U.S. patent application number 11/436344 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-06 for braless top garment with integral breast pads.
Invention is credited to Jody Beth Pritchard.
Application Number | 20070281586 11/436344 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38790850 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070281586 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pritchard; Jody Beth |
December 6, 2007 |
Braless top garment with integral breast pads
Abstract
A braless top garment offers adequate coverage to small and
flat-chested women, so that they can maintain a smooth frontal
appearance, i.e., no nipples showing, without having to wear a
separate bra. Such appearance is achieved in a single garment with
permanently affixed breast pads that are accurately shaped and
positioned to offer the optimal effect. A variety of materials may
be used to accommodate a variety of top garment styles, but in
general, the materials have been chosen for maximum comfort and
appearance.
Inventors: |
Pritchard; Jody Beth;
(Vashon, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LAW OFFICE OF POLLY L. OLIVER
3134 Parkside Circle NE
Tacoma
WA
98422
US
|
Family ID: |
38790850 |
Appl. No.: |
11/436344 |
Filed: |
May 18, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
450/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 1/18 20130101; A41C
5/00 20130101; A41C 3/144 20130101; A41C 3/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
450/037 |
International
Class: |
A41C 3/00 20060101
A41C003/00 |
Claims
1. A braless top garment comprising: a top garment with a front
panel having an interior surface; at least one generally flat,
generally triangular breast pad permanently affixed to said
interior surface of said top garment front panel, the pad being
sewn to the panel at the three points of the triangle.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. The braless top garment of claim 1 wherein two generally
triangular breast pads are permanently affixed by sewing to said
interior surface of said top garment front panel in a lateral
spaced-apart relation, each of said pads having three attachment
points: a top attachment point, an outside attachment point, and a
center attachment point.
5. The braless top garment of claim 4 wherein the top points of
said breast pads are coincident with the top edge of said top
garment and the outside points of said breast pads are coincident
with the side edges of said top garment.
6. The braless top garment of claim 5 wherein the top points and
the outside points are sewn to the panel and the center points of
said breast pads are attached to each other.
7. The braless top garment of claim 5 wherein the top points and
the outside points are sewn to the panel and the center points of
said breast pads are attached to a connector piece.
8. The braless top garment of claim 1 wherein said at least one
breast pad is constructed of at least two layers, with a first
layer being adjacent the top garment interior surface.
9. The braless top garment of claim 8 wherein said first layer is a
polyester blend and a second layer is constructed of quilted
cotton.
10. A tank top comprising: a front panel with a top edge, two side
edges, and an interior surface; and two breast pads permanently
affixed by sewing at strategic points to said interior surface in a
lateral, spaced-apart relation.
11. The tank top of claim 10 wherein each of said breast pads is
constructed of two layers, the first layer being a polyester blend
and the second being quilted cotton.
12. (canceled)
13. The tank top of claim 11 wherein said breast pads are generally
triangular, each pad having a top point, an outside point, and an
inside point, said top points sewn to said top edge and said
outside points sewn to said side edges of said front panel.
14. The tank top of claim 13 wherein said inside points are
attached to each other instead of to the front panel.
15. The tank top of claim 13 further including a connector piece
attached between said inside points.
16. A method of permanently affixing breast pads into a top
garment, said top garment comprising a front panel having an
interior surface, said method comprising the steps of: a. selecting
at least one generally flat breast pad according to the size and
type of said top garment; b. positioning said pad adjacent the
interior surface of the top garment front panel; c. permanently
affixing the breast pad onto the interior surface of said top
garment by sewing at strategic locations of the breast pad.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one breast pad is
constructed of a first layer adjacent a second layer, said first
layer being made of a polyester blend and being affixed adjacent
said interior surface, said second layer being made of quilted
cotton and locating adjacent the wearers skin.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein said at least one breast pad is
generally triangular having a top point, and the top point is sewn
to a top edge of the top garment front panel.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein said generally triangular breast
pad further has an outside point sewn to an outside edge of said
top garment front panel.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein there are two breast pads
positioned in a lateral spaced-apart relation on the interior
surface of said top garment front panel.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention pertains generally to articles of clothing
and more particularly to a shirt or blouse with integral breast
pads so that it can be worn without a bra.
BACKGROUND OF THE FIELD
[0002] Women typically wear two separate garments above the
waist--a bra and a top garment (shirt, blouse, dress bodice, etc.).
Many small-breasted or flat-chested women who do not otherwise need
the support wear bras for the sole purpose of presenting a smooth
frontal appearance. However, many of these small-breasted or
flat-chested women prefer to go braless, but nevertheless want
adequate coverage to present a smooth frontal appearance.
[0003] Prior art patented devices do not address this problem.
Instead, they are directed toward providing support and/or contour
to the breasts of a wearer. For instance, Fortner's published US
Patent Application No 2004/0117895 discloses garment pads and a kit
therefor for removably attaching the pads to an outer garment.
Also, shelf bras such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,440,174 to Cordova are intended to provide support using an
elastic band around the wearer's ribcage. All these prior art
references and others are concerned with full-breasted women and
their issues of support, shape, and the enhancement of the outward
appearance of the breasts.
[0004] The present invention, however, concerns the issues of
small-breasted or flat-chested women without the unnecessary issues
of support or shaping.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention has resolved the above shortcomings of
the current offerings on the market by providing an option to
small-breasted or flat-chested women of wearing a single
garment--not two separate garments (shirt and bra), and not a
garment which must be adjusted (breast panel inserts)--with the
frontal coverage they want.
[0006] The integral and permanently affixed breast pads of the
invention may be offered in many different styles of top garments,
such as tank tops, T-shirts, blouses, halter tops, dress bodices,
and much more. Likewise, the breast pads of the invention may be
offered in many different shapes, such as circular, ovate, and
rectangular; however, the optimum shape has been found to be
generally triangular and is therefore described in the following
section and depicted in the drawings. Likewise, the materials used
may vary--especially according to the top garment material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exterior perspective view of the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is an interior perspective view of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a breast pad;
[0010] FIG. 4 is an exterior perspective view of a second alternate
embodiment; and
[0011] FIG. 5 is an interior perspective view of the second
alternate embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] FIG. 1 shows that the invention 10 is intended to be
"hidden," i.e., not show on the garment's exterior. The idea behind
the invention is to present a smooth appearance in the top garment
front panel 12 with no gathers, pleats, or nipples showing (as
there may be, for instance, with shelf bras). Therefore, the
invention must be attached in a way that is "seamless" and so is
sewn or otherwise adhered to the top garment at strategic
locations--perhaps along its edges.
[0013] The invention may be embodied in a design having a single
breast pad for e.g. mastectomy survivors. However, the usual
configuration will be for two breast pads to be positioned on the
interior surface of the top garment in a lateral spaced-apart
relation. FIG. 2 shows the interior of the same garment front panel
12 so that the breast pads 14 and 16 can be seen. The breast pads
of the invention are generally flat (they are not intended to be
"bosom gores" or to offer padding or contour) and are offered in
this embodiment as generally triangular in shape. In this
embodiment, each breast pad is permanently affixed (perhaps by
sewing) within the front panel 12 at at least one point of the
triangle (typically at all three points of the triangle) (i.e., not
along the sides of the triangle) and takes advantage of the
existing garment seams. The top points 20a and 20b of the breast
pads extend to the front panel top edge 20 and are typically
attached at the top seam. The outside points 22 and 24 extend to
the front panel side edges and are typically attached at the side
seams. The inside or center points 26a and 26b are oriented toward
each other and are typically attached to a connector piece 18, not
to the front panel itself, but may alternatively attach directly to
each other without the connector piece. Such connector piece may be
of any material or shape and may even be elasticized. As a result
of this attachment, the breast pads hang loosely within the
interior of the garment but are nonetheless permanently and
securely fixed therein.
[0014] The cross-section of FIG. 3 shows that the generally flat
breast pad 14 or 16 is typically constructed of at least two layers
of material. It is important that the outer, first layer 30 (next
to the garment) be chosen to cooperate with the fabric of the top
garment front panel 12, because they will be adjacent each other;
therefore, the outer, first layer 30 may be a thin lining
constructed from a polyester blend. The inner, second layer 32
(next to the wearer's skin) may be a layer of quilted cotton or
some other fabric that will be comfortable to the wearer. The
layers, which are typically as thin as possible, may be adhered to
each other by sewing, serging, fusing, or some other applicable
technique.
[0015] FIG. 4 shows how in an alternate embodiment, the front panel
of the garment may be decorated with a stitched design, appliques,
or in some other way (to mask the attachment points of the breast
pads). In this alternate embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the breast
pads 42 and 44 may be offered as two distinct pads affixed at their
points or outside edges (triangle sides) to the front panel by
sewing or the like. The attachment method (sewing or otherwise)
will position the pads permanently in place so that they do not
shift when worn. The pads must be large enough to provide adequate
coverage and to be comfortable to the wearer. The inventor has
found that the optimum shape is generally triangular, but may also
be ovate, circular, or any other appropriate shape. This design
provides maximum comfort to the wearer. The pad will usually be
hand-stitched or machine-sewn all along the edges (or at various
locations thereat) as well as at the corners to prevent shifting.
Alternatively, the pad may be tacked or stitched at the corners,
which are typically rounded, and/or at other strategic points along
the edges. Regardless of the method of attachment to the garment,
the layers of the breast pad may be serged or otherwise adhered
together all along the edges before attachment to the garment.
* * * * *