WO2002032241A1

WO2002032241A1 - Sectional and modular bra

Info

Publication number: WO2002032241A1
Application number: PCT/IB2001/001952
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aldo Bordignon
Original assignee: Liberti S.P.A.
Priority date: 2000-10-20
Filing date: 2001-10-17
Publication date: 2002-04-25
Also published as: AU2001294128A1; ITBO20000614A0; ITBO20000614A1

Abstract

A sectional and modular bra is constituted by two cups (1), shoulder straps (2) and a belt (3), removable connection means (7) "T" shaped, for removably fixing an end of the shoulder strap (2) and a portion of the belt (3). The bra further includes: connection elements, first (4) and second (5), for removably fixing each end of the belt (3) to the respective cup (1) and for removably fixing the free end of each shoulder strap (3) to the respective cup (1); a hook mean (6) constituted by two complementary elements to be jointed, each one irremovably fixed to a respective cup (1); the shoulder strap and the belt shaped for the removably fixing to the connection means and the connection elements in correspondance of a plurality of transversal sections of the shoulder straps (2) and the belt (3) and in which the length of these latter is determined by their cut in correspondance of said sections, according to the user"s size and personal demands.

Description

SECTIONAL AND MODULAR BRA

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the woman's underwear, particularly refers to a sectional and modular bra, shapeable on the base of the different functional or aesthetic requirements and adjustable according to the different user's size.

BACKGROUND ART

There are several known adjustable bras that besides providing a suitable support and comfort to the user, allow shaping the underwear to the different size of the user, adjusting the support elements or using extensible and elastic material.

In fact, the breast dimensions and the trunk and shoulders dimensions are not correlated, and the possible innumerable combinations oblige the bras producers to provides several bra sizes for a same measure of the cup or, in order to limit the number of the different sizes, they can provide models characterized by adjustable support elements.

The main drawback of said known bras consists in that the aforesaid support elements, the so- called belts and shoulder straps, allow only a certain degree of adjustment, sometimes not sufficient to guarantee the functional demands required by different sizes.

This problem is particularly for the known bras that are adjustable for more size by virtue of elasticity or extendibility of the clothes fabrics, which on the contrary allow only small adaptations.

Other drawback consists in that the adjustment is partial since it is generally made acting entirely on the support element length, while theirs geometry, that is the mutual positioning of the support element, is defined by fixed intersections and/or junctions and/or seams that cannot be modified.

Further drawback is that the shoulder straps and the belts are permanently connected to the cups, generally by means of seams, in such a way to form a single inadaptable structure. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to propose a sectional and modular bra in which the regulation is made adapting some support elements, that is the shoulder strap and the belt, modifying its length and its configuration.

Further object is to propose a bra having a simple regulation and configuration, that allows satisfying all the requests of user's sizes.

Other object is to propose a modular and sectional bra that allows replacing and interchanging the support elements and the cups according to the different functional or aesthetics demands, without affecting its functionality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention are underlined in the following with particular reference with the attached drawings, in which: figure 1 shows an axonometric front view of the bra object of the present invention, in an opening condition; figure 2 shows an axonometric front view of a variant of figure 1 bra; figures 3 and 4 show axonometric enlarged views of details of figure 1 bra; figures 5 and 6 show axonometric enlarged views of details of figure 2 bra.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to figure 1, numeral 1 indicates the cups for containing the breasts, interconnected by a hook mean 6, and removably connected to a belt 3 and a couple of shoulder strap 2 respectively by means of removable connection elements, first 4 and second 5.

The hook mean 6 is constituted by two complementary elements 6a and 6b, for instance in rigid plastic material, that are reversingly fit in between them and are permanently fixed to each cup 1, for instance by means of seam. The shoulder straps 2 and the belt 3 are constituted by a tubular in flexible plastic material, for instance a little hose in silicone, and they can be cut according to lengths defined by the user, depending on her own size and her own personal demands.

The connection elements first 4 and second 5, detailed shown in figure 4, have a protrusion 32 shaped in such a way, for instance at saw tooth, to be easily fit in the cavity of the connection element and to be unable to accidentally come out by virtue of the hookup of such saw teeth provided on the edges of the protrusion 31 with the inner wall of the shoulder strap 2 cavity.

The presence of one or more slots 33 in the connection elements, first 4 and second 5, allow the fixing, for instance by means of seams, of the element of these last elements to the related cup 1.

The mutual connection between the shoulder strap 2 and belt 3 is made through removable connection means 7 "T" shaped, shown in figure 3. Also said connection means 7 have the protrusion 31 shaped in such a way to be easily fit in the cavity of the shoulder strap 2.

The body 61 of the connection means 7 further has a through housing (30), inside which the belt 3 can slide, so allowing a width regulation of the shoulder strap 2 with respect to the same belt. The protrusions 31 have section with wedge or multiple arrow shape and they constitute a plate with constant thickness or alternatively a shaped pivot of revolution.

The operation of the bra object of the present invention provides firstly the regulation of the adjustable bra shoulder strap 2 and belt 3 according to the user's constitution and size. In practice the user have simply to detach at least an end of the shoulder strap 2 from the related second connection elements 5 and, after having worn the bra in order to take the correct measurement of the shoulder strap, to trim their length and hook again the hose ends of the shoulder strap 2 to the related protrusions 31 of the second connection elements 5 or of the connection means 7.

In the same way, after having unhooked at least an end of the belt 3 from the first connection elements 4, the user wears the bra in order to determine the desired length of the belt 3 and thus, after having cut this latter at the desired length, inserts the belt hose into the protrusions 31 of the first connection elements 4. After the end of the regulation of the bra size, the user wears the bra and stops the hook means 6. Figures 2, 5 and 6 show a variant of the bra object of the invention, in which the shoulder strap 8 and the belt 9 are carried out using a solid rectangular tape made of plastic flexible material, for instance silicone, having a plurality of adjusting through holes 8.

In this case a body 51 that has two orthogonal seats for housing an end of the shoulder strap 2 and a portion of the belt 3 constitute the removable connection means 7. Furthermore said body 51 has pivots 52, insertable into the adjusting through holes 8 of the shoulder strap 2 and belt 3 for blocking these latter, and it has a covering element 50 that can be hooked to these pivots 52.

The removable connection means 7 are constituted by a body 61 that has a seat, for housing an end of the support element, shoulder strap 2 or belt 3, and pivots 52 insertable into the adjusting holes 8 of this latter to block its position. The body 61 has a covering element 62 associable to the pivots 52 and a series of through holes 60 for fixing said body 61 to the cup 1, for instance by means of seams.

The fixed connections between the cups 1 and the connection elements, first 4, second 5 and removable 7 can be carried out by thermoforming an end of these latter with the fabric of the related cups 1. It is further provided, that the hook connection element 6, for opening and closing the bra, can connect removably the two parts in which the belt 3 is divided, in this case the two cups 1 being fixed between them.

The operation of the bra according to this variant, are similar to the operation of the preferred embodiment since, the user, always previously releasing at least an end of the shoulder strap 2 from the belt 3 and at least an end of this latter, wears the bra in order to measure the exact lengths of the shoulder strap 2 and belt 3.

Following said measurement, the user cut the shoulder strap 2 and the belt 3 at the desired length and therefore she hooks respectively the belt 3 and the shoulder strap 2 to the cups 1 by inserting the pivots 52 into the adjusting holes 8 made close to the ends of the shoulder strap 2 and the belt 3.

The connection elements, first 4 and second 5, are also provided with a covering element 62 fixed to the pivots 52 of the body 61, in such a way to mutually block the belt 3 to the shoulder straps 2.

It is advantageous to underline that said bra, besides allowing the adjustment and the "customization", allows the use of different sizes of cups since these latter are associated at will to the shoulder straps and the belt. The bra can be carried out in assorted colors both for the cups 1 and the shoulder straps 2 and belt 3.

It is also provided the insertion of a thread 10, also fluorescent, to be fit inside the hose of the shoulder straps 2 and/or the belt 3. It is further advantageous the easy interchangeability of the cups 1 both for using cups having different sizes and for washing or replacing said cups. The shoulder straps 2 and the belt 3 can be of the type transparent and/or differently colored.

It is clear that with such bra the sizes of the cups that must be stored are particularly reduced, because it is not necessary anymore to carry out for each bra size a series of at least six cups in order to satisfy all the size/measure combination of the traditional bras cup.

It is more useful to underline that such bra is worn in more steady way by virtue of the hose, for instance made of silicone rubber, which sticks almost perfectly to the user's skin.

The main advantage of the present invention is to provide a sectional and modular bra allowing a customized definitive and permanent regulation, operating on the length of the support elements, shoulder straps and belt, which can be cut according to lengths defined by the user, depending on her size and of her personals demands.

Other advantage is to provide a bra that, thanks to the use of removable connection elements, allows an easy and immediate assemblage and therefore a simple and effective adjustment.

Further advantage is to provide a bra allowing replacing and interchanging the constitutive elements, cups, shoulder straps, belt, according to the different functional or aesthetics demands, without affecting its functionality.

Claims

1) Sectional and modular bra including two cups (1) for the breast containment characterized in that includes: - at least a shoulder strap (2) and at least a belt (3); connection means (7) removably fixed to a first end of the shoulder strap (2) and having a housing (30) engaged by the belt (3); first connection elements (4) for removably fixing each end of the belt (3) to the respective cup (1); - second connection elements (5) for removably fixing the second end of the shoulder strap (2) to the respective cup (1); at least a hook mean (6) constituted by two connectable elements (6a, 6b) each one fixed to the respective cup (1); the shoulder straps (2) and the belt (3) being shaped for being removably fixed to the connection means (7) and to the connection elements, first (4) and second (5), in correspondence of a plurality of transversal positions of the shoulder straps (2) and belt (3); the length of these latter being defined by their cut in correspondence of said positions, according to the user's size and personal demands.

2) Bra according to claim 1 characterized in that the shoulder strap (2) and the belt (3) are carried out by a tubular made of flexible plastic material, and that the connection elements first (4) and second (5) have respective protrusions (31) insertable in the cavity of said tubular.

3) Bra according to claim 1 characterized in that the shoulder strap (2) and the belt (3) are carried out by a rectangular section tape made of flexible plastic material having a plurality of through holes (8); the connection elements first (4) and second (5) and the connection means (7) have respective pivots (52) insertable into the through holes (8).

4) Bra according to claim 3 characterized in that the through holes (8) are carried out in correspondence of the terminal portions of the shoulder straps (2) and the belt (3) and in correspondence of median portions of this latter.

5) Bra according to the claim 3 characterized in that each connection means (7) is constituted by a body (51) having two orthogonal seats for housing an end of a shoulder strap (2) and of a portion of the belt (3) and has a covering element (50) removably fixed to the pivots (52) of the body.

6) Bra according to claim 3 characterized in that the first connection elements (4) are constituted by a body (61) which has a seat for housing the belt (3) and a series of through holes (60) for the fixing to the related cup (1); said body (61) has a covering element (62) fixed to the pivots (52) of the body (61).

7) Bra according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the connection elements, first (4) and second (5), and the hook mean (6) have at least an end heat sealed to the respective cup (1).

8) Bra according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the cups (1) have heat sealed support elements (9).

9) Bra according to claim 2 characterized in that the protrusions (31) of the connection elements first (4) and second (5) are saw teeth shaped.

10) Bra according to claim 2 characterized in that the tubular element of the shoulder strap (2) and belt (3) has internally a thread (10), preferably of the fluorescent type.

11) Bra according to claim 1 characterized in that the shoulder strap (2) and the belt (3) are transparent or differently colored.