Free motion sports bra

• US 10,321,723 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Face Apparel Corporation (V.F. Corporation)
• Original Assignee: North Face Apparel Corporation (V.F. Corporation)
• Inventors: Kelley, Jennifer, Martini-Boulware, Erin Francesca, Haak, Ashley
• Primary Examiner(s): Hale, Gloria M
• Application Number:
  US15/784,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20190110524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 450 86
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 3/00 Brassieres
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 3/0057 for sport activities
• CPC Class Codes: A41F 15/00 Shoulder or like straps
• CPC Class Codes: A41F 15/02 Means for retaining the straps in position

Abstract

Article, such as sports bras, and methods of making the same are described. A sports bra may comprise a front panel comprising a bust panel, a first shoulder strap, and a second shoulder strap. The sports bra may comprise a rear panel comprising a first back strap and a second back strap. The first back strap may coupled to the first shoulder strap at a first shoulder seam and the second back strap may coupled to the second shoulder strap at a second shoulder seam. The first back strap may be coupled to the bust panel at a first side seam and the second back strap may be coupled to the bust panel at a second side seam. One or both of the back straps may have the second a curve-linear shape exhibiting a tapered width.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a front panel comprising a bust panel, a first shoulder strap, and a second shoulder strap, wherein the first shoulder strap and the second shoulder strap are spaced from each other and extend from the bust panel to define at least a portion of a neck hole configured to receive a neck of a wearer; and

a rear panel comprising a first back strap and a second back strap configured such that one of the first back strap or the second back strap overlays a portion of the other of the first back strap and the second back strap,

wherein the first back strap is coupled to the first shoulder strap at a first shoulder seam and the second back strap is coupled to the second shoulder strap at a second shoulder seam,

wherein the first back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a first side seam, the first side seam having a length that is greater than a length of the first shoulder seam,

wherein the second back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a second side seam, the second side seam having a length that is greater than a length of the second shoulder seam, and

wherein one or both of the first back strap and the second back strap comprises an outer layer and a mesh liner disposed adjacent the outer layer and configured to abut a wearer, and wherein the outer layer comprises from about 11% to about 12% elastane.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the first back strap is coupled to the second back strap using a bar tack, and wherein the bar tack has a length between ⅜

″ and

½

″

.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the front panel and the rear panel are configured such that one or more of the side seams are biased towards a central axis of a back of the wearer.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein the bust panel does not comprise a supplemental elastic circumferential band.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first back strap, a portion of the second back strap, and a portion of the front panel define an arm hole configured to receive an arm of a wearer.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the length of one or both of the first side seam and the second side seam is between 4½

″ and

4⅝

″

.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the length of one or both of the first shoulder seam and the second shoulder seam is between 1″

and 1.5″

.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the length of the first side seam and a length of the first shoulder seam is about 2.5:

1 and wherein a ratio of the length of the second side seam and a length of the second shoulder seam is about 2.5;

1.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the mesh liner comprises from 80% to 81% nylon.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein one or both of the first back strap and the second back strap has a curve-linear shape.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein one or both of the first side seam and the second side seam is overlaid by a mesh material coupled to a corresponding one of the first back strap and the second back strap.

12. An article comprising:

a front panel comprising a bust panel, a first shoulder strap, and a second shoulder strap,

wherein the first shoulder strap and the second shoulder strap are spaced from each other and extend from the bust panel to define at least a portion of a neck hole configured to receive a neck of a wearer; and

a rear panel comprising a first back strap and a second back strap configured in a crossback pattern,

wherein the first back strap is coupled to the first shoulder strap at a first shoulder seam and the second back strap is coupled to the second shoulder strap at a second shoulder seam,

wherein the first back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a first side seam, the first back strap having a curve-linear shape exhibiting a tapered width between the first side seam and the first shoulder seam,

wherein the second back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a second side seam, the second back strap having a curve-linear shape exhibiting a tapered width between the second side seam and the second shoulder seam, and

wherein one or both of the first back strap and the second back strap comprises an outer layer and a mesh liner disposed adjacent the outer layer and configured to abut a wearer.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the first back strap overlays at least a portion of the second back strap, thereby defining the crossback pattern.

14. The article of claim 12, wherein the first back strap is coupled to the second back strap using a bar tack, and therein the bar tack has a length between ⅜

″ and

½

″

.

15. The article of claim 12, wherein the front panel and the rear panel are configured such that one or more of the side seams are biased towards a central axis of a back of the wearer.

16. The article of claim 12, wherein the bust panel does not comprise a supplemental elastic circumferential band.

17. The article of claim 12, wherein a portion of the first back strap, a portion of the second back strap, and a portion of the front panel define an arm hole configured to receive an arm of a wearer.

18. An article comprising:

a front panel comprising a bust panel, a first shoulder strap, and a second shoulder strap, wherein the first shoulder strap and the second shoulder strap are spaced from each other and extend from the bust panel to define at least a portion of a neck hole configured to receive a neck of a wearer; and

a rear panel comprising a first back strap and a second back strap configured such that one of the first back strap or the second back strap overlays a portion of the other of the first back strap and the second back strap,

wherein the first back strap is coupled to the first shoulder strap at a first shoulder seam and the second back strap is coupled to the second shoulder strap at a second shoulder seam,

wherein the first back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a first side seam, the first side seam having a length that is greater than a length of the first shoulder seam,

wherein the second back strap is coupled to the bust panel at a second side seam, the second side seam having a length that is greater than a length of the second shoulder seam, and

wherein one or both of the first side seam and the second side seam is overlaid by a mesh material coupled to a corresponding one of the first back strap and the second back strap.