Brassiere

Abstract

There is provided a molded bra of a layered assembly of a plurality of plies of flexible material. The layered assembly generally defines two molded breast cups a bridge intermediate of the two breast cups and a chest band from which each of the molded breast cups are disposed. The assembly includes an outward ply of a fabric material presenting a first outermost surface of the bra to the convex side of the breast cups of the bra, and an inward ply disposed to the opposite side of the assembly where the first outermost ply is presented and presenting a second outermost surface of the bra to the concave side of the breast cups of the bra. The layered assembly includes at least the inward and the outward ply at the entire perimeter about the bra regions and wherein the outward ply has been folded at at least a portion of the perimeter to provide a hem affixed to the inward ply.

1 . A bra comprising an assembly of a plurality of plies of flexible material, the assembly having a perimeter and generally defining two breast cups formed by molding, a bridge between the two breast cups, and a chest band disposed from each of the two breast cups, the assembly comprising an outward ply of material that is disposed to the convex side of the breast cups, and an inward ply of material that is disposed to the concave side of the breast cups, wherein the outward ply of material is folded at at least a portion of the perimeter of the assembly to provide a hem affixed to the inward ply.  
   
   
       2 . A bra as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outward ply of material includes a fabric material.  
   
   
       3 . A bra as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hem is adhesively affixed to the inward ply.  
   
   
       4 . A bra as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter of the assembly comprises (a) a lower edge extending along the bottom edge of the chest bands, (b) for each breast cup, an outer edge extending between the point on the breast cup where a shoulder strap is or may be joined and the chest band that is disposed from the breast cup, and (c) for each breast cup, a neckline extending between the point on the breast cup where a shoulder strap is or may be joined and the bridge.  
   
   
       5 . A bra as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the outward ply is folded to provide a hem at the lower edge and the outer edge.  
   
   
       6 . A bra as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein at the neckline the outward ply is ultrasonically sealed with the inward ply.  
   
   
       7 . A bra as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the outward ply is folded to provide a hem at the neckline and the outer edge.  
   
   
       8 . A bra as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein at the lower edge the outward ply is ultrasonically sealed with the inward ply.  
   
   
       9 . A bra as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outward ply is, except at the hem, parallel and not affixed to other plies of the assembly.  
   
   
       10 . A bra as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outward ply is parallel to and not laminated with other plies of the assembly at the hem.  
   
   
       11 . A bra as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the assembly at each of the breast cups includes at least one ply of a foam material.  
   
   
       12 . A bra as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the foam material provides a flexibly rigid cup form.  
   
   
       13 . A bra as claimed in  claim 1 , the bra further comprising one or more fasteners fixed to the distal end of one or each of the chest bands, a base portion of each of the one or more fasteners being fixed to said distal end of one or each of the chest bands, wherein a portion of the outward ply is folded over at said distal end of one or each of the chest bands to capture said base portion between the outward ply and the folded portion of the outward ply, and wherein the folded portion of the outward ply has a perimeter and is fixed to the outward ply at at least a portion of the perimeter of said folded portion of the outward ply.  
   
   
       14 . A bra according to  claim 13 , wherein the base portion of each of the one or more fasteners is laminated with the outward ply.  
   
   
       15 . A bra as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bra further comprises one or more fasteners fixed to the distal end of one or each of the chest bands, each of said fasteners having a base portion fixed to a flexible panel, said flexible panel being affixed to one or each of the outward ply and the inward ply of material, wherein one or each of the outward ply and the inward ply of material has one or more apertures at the chest band distal end to allow said fasteners to protrude through said apertures to the exterior.  
   
   
       16 . A method of forming a molded bra of a kind including an assembly of a plurality of plies of flexible moldable material, the assembly generally defining two breast cups formed by molding, a bridge between the two breast cups, and a chest band disposed from each of the two breast cups, the method comprising: 
 a. laminating onto a ply of fabric material to define the interior most ply of the bra (hereinafter “inward most ply”), molded breast cups defined by at least one ply of a foam material, to define an interior assembly;    b. temporarily affixing a rigid substrate template onto the inward most ply, at the regions of the interior most ply where the chest band is to be defined, each template being of a shape of the chest band;    c. trimming the inward most ply about part of the template to define a chest band shaped portion of the inward most ply extending from the breast cups;    d. placing adjacent to the interior assembly a ply of fabric material to define the outermost ply of the bra; and    e. folding a hem defined region of the outer most ply about at least a portion of a perimeter of the interior assembly and adhesively affixing the hem to the inward most ply.    
   
   
       17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the template is removed from the inward most ply prior to the folding and adhesive affixing of the hem.  
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the template is removed from the inward most ply after the folding and adhesive affixing of the hem, the template being positioned intermediate of the inward most ply and the outermost ply during folding and adhesive affixing of the hem.  
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the adhesive affixing of the hem occurs by an adhesive tape provided to the hem region of the exterior most ply.  
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the adhesive tape can be heat activated, the hem being adhered thereby to the inward most ply, by the use of a pinch contact roller.  
   
   
       21 . A method as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the at least one ply of foam material is formed to define at least one breast cup by press moulding a sheet of foam material.  
   
   
       22 . A method as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the sheet of foam material is of a constant thickness.  
   
   
       23 . A method as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the sheet of foam material is of varying thickness.  
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of 
 d. fixing fasteners to a chest band end distal from the breast cups,    e. folding a portion of the outward ply over the fasteners, and    f. fixing the folded portion of the outward ply to the chest band at at least a portion of a perimeter of the folded portion.    
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 24 , further comprising the step of laminating the folded portion of the outward ply to the chest band and the fasteners.  
   
   
       26 . A bra comprising an assembly of two plies of flexible fabric, the assembly having a perimeter and comprising an outward ply and an inward ply, the assembly generally defining two breast cups formed by molding, a bridge between the two breast cups, and a chest band disposed from each of the two breast cups, wherein the outward ply is folded at at least a portion of the perimeter to provide a hem affixed to the inward ply.  
   
   
       27 . A bra as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the bra further comprises one or more fasteners fixed to a distal end of the chest band disposed from one or each of the breast cups, wherein a base portion of each of the one or more fasteners is fixed to the chest band, wherein a portion of the outward ply is folded over to cover the base portion, and wherein the folded portion of the outward ply is fixed to the outward ply at at least a portion of a perimeter of the folded portion.  
   
   
       28 . A bra according to  claim 27 , wherein the folded portion of the outward ply is fixed to the outward ply by ultrasonic welding.  
   
   
       29 . A bra according to  claim 26 , wherein the folded portion of the outward ply is laminated with the base portion.  
   
   
       30 . A method of forming a molded bra of a kind including an assembly of two plies of flexible fabric, the assembly comprising an inward ply and an outward ply, the assembly generally defining two molded breast cups, a bridge between the two breast cups, and a chest band disposed from each of the molded breast cups, the method including the steps of: 
 a. laminating the outward ply onto the inward ply, and    b. folding a hem defined region of the outward ply about at least a portion of the perimeter of the inward ply and adhesively affixing the hem to the inward ply.    
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of 
 d. fixing fasteners to a chest band end remote from the breast cups,    e. folding a portion of the outward ply over the fasteners, and    f. fixing the folded portion of the outward ply to the chest band at at least a portion of a perimeter of the folded portion.    
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 31 , further comprising the step of laminating the folded portion of the outward ply with the fasteners.