US3320959A - Brassiere - Google Patents

Description

y 23, 1967 M. c. FRIDOLPH 3,320,959

BRAS S IERE Filed Feb. 17, 1965 INVENTOR MAUDE CONSTANCE FRIDOLPH WIIMLJW)* M A7 TORNE VS United States Patent 3,320,959 BRASSIERE Maude Constance Fridolph, 269 Crescent Bay Drive, Laguna Beach, Calif. 92651 Filed Feb. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 433,369 9 Claims. (Cl. 128-451) This invention relates to brassieres and particularly to brassieres that are intended for use with outer garments having a low back.

In my prior Patents Nos. 2,638,596, issued May 19, 1953, and 3,157,182, issued Nov. 17, 1964, there are disclosed and claimed brassieres wherein the back of the wearer is exposed and, at the same time, proper bust support is provided without any tendency to ride up the back or bind beneath the bustline at the front of the wearer. In these constructions relatively wide bands are provided that extend from the outer edges of the cup portions downwardly and outwardly across the rib cage when the garment is on the wearer, with the free edges of the bands connected at the small of the back.

The present invention is directed to an improved brassiere of this type wherein a free back and proper support are provided :by an improved construction which is simple and economical.

Basically, in accordance with the invention, wide bands are provided which extend outwardly from the cup portions and have their ends cut on the bias. The shoulder straps have ends which are attached to ends of the wide bands along their side edges and provide free edges which in turn are connected together at the small of the back of the wearer. These ends of the shoulder straps are preferably elastic longitudinally so that when they are connected together they tend to pull the wide bands downwardly toward the back of the wearer and any tendency for the garment to creep upwardly in the back is opposed by yielding action of the lower ends of the shoulder straps at the back.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view of the brassiere embodying the invention in open flat condition.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the brassiere on the wearer.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the brassiere on the wearer.

Referring to the drawings, the brassiere embodying the invention comprises a band including front sections 11 and side bands 12 extending outwardly from the side edges of the front sections 11. Sections 11 and side bands 12 are preferably longitudinally elastic as indicated by the arrows. Each of the front sections 11 includes a cup portion 13 which may be made of inelastic material. The front sections 11 are connected to one another along a gore 14. The cup portions 13 can be made of one or more pieces in accordance with conventional designs.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower edge of each side band 12 extends and curves downwardly and the outer end 15 of each side band tapers along the bias to a point 16. The lower edges of the bands 12 thus define a generally obtuse angle when the brassiere is in the open flat condition as shown in FIG. 1; and when on the wearer the lower edges of the side bands 12 cross the rib cage at an angle, see FIG. 2.

A shoulder strap 17 has one end 18 thereof connected to the top of each cup portion 13 and comprises an inelastic part 19 and an elastic part 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the elastic part 20 diverges downwardly and terminates in a free edge 21. The elastic part 20 is connected to the end 15 of band 12 along a side edge 22. As shown in FIG. 1, the ends 15 of side bands 12 are generally concave inwardly toward the cup portions 13, and the edges 22 of strap 17 are complementary thereto. Each elastic part 20 further includes an upper outer edge 23 that is gen- 3,320,959 Patented May 23, 1967 erally concave inwardly. Further, each elastic part 20 is preferably elastic in a direction extending longitudinally of the .part 20, as shown by the arrows. As further shown in FIG. 1, the width W of the free edge 21 of each strap is slightly less than the width W of each side band 12.

When the brassiere is on the wearer, the elastic band 10 encircles the portion of the wearers body that has a circumference less than the circumference of the body at a horizontal section at or above the shoulder blades just below the bust line to provide support of the bust Without riding up the back or binding beneath the bust line of the wearer. The free ends 21 of straps 17 are fastened together by hooks or other suitable means and tend to pull the bands 12 downwardly across the rib cage. Any tendency of the bands to move upwardly in the back is opposed by the rib cage. The yielding movement of the wide parts 20 of each strap 17 tends to eliminate any tendency for the bands 12 to move upwardly and produce puckers or gaping along the upper edges thereof so that the bands 12 lie smooth and flat against the body of the wearer.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower parts 20 of the straps 17 assume a position along the outer sides of the back so that the back of the 'wearer is completely exposed.

It will thus be seen that my shoulder strap 17, instead of being an ordinary plain shoulder strap, actually becomes a part of the back of the brassiere; in other words, it becomes an extended fashioned shoulder strap. The fashioned edges 23, when the brassiere is hooked into place, follow the curved shape of the outer sides of the back, the longitudinal lines of stretch of the side bands 12 and the extended fashioned shoulder strap give a sort of two-way stretch at the point where these two portions blend together; this results in a downward or a bias stretch to the wide portion of the shoulder strap, which in turn forms the back edges of the brassiere and helps to hold the back lower down What I claim is:

1. A brassiere comprising a ftront section including a pair of spaced apart cup porlOl'lS,

side bands connected to the outer edge of each cup portion at least at the lower edge thereof, and terminating in bias cut portions,

the bottom edge of each band extending downwardly and outwardly when in generally fiat condition and extending downwardly across the rib cage at an angle when on the wearer,

straps each having one end connected to each cup portion adjacent the top and adapted to extend over the shoulder of the wearer,

the other end portion of each strap diverging downwardly and outwardly and merging with the outer end of each side band and secured thereto, said strap and side band together forming the outer free ends of the brassiere,

the free ends of said straps being considerably below the bottom of cup portions when in the flat condition and being connected together at the small of the back when on the wearer.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein each said strap has said other end thereof made of longitudinally elastic material.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein each said side band is elastic in a direction parallel to the lower edge thereof.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the lower end of each combined band and strap gradually diverges to the free edge thereof to form a bias fitting brassiere back when fastened.

5. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein the upper edge of each said strap gradually curves to the free edge thereof to form a bias fitting brassiere back when fastened.

6. A brassiere comprising a front section including a pair of spaced apart cup portions,

side bands connected to the outer edge of each cup portion,

the bottom edge of each side band extending downwardly and outwardly when in the generally flat condition and extending downwardly across the rib cage at an angle when on the wearer,

the top edge of each side band being substantially parallel to the bottom edge,

straps each having one end connected to each cup portion adjacent the top and having the other end diverging downwardly and outwardly and merging with and secured to the end of a side band, said strap and side band forming a free end of the brass1ere,

the upper edge of each strap curving downwardly and outwardly when in the flat condition and terminating at the free ends of the brassiere,

said free ends of said merged bands and straps being connected together at the small of the back when on the wearer.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein the upper edge of each said strap starts its curve a considerable distance above the free ends of the brassiere.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said other end of each said strap is longitudinally elastic generally along the length of the strap.

9. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein the merging portions of said bands and straps are longitudinally elastic.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,093,137 6/1963 Dugan 128-498 3,120,848 2/1964 Seperack 1285l0 3,144,869 8/1964 Blair 128498 3,157,182 11/1964 Fridolph 128-429 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A BRASSIERE COMPRISING A FRONT SECTION INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED APART CUP PORTIONS, SIDE BANDS CONNECTED TO THE OUTER EDGE OF EACH CUP PORTION AT LEAST AT THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF, AND TERMINATING IN BIAS CUT PORTIONS, THE BOTTOM EDGE OF EACH BAND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY WHEN IN GENERALLY FLAT CONDITION AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY ACROSS THE RIB CAGE AT AN ANGLE WHEN ON THE WEARER, STRAPS EACH HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO EACH CUP PORTION ADJACENT THE TOP AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND OVER THE SHOULDER OF THE WEARER, THE OTHER END PORTION OF EACH STRAP DIVERGING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY AND MERGING WITH THE OUTER END OF EACH SIDE BAND AND SECURED THERETO, SAID STRAP AND SIDE BAND TOGETHER FORMING THE OUTER FREE ENDS OF THE BRASSIERE, THE FREE ENDS OF SAID STRAPS BEING CONSIDERABLY BELOW THE BOTTOM OF CUP PORTIONS WHEN IN THE FLAT CONDITION AND BEING CONNECTED TOGETHER AT THE SMALL OF THE BACK WHEN ON THE WEARER.

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