Inflatable Bra

Abstract

An inflatable bra having a bladder in each cup, and a switchable valve built into the bra for allowing the bladders to be inflated one at a time, or together. A separate handheld pump can be connected to the switchable valve for inflating each bladder, or deflating each bladder. A control band is attached under each bra cup and spans the gore of the bra to maintain the bra cups from spreading apart, and a stiffening agent in each bra cup to counteract bulging of the bra at the locations of the bladders.

1 . An inflatable bra, comprising:
 a. a right breast cup;   b. a left breast cup;   c. a right inflatable bladder located in the right breast cup;   d. a left inflatable bladder located in the left breast cup;   e. a valve attached to said inflatable bra, the valve having:
 i. an inlet/outlet port connectable to a source of a pressurized fluid; 
 ii. a right bladder port connectable to the right bladder for inflation thereof; 
 iii. a left bladder port connectable to the left bladder for inflation thereof; and, 
 the valve switchable by a user to any of four states: 
 i. a first state in which the inlet/outlet port is connected to only the right bladder port to allow the pressurized fluid to flow from the inlet/outlet port to said right bladder port and the right bladder; 
 ii. a second state for connecting the inlet/outlet port to only the left bladder port to allow the pressurized fluid to flow from the inlet/outlet port to the left bladder port and to said left bladder; 
 iii. a third state for connecting said inlet/outlet port to both the right bladder port and to the left bladder port to allow the pressurized fluid to flow from the inlet/outlet port to both the right bladder port and the left bladder port and to the respective right bladder and left bladder; and 
 iv. a fourth state in which said inlet/outlet port is isolated from the right bladder port and isolated from the left bladder port. 
   
     
     
         2 . The inflatable bra of  claim 1 , wherein said valve includes a rotatable knob for selecting a desired said state. 
     
     
         3 . The inflatable bra of  claim 2 , wherein said valve further includes a valve member comprising a rotatable disc having a void that connects said ports in desired configurations, and wherein said valve member is rotated by said rotatable knob to four positions corresponding to said four states. 
     
     
         4 . The inflatable bra of  claim 2 , wherein said rotatable knob is located at a front of said bra and exposed so as to be available to the user of the bra. 
     
     
         5 . The inflatable bra of  claim 1 , further including a right flexible tubing connecting the right bladder port of said valve to said right bladder, and a left flexible tubing connecting the left bladder port of said valve to said left bladder. 
     
     
         6 . The inflatable bra of  claim 5 , further including a flexible tubing connecting said inlet/outlet port to a pump for pumping a fluid to said valve. 
     
     
         7 . The inflatable bra of  claim 1 , further including a hand-operated pump connected by a flexible tubing to the inlet/outlet port of said valve. 
     
     
         8 . The inflatable bra of  claim 7 , wherein said hand-operated pump includes a bulb which can be squeezed to pump a fluid to the inlet/outlet port of said valve, said pump including a screw valve for allowing said left bladder and said right bladder to be deflated by reverse flow of the fluid through the screw valve when opened. 
     
     
         9 . The inflatable bra of  claim 1 , wherein said left bladder is constructed of a flexible base that conforms to a shape of the left bra cup, and said left bladder includes a balloon membrane sealed to said base, said balloon membrane is more resilient than said flexible base for ballooning outwardly when inflated with the pressurized fluid, a Durometer number of said flexible membrane is more than three times a Durometer number of said base, and the base is thicker than said balloon membrane. 
     
     
         10 . The inflatable bra of  claim 1 , further including a control band for attaching said left breast cup and said right breast cup together at a front of said inflatable bra, said valve attached to said control band, said control band having a flap that can be moved to expose the inlet/outlet port of said valve so that the pressurized fluid source can be attached thereto, and said flap can be moved to cover the inlet/outlet port so that it cannot be seen. 
     
     
         11 . The inflatable bra of  claim 1 , wherein each said breast cup further includes a fragrance fabric, said fragrance fabric for holding a fragrance that is emitted during wearing of the bra. 
     
     
         12 . The inflatable bra of  claim 11 , further including a heat sensitive fragrance in each said fragrance fabric, said heat sensitive fragrance is emitted in response to heat generated by each breast of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The inflatable bra of  claim 1 , wherein said right bladder includes a balloon membrane that balloons out when inflated, said balloon membrane is circular shaped so that when inflated a cross-section of said balloon membrane is generally circular, said inflated balloon membrane pushing on a circular area of the user's right breast. 
     
     
         14 . The inflatable bra of  claim 13 , wherein said left bladder is similarly constructed to push on a circular area of the user's left breast. 
     
     
         15 . An inflatable bra, comprising:
 a. a left breast cup;   b. a right breast cup;   c. a left wing attachable at an end thereof to the left breast cup; and,   d. a right wing attachable at an end thereof to the right breast cup, said left and right wings connectable together at a back of a user of the inflatable bra;   e. a control band having a first partial shaped cup attached to a cup-shaped portion of said left breast cup, and having a second partial shaped cup attached to a cup-shaped portion of said right breast cup, said control band spanning the left breast cup and said right breast cup to prevent lateral separation of said left breast cup and said right breast cup;   f. a stiffening agent thereto;   g. an inflatable left bladder attached to said left breast cup, said inflatable left bladder having a balloon membrane sealed to a base of said left bladder so that when inflated said balloon membrane expands inwardly into a left breast of the user;   
     
     
         16 . The inflatable bra of  claim 15 , further including a fragrance fabric attached to each said breast cup, said fragrance fabric adapted for maintaining a fragrance therein, and said fragrance fabric providing a contact surface to each breast of the user. 
     
     
         17 . A method of inflating an inflatable bra, comprising:
 a. attaching an inflatable bra around a torso of a user so that a respective cup of the bra supports a corresponding left and right breast of the user; and after attachment of the bra around the user,   b. inflating a bladder of a type having a balloon membrane attached to a base, in a left breast cup so that the balloon membrane balloons into breast tissue of the left breast to displace the breast tissue in a desired direction, and   c. inflating a bladder of a type having a balloon member attached to a base in the right breast cup so that the right balloon membrane balloons into breast tissue of the right breast to displace the right breast tissue in a desired direction, and   d. supporting the respective bases of the left and right bladders against deformation thereof with a stiffener attached to the left breast cup and the right breast cup.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including using a control band constructed of a material that is laterally non-stretchable, and fastening said control band to each breast cup of said bra so that said breast cups maintain a cleavage between the right and left breasts of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further including: selecting from a four-state valve whether to connect a source of pressurized fluid to the left bladder, or to the right bladder, or to both the left and right bladders, or to isolate the left and right bladders from each other with the valve.