U.S. patent application number 11/403058 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-25 for nursing bra with detachable t-shirt.
This patent application is currently assigned to Comfy Kangaroo. Invention is credited to Baruch Itzhak.
Application Number | 20070249263 11/403058 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38620064 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070249263 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Itzhak; Baruch |
October 25, 2007 |
Nursing bra with detachable T-shirt
Abstract
A garment set of a nursing bra and a shirt. The nursing bra
includes a main body portion and at least one first strap. The main
body portion includes at least one cutout designed so as to receive
a woman's nipple when the nursing bra is worn. The strap includes a
first hook. The shirt includes a main body portion and at least one
second strap. The strap includes a second hook. The first and
second hooks are designed so as to be selectively detachable from
one another.
Inventors: |
Itzhak; Baruch; (New York,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OSTROLENK FABER GERB & SOFFEN
1180 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
100368403
US
|
Assignee: |
Comfy Kangaroo
|
Family ID: |
38620064 |
Appl. No.: |
11/403058 |
Filed: |
April 12, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
450/32 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41C 3/04 20130101; A41C
3/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
450/032 |
International
Class: |
A41C 3/08 20060101
A41C003/08 |
Claims
1. A garment set including a nursing bra and a shirt, the garment
set comprising: a nursing bra, the nursing bra including a main
body portion and a plurality of straps, the main body portion
including first and second cutouts designed to expose a woman's
nipples when the nursing bra is worn, the straps including first
mating members and; a shirt including a main body portion, an open
top side, and second mating members at the top side; wherein the
first and second mating members are designed so as to be
selectively attachable and detachable from one another, in a manner
that readily enables combining different shirts with different
bras.
2. The garment set as recited in claim 1, wherein the shirt further
includes pockets, each of which is designed to receive a
respective, removable nursing pad.
3. The garment set as recited in claim 2, wherein: each pocket
includes a cutout having a cross-sectional area larger than the
cutouts of the bra.
4. The garment set as recited in claim 1, wherein the bra further
includes a chest band.
5. The garment set as recited in claim 1, wherein the shirt is a
T-shirt with four straps extending from the open side and the
second mating members extend from the straps of the T-shirt.
6. The garment set as recited in claim 1, wherein the mating
members are selected from a fastener group consisting of: hooks,
snaps, clasps, buttons, zippers and velcro.
7. The garment set of claim 5, including front and rear straps, the
rear straps being sufficiently long to connect to corresponding
ones of the first mating members located at a front portion of the
bra straps.
8. A nursing bra designed to be part of a garment set including the
nursing bra and a shirt, the nursing bra comprising: a main body
portion and a plurality of straps, the main body portion including
first and second cutouts designed so as to leave exposed a woman's
nipples when the nursing bra is worn, the straps including first
mating members; wherein the nursing bra has its first mating
members located on a front portion of the straps, whereby a shirt
that includes a main body portion, an open top side, and a second
mating members at the top side, can be operatively attached to the
nursing bra by having the second mating members on the shirt
selectively attached or detached to and from the nursing bra.
9. A shirt especially designed to be part of a garment set that
also includes a nursing bra, the shirt comprising: a main body
portion of the shirt with an open top side and mating members at
the top side of the shirt; wherein the mating members of the top
side of shirt are so designed and located as to enable rapid
attaching and disattaching of the shirt to a nursing bra which
includes a main body portion and a plurality of straps with the
main body portion of the bra including first and second cutouts
designed so as to leave exposed a woman's nipples exposed when the
nursing bra is worn, and with respective bra mating members on the
straps of the bra, so located as to enable the mating members of
the bra and of the shirt to be rapidly attached and disattached
from one another.
10. A method for dressing a nursing woman, the method comprising:
placing a nursing bra on the woman, the nursing bra including a
main body portion, at least one cutout designed so as to receive a
woman's nipple, and at least one first strap, the first strap
including a first mating member; placing a shirt over the nursing
bra, the shirt including at least one second strap, the second
strap including a second mating member; and connecting the first
mating member to the second mating member.
11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the connecting is
performed through the engagement of corresponding hooks.
12. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising
disconnecting the first strap from the second strap whereby the
shirt remains disposed over the nursing bra and the nipple is
exposed.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to garments worn by nursing
women and, more particularly, to a nursing bra which has a T-shirt
detachably connectable thereto.
[0002] Nursing bras and other garments worn by nursing women are
known in the art. For example, as described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,855,029, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by
reference, there is shown a single garment which combines the
functionality of both a T-shirt and a nursing bra. Referring to
FIGS. 1A and 1B, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,855,029, a front
view of the nursing garment 10 includes external nursing flaps 3,
which fasten via a fastener 4 to shoulder straps 5. External
nursing flap 3 includes a soft cup breast support 2, an inner
fastener 1 and an internal nursing flap 8A. When the external
nursing flap 3 and internal nursing flap 8A are closed, the inner
fastener 1 couples with the outer fastener 4. An internal elastic
chest band 15 is positioned just below the soft cup breast support
2.
[0003] Nursing garment 10 includes a built in nursing bra that is
partly internal and partly external. A nursing bra is formed by a
soft cup frame 2 attached at the bottom to an elastic chest band 15
and attached via short straps at the top to the front of the
shoulder straps 5. In the back, the elastic chest band 15 is
attached to an internal back piece of fabric 8B on the inside of
the tank top 10. The internal back piece of fabric 8B extends
upward from the elastic chest band 15 to the shoulder straps 5 at
the back. The shoulder straps 5 include an adjustable section 9
shown in schematic form. Adjustment devices 7, 14 are provided for
adjusting the length of one section 9 of the shoulder strap 5.
[0004] Internal nursing flaps 8A are attached to the bottom of the
soft cup frame 2. When closed, the internal nursing flaps 8A
directly cover the breasts and are attached to the shoulder straps
5 at the top of the soft cup frame 2. The internal nursing flap 8A
may include a provision for placement of a nursing pad 6. External
nursing flaps 3 are attached to the internal nursing flaps 8A at
the top of both nursing flaps, where a fastener 4 is located. Both
internal and external nursing flaps 8A, 3 cover the breasts when
fastener 4 is coupled to the shoulder straps 5 by fastener 1 at the
top of the soft cup frame 2. The outer portion of the nursing
garment includes a stretch body wrap 10A, 10B extending upward from
the torso and forming the external nursing flaps 3 which are
attached to the internal nursing flaps 8A and to the shoulder
straps 5 to give a smooth single garment appearance. The front 10A
and back 10B (i.e., the body wrap portion) of the nursing garment
10 is made of an elastic, stretchable fabric so as to form fit
around the torso of the wearer.
[0005] The nursing garment 10 has a built in invisible nursing bra
formed by internal sections comprising the elastic chest band 15,
the soft cup frame 2, the internal nursing flaps 8A, and the back
piece of fabric 8B. The shoulder straps 5 including the adjustable
section 9 form the external portion of the invisible nursing bra.
Externally, the shoulder straps 5 appear to be part of the tank
top/undershirt and do not appear to be a part of a nursing bra.
[0006] In use, the wearer adjusts the length 9 of the straps 5 of
garment 10 for snug fit. The internal and external nursing flaps
8A, 3 cover the soft frame 2 when the fasteners 1, 4 are closed.
The internal fabric flaps 8A can also have a pocket made of netting
or of the same fabric material as the tank top to hold a nursing
pad 6 in place. Fasteners 1 and 4 may be snaps, clasps or a hook
and loop type fastener, in order to hold the internal and external
fabric flaps 8A, 3, which cover the breasts and the soft cup frame
2. To nurse a baby, fasteners 1 and 4 are separated, and both
internal and external nursing flaps 8A, 3 fold downward to access
the breast. After feeding, the internal and external nursing flaps
8A, 3 are re-attached to the shoulder straps 5 by fasteners 1 and
4.
[0007] A problem with the above-described prior art nursing garment
is that the T-shirt and nursing bra are part of a single unitary
garment. As such, it is difficult and/or complex for a woman to put
on the garment. Moreover, one part of the garment can wear more
quickly than the other and the forced combination of the two pieces
does not allow a woman flexibility in choosing what T-shirt to wear
with a corresponding bra;
[0008] Therefore, there is a need in the art for a garment which
includes the benefits of a combination of a shirt and nursing bra
but which also provides flexibility and enables separation of the
shirt from the nursing bra.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] One aspect of the invention is a combination of separately
provided nursing bra and shirt garment set. The combination
comprises a nursing bra, the nursing bra including a main body
portion and a pair of straps, the main body portion including left
and right cutouts designed so as to receive a woman's nipples when
the nursing bra is worn, each strap including a first hook.
[0010] The shirt includes a main body portion and several second
straps, the straps including respective second hooks; wherein the
first and second hooks are designed so as to be selectively
connectable and detachable from one another in course of the normal
donning and removing the bra and the shirt garment set.
[0011] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following description of the invention
that refers to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a combination nursing bra
and T-shirt in accordance with the prior art.
[0013] FIG. 1B is a side cut-away view of the prior art garment
shown in FIG. 1A.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a front view of a nursing bra in accordance with
an embodiment of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a front view of a nursing shirt in accordance with
an embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the nursing
shirt shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a nursing bra 50 in
accordance with the embodiment of the invention. Nursing bra 50
includes a main body portion 52 integral with two strap members 54.
Nursing bra 50 is designed to cover the chest of a woman. To
maintain its orientation when worn, an optional waist band 56,
preferably resilient, may be included at the bottom of nursing bra
50.
[0018] Main body portion 52 includes cutouts 62 designed so as to
expose enough of a woman's nipple and the surrounding area, to
enable a baby to nurse without removing the bra. Straps 54 each
include an adjustable clasp 58. Clasp 58 may be used to adjust the
length of strap 54 so that nursing bra 50 may be adjusted to fit
snugly on a woman. Straps 54 further include a hook member 60.
Although only a front of nursing bra 50 is shown, the back of
nursing bra 50 may be virtually the same, except for the cutouts
62.
[0019] Hook members 60 are disposed on both the front and back of
nursing bra 50. Hook member 60 is designed so as to receive and
mate with another hook member 64 on a shirt as discussed below.
Alternatively, conventional closing clasps (not shown) may be
provided at the back of the bra to attach the right and left rear
sections, in the widely and well known and used fashion.
[0020] Referring now also to FIG. 3, there is shown a nursing shirt
66, e.g. a T-shirt, in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. Nursing T-shirt 66 includes a main body portion 68, with
front and rear strap members 70. Each strap member 70 includes, at
a distal end, a hook portion 64. As referenced above, hook portion
64 is designed to mate and lock with a corresponding hook portion
60 on nursing bra 50. Four hook portion 64 are provided, to enable
respective connections to the four hook members 60 of the bra.
[0021] Referring now to FIG. 4, nursing T-shirt 66 may further
optionally include pockets 76 placed internally on a main body
portion 68. Pockets 76 have an opening 72 with a cross-sectional
area that is preferably larger than the cross-sectional area of
opening 62 in nursing bra 50. Pockets 76 are shaped to hold
replaceable absorption pads 74, which are preferably made of a soft
and absorbent material as they rest against the skin and nipples of
the wearer.
[0022] In this way, a woman desiring to wear a nursing bra and
T-shirt, may first put on nursing bra 50 and then choose from one
of a plurality of nursing T-shirts 66, which may be provided in
many different colors, materials, designs and decorations. Nursing
T-shirt 66 may be attached to nursing bra 50 through engagement of
hook members 64 with hook members 60. Although hooks are shown, any
type of connecting device such as clasps, zippers, snaps, buttons,
VELCRO, etc., could be used. A nursing pad 74 may be placed in
pocket 76 and, as the cross-sectional area of opening 72 may be
larger than the cross-sectional area of opening 62, a woman's
nipple will pass through opening 62 and then be cushioned and
protected by the nursing pads 74. In addition, any discharge from
the woman's nipple may be absorbed by pad 74.
[0023] When the woman desires to nurse, the woman may simply unhook
any one of the front hook members 64 from a corresponding member
60, thereby exposing the woman's nipple. Only one side of T-shirt
66 needs to be opened in order for the woman to nurse. Preferably,
the material and the color of T-shirt 66 and nursing bra 50 are
made of the same material. In this way, when T-shirt 66 is worn on
nursing bra 50 it will appear as though the woman is wearing a
single garment.
[0024] As shown in the dotted lines at FIG. 3, the rear straps 70a
may be provided in a length and width so that their hooks 64a can
engage corresponding front hooks on the bra, located at or very
near the hooks 60. If the widths of straps 70a are wide enough,
they can cover and conceal the bra straps 54.
[0025] Thus, by providing a means for selectively detaching a
nursing T-shirt from a nursing bra, an improved nursing garment is
realized.
[0026] Although the present invention has been described in
relation to its use as a nursing bra, it should also be appreciated
that the use of the garment set is not so limited. For example,
some women prefer to present a look whereby a silhouette of the
their breast nipples is visible through their T-shirts. For these
women, the garment set of the present invention provides the
additional benefit of the breasts being supported by the bra while
the nipples are not covered by the bra providing that look and
fashion appearance without the disadvantage of dressing in a
fashion that does not include breast support. The cutout bra of the
present invention enables its use with a large variety of different
outer shirts, or T-shirts made of differently colored materials and
materials of different transparency characteristics to suit the
dressing tastes of a large variety of consumers.
[0027] Although the present invention has been described in
relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations
and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those
skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present
invention not be limited by the specific disclosure herein.
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