U.S. patent application number 15/263353 was filed with the patent office on 2017-08-03 for method and device for care and maintenance of bras.
The applicant listed for this patent is Micah Cunningham. Invention is credited to Micah Cunningham.
Application Number | 20170215616 15/263353 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59385219 |
Filed Date | 2017-08-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170215616 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cunningham; Micah |
August 3, 2017 |
Method and Device for Care and Maintenance of Bras
Abstract
A system construction is disclosed to facilitate the steps of
storing, ventilation, washing, drying, and packing of women's bras.
Said construction typically employs a fine-meshed laundry bag
having an attached strap or tape including a series of clips along
its length for clipping bras thereon while the laundry bag is hung.
This configuration of hanging multiple bras permits their storing,
airing after use, washing and drying, as well as a convenient means
of packing for travel.
Inventors: |
Cunningham; Micah; (Ladson,
SC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cunningham; Micah |
Ladson |
SC |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59385219 |
Appl. No.: |
15/263353 |
Filed: |
September 12, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62283763 |
Sep 10, 2015 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 95/008 20130101;
A47G 2025/1492 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 25/20 20060101
A47G025/20 |
Claims
1. A device construction for the care and maintenance of women's
bras, including the elements of caring and maintenance including
ventilating, storing, washing, drying and packing the bras as
provided by a water and air permeable bag having an opening to
receive the bras and having attached thereto a strap of a length
sufficient to include thereon a multiple of bra attachment means,
wherein the bag includes a means to secure closure of the opening
of the bag and a means for hanging the bag itself to permit the
bras attached to the strap to hang freely therefrom.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the water and air permeable bag
is a lingerie bag and its sealable means of secure closure of the
opening is selected from the group consisting of a zipper,
zip-lock, and hook-and-loop securementg means.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the strap is a cloth material and
the bra attachment means are clips capable of attaching the bras to
ths strap.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the clips are selected from the
group of clasps, clothes hangers, and hair pins.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the hanging means is selected
from the group consisting of a metal hook and a fabric loop.
6. A method for the care and maintenance of a multiple of women's
bras in a single device construction including the steps of
ventilating, storing, washing, drying and packing of women's
bras.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the steps of ventilating and
storing the bras is accomplished by attaching the bras to a strap
attached to a water and air permeable bag wherein the strap is of a
length sufficient to include thereon a multiple of bra attachment
means permitting removable attachment thereof.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the steps of washing and drying
the bras is accomplished by the steps of: (1) Attaching both bra
closure ends to the strap via the bra attachment means; (2) Rolling
up the strap with bras attached thereto and fold them into the
water and air permeable bag for washing; (3) After washing, open
the bag and remove the strap with bras attached and detach one
closure end of each attached bra; and (4) Allow the bras to hang
loosely to dry.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein steps 3 and 4 of drying is
accomplished by leaving the washed bras in the water and air
permeable bag and machine dry on agentle cycle.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of packing the bras for
storage or for traveling is accomplished by the steps of (1)
Rolling up the strap with its attached bras into the open end of
the water and air permeable bag, (2) Securing closure of the open
end ofthe bag, and (3) Placing the lingerie bag in a desired
location.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the desired location is selected
from a member of the group of locations containing a dresser and a
travel bag.
12. The method of claim 6 wherein the water and air permeable bag
is a lingerie bag.
13. The method of claim 6 wherein the bag is constructed to be
hangable.
14. The method of claim 8 wherein the bras are attached to the
strap at only at one end of the bra's closure means.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The instant application claims the benefit of previously
filed Provisional Application No. 62/238,763 filed in the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office on Sep. 10, 2015.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The disclosed invention relates to the care and maintenan of
women's bras. More particularly, the disclosed invention relates to
a method and device construction for the care and maintenance of
bras. Most specifically, the disclosed invention relates to a
method and device construction for the care and maintenance of
bras, including the ventilated storage, washing, drying and packing
thereof.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 8,109,417 to Phan teaches a bra-washing device
with a removable shell form having a central divider removably
inserted into the shell, which divider designed to keep bra cup in
one location (half) of the shell and the other cup of the bra in
the other portion (half) of the ball-shaped shell.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,742,683, also to Phan, describes a washing,
drying, and storage device for brassieres and bikini tops also
using an outer shell having two halves that have (in each half) a
plurality of holes.
[0007] U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,176,761 and 6,517,410 to Underbill show
sports bras with storage capability built into the bra itself with
differing constructions.
[0008] Interestingly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,867,058 to Sweeny also
teaches a sports bra having an integral storage integral pouch
disposed within the cleavage portion is disclosed.
[0009] None of these patents or any other prior art known to the
applicant, however, either teaches or suggests the invention
described and claimed herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Though each individual element comprising the system
described herein for the care and maintenance of women's bras,
including ventilated storage, washing, drying and packing thereof
may in some form itself be found, the disclosed novel and unobvious
combination within one device or constitution, nevertheless, is
unavailable in ihe current state of the art to achieve a
combination of the various listed functions.
[0011] Briefly, the invention system construction, called the
Bra-Bestie.TM., comprises an air and water permeable bag suitable
for containment of the bras for storage or travel and for use in
washing. Such air and water permeable bag is made of a meshed
fabric, such as a typical lingerie bag, which also serves as the
base unit around which differing elements are brought together to
achieve the purposes disclosed and claimed herein. Secured within a
top seam of the lingerie bag is an extended ribbon-like strap, or
cloth tape, along the length of which a number of clips are
attached. A preferred means of securing the strap (or tape) is by
sewing, but other known and obvious means of attachment may be
employed. One or more bras are clipped to the strap by one side of
the bra's closure point, rather than by a shoulder strap, allowing
them to hang down without any damage caused by stretching. (The
bra's "closure point" is considered to be where the each end of the
bra is typically designed to connect each end of the bra together
alone the spine of the wearer.) A loop, or other type of connection
design, at the top of the bag permits the system construction to be
hung (such as, from a hook), giving easy access to the bras, near
to the clothes they will be worn under. After a day of wear, the
bra is returned to the strap to air out, rather than having to be
stuffed in a drawer with the day's perspiration. When it is time to
wash the bras, both sides of each bra closures are clipped
together, keeping the hooks from snagging and the various bras from
getting entangled. The long strap, with bras clipped thereon, is
inserted into the lingerie bag, the top of which is maintained
closed during the washing cycle is completed, further projecting
the bras and other garments in the washing machine. The means of
securing the bag may involve a zippered closure, a hook-and-loop or
zip-lock closure, or other means consistent with protecting the bag
contents and not harmful to other items in the wash cycle. Once the
delicate wash cycle is completed, the bag is hung with the
bra-laden strap outside of the bag again. One side of the bra end
closures are then unclipped for convenient air-drying. Also, the
strap, with dried bras attached, may be placed back into the
lingerie bag for easy and convenient storage in a dresser or in a
travel bag for traveling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The FIGURE presents a schematic representation of the
invention as disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] With reference to the FIGURE, the product for storage,
ventilation, washing, drying and packing of bras is constructed
around the lingerie bag 1 suitable for use in keeping lingerie
contained and segregated from the remaining items in a washing
machine and designed to allow water to permeate the bag to clean
its contents. Such lingerie bags are typically constructed of mesh
fbrics to achieve the desired results, and are preferred; though
the lingerie bag may be made from other air and water permeable
materials. Lingerie bags 1 are typically formed with three closed
sides with a remaining fourth side in the form of a scalable
opening 4 for receiving and containing the lingerie for washing.
The sealing function may be performed by various closure means,
including zippers, hook-and-loop (Velcro), and even buttons or
snaps. In addition to employment of the lingerie bag in washing the
bras, its sealing function is also convenient in its use for
containing the bras in one place, which is useful in storing and
for packing for traveling.
[0014] Just as critical to the method of storage, ventilation,
washing, drying and packing of bras as the lingerie bag is the
empolyment of a strap (or tape) 2 attached to the lingerie bag near
its top (re-sealable) opening and hanging to a length to
accommodate a number of bras from one to as many as the size of the
lingerie bag 1 can contain and continue to allow adequate cleaning
during washing. Naturally, the larger the bras or the larger the
number of bras sought to be stored in the bag will determine the
optimum size for the bag. The strap, or tape, preferably is made of
a flexible material that will permit rolling up the bras
preparatory to storing, packing or washing and also may withstand
being subjected to immersion during washing. The most preferred
material is a fabric material or cloth, either natural or man-made.
Other materials, though less suitable, may be employed, such as
leather or plastic. Of course, leather would not retain softness
and flexibility over multiple washing. Obviously, though not
recommended by many bra manufacturers, if the bag's use entailed
also a drying cycle, neither leather nor plastic would be
desirable. The purpose of such cloth tape is to provide a spine for
the disclosed invention construction (Bra-Bestie.TM.) with means of
attachment of bras thereto, primarily for airing after use. Such
attachment means 3 are preferably clips with the back of such clips
attached to the strap 2 leaving the clipping portion of such clips
available to clip onto at least one closure end of a bra,
permitting the attached bra to hang loosely from the strap 2 for
airing after a day's use and for drying alter washing. Other
suitable attachment means are also useable for this function and
are considered within the scope of the invention described herein.
These may include simple clothes pins, a construction like a bobby
pin (or other hair pin), or other similar alternative clasping
attachment means, and are within the scope of the disclosed
invention.
[0015] Finally., as the product for storage, ventilation, washing,
drying and packing of bras to allow strap attached bras to hang
freely for airing and drying, as mentioned above, the
Bra-Bestie.TM. itself, conveniently hangs from a hook 5 (or loop)
located at the center of the top of the lingerie bag 1. Hook 5 may
be a simple fabric loop, a metal hook, or other suitable hanging
means conducive to the purpose of the claimed method and
product.
[0016] The invention may be embodied in other specific forms
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof. The presently disclosed embodiment is, therefore, to be
considered in all respects as illustrative ami not restrictive, the
scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims
rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which
come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are
therefore to be embraced therein.
[0017] Additional advantages and modification will readily occur to
those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is,
therefore, not limited to the specific details, representative
apparatus and illustrative examples shown una described.
Accordingly, departures from such details may be made without
departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general
inventive concept.
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