FREE MOTION SPORTS BRA

• US 20190328048A1
• Filed: 05/07/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,959,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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.

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,

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 the bust panel does not comprise a supplemental elastic circumferential band.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the first back strap and the second back strap are configured in a crossback pattern.

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

15. 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

″

.

16. The article of claim 12, wherein the length of one or both of the first side seam and the second side seam is between 4½

″ and

4⅝

″

.

17. The article of claim 12, wherein the length of one or both of the first shoulder seam and the second shoulder seam is between 1″

and 1.5″

.

18. The article of claim 12, 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.

19. 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.

20. 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 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.