Foundation garments – Breast or chest – e.g. – brassieres – With means to separably retain breast-form-supplementing pads
Reexamination Certificate
2003-08-18
2004-08-03
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3765)
Foundation garments
Breast or chest, e.g., brassieres
With means to separably retain breast-form-supplementing pads
C450S057000, C002S267000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06769955
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sleeping brassieres and in particular to a bra worn while sleeping that is structured to reduce the formation of wrinkles in the upper chest of women who sleep on their sides, which bra has a center insert of a firm resilient material fit within a soft fabric bra.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When women sleep on their sides, the breast on the upper side tends to hang down toward the lower breast causing wrinkles to form in the skin in the center of the chest, just above and between their breasts. Brassieres for supporting the breasts are well known, such brassieres are generally designed primarily to support the breasts when the wearer is standing. However, such prior art devices have not been entirely successful in separating the breasts to prevent the wrinkle that forms in between the breasts when the wearer is lying on her side during sleep.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,422, issued Apr. 27, 1999 to McGee, provides a sleeping brassiere that has a pair of shoulder supports, which extend to a back support. The sleeping brassiere also has a back support that extends from the back toward the front of the wearer, a portion encircling the wearer and a pair of cup-shaped breast supports. Each of the breast supports has a generally crescent-shaped portion curving generally around the outside and top of the wearer's breast. The crescent-shaped portion has an upper end adjoining the shoulder supports and a lower end adjoining the portion of said back support encircling the wearer at a position generally between and below the breasts of the wearer when the brassiere is worn.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,555, issued Jan. 28, 1992 to Lewis, shows an apparatus suitable for reducing and preventing skin deformation in proximity to the breasts of a human female when worn between said breasts, which includes a shaped deformable resilient central support member that has a first end and a second end. A removable outer casing encompasses the shaped central support member, the casing has a first casing end adjacent the first support member end and a second casing end adjacent the second support member end. A first closure means is positioned at the first casing end and a second closure means is positioned at the second casing end, the closure means being adapted for enclosing the first and second support member ends within the outer casing. A securing means is on the outer casing between the first and second casing ends, the securing means being adapted for securing the apparatus to the torso of a human female and between the breasts of the female to reduce and eliminate skin wrinkling.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,986, issued Oct. 5, 1999 to Killen, claims a preferred embodiment of an anti-wrinkling apparatus that employs a substrate with an adhesive for securing the apparatus to the user's skin for deterring skin folding and, thus, wrinkles. In another aspect of the present invention, the substrate has a substantially heart shape. In a further aspect of the present invention, the apparatus does not have a preformed shape and is flat prior to use. In yet another aspect of the present invention, the anti-wrinkling device of the present invention is applied between the breasts. In still another aspect of the present invention anti-wrinkling apparatus, multiple stacked adhesive and liner layers, as well as a substrate layer, are provided for allowing repeated application and removal.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,772, issued Apr. 15, 2000 to Fernandez, describes an anti-wrinkle brassiere that is specially designed for night use and as an element for preventing inter-mammary wrinkles. It also has a protection element for the back and the dorsal vertebra and it prevents back pain. It has a front portion that covers the intermammary zone and two oblique straps, which are joined to the extended back portion, that prevent the inner sides of the breasts from touching. The straps only cover the shoulder part and form lateral arches, which deviate from the line marked by the day brassiere, for a good lymphatic drainage. It remains fastened to the skin and its inferior border is located a few centimeters under those found on conventional brassieres.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,160, issued Sep. 15, 1998 to Wehmeyer, discloses a cleavage-wrinkle protector that is constructed of satin or similar lingerie-type fabric and stuffed with polyester fiberfill. The protector includes stretch lace neck and torso straps. The protector is approximately 6-½ inches long and 2-½ inches side. The protector is designed to be worn between the woman's breast while sleeping to protect the cleavage skin from folding when she lies on her side.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,007, issued Jul. 17, 1973 to Hand, indicates a ladies sleeping garment that has the elements of a supportive brassiere therein. The garment will support and mold the breast even when the wearer is in an unusual sleeping position.
Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 1,891,871, issued Dec. 20, 1932 to Donnet, puts forth a brassiere with a resilient, stiff and bent strip with rounded edges that is centrally located, which is adapted as a separating member between the breasts.
What is needed is a bra for sleeping which supports the breasts with the woman sleeping on her side to prevent the upper breast from tending to hang down toward the lower breast and thereby prevent wrinkles in the skin in the center of the upper chest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a bra for sleeping with a center breast support, positioned between the breasts, which supports the breasts with the woman sleeping on her side to prevent the upper breast from tending to hang down toward the lower breast and thereby prevent wrinkles in the skin in the center of the upper chest.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bra for sleeping that is comfortable and is not exceedingly tight.
One more object of the present invention is to provide a bra for sleeping that is economical and easy to manufacture.
In brief, a sleeping bra that supports an upper breast of a woman sleeping on her side and thereby prevents wrinkles forming in the skin of the upper chest. The sleeping bra has a breast support pad positioned between the breasts of the woman. The support pad comprises a firm body that has a vertical section with a thick midsection and a back surface that conforms to the chest structure of the woman between the breasts. The support pad also has a concave curved cavity or cup on each side of the vertical section that supports either breast of the woman with the breast in an upper position when the woman is sleeping on her side and prevents the breast in the upper position from hanging down toward the lower breast, thereby preventing wrinkling of the skin on the chest of the woman between the breasts. The support pad is formed of a molded firm material, such as a molded dense foam material, to conform to the shape of the chest and breasts between the breasts.
The bra for sleeping also comprises a soft fabric bra with a body encircling portion with a pair of cups for supporting the breasts of a woman and a centrally located pocket for holding the support pad. The pocket is formed by stitching a sheet of material to the inside of the bra between the cups, thereby forming a barrier between the support pad and the skin of the woman.
An advantage of the present invention is that it prevents wrinkles that form in the skin of the cleavage area of the chest.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it is comfortable.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that it is affordable.
REFERENCES:
patent: 862376 (1907-08-01), Bachman
patent: 5083555 (1992-01-01), Lewis
patent: 5158541 (1992-10-01), McCurley
patent: 5807160 (1998-09-01), Wehmeyer
patent: 5843008 (1998-12-01), Gerhard
patent: 5951366 (1999-09-01), Stevens
patent: 6095894 (2000-08-01), Stevens
patent: 6102772 (2000-08-01), Fernandez
patent: 6439958 (2002-08-01), L
Hale Gloria M.
Meeker Donald W.
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