Moisture managing garment

• US 7,905,763 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Girlease, LLC
• Original Assignee: Girlease, LLC
• Inventors: Frank, Nanette
• Primary Examiner(s): Hale; Gloria
• Application Number:
  US12/200,558
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 450/37, 450 54- 57, 450/39, 450/41, 226/7, 226/8, 225/5, 2258-2601, 2 53- 56, 2 4/6
• US Class Current: 450/37
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 3/00 Brassieres
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/12 Shields or protectors
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/12 Hygroscopic; Water retaining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/141 Milk breast pads

Abstract

A garment configured to be worn by a person at the breast fold line, namely where a crease is formed in between the breast under breast area and the chest surface. The garment preferably includes: a body including a flexible sheet of material with an arcuate member having an upwardly curved shape and configured for placement under the breast fold line sized and shaped to extend under a substantial portion of the breast fold line. A first tab is connected to the first arcuate member and extends away from the first arcuate member'"'"'s top edge. The first tab is connected to the first arcuate member over a distance less than the width of the first tab. The first tab is foldable away form the first arcuate member and connected to the first arcuate member along the top edge close to the first fold line when the garment is worn.

Claims

1. A garment configured to be worn by a person, the garment comprising:

a body comprising a flexible sheet of material having at least a first arcuate member having an upwardly curved shape and being configured to be disposed under a first breast of the person in close proximity to a first breast fold line of the first breast with a size and shape to extend under a substantial portion of the first breast fold line; and

,

a first tab connected to the first arcuate member body and extending away from a top edge of the first arcuate member, the first tab being connected to the first arcuate member at the top edge over a first distance less than a width of the first tab, the first tab being foldable away from the first arcuate member, the first tab being connected to the first arcuate member along the top edge in a region of the top edge that is disposed in close proximity to the first breast fold line and does not extend above the undersides of the breast when the garment is worn by the person.

2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the body further comprises a second arcuate member connected to the first arcuate member and having an upwardly curved shape and being configured to be disposed under a second breast of the person in close proximity to a second breast fold line of the second breast with a size and shape to extend under a substantial portion of the second breast fold line, the garment further comprising a second tab connected to the second arcuate member body and extending away from a top edge of the second arcuate member, the second tab being connected to the second arcuate member over a second distance less than a width of the second tab, the second tab being foldable away from the second arcuate member.

3. The garment of claim 2 wherein the first and second tabs extend from approximately middles of the first and second arcuate members respectively.

4. The garment of claim 2 wherein the first and second tabs have curved top edges.

5. The garment of claim 4 wherein the first and second tabs have substantially oval, asymmetric shapes.

6. The garment of claim 4 wherein the first and second tabs extend away from the first and second arcuate members by distances from about 1.25″

to about 2.5″

.

7. The garment of claim 1 wherein the first and second arcuate members are crescent shaped, with ends having a width and said widths near theirs ends being smaller than widths in their middles.

9. The garment of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive pad disposed on the tab.

8. A garment configured to be worn by a person, the garment comprising:

a body comprising a flexible sheet of material having at least a first arcuate member having an upwardly curved shape and being configured to be disposed under a first breast of the person in close proximity to a first breast fold line of the first breast with a size and shape to extend under a substantial portion of the first breast fold line; and

,

a first tab connected to the first arcuate member body and extending away from a top edge of the first arcuate member, the first tab being connected to the first arcuate member over a first distance less than a width of the first tab, the first tab being foldable away from the first arcuate member, the first tab being connected to the first arcuate member along the top edge in a region of the top edge that is disposed in close proximity to the first breast fold line when the garment is worn by the person

wherein the first arcuate member body and the first tab comprise at least two outer layers of soft material, at least two inner layers disposed between the outer layers and comprising liquid-absorbing rayon, and a middle layer disposed between the inner layers and comprising cotton.

10. An undergarment configured to be worn by a person under the person'"'"'s breasts, the undergarment comprising:

a body comprising a thin, flexible material having two connected crescent-shaped members curving upwardly and sized to be disposed under the person'"'"'s breasts in close proximity to breast fold lines at junctures between the person'"'"'s breasts and the person'"'"'s chest, the crescent-shaped members being sized and shaped to extend under substantial portions of the respective breast fold lines; and

a positioning tab connected to each of the crescent-shaped members and extending away from top edges of the respective crescent-shaped members, each of the tabs being connected to the respective crescent-shaped member over a distance that is less than a width of the tab, the tabs being foldable away from the crescent-shaped members.

11. The undergarment of claim 10 wherein the positioning tabs have curved top edges.

12. The undergarment of claim 11 wherein the positioning tabs have substantially oval, asymmetric shapes.

13. The undergarment of claim 10 wherein the positioning tabs extend away from the crescent-shaped members by distances from about 1.25″

to about 2.5″

.

15. The undergarment of claim 10 further comprising an adhesive pad disposed on each of the positioning tabs.

14. An undergarment configured to be worn by a person under the person'"'"'s breasts, the undergarment comprising:

a body comprising a thin, flexible material having two crescent-shaped members curving upwardly and sized to be disposed under the person'"'"'s breasts in close proximity to breast fold lines at junctures between the person'"'"'s breasts and the person'"'"'s chest, the crescent-shaped members being sized and shaped to extend under substantial portions of the respective breast fold lines; and

a positioning tab connected to each of the crescent-shaped members and extending away from top edges of the respective crescent-shaped members, each of the tabs being connected to the respective crescent-shaped member over a distance that is less than a width of the tab, the tabs being foldable away from the crescent-shaped members;

wherein the body and the positioning tabs comprise at least five layers of materials including at least two outer layers of soft material, at least two inner layers disposed between the outer layers and comprising liquid-absorbing rayon, and a middle layer disposed between the inner layers and comprising cotton.

16. An undergarment configured to be worn by a person under the person'"'"'s breasts, the undergarment comprising:

a body comprising a thin, flexible sheet having two crescent-shaped members curving upwardly and sized to be disposed under the person'"'"'s breasts in close proximity to breast fold lines at junctures between the person'"'"'s breasts and the person'"'"'s chest, the crescent-shaped members being sized and shaped to extend under substantial portions of the respective breast fold lines; and

means for retaining the body in close proximity to the breast fold lines, the means for retaining being connected to, but distinct from, the body.

17. The undergarment of claim 16 wherein the flexible sheet comprises multiple layers of different materials.

18. An undergarment configured to be worn by a person under the person'"'"'s breasts, the undergarment comprising:

a body comprising a thin, flexible sheet having two crescent-shaped members curving upwardly and sized to be disposed under the person'"'"'s breasts in close proximity to breast fold lines at junctures between the person'"'"'s breasts and the person'"'"'s chest, the crescent-shaped members being sized and shaped to extend under substantial portions of the respective breast fold lines; and

means for retaining the body in close proximity to the breast fold lines, the means for retaining being connected to, but distinct from, the body;

wherein the flexible sheet further comprises;

a top portion comprising multiple layers of polypropylene and a layer of cellulose;

a first inner portion having a top surface adjacent a bottom surface of the top portion and comprising a layer of absorbent, non-woven rayon;

a second inner portion having a top surface adjacent a bottom surface of the first inner portion and comprising a layer of one of (1) cotton or (2) a blend of cotton and poly-cellulose;

a third inner portion having a top surface adjacent a bottom surface of the second inner portion and comprising a layer of absorbent, non-woven rayon; and

, a bottom portion having a top surface adjacent a bottom surface of the third inner portion and comprising multiple layers of polypropylene and a layer of cellulose;

wherein the flexible sheet is configured to at least one of wick moisture or provide an air pathway.