U.S. patent application number 14/007987 was filed with the patent office on 2014-01-16 for garment with cup portions.
This patent application is currently assigned to WACOAL CORP.. The applicant listed for this patent is Masumi Fujii, Katsuko Horii, Youji Katsuhara. Invention is credited to Masumi Fujii, Katsuko Horii, Youji Katsuhara.
Application Number | 20140017977 14/007987 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46930859 |
Filed Date | 2014-01-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140017977 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Horii; Katsuko ; et
al. |
January 16, 2014 |
Garment with Cup Portions
Abstract
In each cup portion 101 of the garment having cup portions, a
support member 110 is provided so as to extend along the periphery
of the swell of a wearer's breast. The support member 110 includes
a lower support member 110A and an upper support member 110B. The
lower support member 110A is stretchable in a direction connecting
the front center side and the lateral side of the cup portion 101.
The upper support member 110B is non-stretchable or slightly
stretchable in a direction orthogonal to the above-described
direction. At least part of a front center side-portion and at
least part of a lateral side-portion of the upper support member
110B are fixed to the garment. At least part of a lateral
side-portion of the lower support member 110A is fixed to the
garment so that the lower support member 110A is displaceable
relative to the cup portion 101.
Inventors: |
Horii; Katsuko; (Kyoto,
JP) ; Fujii; Masumi; (Kyoto, JP) ; Katsuhara;
Youji; (Kyoto, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Horii; Katsuko
Fujii; Masumi
Katsuhara; Youji |
Kyoto
Kyoto
Kyoto |
|
JP
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
WACOAL CORP.
Kyoto
JP
|
Family ID: |
46930859 |
Appl. No.: |
14/007987 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
March 23, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2012/057418 |
371 Date: |
September 27, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
450/31 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41C 3/0014 20130101;
A41C 3/142 20130101; A41C 3/0057 20130101; A41C 3/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
450/31 |
International
Class: |
A41C 3/08 20060101
A41C003/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 31, 2011 |
JP |
2011-079180 |
Claims
1. A garment with cup portions, comprising: a pair of cup portions;
a shoulder strap; and a back cloth, wherein the shoulder strap is
arranged above the pair of cup portions, the back cloth is arranged
on lateral sides of the cup portions, in each of the cup portions,
a support member is provided so as to extend along a periphery of
swell of a wearer's breast, the support member comprises: a lower
support member that is provided at a lower part of the cup portion
to support a breast region of the wearer from below; and an upper
support member that is provided at a portion extending from a front
center side to the lateral side of the cup portion via an upper
part of the cup portion to support the breast region of the wearer
from above, the lower support member is stretchable in a direction
connecting the front center side and the lateral side of the cup
portion, the upper support member is non-stretchable or slightly
stretchable in a direction orthogonal to the direction, at least
part of a front center side-portion and at least part of a lateral
side-portion of the upper support member are fixed to the garment,
and at least part of a lateral side-portion of the lower support
member is fixed to the garment so that the lower support member is
displaceable relative to the cup portion.
2. The garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the cup
portions comprises a fabric on a skin side and an outer fabric, and
the support member is sandwiched between the fabric on the skin
side and the outer fabric.
3. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the upper support
member is formed of a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable
material.
4. The garment according to claim 1, wherein, in each of the cup
portions, a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material, or a
material in which, as compared to an elongation in the direction
connecting the front center side and the lateral side of the cup
portion, an elongation in the direction orthogonal thereto is lower
is provided along an outside of a front side-upper end edge of the
upper support member.
5. The garment according to claim 4, wherein a portion that is
provided along the outside of the front side-upper end edge of the
upper support member and is formed of the non-stretchable or
slightly stretchable material or the material that exhibits a lower
elongation in the orthogonal direction is formed integrally with
the shoulder strap.
6. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the support member
includes an overlapping portion where the lower support member and
the upper support member overlap each other on a lateral side, and
the lower support member and the upper support member are sewn to
each other at the overlapping portion.
7. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the garment is a
brassiere.
8. The garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the cup
portions comprises a fabric on a skin side and an outer fabric, and
the support member is sandwiched between the fabric on the skin
side and the outer fabric, and the upper support member is formed
of a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material.
9. The garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the cup
portions comprises a fabric on a skin side and an outer fabric, and
the support member is sandwiched between the fabric on the skin
side and the outer fabric, the upper support member is formed of a
non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material, and in each of
the cup portions, a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable
material, or a material in which, as compared to an elongation in
the direction connecting the front center side and the lateral side
of the cup portion, an elongation in the direction orthogonal
thereto is lower is provided along an outside of a front side-upper
end edge of the upper support member.
10. The garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the cup
portions comprises a fabric on a skin side and an outer fabric, and
the support member is sandwiched between the fabric on the skin
side and the outer fabric, the upper support member is formed of a
non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material, in each of the
cup portions, a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material,
or a material in which, as compared to an elongation in the
direction connecting the front center side and the lateral side of
the cup portion, an elongation in the direction orthogonal thereto
is lower is provided along an outside of a front side-upper end
edge of the upper support member, and a portion that is provided
along the outside of the front side-upper end edge of the upper
support member and is formed of the non-stretchable or slightly
stretchable material or the material that exhibits a lower
elongation in the orthogonal direction is formed integrally with
the shoulder strap.
11. The garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the cup
portions comprises a fabric on a skin side and an outer fabric, and
the support member is sandwiched between the fabric on the skin
side and the outer fabric, the upper support member is formed of a
non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material, in each of the
cup portions, a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material,
or a material in which, as compared to an elongation in the
direction connecting the front center side and the lateral side of
the cup portion, an elongation in the direction orthogonal thereto
is lower is provided along an outside of a front side-upper end
edge of the upper support member, a portion that is provided along
the outside of the front side-upper end edge of the upper support
member and is formed of the non-stretchable or slightly stretchable
material or the material that exhibits a lower elongation in the
orthogonal direction is formed integrally with the shoulder strap,
and the support member includes an overlapping portion where the
lower support member and the upper support member overlap each
other on a lateral side, and the lower support member and the upper
support member are sewn to each other at the overlapping
portion.
12. The garment according to claim 1, wherein each of the cup
portions comprises a fabric on a skin side and an outer fabric, and
the support member is sandwiched between the fabric on the skin
side and the outer fabric, and the support member includes an
overlapping portion where the lower support member and the upper
support member overlap each other on a lateral side, and the lower
support member and the upper support member are sewn to each other
at the overlapping portion.
13. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the upper support
member is formed of a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable
material, and in each of the cup portions, a non-stretchable or
slightly stretchable material, or a material in which, as compared
to an elongation in the direction connecting the front center side
and the lateral side of the cup portion, an elongation in the
direction orthogonal thereto is lower is provided along an outside
of a front side-upper end edge of the upper support member.
14. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the upper support
member is formed of a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable
material, in each of the cup portions, a non-stretchable or
slightly stretchable material, or a material in which, as compared
to an elongation in the direction connecting the front center side
and the lateral side of the cup portion, an elongation in the
direction orthogonal thereto is lower is provided along an outside
of a front side-upper end edge of the upper support member, and a
portion that is provided along the outside of the front side-upper
end edge of the upper support member and is formed of the
non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material or the material
that exhibits a lower elongation in the orthogonal direction is
formed integrally with the shoulder strap.
15. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the upper support
member is formed of a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable
material, in each of the cup portions, a non-stretchable or
slightly stretchable material, or a material in which, as compared
to an elongation in the direction connecting the front center side
and the lateral side of the cup portion, an elongation in the
direction orthogonal thereto is lower is provided along an outside
of a front side-upper end edge of the upper support member, a
portion that is provided along the outside of the front side-upper
end edge of the upper support member and is formed of the
non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material or the material
that exhibits a lower elongation in the orthogonal direction is
formed integrally with the shoulder strap, and the support member
includes an overlapping portion where the lower support member and
the upper support member overlap each other on a lateral side, and
the lower support member and the upper support member are sewn to
each other at the overlapping portion.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a garment with cup
portions.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] When women practice some sports such as running, they may be
bothered by the bounce of their breasts, and some actions such as
jumping may cause a large impact to be exerted on their breasts.
Heretofore, in the development of sports brassieres for use during
exercise, attempts have been made to suppress the above-described
bounce of breasts. For example, in order to suppress the bounce of
a wearer's breasts during exercise with less burden to the wearer
such as a feeling of tight pressure in wearing, there has been
proposed a women's garment in which stretchable protective tapes
are sewn along the following two lines: the line connecting a top
region where each nipple is to be located and a lateral side-lower
region where a lateral side-lower part of each breast is to be
located when the garment is worn; and the line connecting the top
region and a front center-side upper region where a front
center-side upper part of each breast is to be located when the
garment is worn (see Patent Document 1, for example). Also, there
has been proposed a garment for sports in which, along the
periphery of each of cup portions for accommodating breasts of a
wearer, a portion is provided in which the modulus of elasticity in
the principal direction of the bounce of the breasts is different
from that in the direction orthogonal to the principal direction,
thereby enabling the control of the bounce of the breasts during
exercise (see Patent Document 2, for example).
CITATION LIST
Patent Document(s)
[0003] Patent Document 1: JP 11(1999)-286803 A
[0004] Patent Document 2: JP 2006-104613 A
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problem to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] However, the above-described garments cannot sufficiently
prevent the bounce of the breasts or impact exerted on the breasts.
With the configuration where the top portions of a wearer's breasts
are pressed against her body, although the bounce of the breasts
can be suppressed to some extent, the breasts are squashed, so that
the bust silhouette is prone to be deteriorated. Besides, the
wearer may have a feeling of tight pressure in wearing.
Furthermore, with the configuration of the latter garment, although
the bounce of the breasts can be suppressed to some extent, the cup
portions cannot completely follow the deformation of the breasts
caused by the bounce of the breasts. Therefore, the garment cannot
support the breasts when the breasts are apart from the cup
portions, which makes the control of the bounce of the breasts
difficult.
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
garment with cup portions, which can reduce the bounce of breasts
during exercise effectively, while keeping the shape of the breasts
without squashing the breasts when it is worn.
Means for Solving Problem
[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention
provides a garment with cup portions, including: a pair of cup
portions; a shoulder strap; and a back cloth. The shoulder strap is
arranged above the pair of cup portions. The back cloth is arranged
on lateral sides of the cup portions. In each of the cup portions,
a support member is provided so as to extend along a periphery of
swell of a wearer's breast. The support member includes: a lower
support member that is provided at a lower part of the cup portion
to support a breast region of the wearer from below; and an upper
support member that is provided at a portion extending from a front
center side to the lateral side of the cup portion via an upper
part of the cup portion to support the breast region of the wearer
from above. The lower support member is stretchable in a direction
connecting the front center side and the lateral side of the cup
portion. The upper support member is non-stretchable or slightly
stretchable in a direction orthogonal to the direction. At least
part of a front center side-portion and at least part of a lateral
side-portion of the upper support member are fixed to the garment.
At least part of a lateral side-portion of the lower support member
is fixed to the garment so that the lower support member is
displaceable relative to the cup portion.
Effects of the Invention
[0008] The garment with cup portions according to the present
invention can reduce the bounce of breasts during exercise
effectively, while keeping the shape of the breasts without
squashing the breasts when it is worn. Therefore, the garment with
cup portions according to the present invention allows a wearer to
enjoy sports without being bothered by the bounce of the breasts
while keeping a fine bust silhouette.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing, as an example of the
garment with cup portions according to the present invention, a
sports brassiere according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 shows the
state where an outer fabric has been removed from a cup portion for
covering a left breast.
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the shape of a support
member included in the garment with cup portions according to the
present invention. FIG. 2A shows a lower support member. FIG. 2B
shows an upper support member. FIG. 2C shows the state where the
upper support member and the lower support member are combined with
each other.
[0011] FIG. 3A shows, as another example of the garment with cup
portions according to the present invention, a sports brassiere
according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3B shows the shape of an
upper support member. FIG. 3C shows the shapes of lower support
members.
[0012] FIG. 4 shows perspective views of other examples of the
garment with cup portions according to the present invention. FIG.
4A shows an example of a wired brassiere according to a third
embodiment. FIG. 4B shows a modified example of the brassiere shown
in FIG. 4A. FIG. 4C shows an example of a camisole according to a
fourth embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 5 shows breast shapes during a wearing evaluation test.
FIG. 5A shows the state where a breast of a test user bounced
upward during running. FIG. 5B shows the state where the breast
that had bounced upward then bounced back to reach a lowest
position. FIG. 5C shows the vicinity of the breast at rest, as
viewed from the side.
[0014] FIG. 6 shows schematic views illustrating how a breast
bounces during exercise.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0015] The garment with cup portions according to the present
invention will be described with reference to illustrative
examples. It is to be noted, however, that the present invention is
by no means limited to or restricted by the following examples.
First Embodiment
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a brassiere 100 according to the first
embodiment of the garment with cup portions of the present
invention. The brassiere 100 of the present embodiment is the
so-called sports brassiere, and it includes, as main components: a
pair of cup portions 101; a pair of shoulder straps 102; and a back
cloth 103. The brassiere 100 of the present embodiment is a pull-on
type brassiere in which the back cloth 103 has no interlocking
connection portion. The pair of shoulder straps 102 are provided
above the pair of cup portions 101. In the present embodiment, the
pair of shoulder straps 102 are formed integrally with the back
cloth 103 on the back side. The pair of cup portions 101 are
integrated by being connected to each other at a portion
corresponding to the front center. The term "front center" as used
herein means a region that is located between right and left
breasts and adjacent to the right and left breasts. The back cloth
103 is attached to both lateral parts of the integrated cup
portions.
[0017] FIG. 1 shows the state where an outer fabric has been
removed from the cup portion 101 for covering the left breast, in
order to depict the structure of the cup portion 101 more clearly.
In each of the cup portions 101, a support member 110 is provided
so as to extend along the periphery of the swell of a wearer's
breast when it is worn. In the present embodiment, the cup portion
101 is arranged on the skin side (the side to be in contact with a
wearer's skin) of the support member 110. The support member 110
includes: a lower support member 110A that is provided at a lower
part of the cup portion 101 to support a breast region of the
wearer from below; and an upper support member 110B that is
provided at a portion extending from the front center side to the
lateral side of the cup portion 101 via an upper part of the cup
portion 101 to support the breast region of the wearer from above.
In the cup portion 101, a region outside of the upper edge of the
upper support member 110B is formed so as to exhibit a lower
elongation (i.e., so as to serve as a low elongation member 150) by
being formed of a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material
or a low elongation material, or by using a laminate of these
materials.
[0018] The lateral side of the lower support member 110A is
attached to the back cloth 103 or to the fixing position between
the cup portion 101 and the back cloth 103. The front center side
of the lower support member 110A is attached to the front center
side of the cup portion 101. The lower edge and the upper edge of
this lower support member 110A are not fixed to the cup portion 101
so that they are in the released state. The lateral side and the
front center side of the lower support member 110A may be attached
to the cup portion 101. Alternatively, the lateral side and the
front center side of the lower support member 110A may be fixed to
the upper support member 110B, instead of being fixed to the cup
portion 101.
[0019] In the upper support member 110B, a portion extending from
the front center to the front center side-upper end edge is
attached to the cup portion 101. The front center side-end of the
upper support member 110B may be fixed to the lower support member
110A, instead of being fixed to the cup portion 101. The back cloth
side-end of the upper support member 110B is attached to the cup
portion 101 or to the fixing position between the cup portion 101
and the back cloth 103. The back cloth side-end of the upper
support member 110B may be fixed to the upper support member 110B,
instead of being fixed to the cup portion 101. The lower edge and
the lateral side-upper edge of the upper support member 110B are
not fixed to the cup portion 101 so that they are in the released
state.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows the shape of the support member 110 in the
present embodiment. FIG. 2A shows the lower support member 110A,
and FIG. 2B shows the upper support member 110B. The lower support
member 110A is stretchable in the arrow direction shown in FIG. 2A,
i.e., the direction connecting the front center side and the
lateral side of the cup portion 101. On the other hand, the upper
support member 110B is non-stretchable or slightly stretchable in
the arrow direction shown in FIG. 2B, i.e., the direction
orthogonal to the direction connecting the front center side and
the lateral side of the cup portion 101. The term "non-stretchable
or slightly stretchable" as used herein means non-stretchable or
slightly stretchable (low stretchable) as compared to the
stretchability in the direction connecting the front center side
and the lateral side.
[0021] The bounce of breasts during exercise will be explained in
the following. FIG. 6 shows schematic views illustrating how a
breast bounces during exercise. The bounce of breasts includes:
"vertical bounce" where breasts bounce vertically (FIG. 6A); and
"lateral bounce" where breasts bounce from side to side (FIG. 6B).
The bounce of naked breasts of a subject when she ran was observed
closely with a high-speed camera. As a result, it was found that
the lateral bounce is a movement where the breasts swing up from
below to the lateral side or from below to the inside (the front
center side), and the swing-up movement from below to the lateral
side is particularly large. Also, it was found that this swing-up
movement becomes large in reaction to the impact exerted on a lower
port of the breast owing to the downward bounce of the breast.
Existing techniques try to reduce the bounce of breasts by pressing
the breasts against the wearer's body or by suppressing the
swing-up movement of the breasts. In contrast, the inventors of the
present invention found out that, based on the finding that a large
impact is caused by the downward bounce, it is possible to reduce
the bounce of breasts by suppressing not only the swing-up movement
of the breasts but also the impact caused by the downward bounce,
thereby achieving the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 2C shows the state where the lower support member 110A
and the upper support member 110B are combined with each other. As
shown in FIG. 2C, a portion around the top of a wearer's breast is
not pressed by the support member 110. Thus, it is possible to
provide a fine bust silhouette while keeping the shape of the
breasts without bothering the wearer with a feeling of tight
pressure in wearing. The upper support member 110B formed of a
material slightly stretchable in the vertical direction is arranged
so that it is located on an upper part of the wearer's breast when
the brassier is worn. Thus, it is possible to suppress the
swinging-up movement of the breasts as well as the lateral bounce
of the breasts to the front center side and to the lateral side
during exercise. The lower support member 110A is formed of the
so-called stretch material that is stretchable in the direction
connecting the front center side and the lateral side of the cup
portion 101. Thus, the lower support member 110A can reduce and
receive an impact caused by the breast that has once swung up and
then fallen down during exercise. The support member 110 is
arranged so as to press the periphery of the swell of the breast in
a circular manner. Thus, the bounce of the breasts caused during
exercise etc. can be suppressed effectively. It is difficult to
suppress the bounce of breasts during exercise completely.
Conventional brassieres have problems in that their cup portions
cannot follow the deformation of breasts caused by the bounce of
the breasts, so that spaces are formed between the cup portions and
the breasts. The conventional brassieres cannot exhibit their
effects, such as breast-supporting effects, to the breasts when
they are apart from the cup portions as described above. In the
present invention, the lower support member 110A is not entirely
fixed to the cup portion, but is fixed to the garment in the
above-described manner so that the lower support member 110A is
displaceable relative to the cup portion 101. With this
configuration, the respective lower support members 110A can follow
the deformation of the breasts, so that the bounce of the breasts
can be suppressed effectively. The lateral side-upper edge of the
upper support member 110B is not fixed to the cup portion. With
this configuration, the upper support member 110B is prevented from
being displaced upward accompanying the wearer's operation such as
raising her arm, for example.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 2C, it is preferable that the support
member 110 includes an overlapping portion where the lower support
member 110A and the upper support member 110B overlap each other on
the lateral side. When the lower support member 110A and the upper
support member 110B are sewn to each other at this overlapping
portion, the overlapping portion can serve as a supporting point
when the support member 110 follows the movement of the breast, and
besides, the stretchability in the overlapping portion can be
suppressed still further. Therefore, it is expected that this
configuration also brings about an effect of supporting the flesh
on the lateral side and pushing up the breast.
[0024] As a material of the lower support member 110A, it is
possible to use a power net fabric, a two-way tricot, a one-way
triconet, or the like, for example. As a material of the upper
support member 110B, it is possible to use a tricot, a marquisette
fabric, a one-way triconet, or the like. It is preferable that the
upper support member 110B is formed of a material that is slightly
stretchable not only in the vertical direction but also in the
horizontal direction, because it allows the bounce of the breasts
to be suppressed more effectively. However, in the case where the
brassiere 100 of the present embodiment is a brassiere for
teenagers, the upper support member 110B preferably is formed of a
material that is stretchable in the horizontal direction, so as to
avoid pressing breasts in a growth spurt more than necessary.
[0025] By using a stretchable material as a cup fabric constituting
the main body of the cup portion 101 (the main body is a portion
other than the support member 110 and the low elongation member
150), it is possible to suppress the bounce of the breasts without
restricting the movement of the wearer's body, such as raising her
arm. A cup fabric for the right cup portion and a cup fabric for
the left cup portion may be provided separately and connected to
each other at the front center. Alternatively, it is possible to
use a cup fabric in an integrated form designed so as to cover a
wearer's breast region including right and left breasts.
[0026] The support member 110 may be provided on the skin side of
the brassiere 100, or may be provided on the outer side (the
surface on the side opposite to the skin side). In either case, the
support member 110 can follow the movement of the breast. In the
case where the cup fabric is a laminate of two fabrics, namely, a
fabric on the skin side and an outer fabric, the support member 110
may be sandwiched between these two fabrics. With this
configuration, the wearing comfort is improved by the fabric on the
skin side, and the fashionability is improved by the outer fabric.
Moreover, because the support member 110 not fixed to the cup
portion 101 is sandwiched between the two fabrics, it can be
handled easily during laundry.
[0027] In the brassiere 100 of the present embodiment, the pair of
shoulder straps 102 are formed integrally with the back cloth 103
on the back side. In the cup portion 101, it is preferable that a
region outside of the upper edge of the upper support member 110B
is formed of a non-stretchable or slightly stretchable material or
a low elongation material, or a laminate of these materials, thus
providing the low elongation member 150. The low elongation member
150 may be attached to the upper edge of the upper support member
110B. Alternatively, the upper support member 110B itself may
extend to the strap position, thus forming the low elongation
member 150. The low elongation member 150 may be formed of a
non-stretchable or slightly-stretchable material. When the low
elongation member 150 is formed of a low elongation material, the
low elongation member 150 preferably is configured so that, as
compared to an elongation in the direction connecting the front
center side and the lateral side of the cup portion 101, an
elongation in the direction orthogonal thereto (corresponding to
the vertical direction when the brassier is worn) is lower. By
forming the low elongation member 150 in the region outside of the
upper edge of the upper support member 110B, it is possible to
suppress the swing-up movement of the breasts more effectively.
Also, by adapting a portion connected to each shoulder strap to
exhibit a low elongation, it is possible to suppress the downward
movement of the breasts. If the elongation of the entire shoulder
straps is reduced, a load may be applied to the wearer's shoulders.
On this account, it is preferable to provide the low elongation
member 150 so as to extend to the vicinity of the wearer's
collarbones, instead of providing the shoulder straps 120 that
exhibit a low elongation.
[0028] The shoulder straps 102 are not limited as long as they
allows the cup portions 101 to be suspended from the wearer's
shoulders. The shoulder straps 102 are not limited to the so-called
"round type" straps (wide straps as used in a tank top) used in the
brassiere 100 of the present embodiment, and they may be formed of
cords or fabric tapes. The form of the shoulder straps 102 is not
limited to the one such that the pair of shoulder straps 102 are
attached to the pair of cup portions 101 in one-to-one
correspondence with the ends of each shoulder strap being connected
to an upper part of the cup portion 101 and to the back cloth 103.
For example, the two shoulder straps 102 may be integrated with
each other on the back side, and this integrated strap may be
attached to the back cloth 103. Also, the shoulder straps 102 may
be in the form of the so-called "halter neck" type in which the
shoulder straps 102 are attached only to the cup portions 101. The
positions at which the shoulder straps 102 are attached can be
determined depending on the shape of the cup portions 101 and the
design of the garment with cup portions.
[0029] Although the brassiere of the present example uses the back
cloth 103 that has no interlocking connection portion, the back
cloth 103 may be configured so as to include an interlocking
connection portion that can be attached/detached freely at around
the back center. The term "back center" as used herein refers to a
position in the vicinity of the center of the width of the wearer's
back when the brassiere of the present example is worn. As the
interlocking connection portion, a hook closure (e.g., a
hook-and-eye closure), a gripper, a button, a cord, and a
hook-and-loop fastener also can be selected and used as appropriate
depending on the design or use of the brassiere. When the
above-described hook-and-eye closure, gripper, or button is used,
it is also preferable to provide a plurality of locking positions
beforehand so as to allow fine adjustment of the degree of
fastening. Other kinds of connection devices also may be used.
Alternatively, the brassiere may be a front closure type brassiere
in which no interlocking connection portion is provided in the back
cloth, or may be a brassiere with back cloths to be fastened by
tying them together.
Second Embodiment
[0030] FIG. 3 shows a brassiere 200 according to the second
embodiment of the garment with cup portions according to the
present invention. FIG. 3A shows the state of a support member 210
in the brassiere 200. FIG. 3B shows the shape of an upper support
member 210B, and FIG. 3C shows the shape of lower support members
210A. The brassiere 200 of the present embodiment is the so-called
sports brassiere that includes, as main components: a pair of cup
portions 201, a pair of shoulder straps 202, and a back cloth 203.
The back cloth 203 is attached to lateral parts of the respective
cup portions 201. The brassiere 200 of the present embodiment is a
pull-on type brassiere in which no interlocking connection portion
is provided in the back cloth 203.
[0031] In the present embodiment, the upper support member 210B is
in the right-and-left integrated form and is provided so as to
surround a wearer's breasts along the periphery of the swell of the
upper edges of the breasts extending from the front center side to
the lateral side. The lower support members 210A have substantially
the same shapes as the lower support members 110A in the first
embodiment. However, in the present embodiment, the front center
sides of the lower support members 210A are attached to the upper
support member 210B. Also, the lower support members 210A may be in
the right-and-left integrated form. In the upper support member
210B, the front center side-bottom and the lateral side- and front
side-upper end edges are attached to the brassiere 200. The pair of
shoulder straps 202 are provided above the pair of cup portions
201.
[0032] The pair of shoulder straps 202 are attached to the back
cloth 203 on the back side. The upper support member 210B extends
to the attachment positions of the shoulder straps 202. Other
configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and
the same effect as in the first embodiment also can be obtained. It
is preferable that the upper support member 210B is formed of a
material that is slightly stretchable not only in the vertical
direction but also in the horizontal direction, because it allows
the bounce of the breasts to be suppressed more effectively. In the
case where the brassiere 200 of the present embodiment is a
brassiere for teenagers, the upper support member 210B preferably
is formed of a material that is stretchable in the horizontal
direction, so as to avoid pressing breasts in a growth spurt more
than necessary.
Third Embodiment
[0033] FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing, as another example of
the garment with cup portions of the present invention, a wired
brassiere 300 according to the third embodiment. The brassiere 300
according to the present embodiment includes, as main components: a
pair of cup portions 301; a pair of shoulder straps 302; a back
cloth 303; and a base portion 304, and it further includes support
members 310. Wires 305 are provided in portions extending along the
verge's lines in the base portion 304. The term "verge's line"
refers to a contour on the lower edge of each breast. The wire 305
is formed of a tape-like interlining member such as an amorphous
wire, a metal wire, a resin wire, or a fabric tape, for example.
The back cloth 303 is attached to both ends of the base portion
304. In the case where the garment with cup portions according to
the present invention is a wired brassiere, the back cloth 303
preferably includes an interlocking connection portion (not shown)
that can be attached/detached freely at around the center of a
wearer's back, because it allows the brassiere to be put on and
taken off easily. Each of the pair of shoulder straps 302 is
configured so that one end thereof is attached to an upper part of
the cup portion 301, and the other end thereof is attached to an
upper edge of the back cloth 303. The end portion of each shoulder
strap 302 is attached to the upper part of the cup portion 301 in
such a manner that it passes through a ring-shaped engagement
device 306A attached to the upper part of the cup portion 301 and
then turns around to be introduced into a length adjuster 306B,
which is an eight-shaped ring. When the shoulder straps 302 are
attached in the above-described manner, it becomes possible to
adjust the lengths of the shoulder straps 302.
[0034] In the present embodiment, the front center side and the
lateral side of upper support member 310B are attached to a portion
where the wire 305 is arranged. The front center side of the upper
support member 310B may be fixed to the lower support member 310A.
The front side-upper end edge of the upper support member 310B is
attached to the upper edge of the cup portion 301 so that the
attachment position thereof extends from the front center side to
the strap-attachment position. It is more preferable that the front
side-upper end edge of the upper support member 310B is attached to
the cup portion 301 only at the strap-attachment position. With
this configuration, the support member 310 and the cup portion 301
are allowed to move differently, so that the support member 310 can
exhibit improved movement followability. The lateral side-upper end
edge and the lower end of the upper support member 310B are
released from the cup portion 301. The front center side and the
lateral side of the lower support member 310A are sewn to the upper
support member 310B or to a portion where the wire 305 is arranged,
and other portions of the lower support member 310A are released
from the cup portion 301. Other configurations are the same as
those in the first embodiment. Thus, according to the present
invention, even when wires and a base portion are provided as in
the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a brassiere that
can suppress the bounce of a wearer's breasts effectively while
maintaining the bust silhouette. Thus, design variations of the
brassiere can be increased.
[0035] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4B, the lower
support member 310A and the upper support member 310B may extend to
the fixing position between the base portion 304 and the back part
303, and may be fixed to the back portion 303 at the fixing
position. FIG. 4B shows the state where an outer fabric has been
removed from a portion for covering the left breast.
Fourth Embodiment
[0036] FIG. 4C is a perspective view showing, as still another
example of the garment with cup portions according to the present
invention, a camisole 400 according to the fourth embodiment. The
brassiere-corresponding part of this camisole 400 is designed based
on substantially the same concept as that for the brassiere 200 of
the second embodiment described with reference to FIG. 3. In the
present embodiment, the camisole 400 has a lower chest bodice 420
below the cup portions 201. Other configurations are substantially
the same as those in the brassiere 200 shown in FIG. 3. Components
identical to those in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals,
and duplicate explanations are omitted. Although the present
embodiment is directed to the camisole having the
brassiere-corresponding part designed based on substantially the
same concept as that for the brassiere 200 according to the second
embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the
camisole may have a brassiere-corresponding part according to any
other embodiment. The camisole according to the present example may
be embodied in the form without the back cloth 203.
[0037] The camisole of the present embodiment is not necessarily
configured so that the bodice is provided below the
brassiere-corresponding part, and the brassiere-corresponding part
may be provided on the inner side of a bodice of the camisole. In
this case, the camisole has a bodice provided so as to cover the
brassiere-corresponding part. With this configuration, it is
possible to increase variations of the appearance when the camisole
is worn while maintaining the effect of the present invention.
Also, the cup portions can be made more inconspicuous via any
clothes worn on the camisole.
[0038] (Subjective Evaluation in Wearing Test)
[0039] Brassieres 100 according to the present invention having the
configuration shown in FIG. 1 were produced to conduct a wearing
evaluation test. A plurality of test users were required to run
indoors on a treadmill in the state where they wore each of the
brassiere 100 and a conventional brassiere A. Thereafter, the test
users were asked for comments regarding wearing feeling. The
conventional brassiere A was one form of the brassiere described in
Patent Document 1. More specifically, the conventional brassiere A
was one form of the brassiere described in Patent Document 1, which
is configured so that stretchable protective tapes are sewn along
the following two lines: the line connecting a top region where
each nipple is to be located and a lateral side-lower region where
a lateral side-lower part of each breast is to be located when the
brassiere is worn; and the line connecting the top region and a
front center-side upper region where a front center-side upper part
of each breast is to be located when the brassiere is worn. The
test users were made up of five persons. Out of the five test
users, two had a cup size of C70; one had a cup size of D70; one
had a cup size of E70; and one had a cup size of F70. In response
to the question which of the brassiere 100 and the conventional
brassiere A suppressed the bounce of the breasts during the
running, five out of the five test users commented the brassiere
according to the present invention did. In response to the question
which of the brassiere 100 and the conventional brassiere A was
suitable for sports, four out of the five test users commented the
brassiere according to the present invention was, and one commented
the conventional brassiere A was. In response to the question which
of the brassiere 100 and the conventional brassiere A provided a
finer silhouette when worn, four out of the five test users
commented the brassiere according to the present invention did, and
one commented the conventional brassiere A did. In response to the
question which of the brassiere 100 and the conventional brassiere
A they would like to use during the running, five out of the five
test users commented they would like to use the brassiere according
to the present invention.
[0040] (Objective Evaluation in Wearing Test)
[0041] The following are the results of objective wearing
evaluation on the brassiere 100 according to the present invention
having the configuration shown in FIG. 1. Movement of the breasts
of the test user having a cup size of E70 was observed when she
underwent the running trial in the state where she wore each of the
brassiere 100 and the conventional brassiere A. Also, the same
observation was carried out in the state where she did not wear any
brassiere.
[0042] FIG. 5 shows the chest part of the test user with her
breasts being naked and in the states where she wore the two kinds
of brassieres, as viewed from the side. FIG. 5A shows the state
where the breast bounced upward during the running, and FIG. 5B
shows the state where the breast that had bounced upward then
bounced back to reach a lowest position. In each of FIGS. 5A and
5B, (a) shows the state where the test user wore the brassiere 100;
(b) shows the state where the test user wore the conventional
brassiere A; and (c) shows the chest part of the test user with her
breasts being naked. Each of FIGS. 5A and 5B include a reference
line to make the movements of the breasts more comprehensible. The
naked breasts bounced upward largely during the running. Also, it
can be seen that the breasts then bounced downward as if they were
hit on the test user's body, so that she felt an impact at the time
of the downward bounce. It can be seen that, when the test user
wore the brassiere according to the present invention, the swing-up
movement and the impact exerted on lower parts of the breasts were
suppressed while keeping the shape of the breasts without squashing
the breasts. When the test user wore the conventional brassiere A,
although the bounce of the breasts was suppressed to some extent,
the impact exerted on lower parts of the breasts could not be
reduced. Thus, the conventional brassiere A could not resist the
downward bounce of the breasts, resulting in downward displacement
of the lowest point of the brassiere. In addition, lower parts of
the cup portions became rounded. Thus, the bust silhouette provided
by the conventional brassiere A was inferior to the bust silhouette
provided by the brassiere according to the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 5C shows the chest part of the test user at rest when
she wore each of the two kinds of brassiere, as viewed from the
side. In FIG. 5C, (a) shows the state where the test user wore the
brassiere 100, and (b) shows the state where the test user wore the
conventional brassiere A. Even when the test user was out of
exercise, the conventional brassiere A squashed her breasts
entirely, thus providing a planar bust silhouette. In contrast, the
brassiere according to the present invention did not squash her
breasts, so that a three-dimensional silhouette was obtained.
Moreover, the bust top position of the test user was higher when
she wore the brassiere according to the present invention. From
these results, it can be seen that the bust silhouette provided by
the brassiere according to the present invention when it was worn
was superior to the bust silhouette provided by the conventional
brassiere A.
[0044] Both the subjective and objective evaluations demonstrate
that the brassiere according to the present invention can provide a
fine bust silhouette when it is worn, and can reduce the bounce of
breasts during exercise.
[0045] The present invention has been described above with
reference to specific examples of its embodiment, namely, a
brassiere and a camisole. It is to be noted, however, the garment
with cup portions according to the present invention is not limited
to these specific examples, and can be embodied in various forms.
For example, the present invention is applicable not only to
garments such as those described in the above embodiments, but also
to bodysuits, brassiere-provided slips, swimsuits, leotards, and
other various garments with cup portions. The present invention
also is applicable to front closure type garments whose front
center portions are connected to each other using a hook closure
that can be connected and disconnected freely.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0046] The garment with cup portions according to the present
invention can be embodied in various forms. For example, the
present invention is applicable not only to the garments described
in the above embodiments but also to various garments with cup
portions such as foundation garments, sportswear, and
outerwear.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0047] 100, 200, 300: brassiere
[0048] 400: camisole
[0049] 101, 201, 301: cup portion
[0050] 102, 202, 302: shoulder strap
[0051] 103, 203, 303: back cloth
[0052] 110, 210, 310: support member
[0053] 110A, 210A, 310A: lower support member
[0054] 110B, 210B, 310B: upper support member
[0055] 150: low elongation member
[0056] 304: base portion
[0057] 305: wire
[0058] 306A: ring-shaped engagement device
[0059] 306B: length adjuster
[0060] 420: bodice
* * * * *