KNIT BRA AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF

• US 20160353810A1
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lululemon Athletica Canada Inc. (Lululemon Athletica, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lululemon Athletica, Inc.
• Inventors: Barnes, Kristen Elizabeth, Plante, Alexandra Carmela, Dandapure, Yogendra V., Dixon, Laura Renee
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 2500/10 Knitted
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 3/0014 made from one piece with one or several layers
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 5/00 Machines, appliances, or methods for manufacturing corsets or brassieres
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/102 with stitch pattern D04B1/06, D04B1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/106 at a selvedge, e.g. hems or turned welts
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/18 elastic threads
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/246 Upper torso garments, e.g. sweaters, shirts, leotards
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 7/30 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/022 Lofty fabric with variably spaced front and back plies, e.g. spacer fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0331 with one or more convex or concave portions of limited extension, e.g. domes or pouches

Abstract

The invention provides bras having enhanced dynamic performance and comfort as well as a method of manufacture thereof. Two-dimensional knitting is utilized to generate three-dimensional structures in the bra that conform to unique three-dimensional shapes of the wearer.

Claims

1. A bra having enhanced performance and comfort, the bra comprising:

a first region having a three-dimensional structure and a first structural property, and a second region having a second structural property, the first and second regions being joined by a seamless transition, and wherein the three-dimensional structure is formed via a dual bed, v-bed knitting machine such that both front and back beds of the machine are used to knit the three-dimensional structure.

2. The bra of claim 1, wherein the bra comprises two or more three-dimensional structures.

3. The bra of claim 1, wherein the fabric is formed of a first type of yarn.

4. The bra of claim 3, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a single material.

5. The bra of claim 3, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

6. The bra of claim 1, wherein the fabric is formed of a first type of yarn and one or more additional yarns.

7. The bra of claim 6, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a single material.

8. The bra of claim 6, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

9. The bra of claim 6, wherein the one or more additional yarns comprises strands of a single material.

10. The bra of claim 6, wherein the one or more additional yarns comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

11. The bra of claim 6, wherein the yarns are identical.

12. The bra of claim 6, wherein the yarns are different.

13. The bra of claim 1, further comprising a second region having a second fabric.

14. The bra of claim 13, wherein the second fabric is formed of a first type of yarn.

15. The bra of claim 14, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a single material.

16. The bra of claim 14, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

17. The bra of claim 13, wherein the second fabric is formed of a first type of yarn and one or more additional yarns.

18. The bra of claim 17, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a single material.

19. The bra of claim 17, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

20. The bra of claim 17, wherein the one or more additional yarns comprises strands of a single material.

21. The bra of claim 17, wherein the one or more additional yarns comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

22. The bra of claim 17, wherein the yarns are identical.

23. The bra of claim 17, wherein the yarns are different.

24. The bra of claim 13, wherein the fabrics are identical.

25. The bra of claim 13, wherein the fabrics are different.

26. The bra of claim 2, wherein the bra comprises two three-dimensional structures, each shaped to conform to a different three-dimensional shape of an individual wearer.

27. The bra of claim 26, wherein the three-dimensional structures are shaped to conform to breasts of the wearer.

28. The bra of claim 1, wherein the bra is seamless.

29. The bra of claim 1, wherein the bra is an athletic bra.

57. A method for producing the bra of claim 1, comprising manufacturing the bra using a dual bed, v-bed knitting machine to produce a region of the bra having a three-dimensional structure, thereby producing the bra.

30. A method for producing a bra having enhanced performance and comfort, comprising:

a) obtaining dimensions of a three-dimensional shape of a wearer of the bra; and

b) generating the bra, wherein the bra comprises a first region having a three-dimensional structure having a shape conforming to the three-dimensional shape of the wearer and having a first structural property, and a second region having a second structural property, the first and second regions being joined by a seamless transition, and wherein the three-dimensional structure is formed via a dual bed, v-bed knitting machine such that both front and back beds of the machine are used to knit the three-dimensional structure.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the bra comprises two or more three-dimensional structures, each shaped to conform to a different three-dimensional shape of the wearer.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the fabric is formed of a first type of yarn.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a single material.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the fabric is formed of a first type of yarn and one or more additional yarns.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a single material.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the one or more additional yarns comprises strands of a single material.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the one or more additional yarns comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the yarns are identical.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the yarns are different.

42. The method of claim 30, further comprising a second region having a second fabric.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the second fabric is formed of a first type of yarn.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a single material.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the second fabric is formed of a first type of yarn and one or more additional yarns.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a single material.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the first type of yarn comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the second type of yarn comprises strands of a single material.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the second type of yarn comprises strands of a first material and one or more additional materials.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein the yarns are identical.

52. The method of claim 46, wherein the yarns are different.

53. The method of claim 42, wherein the fabrics are identical.

54. The method of claim 42, wherein the fabrics are different.

55. The method of claim 31, wherein the bra comprises two three-dimensional structures, each shaped to conform to a different three-dimensional shape of the wearer.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the three-dimensional structures are shaped to conform to breasts of the wearer.

58. A method for producing a bra, comprising manufacturing the bra using a dual bed, v-bed knitting machine, wherein a yarn having a denier of about 20 to 300 is used on the knitting machine to produce the bra, and wherein the bra has a first region having a first structural property, and a second region having a second structural property, the first and second regions being joined by a seamless transition.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the yarn is treated via one or more of the following methods:

being fully drawn, draw texturized, false twist texturized and air jet texturized.