D-ring for brassieres and the like

• US 20060252347A1
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fildan Accessories Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fildan Accessories Corporation
• Inventors: Fildan, Gerhard, Wanzenbock, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 7,234,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 450/86
• CPC Class Codes: A41F 15/002 separable or adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/04 without movable parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4088 One-piece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45948 having specific structure for cooperating with stitching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4764 Ring-loop

Abstract

A D-ring for a shoulder strap assembly and brassiere can have a catch which enables the D-ring to be locked in use or opened for lateral insertion of the loop of the shoulder strap. The catch can be formed by a pin on the bow of the D-ring laterally engageable in an eye of a limb.

Claims

1. A strap connector for connecting a shoulder strap to a garment, comprising:

a ring body having a portion connectable to a garment; and

a ring formed in one piece with said body, said ring having a limb formed at one end with a first part of a catch and a bow integral with said lower limb at an opposite end of said limb, said bow being formed with a second part of said catch engageable with but separable from said first part, said catch being opened upon separation of said first part from said second part enabling insertion of a loop of a shoulder strap laterally into said ring.

2. The strap connector defined in claim 1 wherein said ring is a D-ring.

3. The strap connector defined in claim 2 wherein one of said parts of said catch is an eye and the other of said parts of said catch is a pin insertable in said eye.

4. The strap connector defined in claim 3 wherein said first part of said catch is said eye and the second part of said catch is said pin and said pin is insertable laterally into said eye.

5. The strap connector defined in claim 4 wherein said portion connectable to said garment is a flange which can be sandwiched between two layers of fabric of the garment and secured thereto.

6. The strap connector defined in claim 5 wherein said flange is weldable to the fabric.

7. The strap connector defined in claim 5 wherein said flange is of a thickness enabling it to be stitched through to the fabric.

8. The strap connector defined in claim 4 wherein said portion is another D-ring connected to said garment by a loop of fabric.

9. The strap connector defined in claim 4 wherein said portion connectable to said garment comprises a pair of flanges between which a layer of fabric is received and which can be joined to the fabric by welding.

10. The strap connector defined in claim 9 wherein one of said flanges is provided with at least one spike adapted to pierce the fabric and weld to the other of said flanges.

11. A shoulder strap assembly comprising:

a shoulder strap comprising a slide for adjusting a length of the shoulder strap and a loop at an end of said shoulder strap; and

a strap connector for connecting said shoulder strap to a garment and comprising;

a ring body having a portion connectable to said garment, and

a ring formed in one piece with said body, said ring having a limb formed at one end with a first part of a catch and a bow integral with said lower limb at an opposite end of said limb, said bow being formed with a second part of said catch engageable with but separable from said first part, said catch being opened upon separation of said first part from said second part enabling insertion of said loop of said shoulder strap laterally into said ring.

12. The shoulder strap assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said ring is a D-ring.

13. The shoulder strap assembly defined in claim 12 wherein one of said parts of said catch is an eye and the other of said parts of said catch is a pin insertable in said eye.

14. The shoulder strap assembly defined in claim 13 wherein said first part of said catch is said eye and the second part of said catch is said pin and said pin is insertable laterally into said eye.

15. The shoulder strap assembly defined in claim 14 wherein said portion connectable to said garment is a flange which can be sandwiched between two layers of fabric of the garment and secured thereto.

16. The shoulder strap assembly defined in claim 15 wherein said flange is weldable to the fabric.

17. The shoulder strap assembly defined in claim 15 wherein said flange is of a thickness enabling it to be stitched through to the fabric.

18. The shoulder strap assembly defined in claim 14 wherein said portion is another D-ring connected to said garment by a loop of fabric.

19. The shoulder strap assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said shoulder strap is replaceable and forms one of a set of shoulder straps including shoulder straps of different colors or a fabric shoulder strap and a transparent shoulder strap.

20. A brassiere comprising:

a pair of brassiere cups;

a respective shoulder strap for each brassiere cup, each of said shoulder straps comprising a slide for adjusting a length of the shoulder strap and a loop at an end of said shoulder strap; and

a respective strap connector for connecting each said shoulder strap to the respective cup and comprising;

a ring body having a portion connectable to the respective cup, and

a ring formed in one piece with said body, said ring having a limb formed at one end with a first part of a catch and a bow integral with said lower limb at an opposite end of said limb, said bow being formed with a second part of said catch engageable with but separable from said first part, said catch being opened upon separation of said first part from said second part enabling insertion of said loop of the respective shoulder strap laterally into said ring.