Foundation garments – Breast or chest – e.g. – brassieres – With adhesive means or vacuum cup to secure to body
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-01
2001-05-15
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3765)
Foundation garments
Breast or chest, e.g., brassieres
With adhesive means or vacuum cup to secure to body
C450S088000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231424
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a strapless and backless bra, and more particularly, to a strapless and backless bra for providing uniform lift and support and enhanced appearance of the breasts of a user.
2. Background Art
In the production of undergarments, a bra is often required that can be worn with backless, low cut, or other revealing garments. For example, when a backless dress is worn, a bra is required that cannot be seen by others while still maintaining uniform lift and support for the user's breasts.
Heretofore, many have attempted to solve this problem by employing inferior variations. Examples include the following, all of which are herein incorporated by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,079,426 to Schottenfels;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,102 Wynants;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,593 to Mellinger;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,313 to Le Juene;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,550 to Hattori;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,074 to Diaz; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,611 to Noble et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,079,426 to Schottenfels teaches a supporting garment having two cups and a plurality of heads onto which adhesive is placed. The bra of Schottenfels is inferior because, inter alia, the orientation of the cups and the placement of the adhesive heads along the top of the cups cause the bra to be exposed when worn with a low cut or similar revealing garment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,074 to Diaz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,593 to Mellinger, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,611 to Noble et al. all teach a bra comprised of two separate cups having adhesive positioned along the periphery thereof. With bras having two separate cups, however, a number of problems become apparent. For example, a user will not have uniformity in lift and support of both breasts. In contrast, bras having two separate cups can only lift and support the breasts as individual units, leading to a unevenness or distortion in the lift, support, and overall appearance of the user's breasts. In addition, Diaz, Mellinger and Noble et al. all teach the use of adhesive over a large part of the user's breasts. Such a teaching leads to unnecessary discomfort in both the application and removal of the bra. Moreover, instead of being U-shaped, the cups of these related devices flare outward near their top portions. This configuration leads to decreased lift and support of a user's breasts while giving the breasts an undesired or unflattering shape.
Therefore, there exists the need for a strapless and backless bra that can be worn with revealing clothing while lifting and supporting the breasts of a user with uniformity and comfort.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by including a strapless and backless bra that will lift and support the breasts of a user with uniformity and comfort while optimizing breast appearance. According to one aspect of the present invention, a strapless and backless bra is provided, which includes first and second cups, connected or joined together, each cup having: 1) an open top end; 2) a closed bottom end; 3) an outer side and an inner side that are substantially parallel to each other; and 4) a tab, positioned proximate the outer side of the cup.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a strapless and backless bra is provided, which includes: 1) a pair of cups connected together, each cup having an open top end and a closed bottom end; and 2) a strapless and backless system, operatively attached to the cups for supporting the breasts of a user. The strapless and backless bra may also include one or more rigid reinforcement members or boning, positioned to extend vertically across the cup from the top end to the bottom end.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a strapless and backless bra is provided, which includes: 1) a band of stretchable material having opposing ends; and 2) a first tab and a second tab, each of which is positioned proximate one of the opposing ends of the band.
It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide a strapless and backless bra for lifting and supporting the breasts of a user with uniformity and comfort.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is designed to solve the problems herein described and other problems not discussed, which are discoverable by a skilled artisan.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2079426 (1937-05-01), Schottenfels
patent: 2468622 (1949-04-01), Glick
patent: 3196460 (1965-07-01), Halstead
patent: 3221748 (1965-12-01), Glasser
patent: 3276449 (1966-10-01), Morgan
patent: 3556107 (1971-01-01), Brumfield
patent: 3749102 (1973-07-01), Wynants
patent: 3934593 (1976-01-01), Mellinger
patent: 4343313 (1982-08-01), Le Jeune
patent: 4553550 (1985-11-01), Hattori
patent: 4992074 (1991-02-01), Diaz
patent: 5755611 (1998-05-01), Noble et al.
Photocopy of Related Art Bra; Author, date, and title unknown.
Photocopy of related art bra. Published in Intimate Fashion News Magazine Nov. 5-18, 1990.
D'Alessandro Ronald A.
Hale Gloria M.
Hoffman, Warnick & D'Alessandro LLC
Imagine Enterprises LLC
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