Foundation garments – Breast or chest – e.g. – brassieres – Separable at front center
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-27
2002-06-18
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3765)
Foundation garments
Breast or chest, e.g., brassieres
Separable at front center
Reexamination Certificate
active
06406354
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape-like connecting device applicable to textile products such as clothing, and women's clothing with cups using the same. The tape-like connecting device in accordance with the present invention can suitably be used as the connecting device at the center front of women's clothing with cups of front-hook type. More specifically, the women's clothing with cups in accordance with the present invention includes foundation clothing such as wire-form type brassieres, bodysuits, and three-in-ones; lingerie clothing such as bra-slips and bra-camisoles; and clothing (dresses) such as leotards, swimsuits, and bra-dresses.
2. Related Background Art
Brassieres not only have a protection function for protecting breasts but also have a bust-uplifting function for lifting up the breasts while adjusting them into good shape. Widely known as a kind of such brassieres is a wire-form type brassier in which an arc-shaped (semicircularly arced or substantially U-shaped) cup wire portion is sewn into a lower curved part of a pair of left and right cup portions covering the respective breasts. Known as such a brassiere is the one in which the respective cup cloths constituting a pair of left and right cup portions are connected to each other via a center front cloth. There has also been known a so-called front-hook type brassier in which the center front cloth is divided into left and right parts, and these left and right parts of the center front cloth are connected to each other by a detachable connector.
For example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Nos. 57-71407 and 57-74914 disclose brassieres in which the center front parts are connected to each other by a connector which is vertically pivotable in their worn state. Also, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Nos. 62-112304, 3-69412, 2-146108, and 3-6406 disclose connectors applicable to front-hook type brassieres, which are not vertically pivotable in their worn state. Further, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 7-6217 discloses a nursing brassiere with a connector at the center front thereof while the connector is not vertically pivotable in the worn state.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The front-hook type brassieres such as those mentioned above are advantageous in that, since the connector is located on the front side of the body (center front), wearing operations become easier for a wearer. Further, in the front-hook type brassieres employing wire forms, since cup wire portions fitting the verg's line (semicircular contour of the lower edges of breasts) are sewn therein so as to form cup portions, the shape retention and the like of the cups are improved, whereby the bust-uplifting function and volume-enhancing function are realized.
When the wearer exercises a movement accompanying the flexing or twisting of the upper half of the body, however, both cup portions are likely to shift from their initial wearing positions even if wire forms are employed. Also, when the breasts are larger (fuller) than usual or tend to descend or spread apart leftward and rightward, the sides of both cup portions are likely to shift downward after being worn.
In a front-hook type brassiere, in particular, the under-bust part tends to loosen, whereby the cup wire portion is likely to shift. Specifically, for example, a hinge-connecting type connector such as that disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 3-69412 is not vertically pivotable itself in the state where the brassiere is worn. In the prior art, however, a slit-like through hole is formed in the base part of each of female and male parts of the connector, and a woven fabric tape or a nonwoven fabric tab is passed therethrough to sew the connector to the center front cloth, whereby the left and right cup portions are connected to each other. As a consequence, deformations such as bending, flexure, and wrinkle are likely to occur in the tape or tab. The deformations are remarkable, in particular, in the vicinity of the part sewn to the center front cloth and the part inserted into the through hole of the connector, so that the connecting portion of the center front may float up in the state where the brassiere is worn.
As a consequence, the shape retention and stability of cups, which are characteristics of the wire-form type, may deteriorate remarkably. Therefore, the front-hook type brassieres are not widely used among women whose breasts are fuller or tend to descend or young women who regard motional functionality as important.
The circumstances mentioned above also hold true for women's clothing with cups other than the brassieres, such as bra-slips and bodysuits, for example. Namely, though it is important in the front-hook type women's clothing with cups that both cup portions be stably connected to each other at the center front and that neither forcible load nor sense of pressure be imparted to the wearer, these requirements contradict each other (being in a so-called trade-off relationship), and it has been difficult for the prior art to satisfy them at the same time.
Problems similar to those mentioned above also exist in the connection between a shoulder strap of the nursing brassiere and its corresponding cup portion, and the connection between left and right back portions at the center back. For example, in a brassiere, in which the back portions are connected to each other at the center back, the connector at the center back does not have a role of connecting left and right cup portions, which hold breasts having a fixed weight with elasticity/flexibility, to each other, or directly supporting the cup portions. However, depending on the figure of the wearer or the degree of movement, the tape or tab at the back center having the connector attached thereto is likely to deform, whereby there is a possibility of uncomfortableness or looseness occurring.
Also, in non-wire front-hook type brassieres, the conventional detachable connectors are likely to cause the tapes or tabs for supporting the connecting members to deform. Therefore, suitable and stable connections have been hard to realize. Further, it has generally been difficult to stably connect one part to another part in a detachable manner while maintaining flexibility in textile products other than women's clothing as well, thus leaving a demand for developing a new connecting technology solving these problems.
In order to solve such problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape-like connecting device which is applicable to various kinds of textile products such as women's clothing with cups and can stably connect individual parts of a textile product such as both cup portions of a brassiere to each other in a detachable manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide women's clothing with cups of a front-hook type which is excellent in easiness of putting on and taking off, without deteriorating the characteristics of the wire-form type that it is excellent in the bust-shaping property and the cup shape retention and stability, and without deteriorating the comfortability in worn state due to the looseness or dislocation.
The tape-like connecting device in accordance with the present invention comprises a pair of tape members adapted to be sewn to a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, or a composite fabric thereof; and a pair of connecting members disposed respectively at front ends of the pair of tape members and detachably connected to each other; wherein each of the pair of connecting members has a connecting portion and a base portion which are integrally formed from a piece of plastic, each of the base portions of the connecting members is fixed to the front end portion of each of the pair of tape members, and has at least a depression so at to allow a sewing needle to be inserted through the front end portion of the tape member.
In accordance with the present invention, since the base portions of
Sakaki Shuji
Yamauchi Hiromi
Hoey Alissa L
Morrison Law Firm
Wacoal Corporation
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