Triple ply brassiere with terry construction and method of making

Abstract

A circularly knit brassiere having a body with a pair of breast-receiving cups formed from a three-ply blank. The three ply blank has a middle ply that knitted using terry loop stitches. A method of circularly knitting a three-ply brassiere blank is provided that includes knitting a middle ply, using terry loop stitches, having a first end and a second end, and knitting a body-contacting ply connected to the second end of the first ply. The method further provides for transferring held loops from the end of the body-contacting ply to the first end of the middle ply to thereby fold the body-contacting-ply inside of the middle ply. The method also includes knitting a torso-encircling welt to the end of the body-contacting ply and transferring held loops from the torso-encircling welt to the first end; and knitting an outer ply to the torso-encircling welt.

1 . A circularly knit brassiere comprising: 
 a body having three plies, wherein said three plies has one ply that is a middle ply that is knitted using terry loop stitches.    
     
     
         2 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 1 , wherein said middle ply is knitted using either a mock terry loop stitches or true terry loop stitches.  
     
     
         3 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 1 , wherein said three plies has another of said three plies that is a body-contacting ply knitted using true terry loop stitches or mock terry loop stitches.  
     
     
         4 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 3 , wherein said three plies has yet another ply of said three plies that is an outer ply having at least one decorative stitch selected from the group consisting of a Jacquard pattern, a geometric design, stylized logo, an abstract design, a floral pattern and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 4 , wherein said body-contacting ply comprises a first facing side, said outer ply comprises a second facing side, and said middle ply comprises a third facing side and fourth facing side, and wherein said first facing side faces said third facing side and said fourth facing side faces said second facing side.  
     
     
         6 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 5 , wherein said first facing side, and said third facing side are knitted using terry loop stitches to increase the brassiere thickness.  
     
     
         7 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 6 , wherein said second facing side in knitted using terry loop stitches to further increase the brassiere thickness.  
     
     
         8 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 3 , wherein said body-contacting ply comprise fibers having moisture wicking capabilities, and wherein said middle ply comprises fibers having hydrophilic properties.  
     
     
         9 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 8 , wherein said fibers of said body-contacting ply are staple or textured continuous multi-filament yarns produced from synthetic fibers and said middle ply is knitted using a natural fibers.  
     
     
         10 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 9 , wherein said middle ply is knitted using a fiber having anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         11 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 4 , wherein said body-contacting ply, said middle ply and said outer ply each have zones that are selectively knitted using terry stitching.  
     
     
         12 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 1 , wherein the brassiere is either a softcup brassiere or an underwire brassiere.  
     
     
         13 . A circularly knit brassiere comprising: 
 a body having three plies that form an inner ply, an outer ply and a middle ply located between said inner ply and said outer ply,    wherein said middle ply is knitted using terry loop stitches.    
     
     
         14 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 13 , wherein said inner ply contacts the body of the wearer when the brassiere is worn.  
     
     
         15 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 13 , wherein said terry loop stitch is either a mock terry loop stitch or a true terry loop stitch.  
     
     
         16 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 13 , wherein said inner ply is knitted using true terry loop stitches or mock terry loop stitches.  
     
     
         17 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 13 , wherein said outer ply is knitted using at least one decorative stitch selected from the group consisting of a Jacquard pattern, a geometric design, stylized logo, an abstract design, a floral pattern and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 13 , wherein said inner ply comprises a first facing side, and said outer ply comprises a second facing side, and said middle ply comprises a third facing side and fourth facing side, and wherein said first facing side faces said third facing side and said fourth facing side faces said second facing side.  
     
     
         19 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 18 , wherein said first facing side, and said third facing side are knitted using terry loop stitches to increase the brassiere thickness.  
     
     
         20 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 18 , wherein said second facing side is knitted using terry loop stitches to further increase the brassiere thickness.  
     
     
         21 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 13 , wherein said inner ply is a body-contacting ply that comprises fibers having moisture wicking capabilities, and wherein and said middle ply has hydrophilic properties.  
     
     
         22 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 19 , wherein said fibers are staple or textured continuous multi-filament yarn produced from a synthetic fiber and said middle ply is knitted using a natural fiber.  
     
     
         23 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 22 , wherein said middle ply is knitted using a fiber having anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         24 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 13 , wherein said body-contacting ply, said middle ply and said outer ply each have zones that are selectively knitted using terry stitching.  
     
     
         26 . A brassiere comprising: 
 a body having a breast-receiving area comprising an inner ply, a middle ply and an outer ply wherein said middle ply is disposed between said inner ply and said outer ply; and    a torso-encircling band and a pair of shoulder straps connected to said breast-receiving area,    wherein said middle ply is knitted using terry loop stitches.    
     
     
         27 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 26 , wherein said middle ply is knitted using either a mock terry loop stitches or true terry loop stitches.  
     
     
         28 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 26 , wherein said inner ply is a body-contacting ply knitted using true terry loop stitches or mock terry loop stitches.  
     
     
         29 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 26 , wherein said outer ply has at least one decorative stitch selected from the group consisting of a Jacquard pattern, a geometric design, stylized logo, an abstract design, a floral pattern and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         30 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 28 , wherein said body-contacting ply comprises a first facing side, said outer ply comprises a second facing side, and said middle ply comprises a third facing side and fourth facing side, and wherein said first facing side faces said third facing side and said fourth facing side faces said second facing side.  
     
     
         31 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 30 , wherein said first facing side, and said third facing side are knitted using terry loop stitches to increase the brassiere thickness.  
     
     
         32 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 30 , wherein said second facing side in knitted using terry loop stitches to further increase the brassiere thickness.  
     
     
         33 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 28 , wherein said body-contacting ply comprise fibers having moisture wicking capabilities and said middle ply comprises fibers having hydrophilic properties.  
     
     
         34 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 33 , wherein said fibers of said body-contacting ply are staple or textured continuous multi-filament yarns produced from synthetic fibers and said middle ply is knitted using a natural fibers.  
     
     
         35 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 26 , wherein said middle ply is knitted using a fiber having anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         36 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 28 , wherein said body-contacting ply, said middle ply and said outer ply each have zones that are selectively knitted using terry stitching.  
     
     
         37 . A circularly knit brassiere comprising: 
 a body having a pair of breast-receiving cups formed from a blank having a body-contacting ply, an outer ply and a middle ply between said body-contacting ply and said outer ply,    wherein said middle ply is knitted using yarns that are metallic.    
     
     
         38 . The circularly knit brassiere according to  claim 37 , wherein said yarns are capable of sensing at least one biological parameter.  
     
     
         39 . A method of circularly knitting a three-ply brassiere blank comprising: 
 knitting a middle ply having a first end and a second end;    knitting a body-contacting ply connected to said second end of said first ply by a mini-welt;    transferring held loops from said an end of said body-contacting ply to said first end of said first middle ply to thereby fold said body contacting-ply inside of said middle ply;    knitting a torso-encircling welt to said end of said body-contacting ply and transferring held loops from said torso-encircling welt to said first end; and    knitting an outer ply to said torso-encircling welt,    wherein said middle ply is knitted using true terry loop stitches or mock terry loop stitches.    
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein said body-contacting ply is knitted using true terry loop stitches or mock terry loop stitches.  
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein said outer ply is knitted using at least one decorative stitch selected from the group consisting of a Jacquard pattern, a geometric design, stylized logo, an abstract design, a floral pattern and any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein said body-contacting ply comprises a first facing side, said outer ply comprises a second facing side, and said middle ply comprises a third facing side and fourth facing side, wherein said first facing side faces said third facing side and said fourth facing side faces said second facing side, and wherein said first facing side, said third facing side are knitted using terry loop stitches to increase the brassiere thickness.  
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein said second facing side is knitted using terry loop stitches to further increase the brassiere thickness.  
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein said body-contacting ply comprises fibers having moisture wicking capabilities, and wherein said middle ply has hydrophilic properties.  
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein said fibers of said body contacting ply are staple or textured continuous multi-filament yarn produced from a synthetic fiber and said middle ply is knitted using a natural fiber.  
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein said middle ply is knitted using a fiber having anti-microbial properties.  
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein said body-contacting ply, said middle ply and said outer ply each have zones that are selectively knitted using terry loop stitches.