US20170105458A1

US20170105458A1 - Cleavage enhancement bra

Info

Publication number: US20170105458A1
Application number: US14/882,698
Authority: US
Inventors: Nancy McBride
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-10-15
Filing date: 2015-10-14
Publication date: 2017-04-20

Abstract

A bra including two fabric cups joined at the center front of the bra, each cup having an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of each cup is constructed to generally follow the inframammary crease of a respective woman's breast. The top of the upper portion of each cup includes a dart. A generally U-shaped support piece composed of an elongated strip of elastic is attached to the bra along the bottoms and sides of the lower portion of the cups. The support piece is made of fabric which is less elastic than the fabric of the cups. Bands made of low-stretch material extend from the sides of the lower portion of the cups and include generally V-shaped inserts cut on the bias in the tops of the bands. The inserts are made of fabric which is more elastic than the fabric of the bands.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The instant application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 62/122,237, filed Oct. 15, 2014.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a bra. More specifically, the invention relates to a cleavage enhancement bra.
2. The Prior Art
Prior art cleavage enhancement bra designs generally enhance breast cleavage by squeezing and/or lifting breast cups. However, the prior art cleavage enhancement bras generally provide an unnatural look, as well as unsightly and uncomfortable lines and bulging in the underarm and back areas. There is no satisfactory known solution to this problem provided in the prior art.
It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide a cleavage enhancement bra which enhances a woman's natural cleavage and provides overall support of a woman's breast area with great comfort and a smooth fit in the underarm and back areas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention is to provide a novel bra construction which provides the appearance of cleavage enhancement and overall support of a woman's breast area.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cleavage enhancement bra having bands with expendable inserts to provide a wearer great comfort and a smooth fit in the underarm and back areas.
These together with other objects of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the present invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the present invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention and alternative embodiments.
In a preferred embodiment, a bra includes two fabric cups joined at the center front of the bra. Each cup is constructed to engagingly receive at least a portion of a breast of a wearer providing cleavage and the appearance of breast size enhancement. Each cup has an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of each cup is constructed to generally follow the inframammary crease of a respective woman's breast from generally the center of the bottom of the breast to generally the side of the breast. The top of the upper portion of each cup is constructed in an approximately 45 degree angle upward and toward the other cup and then at an approximately 45 degree angle downward and toward the other cup, forming an inverted generally V-shape. The top of the upper portion of each cup includes a dart. A generally U-shaped support piece composed of an elongated strip of elastic, or other similar material is attached to the bra along the bottoms and sides of the lower portion of the cups. The support piece is made of fabric which is less elastic than the fabric of the cups. Bands made of low-stretch material extend from the sides of the lower portion of the cups and include generally V-shaped inserts cut on the bias in the tops of the bands. The inserts are made of fabric which is more elastic than the fabric of the bands. The bands are fastened together with a hook and eye fastener that includes three sets of eyes and one set of three hooks, which may selectively be fastened, providing adjustability to the angle of the bands. Shoulder straps made of low-stretch material extend generally from the top centers of the respective cups.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the invention.
Before explaining the preferred embodiment and alternative embodiments of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction, to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings, or to the methods described therein. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the present invention in any way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a cleavage enhancement bra in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a cleavage enhancement bra in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear view partially broken away of a cleavage enhancement bra in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating options for placement of straps.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

While this present invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, a preferred embodiment, with like parts designated by like reference numerals and with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the claims to the illustrated preferred embodiment.
Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a preferred embodiment of the cleavage enhancement bra 10 includes two fabric cups 12 joined at the center front 14 of the bra 10 by an approximately 1¼ inch sewn seam 16. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the two fabric cups 12 may be joined at the center front 14 of the bra 10 by other suitable connection means without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. It should also be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the seam 16 may be any suitable size. It should be further readily understood by those skilled in the art that the cups 12 may be integrally formed without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
In the preferred embodiment, each of the cups 12 is constructed to engagingly receive at least a portion of a breast of a wearer providing cleavage and the appearance of breast size enhancement. Each of the cups 12 has an upper portion 18 and a lower portion 20. The lower portion 20 of each cup 12 is constructed to generally follow the inframammary crease of a respective woman's breast from generally the center of the bottom of the breast to generally the side of the breast. The top 22 of the upper portion 18 of each cup 12 is constructed in an approximately 45 degree angle upward and toward the centers 19 of the cup 12 and then at an approximately 45 degree angle downward and toward the other cup 12, forming an inverted generally V-shape. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the two fabric cups 12 may form an inverted generally U-shape without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The top 22 of the upper portion 18 of each cup 12 includes a dart 23.
In the preferred embodiment, a support piece 24 is attached to the bra along the bottoms 28 and sides 30 of the lower portion 20 of the cups 12. The support piece 24 is generally U-shaped and composed of an elongated strip of elastic, or other suitable material, which is sewn into the cups 12. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the support piece 24 may be attached to the cups 12, or otherwise incorporated into, the bra 10 by other conventional means, such as adhesives or fasteners. In the preferred embodiment, the support piece 24 is 1½ inch wide. The support piece 24 which has generally replaced underwires in the prior art, is made of fabric which is less elastic than the fabric of the cups 12, resulting in a smoother and more comfortable fit than underwire bras. In the preferred embodiment, the support piece 24 is covered on its exterior surface with the same fabric as the cups. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the support piece 24 may be covered on its exterior surface with any suitable fabric without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
In the preferred embodiment, bands 32 made of low-stretch material extend from the sides 30 of the lower portion 20 of the cups 12 and include generally V-shaped inserts 34 cut on the bias in the tops of the bands 32. In a preferred embodiment, the band is approximately 2½ inches wide at the point of the insert proximate the cup. In the preferred embodiment, the inserts 34 are located approximately 2½ inches from the cups 12. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the inserts 34 may be located generally proximate the cups 12 without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The inserts 34 are made of fabric which is more elastic than the fabric of the bands 32. In the preferred embodiment, the inserts measure approximately 1¼ inches wide at the top and 2 inches deep. In a preferred embodiment, the band is approximately 3¼ inches wide at the point of the insert 34 proximate the cup 12. In a preferred embodiment, the bands 32 are deeper from top to bottom proximate the cups 12 and longer at the top than the bottom. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the bands 32 and inserts 34 may be any suitable size without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
The bra 10 may include bands 32 with adjustment mechanisms (not shown) such as those commonly used in bras.
As shown in FIGS. 2 & 3, in the preferred embodiment, the bands 32 are fastened together with a hook and eye fastener 36. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the fastener 36 may be any suitable conventional fastener, such as buttons, zippers, snaps, VELCRO®, etc., without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. In the preferred embodiment, the hook and eye fastener 36 includes three sets of eyes and one set of three hooks, which may selectively be fastened, providing adjustability to the angle of the bands 32. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the hook and eye fastener 36 may have other numbers of hooks and eyes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
In the preferred embodiment, shoulder straps 38 made of low-stretch material extend generally from the top centers 19 of the respective cups 12 and include adjustment mechanisms (not shown) such as those commonly used in bras. In the preferred embodiment, the straps 38 include two placement options. In the first placement option A, each strap 38 will be secured approximately 4½ inches from the fastener. In the second placement option B, each strap will be secured approximately 3 inches from the fastener 36. It should be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the bra 10 may include only one strap 38 placement option without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. In addition, a second set of straps 38 (not shown) may be added for a criss-cross effect on the wearer's back.
Referring now to FIG. 3, in the preferred embodiment, the bands 32 include inserts 34 in the tops of the bands 32 proximate the fastener 36. The inserts 34 measure approximately 1 inch wide at the top and 2 inches deep.
In alternative embodiment (not shown), the bra may selectively include padding, such as cloth, foam, plastic, gel, silicone, or other suitable padding, which is removably disposed between the cups 12 and breasts of a wearer, such as in pockets formed in the interior surface of the cups 12.
Hence, while the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment and alternative embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended that the invention be limited to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed.
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, same should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further discussion relevant to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention shall be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum proportions for the elements of the invention, and variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered illustrative of only the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact method, construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A cleavage enhancement bra comprising:

two fabric cups joined at the center front of the bra;

each of said cups being constructed to engagingly receive at least a portion of a breast of a wearer providing cleavage and the appearance of breast size enhancement;

each of said cups comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, each said lower portion having a bottom and a side;

said lower portion being constructed to generally follow the inframammary crease of a respective woman's breast from generally the center of the bottom of the breast to generally the side of the breast;

said upper portion of each of said cups forming an inverted generally V-shape; and

a generally U-shaped support piece attached to said bra along said bottom and side of said lower portion of each of said cups.

2. The cleavage enhancement bra of claim 1 wherein:

said support piece comprises an elongated strip of elastic.

3. The cleavage enhancement bra of claim 2 wherein:

said support piece is sewn into said cups.

4. The cleavage enhancement bra of claim 1 wherein:

said support piece comprises fabric which is less elastic than the fabric of said cups.

5. A cleavage enhancement bra comprising:

two fabric cups joined at the center front of the bra;

a band extending from said side of each of said lower portion of each of said cups, each of said bands having generally V-shaped inserts cut on the bias in the tops of said bands.

6. The cleavage enhancement bra of claim 5 wherein:

said inserts are made of fabric which is more elastic than the fabric of said bands.

7. A cleavage enhancement bra comprising:

two fabric cups joined at the center front of the bra;

the top of said upper portion of each cup includes a dart.