments relates to a bra fastener including slider hardware with hooks.
Still another aspect of certain exemplary embodiments relates to a bra fastener including slider hardware with eyes.
Still another aspect of certain exemplary embodiments relates to a bra fastener for use by a wearer in fastening and/or removing a bra which includes hook-and-loop fastening material, such as Velcro, comprising of two woven strips (one covered with stiff hooks and the other with pliable loops) which press together to fasten and pull apart to separate.
Still another aspect of certain exemplary embodiments relates to a bra fastener including finger/thumb loop(s) for one hand fastening and/or removal of a bra by the wearer using either the right hand or the left hand.
Still another aspect of certain exemplary embodiments relates to the wearer stepping in, pulling up, adjusting and fastening a bra using one hand.
These features, aspects, and advantages may be combined in any suitable combination to realize yet further exemplary embodiments.
Certain features, aspects and advantages of the embodiments described herein will be better understood from the following detailed description, including the appended drawings, in which:
Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,
Finger/thumb loop 30 is shown in
Primary benefits of certain exemplary embodiments of the described bra fastener design include: (i) easier one hand fastening and/or removal of a bra using either the left hand or the right hand; (ii) a low cost way of adapting an existing bra wardrobe to one-handed fastening and/or removal; (iii) low cost modification of existing bra wardrobe to one-handed fastening an/or removal; and/or (iii) a low cost way of adapting a wide variety of commercially available bras to one hand fastening and/or removal.
It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A bra fastener for attaching to a bra comprising:
- An elongated strip of material having a first and second end;
- At least one bra hook located at said first end for attachment to a bra eye of a bra;
- At least one bra eye located at said second end for attachment to a bra hook of a bra;
- Slider hardware located between said first end and said second end of said bra fastener, including one or more hooks and/or eyes and an opening for accepting said elongated strip of material;
- A loop attached to said first end, said loop comprising an opening for accepting a user's finger and/or thumb;
- A loop attached to said second end, said loop comprising an opening for accepting a user's finger and/or thumb; and
- A fastener located on at least one side of the elongated strip of material for fastening said strip of material to itself.
2. A bra fastener as in claim 1, wherein said elongated strip of material is elastic;
- A bra fastener as in claim 1, wherein the opening in said slider hardware comprises a D-ring;
3. A bra fastener as in claim 1, wherein the opening in said slider hardware comprises a rectangle;
4. A bra fastener as in claim 1, wherein said fastener comprises a hook-and-loop fastener;
5. A bra fastener as in claim 1, wherein said fastener comprises snaps;
6. A bra fastener as in claim 1, wherein said fastener comprises magnets.
7. An elongated strip of material comprising:
- A first end and a second end;
- At least one bra hook located at said first end for engaging with a bra eye of a bra;
- At least one bra eye located at said second end for engaging with a bra hook of a bra;
- Slider hardware located between said first end and said second end, including one or more hooks and/or eyes for engaging with one or more hooks and/or eyes of a bra;
- Said slider hardware including an opening for accepting said elongated strip of material;
- Said first and/or second end of said elongated strip of material including a loop for accepting a user's finger and/or thumb; and
- Hook-and-loop fastening material located on at least one side of the elongated strip of material and situated to allow the fastening of said strip of material to itself.
8. An elongated strip of material as in claim 7, wherein said elongated strip of material is elastic.
9. An elongated strip of material as in claim 7, wherein the opening in said slider hardware comprises a D-ring.
10. An elongated strip of material as in claim 7, wherein the opening in said slider hardware comprises a rectangle.
11. An elongated strip of material as in claim 7, wherein said fastener comprises snaps.
12. An elongated strip of material as in claim 7, wherein said fastener comprises magnets.
13. A bra fastener as in claim 1, wherein said fastener comprises snaps.
14. A bra fastener as in claim 1, wherein said fastener comprises magnets.
15. Bra slider hardware comprising:
- One or more hooks and/or eyes for engaging with one or more hooks and/or eyes of a bra;
- An opening for accepting an elongated strip of material, said elongated strip of material comprising a first end and a second end;
- At least one bra eye located at said first end of said strip of material for engaging with a bra hook of a bra;
- At least one bra hook located at said second end for engaging with a bra eye of a bra;
- Said first and/or second end of said elongated strip of material including a loop for accepting a user's finger and/or thumb; and
- A fastener located on at least one side of the elongated strip of material and situated to allow the fastening of said strip of material to itself.
16. Bra slider hardware as in claim 15, wherein said fastener comprises a hook-and-loop fastener.
17. Bra slider hardware as in claim 15, wherein said fastener comprises snaps.
18. Bra slider hardware as in claim 15, wherein said fastener comprises magnets.
19. Bra slider hardware as in claim 15, wherein said opening comprises a D-ring.
20. Bra slider hardware as in claim 15, wherein said opening comprises a rectangle.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 14, 2012
Publication Date: Mar 14, 2013
Inventor: Amy Jean Liguori (Westerly, RI)
Application Number: 13/616,656
International Classification: A41C 3/12 (20060101); A44B 99/00 (20100101);