U.S. patent application number 10/631089 was filed with the patent office on 2004-06-24 for adherable garment pads.
Invention is credited to Fortner, Paige.
Application Number | 20040117895 10/631089 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31188651 |
Filed Date | 2004-06-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040117895 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fortner, Paige |
June 24, 2004 |
Adherable garment pads
Abstract
A garment pad kit for coupling a garment pad (20A, 20B, 120A, or
120B) to a garment (11 or 102) is provided. The garment pad kit
includes a garment pad (20A, 20B, 120A, or 120B) having a body
portion (23 and 123) having an adhering surface (19, 21, 119, and
121) disposed on the body portion. The garment pad kit further
includes an adhesive (33, 34, 133, or 134) for coupling the
adhering surface to a garment (11 or 102).
Inventors: |
Fortner, Paige; (Everett,
WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHRISTENSEN, O'CONNOR, JOHNSON, KINDNESS, PLLC
1420 FIFTH AVENUE
SUITE 2800
SEATTLE
WA
98101-2347
US
|
Family ID: |
31188651 |
Appl. No.: |
10/631089 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60399967 |
Jul 30, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/267 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 27/26 20130101;
A41C 3/144 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/267 |
International
Class: |
A41D 027/26 |
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A garment pad kit for coupling a garment pad to a garment, the
garment pad kit comprising; (a) a garment pad including a body
portion having an adhering surface disposed on the body portion;
and (b) an adhesive for coupling the adhering surface to a
garment.
2. The garment pad kit of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a liquid
adhesive appliable upon the adhering surface, wherein the liquid
adhesive is curable to permanently couple the garment pad to a
garment.
3. The garment pad kit of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a
temperature sensitive adhesive, wherein the temperature sensitive
adhesive is adapted to permanently couple the garment pad to a
garment when the temperature sensitive adhesive is heated above a
selected temperature.
4. The garment pad kit of claim 1 further including a portion of
bonding fabric adapted to be disposed between the garment pad and a
garment, wherein the adhesive is disposed upon the portion of
bonding fabric.
5. The garment pad kit of claim 4, wherein a pressure sensitive
adhesive is disposed on a first side and a second side of the
portion of bonding fabric, the pressure sensitive adhesive adapted
to temporarily couple the garment pad to the first side and a
garment to the second side of the portion of bonding fabric through
application of a pressure above a selected pressure.
6. The garment pad kit of claim 4, wherein the bonding fabric
includes a relief gap disposed in the portion of bonding fabric for
assisting in forming the portion of bonding fabric from a
substantially planar configuration to an arcuate shaped
configuration.
7. The garment pad kit of claim 4, wherein the portion of bonding
fabric includes a series of relief cuts for assisting in forming
the portion of bonding fabric from a substantially planar
configuration to an arcuate shaped configuration.
8. The garment pad kit of claim 4, wherein the portion of bonding
fabric includes an aperture for assisting in forming the portion of
bonding fabric from a substantially planar configuration to an
arcuate shaped configuration.
9. The garment pad kit of claim 4, wherein the portion of bonding
fabric includes a relief gap, a series of relief cuts, and an
aperture for assisting in forming of the portion of bonding fabric
from a substantially planar configuration to an arcuate shaped
configuration.
10. The garment pad kit of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is
disposed on a first side and a second side of a piece of
double-sided tape, the double-sided tape adapted to be disposed
between the garment pad and a garment for adhering the garment pad
to the garment.
11. The garment pad kit of claim 10, wherein the piece of
double-sided tape is arcuate in shape when in a planar
configuration.
12. The garment pad kit of claim 10, wherein the piece of
double-sided tape includes a series of relief cuts for assisting in
forming the piece of double-sided tape from a substantially planar
configuration to an arcuate shaped configuration.
13. The garment pad kit of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is
integrally formed with the garment pad.
14. The garment pad kit of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a
separate item adapted to be coupled to the garment pad by an end
user.
15. A garment comprising: (a) a garment fabric layer; (b) a garment
pad; and (c) an adhesive disposed between the garment fabric layer
and the garment pad, the adhesive coupling the garment pad to the
garment fabric layer.
16. The garment of claim 15, wherein the adhesive includes a
temperature sensitive adhesive disposed between the garment fabric
layer and the garment pad, the temperature sensitive adhesive
permanently coupling the garment pad to the garment fabric
layer.
17. The garment of claim 15 further comprising a support layer
disposed between the garment pad and the garment fabric layer, the
support layer having a first surface facing the garment pad and a
second surface facing the garment fabric layer, wherein the
adhesive is disposed upon the first and second surfaces.
18. The garment of claim 17, wherein the support layer includes a
relief gap for assisting in forming of the support layer from a
substantially planar configuration to an arcuate shaped
configuration.
19. The garment of claim 17, wherein the support layer includes a
series of relief cuts for assisting in forming of the support layer
from a substantially planar configuration to an arcuate shaped
configuration.
20. The garment of claim 17, wherein the support layer includes an
aperture for assisting in forming of the support layer from a
substantially planar configuration to an arcuate shaped
configuration.
21. The garment of claim 17, wherein the support layer includes a
relief gap, a series of relief cuts, and an aperture for assisting
in forming of the support layer from a substantially planar
configuration to an arcuate shaped configuration.
22. The garment of claim 17, wherein the support layer includes a
plurality of panels coupled to one another to configure the support
layer in an arcuate shaped configuration.
23. The garment of claim 15, wherein the garment pad is a bra pad
or a shoulder pad.
24. The garment of claim 15, wherein the adhesive is a cured liquid
adhesive.
25. The garment of claim 15, wherein the adhesive includes a
pressure sensitive adhesive disposed between the garment fabric
layer and the garment pad, the pressure sensitive adhesive adapted
to temporarily couple the garment pad to the garment fabric
layer.
26. The garment of claim 15, wherein the adhesive includes a
pressure sensitive adhesive disposed between the garment fabric
layer and the garment pad, the pressure sensitive adhesive adapted
to temporarily couple the garment pad to the garment fabric layer,
and wherein the adhesive further includes a temperature sensitive
adhesive disposed between the garment fabric layer and the garment
pad, the temperature sensitive adhesive permanently coupling the
garment pad to the garment fabric layer.
27. A garment pad adapted to be selectively coupled to a garment,
the garment pad comprising: (a) a body having an adhering surface
disposed on the body; and (b) a permanent adhesive for permanently
coupling the adhering surface to a garment.
28. The garment pad of claim 27, further including a pressure
sensitive adhesive disposed on the adhering surface of the body,
wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is adapted to temporarily
couple the garment pad to a garment when subjected to a pressure
above a selected pressure.
29. The garment pad of claim 27, wherein the permanent adhesive is
a temperature sensitive material disposed on the adhering surface
of the body, wherein the temperature sensitive material is adapted
to permanently couple the garment pad to a garment when the
temperature sensitive material is heated above a selected
temperature.
30. The garment pad of claim 27 further comprising a support layer
adhered to the adhering surface, the support layer having a first
surface and a second surface, wherein a pressure sensitive adhesive
is disposed upon the first and second surfaces.
31. The garment pad of claim 30, wherein the support layer includes
a relief gap for assisting in forming of the support layer from a
substantially planar configuration to an arcuate shaped
configuration.
32. The garment pad of claim 30, wherein the support layer includes
a series of relief cuts for assisting in forming of the support
layer from a substantially planar configuration to an arcuate
shaped configuration.
33. The garment pad of claim 30, wherein the support layer includes
an aperture for assisting in forming of the support layer from a
substantially planar configuration to an arcuate shaped
configuration.
34. The garment pad of claim 30, wherein the support layer includes
a relief gap, a series of relief cuts, and an aperture for
assisting in forming of the support layer from a substantially
planar configuration to an arcuate shaped configuration.
35. The garment pad of claim 30, wherein the support layer includes
a plurality of panels coupled to one another to configure the
support layer in an arcuate shaped configuration.
36. The garment pad of claim 27, wherein the garment pad is a bra
pad or a shoulder pad.
37. The garment pad kit of claim 27, wherein the permanent adhesive
is integrally formed with the garment pad.
38. The garment pad kit of claim 27, wherein the permanent adhesive
is a separate item adapted to be coupled to the garment pad by an
end user.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 the
benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/399,967,
filed Jul. 30, 2002, which is hereby expressly incorporated by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to garment pads and,
more particularly to, garment pads which may be selectively adhered
to a garment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Often, a purchaser of a garment desires to adjust the
appearance of the garment to produce a more aesthetically pleasing
shape to the garment or to enhance the appearance or shapeliness of
a portion of the wearer's body. For instance, it is well known that
bras provide the shapeliness and breast support desired by many
women. However, when a bra is worn with certain types of garments,
such as summer tops, dresses, and swimsuits, the straps or other
such portions of the bra may be visible, resulting in an unsightly
appearance. Further, the support structures of the bra, such as
underwires, straps, and fasteners, can be uncomfortable.
[0004] One solution to these problems is a shelf bra. The shelf bra
is a simple bra structure that is sewn into a garment and is
usually comprised of an extra layer of fabric having a bottom
elastic band, which secures under the breasts and engages the rib
cage. Although the shelf bra works for its intended purpose, it is
not without problems. For instance, the shelf bra does not provide
the support and structure required to shape the breasts to provide
a pleasing appearance, tending to instead provide an unflattering
flattened appearance to the breasts. Further, the shelf bra does
not provide sufficient coverage for the breasts of the user,
allowing the shape of the nipple to show through the shelf bra and
outer garment.
[0005] If a woman does not want to sacrifice shapeliness, coverage
and additional support, she previously had to resort to wearing a
conventional bra underneath her top or dress. This in turn posed a
variety of problems including the unsightliness of exposed bra
straps and/or other bra components, as well as the standard
discomforts associated with wearing a conventional bra, i.e.,
underwires, back hooks, tight elastic and inflexible material. An
alternative to wearing a conventional bra under the top is to wear
removable cups or pads. By doing so, the wearer subjects herself to
the possibility of being embarrassed and/or humiliated if the cups
become displaced or, even worse, fall out. There is also the option
of sewing the cups in place, which requires special skills and
equipment that the majority of women do not have the time or the
skill to complete.
[0006] Further a purchaser of a garment may desire to adjust the
appearance of a garment in other ways to produce a more
aesthetically pleasing shape to the garment or to enhance the
appearance or shapeliness of a portion of the wearer's body. For
instance, it is well known that shoulder pads may be added to a
garment to enhance the appearance of the shoulders of the user.
However, not all garments come with shoulder pads installed
therein. Further, even with regard to garments that come with
shoulder pads either permanently installed or detachably coupled to
the garment, the pads may become lost, such as during dry cleaning,
worn out, or the user may wish to change the shape of the pads to
provide a different aesthetically pleasing shape than provided by
the original shoulder pads. One solution has been to sew shoulder
pads in place. However, this requires special skills and equipment
that the majority of people do not have the time or the skill to
complete.
[0007] Thus, there exists a need for a garment pad, such as a bra
pad or shoulder pad, that is readily couplable to a garment by a
person unskilled in the art of sewing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,
a garment pad kit for coupling a garment pad to a garment is
provided. The garment pad kit includes a garment pad including a
body portion having an adhering surface disposed on the body
portion. The garment pad kit further includes an adhesive for
coupling the adhering surface to a garment.
[0009] In accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention, a garment is provided. The garment includes a garment
fabric layer, a garment pad, and an adhesive disposed between the
garment fabric layer and the garment pad. The adhesive couples the
garment pad to the garment fabric layer.
[0010] In accordance with still another embodiment of the present
invention, a garment pad adapted to be selectively coupled to a
garment is provided. The garment pad includes a body having an
adhering surface disposed on the body, the adhering surface adapted
to couple to a garment. The garment pad further includes a pressure
sensitive adhesive disposed on the adhering surface of the body,
wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is adapted to temporarily
couple the garment pad to a garment when subjected to a pressure
above a selected pressure. The garment pad also includes a
temperature sensitive material disposed on the adhering surface of
the body, wherein the temperature sensitive material is adapted to
permanently couple the garment pad to a garment when the
temperature sensitive material is heated above a selected
temperature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages
of this invention will become more readily appreciated by reference
to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a garment having a shelf bra
as viewed from the back side of the garment wherein a back portion
of the garment has been removed to show an inner portion of the
garment with the shelf bra including attached bra pad assemblies
formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,
wherein the bra pad assemblies are attached to an inner surface of
the shelf bra;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a garment having a shelf bra
as viewed from inside the back side of the garment wherein a back
portion of the garment has been removed to shown an inner portion
of the garment with the shelf bra including attached bra pad
assemblies formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, wherein the bra pad assemblies are attached to an outer
surface of the shelf bra;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the garment, shelf bra,
and one of the bra cup assemblies depicted in FIG. 1, wherein the
cross sectional cut is taken substantially through SECTION 3-3 of
FIG. 1 and a breast of the user is shown in phantom;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the garment, shelf bra,
and one of the bra cup assemblies depicted in FIG. 2, wherein the
cross sectional cut is taken substantially through SECTION 4-4 of
FIG. 2 and a breast of the user is shown in phantom;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a top view of a section of bonding fabric formed
in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention and
suitable for use with the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1-4;
[0017] FIG. 6 is an elevation view of a garment outfitted with a
pair of shoulder pad assemblies formed in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention, wherein the shoulder pad
assemblies are depicted in hidden lines;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the garment and one of
the shoulder pad assemblies depicted in FIG. 6, wherein the cross
section cut is taken substantially through SECTION 7-7 of FIG. 6;
and
[0019] FIG. 8 is a top view of a section of bonding fabric formed
in accordance with the present invention and suitable for use with
the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, a first embodiment formed in
accordance with the present invention is illustrated. Although the
illustrated embodiment will be described herein in relation to a
shelf bra 12, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that
the present invention has wide application and is suitable for use
whenever it is desirable to adhere a garment pad to a garment 11.
Depicted in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 are a pair of bra pad assemblies 10A
and 10B each comprised of a bra pad 20A or 20B and a section of
bonding fabric 22. The bra pads 20A and 20B may be formed from foam
or other soft, pliable material, one suitable material being
polyurethane foam, to form a body portion 23. The bra pads 20A and
20B may be generally domed shaped to conform to and/or provide
shapeliness to a woman's breasts. Further, the bra pads 20A and 20B
may be trimmed to a custom shape and/or size by a user or
manufacturer.
[0021] The bra pads 20A and 20B may be adhered to a garment through
the sections of bonding fabric 22. In reference to FIG. 5, the
sections of bonding fabric 22 may be generally circular in shape. A
center aperture 24 may be centrally located in the bonding fabric
22. A plurality of relief cuts 26 may be oriented substantially
radially outward from the center of the bonding fabric 22. Further,
a relief gap 28 may be formed in the bonding fabric 22 such as by
removing a triangular shaped portion of the bonding fabric 22 by
cutting along edges 30 and 32. The center aperture 24, relief cuts
26, and relief gap 28 work in combination to allow the
substantially planar bonding fabric 22 to be readily configured to
a dome shaped configuration which corresponds to the dome shaped
configuration of the bra pads. The bonding fabric 22 may be pre-cut
by a manufacturer or cut by an end user in order to accommodate a
variety of bra pads, having various shapes and/or sizes.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the bonding fabric 22 may
include a support layer 33, such as a fabric, having a pressure
sensitive adhesive layer 34 applied to one side of the support
layer 33. The bonding fabric 22 may be hand-pressed onto the bra
pads 20A and 20B through application of a pressure above a selected
pressure. The selected pressure is preferably the minimum pressure
needed to activate the pressure sensitive adhesive 34 to bond to
the bra pads 20A and 20B. The bonding fabric 22 may also include a
second pressure sensitive adhesive layer 35 applied to a second
side of the support layer 33. The bonding fabric 22 and attached
bra pad 20B may be hand-pressed onto the shelf bra 12 through
application of a pressure above the selected pressure.
[0023] The adhesive layers 34 and 35 provide a temporary hold while
the user positions the bra pads 20A and 20B inside her garment. The
temporary hold allows the bra pads 20A and 20B to remain in place
until the user is ready to permanently bond the bra pads 20A and
20B to the shelf bra 12. The bonding fabric includes a temperature
or heat sensitive adhesive wherein the temperature or heat
sensitive adhesive may be activated by the application of heat,
such as through an iron, to permanently bond the bra pads 20A and
20B to an inner surface 37 of the shelf bra 12. The temperature or
heat sensitive adhesive may be intermixed with the pressure
sensitive adhesive layers 34 and 35, or may alternately be an
integral part of the support layer 33. For instance, the support
layer 35 may melt upon application of heat to bond the bonding
fabric to a garment and/or bra pad 20A or 20B.
[0024] As should be apparent to one skilled in the art, the
adherable bra pads 20A and 20B allow a wearer to adhere the bra
pads directly to the shelf bra 12. This easy process rids the
wearer of cup displacement fears, avoids the hassles of sewing the
cups in place and, last but not least, eliminates the need for a
conventional bra. The adherable bra pads 20A and 20B may be sold in
combination with two pieces of bonding fabric 22 in a kit. Such a
kit would provide a user with the ability to adhere the bra pads to
a garment in a simple manner requiring very little, if any,
skill.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, an alternate embodiment
formed in accordance with the present invention is depicted. This
embodiment is identical in materials and operation with the above
embodiment, with the exception that the bra pads 20A and 20B are
adhered to an outer surface of the shelf bra 12, as opposed to an
inner surface of the shelf bra 12 as described for the above
embodiment.
[0026] Although the above embodiments are described in relation
with a shelf bra 12 for illustrative purposes, it should be
apparent to one skilled in the art that the bra pads 20A and 20B
have wide application and are not limited to use with a shelf bra
12. For instance, the bra pads 20A and 20B may be adhered to many
different types and portions of garments, such as directly to the
inner surface of a top or to a lining of a garment, for example.
However, preferably the bra pads 20A and 20B are adhered to a
portion of a garment constructed from fabric having a sufficient
thickness to cover any imperfections caused by the ironing on of
the bra pads 20A and 20B.
[0027] In light of the above description of the components of the
embodiments of FIGS. 1-5, the installation of the embodiments will
now be described. Referring to FIG. 1, first a user heats an iron
to a setting compatible for the garment to which the bra pads 20A
and 20B will be attached. The user may then determine if the shape
of the bra pads 20A and 20B needs to be modified. If modifications
are required, they may be trimmed accordingly. If the garment is a
shelf bra as depicted above, the user may then choose if the bra
pads 20A and 20B will be adhered to the inner or outer surface of
the shelf bra 12. A well known protective liner (not shown) coupled
to one side of the bonding fabric 22 may be removed. The bonding
fabric 22 may be applied to an inner adhering surface 19 of each of
the bra pads 20A and 20B if the bra pads 20A and 20B are to be
coupled upon an outer surface of the shelf bra 12. If the bra pads
20A and 20B are to be coupled to an inner surface of the shelf bra
12, then the bonding fabric 22 may be coupled to an outer adhering
surface 21 of the each of the bra pads 20A and 20B.
[0028] The garment may then be donned. A well known protective
paper liner (not shown) coupled to the remaining side of the
bonding fabric 22 may be removed. The bra pads 20A and 20B may then
be positioned within the garment 11, and coupled to the garment 11
through firm hand pressure. The garment 11 may then be carefully
removed and heat applied to the bra pads 20A and 20B until the
temperature/heat sensitive adhesive has melted, permanently bonding
the bra pads 20A and 20B to the garment 11. Once the garment 11 has
cooled, the installation process is complete and the garment 11 may
be worn.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 6-8, a second alternate embodiment formed
in accordance with the present invention is depicted. This
embodiment is similar in materials and operation with the above
described embodiments, with the exception that the bra pads of the
above embodiment are replaced with a pair of shoulder pad
assemblies 100A and 100B shaped to enhance the appearance of a
wearer's shoulders, and that the garment pads are adhered to the
shoulder portion 104A and 104B of a garment 102 instead of a shelf
bra.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 8, the bonding fabric 122 of this
embodiment may be domed shaped and may be formed from joining a
back panel 144, a front panel 146, and an end panel 148 to one
another. The back panel 144, shaped to conform to the back of a
wearer's shoulder, is coupled to the front panel 146, shaped to
conform to the front of the wearer's shoulder, along a center seam
140. The front and back panels 144 and 146 are joined to the end
panel 148 along a shoulder seam 142 in such a manner to provide a
dome shape to the bonding fabric 122. The shoulder seam 142 is
oriented substantially parallel with the longitudinal length of the
wearer's shoulders. Alternately, the bonding fabric 122 may be flat
and shaped by the end user into a selected shape.
[0031] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the bonding fabric 122 may be
pre-cut by a manufacturer or cut by an end user in order to
accommodate a variety of garments 102 and/or to provide a variety
of aesthetically pleasing shapes to the garment 102. The bonding
fabric 122 includes a support layer 133 having a pressure sensitive
adhesive 134 applied to a first side so that the bonding fabric 122
may be hand-pressed onto an adhering surface 119 or 121 of the
shoulder pads 120A and 120B. The bonding fabric 122 includes a
pressure sensitive adhesive 135 applied to a second side. The
bonding fabric 122 may be coupled to the garment 102 by
hand-pressing the shoulder pad 120A or 120B against the pressure
sensitive adhesive 135 applied to the second side of the support
layer 133.
[0032] The pressure sensitive adhesive 134 provides a temporary
hold while the user positions the shoulder pads 120A and 120B and
their associated body portions 123 inside the garment 102. The
temporary hold allows the shoulder pads 120A and 120B to remain in
place until the user is ready to permanently bond the shoulder pads
120A and 120B to the garment 102. The bonding fabric 122 includes a
temperature/heat sensitive adhesive applied to the first and second
sides of the support layer. The heat sensitive adhesive may be
activated by the application of heat, such as through an iron, to
permanently bond the shoulder pads 120A and 120B to an inner
surface 136 of the garment 102.
[0033] As should be apparent to one skilled in the art, the
adherable shoulder pads 120A and 120B allow a wearer to adhere the
shoulder pads 120A and 120B directly to their garment 102. This
easy process rids the wearer of shoulder pad displacement or loss
problems, avoids the hassles of sewing the shoulder pads 120A and
120B in place and, last but not least, allows the user to adhere
alternately shaped shoulder pads 120A and 120B to a garment 102 to
change the look of the garment, and/or allows a user to add
shoulder pads 120A and 120B to a garment not originally supplied
with shoulder pads.
[0034] The adherable shoulder pads 120A and 120B may be sold in
combination with two pieces of bonding fabric 122 in a kit. Such a
kit would provide a user with the ability to adhere the shoulder
pads to a garment in a simple manner requiring very little, if any,
skill.
[0035] Although in the above embodiments, the bonding fabric and/or
adhesives are separate components subsequently adhered to a garment
pad, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the
bonding fabric and/or adhesives may be an integral part of the
garment pad. Thus, as should be apparent to those skilled in the
art, one of the pressure sensitive adhesive layers and/or the
support layer may be eliminated.
[0036] Although in the above embodiments, pressure sensitive
adhesive layers are described, it should be apparent to those
skilled in the art that the pressure sensitive adhesive layers are
optional and may be eliminated if desired.
[0037] Further, although the above embodiments are described for
use with a bonding fabric, it should be apparent to those skilled
in the art that the garment pads may be adhered to a garment
through the use of an adhesive applied to the garment pad and/or
garment and the use of the bonding fabric eliminated. For instance,
a user may apply a liquid or spray adhesive to the garment pad to
adhere, either permanently or temporarily, the garment pad to a
garment. In one working embodiment, a urethane adhesive in liquid
form is applied to the garment pad and the garment pad is pressed
onto the garment. Once the urethane adhesive cures, the garment pad
is thereby permanently adhered to the garment and the garment may
be used in its normal manner.
[0038] Further still, although the above embodiments are described
for use with a bonding fabric that is heat activated to permanently
adhere the garment pad to the garment, it should be apparent to
those skilled in the art that the heat activated adhesive may be
eliminated. For instance, for the above described embodiments, the
heat sensitive layer may be eliminated, and the bra pads
semi-permanently or permanently adhered to the garment solely
through the use of pressure sensitive adhesive applied between the
garment pad and the garment at the location of attachment. For
instance, a user may, in accordance with the present invention, use
double stick adhesive or double-sided tape to apply a garment pad
to the garment by placing the double stick adhesive between the
garment and the garment pad and applying pressure, thereby coupling
the garment pad to the garment.
[0039] The double stick adhesive may be arcuate in shape when in a
planar configuration to aid in the forming of the double stick
adhesive into a partial dome shaped configuration to match the
shape of a dome shaped garment pad. The double stick adhesive may
be in a form similar to the bonding fabric depicted in FIG. 5 and
have relief cuts, relief gaps, and/or a center aperture disposed
therein to aid in the formation of the double stick tape from a
planar configuration to an arcuate or partial dome shaped
configuration. In one actual embodiment, the double stick adhesive
is formed from an elongate arcuate strip about 7" in length. The
elongate arcuate strip has an inner radius of about 6" with the
width of the strip varying from about 2.125" at a middle portion to
about 1.75" at the ends. Relief cuts are disposed radially outward
from the inner radius of the elongate arcuate strip to aid in the
formation of the elongate arcuate strip from a planar configuration
to a partial dome shaped configuration.
[0040] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various
changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention.
* * * * *