U.S. patent application number 17/466671 was filed with the patent office on 2021-12-23 for breast supporting garment and methods for manufacturing same.
The applicant listed for this patent is TEFRON LTD.. Invention is credited to Meir Shem-Tov Azulay, Sigi Albert Leon Rabinowicz, Mordechay Vakrat.
Application Number | 20210392958 17/466671 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005880681 |
Filed Date | 2021-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210392958 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rabinowicz; Sigi Albert Leon ;
et al. |
December 23, 2021 |
BREAST SUPPORTING GARMENT AND METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING SAME
Abstract
A breast supporting garment and a method for producing it, the
garment having at least one layer made of a fabric comprises a
breast receiving portion bounded by a frame portion disposed at
least partially below the breast receiving portion. The frame
portion comprises a fabric reinforcing element in the form of a
coating made of a material having, when in a liquid state during a
coating process, having a capability to stay contained within an
area of the fabric, to which the material is applied, and to
penetrate the fabric to a part of the thickness of the fabric, at
least in a portion of the area. The material, when solidified, has
a lower elasticity than that of the fabric.
Inventors: |
Rabinowicz; Sigi Albert Leon;
(Savion, IL) ; Azulay; Meir Shem-Tov; (Hayarden,
IL) ; Vakrat; Mordechay; (Neve Ziv, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TEFRON LTD. |
Misgav |
|
IL |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005880681 |
Appl. No.: |
17/466671 |
Filed: |
September 3, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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17041116 |
Sep 24, 2020 |
|
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|
PCT/IL2019/050446 |
Apr 17, 2019 |
|
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17466671 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41C 3/128 20130101;
A41C 3/0007 20130101; A41C 5/005 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A41C 3/00 20060101
A41C003/00; A41C 3/12 20060101 A41C003/12; A41C 5/00 20060101
A41C005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 18, 2018 |
IL |
258809 |
Claims
1. A breast supporting garment, comprising: at least one layer made
of a fabric; and a breast receiving portion bounded by a frame
portion disposed at least partially below the breast receiving
portion; wherein the frame portion includes a fabric reinforcing
element in a form of a coating made of a material having, when in a
liquid state during a coating process, a capability to stay
contained within an area of the fabric, to which the material is
applied, and to penetrate the fabric to a part of a thickness of
the fabric, at least in a portion of said area, the material, when
solidified, having a lower elasticity than that of the fabric.
2. The breast supporting garment according to claim 1, wherein the
reinforcing element has an outer edge, an inner edge, and a varying
width defined by a distance between said outer edge and said inner
edge.
3. The breast supporting garment according to claim 1, constituting
a bra in which the breast receiving portion includes two cup
portions terminating at arcuate boundaries each having a lowermost
boundary area, a median boundary section and a lateral boundary
section, both sections extending from the lowermost boundary area
in different directions, the median boundary sections of the two
cups defining therebetween a central gore, and wherein said fabric
reinforcing element has a reinforcing element body with two arcuate
inner edges spaced from each other by a central body area, said
element being attached to said layer so that its arcuate inner
edges define said arcuate boundaries of the cup portions and said
central body area said central gore.
4. The breast supporting garment according to claim 1, wherein the
reinforcing element has an outer edge and a varying width defined
by a distance between said outer edge and the arcuate inner
edges.
5. The breast supporting garment according to claim 1, wherein said
material and a connection of the material to the fabric are such as
to allow the garment to undergo elastic deformation when twisting
forces are applied thereto.
6. A method of producing a fabric reinforcing element in a breast
supporting garment having at least one layer made of a fabric and a
breast receiving portion, said fabric reinforcing element
constituting at least a part of a frame portion disposed at least
partially below the breast receiving portion; the method
comprising: providing a material having, when in a liquid state, an
ability to stay contained within an area of the fabric to which the
material is applied, and to penetrate the fabric to a part of the
thickness of the fabric, and when solidified, having a lower
elasticity than that of the fabric; applying said material, when in
at least one of a liquid state and a semi-liquid state, as a
coating to said area of the fabric under conditions allowing
penetration of the material into the fabric to a part of the
thickness of the fabric; and allowing said material to solidify
into a solidified coating.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of applying
said material is performed by transferring the material through a
screen onto said fabric in a manner of screen printing.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of applying is
repeated such that said solidified coating is comprised of multiple
layers of the material.
9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of applying
said material comprises: providing a mold having a cavity having a
shape corresponding to a shape of said element; pouring said
material into said cavity of said mold; placing said layer over
said mold so as to cover a top of said cavity; inverting the mold
such that a bottom of said cavity is uppermost, and the layer lies
beneath the mold; creating conditions at said bottom of said cavity
so that the material at the bottom of the cavity begins to
solidify; and applying a vacuum force under said layer so as to
draw the material into the layer to a part of the thickness of the
layer; and removing the mold.
10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of allowing
comprises exposing said material to heat.
11. The method according to claim 6, wherein said breast supporting
garment is a breast supporting garment having at least one layer
made of a fabric and comprising a breast receiving portion bounded
by a frame portion disposed at least partially below the breast
receiving portion; the frame portion comprising a fabric
reinforcing element in the form of a coating made of a material
having, when in a liquid state during a coating process, a
viscosity which is high enough for the material to stay contained
within an area of the fabric, to which the material is applied, and
low enough for the material to have the capability to penetrate the
fabric to a part of the thickness of the fabric, at least in a
portion of said area, the material, when solidified, having a lower
elasticity than that of the fabric.
12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the reinforcing
element has an outer edge, an inner edge, and a varying width
defined by a distance between said outer edge and said inner
edge.
13. The method according to claim 6, wherein the breast supporting
garment constitutes a bra in which the breast receiving portion
includes two cup portions terminating at arcuate boundaries each
having a lowermost boundary area, a median boundary section and a
lateral boundary section, both sections extending from the
lowermost boundary area in different directions, the median
boundary sections of the two cups defining therebetween a central
gore, and wherein said fabric reinforcing element has a reinforcing
element body with two arcuate inner edges spaced from each other by
a central body area, said element being attached to said layer so
that its arcuate inner edges define said arcuate boundaries of the
cup portions and said central body area said central gore.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the reinforcing
element has an outer edge and a varying width defined by a distance
between said outer edge and the arcuate inner edges.
15. The method according to claim 6, wherein said material and its
connection to the fabric are such as to allow the garment to
undergo elastic deformation when twisting forces are applied
thereto.
Description
TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD
[0001] The presently disclosed subject matter relates to breast
supporting garments, such as bras or camisoles, having reinforcing
elements made of a different material from the fabric of which the
garment is made .
BACKGROUND
[0002] Examples of breast supporting garments of the kind to which
the presently disclosed subject matter refers include bras having
underwires disposed under the bra cups. Typically, during
manufacture of a bra having an underwire, the underwire is inserted
into a sleeve which is sewn into the bra. The sleeve containing the
underwire is sewn shut so that the underwire cannot slide out of
the sleeve. The underwire reinforces the bra and functions as a
frame for the bra cups, so that the bra cups can provide shaping
and support for the breasts received in the bra cups.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
[0003] According to one aspect of the presently disclosed subject
matter, there is provided a breast supporting garment having at
least one layer made of a fabric and comprising a breast receiving
portion bounded by a frame portion disposed at least partially
below the breast receiving portion; the frame portion comprising a
fabric reinforcing element in the form of a coating made of a
material having, when in a liquid or semi-liquid state during a
coating process, a viscosity which is high enough for the material
to stay contained within an area of the fabric, to which the
material is applied, and low enough for the material to have the
capability to penetrate the fabric to only a part of the thickness
of the fabric, at least in a portion of said area, the material,
when solidified, having a lower elasticity than that of the
fabric.
[0004] In the present description and claims, the term `fabric`
should be understood to mean `textile material produced by weaving
or knitting textile fibers and having voids therebetween`.
[0005] With the fabric layer having two sides and the reinforcing
element being formed on one of these sides from the material as
defined above, on the one hand, the reinforcing element can be
produced without using a mold for keeping the material from which
the reinforcing element is formed, contained within the desired
area of the fabric when the material is applied to the fabric, and
on the other hand its firm attachment to the fabric and
corresponding reduced elasticity of the fabric needed to obtain the
reinforcement effect, are achieved without the material having
penetrated too deeply into the fabric, thus allowing the fabric to
keep its original properties (other than the elasticity reduced by
the reinforcement element) at its side opposite to that bearing the
reinforcing element.
[0006] The above reinforcing element as seen in a plan view thereof
can have an outer edge, an inner edge, and a varying width defined
by a distance between the outer edge and the inner edge.
[0007] The breast supporting garment can constitute a bra, in which
the breast receiving portion includes two cup portions terminating
at arcuate boundaries each having a lowermost boundary area, a
median boundary section and a lateral boundary section, both
sections extending from the lowermost boundary area in different
directions, the median boundary sections of the two cups defining
therebetween a central gore, and wherein said fabric reinforcing
element has a reinforcing element body with two arcuate inner edges
spaced from each other by a central body area, the element being
attached to the layer so that its arcuate inner edges define the
arcuate boundaries of the cup portions and the central body area
defines the central gore. In this case, the reinforcing element
body can have a varying width, which at the central body area is
defined by a distance between the inner edges and at the remainder
of the body is defined by a distance between its outer edge and the
arcuate inner edges.
[0008] The material from which the reinforcing element is made and
its connection to the fabric can be such as to allow the garment to
undergo elastic deformation when twisting forces are applied
thereto.
[0009] In accordance with another aspect of the presently disclosed
subject matter, there is provided a method of producing a fabric
reinforcing element in a breast supporting garment having at least
one layer made of a fabric and comprising a breast receiving
portion, the element constituting at least a part of a frame
portion disposed at least partially below the breast receiving
portion. The breast supporting garment can be of the kind described
above with respect to the previous aspect of the presently
disclosed subject matter.
[0010] The method of producing a fabric reinforcing element on the
fabric layer in accordance with this aspect of the presently
disclosed subject matter comprises: [0011] providing a material
having, when in a liquid state, a viscosity, which is high enough
for the material to stay contained within an area of the fabric to
which the material is applied, and low enough for the material to
penetrate the fabric to only a part of the thickness of the fabric,
and when solidified, having a lower elasticity than that of the
fabric; [0012] applying the material, when in at least one of a
liquid state and a semi-liquid state, as a coating to the area of
the fabric under conditions allowing penetration of the material
into the fabric to only a part of the thickness of the fabric; and
[0013] allowing the material to solidify into a solidified
coating.
[0014] The step of applying the material as a coating to the area
of the fabric can be performed by transferring the material through
a screen onto the fabric in a manner of screen printing.
[0015] The step of applying the material as a coating to the area
of the fabric can be repeated such that the final, solidified
coating is comprised of multiple layers of the material.
[0016] Alternatively, the step of applying the material as a
coating to the fabric can comprise the steps of: [0017] providing a
mold having a cavity having a shape corresponding to a shape of the
element; [0018] pouring the material into the cavity of the mold;
[0019] placing the fabric layer over the mold so as to cover a top
of the cavity; [0020] inverting the mold such that a bottom of the
cavity is uppermost, and the layer lies beneath the mold; [0021]
creating conditions at the bottom of the cavity so that the
material at the bottom of the cavity begins to solidify; and [0022]
applying a vacuum force under the layer so as to draw the material
into the layer to a part of the thickness of the layer; and [0023]
removing the mold.
[0024] In any of the above cases, the step of allowing the material
to solidify into a solidified coating can comprise exposing the
material to heat.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] In order to better understand the subject matter that is
disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in
practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a breast receiving
portion of a breast supporting garment having a fabric reinforcing
element, in accordance with one example of the presently disclosed
subject matter;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of the breast receiving
portion shown in FIG. 1;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a breast supporting
garment having a fabric reinforcing element, in accordance with
another example of the presently disclosed subject matter;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a breast supporting
garment having a fabric reinforcing element, in accordance with yet
another example of the presently disclosed subject matter;
[0030] FIGS. 5A-5F are schematic plan views of fabric reinforcing
elements in accordance with additional examples of the presently
disclosed subject matter;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating one example of a
method, by which a fabric reinforcing element according to the
presently disclosed subject matter can be produced;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating one example of a
method for performing one step of the method illustrated in FIG.
6;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a mold for use in
performing the method step of FIG. 7;
[0034] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of an enlarged
cross-sectional view of a breast receiving portion of the kind
shown in FIG. 1, taken along a plane A-A, according to an
embodiment of the presently disclosed subject matter; and
[0035] FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a screen for use in
performing the method step of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0036] FIG. 1, reference to which is first made, shows generally a
breast receiving portion 20 of a breast supporting garment
according to one embodiment of the presently disclosed subject
matter. The breast receiving portion 20 has at least one layer 12
made of a fabric and the breast receiving portion 20 is bounded by
a frame portion 24 disposed at least partially below the breast
receiving portion 20. The frame portion 24 comprises a fabric
reinforcing element 44 in the form of a coating on the fabric. When
worn by a wearer, the wearer's breasts are received in the breast
receiving portion 20, and the frame portion 24 is disposed at least
partially below the breast receiving portion 20. The frame portion
has a top edge 28 and a bottom edge 26, the top edge 28 at least
partially bounding the breast receiving portion 20.
[0037] In FIG. 2, a portion 14 of the layer 12 of fabric and the
fabric reinforcing element 44 are shown schematically separately
from each other, in the manner typical of an exploded view, in
order that the the fabric reinforcing element 44 and the frame
portion 24 can be described in a more clear manner, and so as to
illustrate that the fabric reinforcing element 44 is in the form of
a coating on the layer 12 of fabric. As further 25 shown in FIG. 2,
the fabric reinforcing element 44 has a reinforcing element body 60
with an outer edge 46 and an inner edge 48, between which a width
of the fabric reinforcing element 44 varies, as illustrated by the
exemplary varying widths W1, W2 and W3.
[0038] It will be appreciated that the layer 12 of fabric, or a
portion of it, such as for example, the portion 14, shown in FIG.
2, can be produced as a part of a unitary body of the garment or
can be sewn or otherwise incorporated in the garment, e.g. in the
form of a lining layer of fabric.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, the reinforcing element body 60 of the
fabric reinforcing element 44 has, in addition to the outer edge 46
and the inner edge 48, a central body area 64 defined between two
arcuate inner edge portions 62 of the inner edge 48 of the element
44, which merge with a central inner edge 65. The reinforcing
element 44 is attached to the portion 14 of the layer 12 of fabric
such that its inner edge 48 defines the top edge 28 of the frame
portion 24, its outer edge 46 defines the bottom edge 26 of the
frame portion 24, and the central body area 64 defines a central
gore 50 of the frame portion.
[0040] The breast receiving portion 20 with the fabric reinforcing
element 44 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or having any other shape, can
constitute a part of any breast supporting garment and examples of
such garments are presented below.
[0041] FIG. 3, reference to which is now made, shows a breast
supporting garment in the form of a camisole 10 having in addition
to the breast receiving portion 20, a garment body 30 with a
neckline 36 at a top portion of the camisole, and two shoulder
straps 32.
[0042] FIG. 4, reference to which is now made, shows another
example of a breast supporting garment in accordance with the
presently disclosed subject matter. The type of breast supporting
garment shown in FIG. 4 is a bra 100, which is shown there without
straps for the sake of simplicity of illustration, although the bra
100 does not have to be a strapless type bra.
[0043] The breast receiving portion 20 of the bra 100 shown in FIG.
4 includes two cup portions 22, which terminate at arcuate
boundaries 52. Each arcuate boundary 52 has a lowermost boundary
area 54, a median boundary section 56 and a lateral boundary
section 58. Both sections 56 and 58 extend from the lowermost
boundary area 54 in different directions, and the median boundary
sections 56 of the two cups 22 define a central gore 50 between
them.
[0044] The bra 100 has a fabric reinforcing element 44 as described
previously with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, and it is attached to the
layer 12 of fabric of the bra 100 such that its arcuate inner edges
62 define the arcuate boundaries 52 of the cup portions 22, and the
central body area 64 defines the central gore 50.
[0045] As stated previously, the reinforcing element 44 has a width
defined by a distance between the outer edge 46 and the inner edge
48, and it is configured such that, in use of the breast supporting
garment having such reinforcing element, the inner edge 48 thereof
lies in part along a contour line, along which the breasts of the
wearer, which are received in the breast receiving portion 20,
protrude from the body of the wearer, and the outer edge 46 of the
reinforcing element 44 is spaced downwardly from the inner edge 48
by the width thereof, such that the reinforcing element 44 frames
the breasts, at least underneath them, and as such is positioned to
serve as a structural frame for support of the breast receiving
portion 20, thereby contributing to providing optimal breast
support.
[0046] It will be appreciated that a breast supporting garment can
be designed in a variety of configurations such that the breast
receiving portion 20 provides cradling support and lifting of the
breasts, or of each breast individually, while relying on the
structural frame provided by the reinforcing element 44 for
structural support, in accordance with the style and requirements
of the breast supporting garment, for example, with respect to a
desired level of support or aesthetic considerations regarding
lifting and/or separation of the breasts. The reinforcing element
44 can also have a particular shape coordinated with the above
mentioned considerations.
[0047] FIGS. 5A-5F, reference to which is now made, show additional
examples of the reinforcing element 44, each of which have a
particular shape. The shapes of the reinforcing elements 44 in
FIGS. 5A-5F are shown against the background of the familiar shape
of the reinforcing element 44 shown in FIGS. 1-4, which is
indicated by a dotted line, in order that the differences between
the shapes can be most readily appreciated. A length L of the
familiar shape of the reinforcing element 44 shown in FIGS. 1-4 is
also indicated in FIGS. 5A-5F for reference, as well as a central
axis O about which the familiar shape of the reinforcing element 44
shown in FIGS. 1-4 can be seen to be symmetrical.
[0048] FIG. 5A shows a reinforcing element 44S having an arcuate
shape like the contour line underneath a breast along which it
protrudes from the body, and having a length LS of 0.5 L. It will
be appreciated that two of the reinforcing elements 44S having this
shape can be used in a breast supporting garment so as to provide a
framing element for two breasts received in the breast receiving
portion 20 of the breast supporting garment.
[0049] FIG. 5B shows a reinforcing element 44T having a length of
L, and a shape combining, into one shape, two of the shape of the
reinforcing element 44S shown in FIG. 5A.
[0050] FIG. 5C shows a reinforcing element 44Q having a length of
L, and an inner edge which does not comprise arcuate inner edges
and a central area which does not define a central gore, which can
be used in a breast supporting garment not having two defined cups
in its breast receiving portion.
[0051] FIG. 5D shows a reinforcing element 44W having a length of
L, and extended lateral sections 82 to frame the breasts received
in the breast receiving portion 20 along their lateral sides, which
can be used with any of the shapes of the reinforcing elements
described above. This additional lateral framing of the breasts may
be desirable in breast supporting garments designed for use during
intense physical activities during which the breasts are subjected
to intense forces acting in various directions, since the
additional framing provides an extended structural frame against
which the breasts can be restrained by the breast receiving portion
20.
[0052] The extended lateral sections 82 of the reinforcing element
44W can be considered to extend a height H.sub.E above a height
H.sub.W, as shown in FIG. 5D, which latter height can be defined as
the height, above which a conventional rigid framing element, such
as an underwire, would be likely to cause discomfort to the wearer
of a breast supporting garment comprising such rigid framing
element.
[0053] FIG. 5E shows a reinforcing element 44U having a shape only
of a central gore between two bra cups and a length LG.
[0054] FIG. 5F shows a reinforcing element 44K having wing
extensions 88, which extend the length of the reinforcing element
shown previously in FIGS. 1-4, and FIGS. 5B, 5C and 5D. As shown in
FIG. 5F, each wing extension 88 adds an additional length of LE to
the length L of the familiar reinforcing element, such that the
total length TL of the reinforcing element 44K is equal to
L+2LE.
[0055] It will be appreciated that all of the lengths L, LS, LG, LE
and TL of the reinforcing elements 44 described hereinabove in
FIGS. 1-5F, all lie along the torso-encircling dimension of a
breast supporting garment of which the reinforcing element 44 forms
a part, and that this torso-encircling dimension is a known value
in the breast supporting garment industry, corresponding to the
band size of a breast supporting garment. In accordance with the
presently disclosed subject matter, the length L and the length TL
can be, respectively, at least 40% and up to 100% of the length
corresponding to the band size of a breast supporting garment.
[0056] It will be appreciated that a reinforcing element 44 can be
a combination of any of the shapes described in FIGS. 5A-5F above
or other suitable shapes which can be combined to form a shape
which can serve as a framing element for a breast supporting
garment in accordance with the presently disclosed subject
matter.
[0057] The material of the reinforcing element 44 shown in any of
FIGS. 1 to 5F has an elasticity that is essentially lower than that
of the fabric of the breast supporting garment of which it forms a
part, but it is sufficiently high to allow the breast supporting
garment to undergo elastic deformation when stretching forces
and/or twisting forces associated with normal use of the garment,
are applied thereto. The material can be any suitable material or
combination of materials having the above qualities, e.g. a
material, which comprises a silicone substance and optionally a
ceramic substance.
[0058] It will be appreciated that while the reinforcing elements
44 shown in FIGS. 1-4, and 5B-5F are apparently of a symmetrical
shape relative to the central axis O in FIGS. 5B-5F, as mentioned
previously, an alternative example of a reinforcing element 44 can
be asymmetrical with respect to its length or symmetrical with
respect to an axis aligned along a dimension of its geometry other
than its length.
[0059] As explained above, it will be appreciated that the
reinforcing element 44 can be used in place of an underwire or any
rigid or semi-rigid framing element used in conventional breast
supporting garments, to frame the breasts so as to provide a
structural frame for support of the breast receiving portion, which
has a measure of rigidity necessary for functioning as a structural
element, yet which is elastic.
[0060] In all the examples described above, the reinforcing element
can be in the form of a coating made of a material which, when it
solidifies, has the elasticity and supporting ability as described
above, and when in a liquid state during a coating process, has a
viscosity which is high enough to allow the material to stay
contained within an area of the fabric to which the material is
applied, and low enough for the material to be able to penetrate
into voids within the fabric adjacent the side to which the
material is applied. Due to the viscosity of the material as
defined above, it can penetrate into the fabric only to a part of
the thickness of the fabric, i.e. only to an extent sufficient to
firmly attach the reinforcing element to the fabric, at least in a
portion of the area to which it is applied, as schematically
illustrated in FIG. 9, reference to which is now made.
[0061] The reinforcing element 44 and the layer 12 of fabric, to
which it is attached, are shown in FIG. 9 as having respective
thicknesses T.sub.M and T.sub.F, with a depth of the material
penetrating the layer 12 of fabric being designated as X.sub.M, and
it being substantially smaller than T.sub.F, e.g. being in the
range between 0.2T.sub.F and 0.8T.sub.F, more particularly, between
0.3T.sub.F and 0.7T.sub.F.
[0062] In any of the above examples, the fabric layer with the
reinforcing element can constitute a single layer of a breast
supporting garment it is used in, or the garment can comprise an
additional fabric layer attached by any suitable means, e.g., by an
adhesive, to the fabric layer at its side bearing the reinforcing
element.
[0063] The presently disclosed subject matter further includes a
method of producing a fabric reinforcing element in a breast
supporting garment having at least one layer made of a fabric and
comprising a breast receiving portion, the element constituting at
least a part of a frame portion disposed at least partially below
the breast receiving portion.
[0064] As illustrated in FIG. 6, reference to which is now made,
the method comprises four main steps 610, 620, 630 and 640. In the
first step of the method, step 610, a material having the above
described properties is provided. In the second step, step 620, an
area is identified on a fabric, from which the breast supporting
garment is to be produced, which is to be coated with the above
material. In the third step, step 630, the material, when in at
least one of a liquid state and a semi-liquid state, is applied as
a coating to the area identified in step 620, under conditions
allowing penetration of the material into the fabric to only a part
of the thickness of the fabric at the above area. In the fourth
step, step 640, the material is allowed to solidify into a
solidified coating.
[0065] The fourth step of the method described above with respect
to FIG. 6, i.e., step 640, can be performed by leaving the material
to solidify during a period of time sufficient to allow this
solidification at room conditions. However, in order to shorten the
amount of time required for the solidification of the material,
step 640 can comprise creating conditions for accelerating the
solidification of the material, e.g., exposing the material to
heat, e.g. in an oven.
[0066] The third step of the method described above with respect to
FIG. 6, i.e., step 630, can be repeated such that the solidified
coating is comprised of multiple layers of the material.
[0067] The third step of the method described above with respect to
FIG. 6, i.e., step 630, can be performed by transferring the
material through a screen onto the fabric in a manner of screen
printing, the screen having openings of a size through which the
material can pass. An example of such a screen, screen 910, is
shown in FIG. 10, reference to which is now made.
[0068] In the example shown in FIG. 10, screen 910 is attached to a
frame 916 and comprises a photo-reactive stencil 920 having a shape
of the reinforcing element to be screen printed on a portion of
fabric. The photo-reactive stencil 920 is produced on the screen
910 to comprise an area 944 in the shape of the reinforcing
element, which is devoid of a blocking material, while the area 956
which surrounds and defines the area 944 is covered with a blocking
material to a depth equal to the thickness T.sub.M of the
reinforcing element, as defined hereinabove. The area 956 serves as
a spacer area to keeping the screen 910 separated from the fabric
while the material is applied to the fabric through the unblocked
area 944 to form the reinforcing element having a shape of the area
944 and a thickness T.sub.M.
[0069] The third step of the method described above with respect to
FIG. 6, i.e., step 630, can be alternatively performed according to
a method comprising the steps 710, 720, 730, 740, 750, 760 and 770,
as illustrated in FIG. 7, reference to which is now made.
[0070] In the method illustrated in FIG. 7, in the first step, step
710, a mold 810 is provided having a cavity 812 of a shape
corresponding to that of a reinforcing element to be produced. An
example of such a mold, mold 810, is shown in FIG. 8, reference to
which is now made.
[0071] As shown in FIG. 8, the cavity 812 has an open top 814 via
which a liquid material can be poured thereto, and a bottom 816,
spaced from each other by a cavity depth exceeding the thickness of
the reinforcing element to be produced.
[0072] In the second step, step 720, the material is poured into
the cavity 812 of the mold 810.
[0073] In the third step, step 730, the layer of fabric is placed
over the mold so as to cover the top 814 of the cavity 812.
[0074] In the fourth step, step 740, the mold 810 is inverted such
that the bottom 816 of cavity 812 is uppermost, and the layer of
fabric lies beneath the mold 810.
[0075] In the fifth step, step 750, conditions are created at the
bottom 816 of the cavity 812 for the material at the bottom 816 of
the cavity 812 to begin to solidify, so as to facilitate the
separation of the material from the mold 810 during the sixth step
760. In case the material is of the kind which solidifies when
heated, such as those comprising silicone, heat can be applied to
the mold at its surface adjacent the bottom 816 of the cavity 812,
e.g. by using a hot plate.
[0076] In the sixth step, step 760, a vacuum force is applied under
the layer of fabric so as to pull the material out of the mold 810
and onto the layer of fabric. The application of the vacuum force
can be facilitated by using a vacuum table (not shown) for
inverting the mold 810 thereon (in the fourth step), step 740.
[0077] In the seventh step, step 770, the mold is removed, leaving
the material applied to the layer of fabric.
[0078] Applying material to the layer of fabric in step 630 (FIG.
6) to form a coating firmly attached to the fabric can be performed
in any other suitable manner in which the material is allowed to
penetrate into voids in the fabric and solidify there, thus
eliminating the need for an adhesive.
[0079] In any of the above examples, the method of producing the
reinforcing element can constitute a part of producing a breast
supporting garment, which further comprises attaching to the fabric
layer at its side bearing the reinforcing element an additional
fabric layer by any suitable means, e.g., by an adhesive.
* * * * *