I 1111111111111111 11111 111111111111111 111111111111111 111111111111111 IIII IIII
`US007753759B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Pintor et al.
`
`(IO) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,753,759 B2
`Jul. 13, 2010
`
`(54) ARTICLE OF APPAREL FOR CONCEALING
`OBJECTS
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Tammy Pintor, N89 W. 15963 Main St.,
`Menomenee Falls, WI (US) 53051;
`Robert J. Pintor, Menomenee Falls, WI
`(US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Tammy Pintor, Colgate, WI (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by O days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 12/240,408
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Sep.29,2008
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2009/0104845 Al
`
`Apr. 23, 2009
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/981,577, filed on Oct.
`22, 2007, provisional application No. 60/991,604,
`filed on Nov. 30, 2007.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`A41C 3/00
`(2006.01)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................................... 450/89; 450/54
`(58) Field of Classification Search ..................... 450/1,
`450/36, 37, 38, 54-58, 86, 88; 2/267, 268
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`1,391,986 A * 9/1921 Smith ......................... 434/402
`2,436,430 A * 2/1948 Hart .............................. 450/3
`5,257,956 A * 11/1993 Ewen ............................ 450/1
`5,496,205 A * 3/1996 Lee ............................. 450/89
`6,517,409 B2 * 2/2003 Flaherty ........................ 450/1
`7,118,444 B2 * 10/2006 Newman ..................... 450/58
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner-Gloria Hale
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Boyle Frederickson, S.C.
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An article of apparent is disclosed comprising a pocket for
`concealing objects proximate to a breast.
`
`13 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
`
`10
`
`56
`
`12
`
`NIKE-1022
`p. 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13, 2010
`
`Sheet 1 of 7
`
`US 7,753,759 B2
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`26A
`
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`I
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`20
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`12B 16B 22
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`12A
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`FIG. 1
`
`26A
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`42A
`
`10
`
`36 J
`
`18
`
`20
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`12A
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`FIG. 2
`
`p. 2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13, 2010
`
`Sheet 2 of 7
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`US 7,753,759 B2
`
`268
`
`50A
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`14A
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`128 168
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`FIG. 3
`
`p. 3
`
`

`

`30
`
`48
`
`58
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`Jul. 13, 2010
`Jul. 13, 2010
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`US 7,753,759 B2
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sheet 3 of 7
`Sheet 3 of 7
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`US 7,753,759 B2
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`10
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`56
`
`12
`
`FIG. 4
`FIG. 4
`
`p. 4
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`

`

`Jul. 13, 2010
`Jul. 13, 2010
`
`Sheet 4 of 7
`Sheet 4 of 7
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`US 7,753,759 B2
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`12
`
`US 7,753,759 B2
`
`FIG. 5
`FIG. 5
`
`p.5
`
`p. 5
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13, 2010
`
`Sheet 5 of 7
`
`US 7,753,759 B2
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`34D
`
`16
`
`32
`
`30
`
`12
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`I
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`~-----------------------------------~
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`FIG. 6
`
`p. 6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13, 2010
`
`Sheet 6 of 7
`
`US 7,753,759 B2
`
`34D
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`16
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`12
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`--------
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`32
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`54
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`FIG. 7
`
`p. 7
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13, 2010
`
`Sheet 7 of 7
`
`US 7,753,759 B2
`
`34D
`
`58
`
`56
`
`52
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`32
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`FIG. 8
`
`p. 8
`
`

`

`US 7,753,759 B2
`
`1
`ARTICLE OF APPAREL FOR CONCEALING
`OBJECTS
`
`CLAIM OF PRIORITY
`
`This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Appl. Ser.
`No. 60/981,577, "Brassiere for Concealing Electronic
`Devices and Other Functional Items While Retaining Smooth
`Contour," filed Oct. 22, 2007, and U.S. Patent Appl. Ser. No.
`60/991,604, "Brassiere for Concealing Electronic Devices
`and Other Functional Items While Retaining Smooth Con(cid:173)
`tour," filed Nov. 30, 2007, both of which are hereby incorpo(cid:173)
`rated by reference in their entireties for all purposes.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`2
`ics, medications and medical devices, multiple papers or dol(cid:173)
`lar bills or a combination or plurality of the foregoing con(cid:173)
`cealed objects.
`Previous attempts have also been made to associate bras
`with portable medical devices such as diabetes pumps by
`connecting them bra straps or elsewhere, but these suffer from
`several drawbacks such as not being fully discrete and being
`difficult to access conveniently.
`Thus, there is a need for a bra or related article of apparel
`10 with one or more pockets designed to hold cellular phones,
`personal listening devices, cosmetics, valuable items, medi(cid:173)
`cal objects, supplies, and other concealed objects securely so
`that they do not become lost or damaged. There is also a need
`for a bra or related article of apparel with one or more pockets
`15 that does not allow others to readily detect the presence of
`concealed objects in the pockets, or that does not create a
`bulky appearance to the breasts or clothing.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`This invention relates generally to the field of brassieres, in
`particular brassieres containing concealed pockets for storing 20
`cell phones and other objects.
`2. Description of Related Art
`Cell phones, personal listening devices, and other mobile
`electronic devices have become popular in recent years.
`Many women carry these items in their brassieres ("bras") for
`convenience, as well as other objects such as money, keys,
`credit cards, or other objects that women may wish to keep
`concealed ("concealed objects"). However, bras and related
`products are generally not designed to carry such objects
`securely and comfortably. Pockets have been proposed for
`use within bras, but the placement of pockets and pocket
`structure have generally resulted in pockets that allow many
`objects to be seen due to the bulges or outlines created. Prior
`related art includes brassieres with a central pocket located
`between the cups, or pockets sewn into the front of the cups.
`These designs, however, cause the objects stored in the bras(cid:173)
`siere to become visible under clothing, especially larger items
`such as electronics. In addition, the central pocket causes the
`definition of each individual breast to be lost. Pockets cover(cid:173)
`ing much of the interior surface of the cups have also been
`proposed as means for receiving pads or prosthetics, but these
`are generally not designed for concealing, securing, and per(cid:173)
`mitting convenient retrieval of various personal objects such
`as coins, keys, or cell phones. In general, the position, size,
`angle and configuration of previously proposed pockets may
`not be optimally designed to secure various concealed
`objects, and may not provide a suitable aesthetic appearance
`with pockets that are adapted to conceal bulk by their posi(cid:173)
`tion, angle and construction. In particular, prior proposed bra
`pockets generally appear to lack have the ability, when con(cid:173)
`taining concealed objects, to compress the breast tissue at a
`portion of the breast that achieves the effect of a smooth
`contour and minimal bulk.
`Further, women who participate in athletic, work, child(cid:173)
`care, walking, sports, errands or other activities may also
`desire the ability to listen to music devices without having to
`carry a purse or additional device to secure the music player
`to the wearer. In this situation, it is desirable to have a discrete
`storage area that will properly secure the music devices and/
`or other concealed objects, while allowing for a full range of
`movement for the wearer, and also allowing for convenient
`attachment of the object to headphones or other objects away
`from the bra. Women may also desire to maintain an aesthetic
`appearance that minimizes bulk, and retains a smooth breast
`contour and the appearance of clothing over the cellular
`phones, personal listening devices, lipstick and other cosmet-
`
`An article of apparel has been developed for wearing in
`contact with the breasts of a wearer to securely hold and
`conceal objects therein through the use of a pocket positioned
`in a manner that results in objects inside the pocket pressing
`25 breast tissue on the upper lateral side of the breast, where the
`fatty breast tissue typically can be readily and comfortably
`deformed away from the object to minimize the visible bulk
`caused by the concealed objects, resulting in a natural appear(cid:173)
`ance of the breast while compressed by the concealed objects.
`30 (As used herein, "lateral" is used in the anatomical sense to
`indicate being away from the center of the body, while
`"medial" indicates being toward the center of the body; thus
`a given breast has lateral side and a medial side.) It has been
`discovered that the pocket design of the present invention
`35 allows objects to be comfortably and securely carried while
`being substantially concealed by the article of apparel or by
`the article in combination with conventional clothing worn
`over the article of apparel.
`In one aspect, the present invention is an article of apparel
`40 for wearing in contact with the breasts of a wearer, the article
`comprising a first breast cover having an outer surface and an
`inner surface, a medial side and a lateral side, and an upper
`portion and a lower portion, the breast cover being joined to
`breast cover support means attached to the upper torso of the
`45 wearer for holding the breast cover in place, the article further
`comprising a pocket layer having a perimeter, wherein a
`majority of the perimeter of the pocket layer is attached to the
`inner surface of the breast cover defining a pocket between the
`pocket layer and the inner surface of the breast cover, the
`50 pocket having a mouth for receiving objects to be carried in
`the article, wherein the pocket is disposed toward the lateral
`side of the breast cover with the mouth toward the upper
`lateral portion of the breast cover, such that when the article is
`worn on the body of a wearer with the breast cover held in
`55 place over a breast, an object received in the pocket is biased
`against the lateral side of the breast. The breast cover and
`other suitable components of the article of apparel may be
`formed from one or more plies of textiles or other materials
`known in the apparel arts, including woven fabrics such as
`60 those made from cotton, silk, polyester, and the like, non(cid:173)
`woven fabrics, padding materials, lace, mesh, and so forth.
`The article of apparel may be a bra, sports bra, swimsuit,
`lingerie item, halter top, tank top, dress, or other item of
`clothing generally characterized by having a breast support-
`65 ing section. A halter top, tank top, or dress of the present
`invention, for example, may comprise bra cups attached to the
`article to provide support which can then be provided with the
`
`p. 9
`
`

`

`US 7,753,759 B2
`
`4
`over. The securing means may comprise a flap providing a
`tortuous pathway for escape from the pocket, or a flap with
`mechanical attachment means to connect the flap to a surface
`of the pocket to achieve closure, or mechanical closure means
`to join the pocket layer to the breast cover. The attachment
`means can include hook and loop materials such as Velcro®
`(marketed by Velcro USA, Manchester, N.H.). Other attach(cid:173)
`ment means may be used such as zippers, snaps, buttons,
`self-cohesive materials ( e.g., opposing layers of cohesive sili-
`10 cone or other polymers), magnetic strips, etc. A pocket of the
`present invention in the breast cup of a swimsuit, for example,
`could be securable with a zipper or with a sewn strip over the
`lip of the pocket to constrain the contents of the pocket.
`The pockets of the articles of the present invention may
`15 also comprise apertures or other means to allow cords, cables,
`wires, or tubes to pass from objects in the pockets to external
`locations. Thus, the user may carry an MP3 player or other
`personal listening device in the pocket of the article while
`listening to the music with earphones. Alternatively, a drug
`20 delivery device such as an insulin pump may deliver medica(cid:173)
`tion such as insulin via tube to another part of the body.
`The articles of apparel of the present invention may include
`brassieres of any kind, sports bras and related active wear,
`swimsuits, halter tops, various undergarment foundations,
`25 lingerie, sportswear, or other clothing, including clothing into
`which support material serving the function of a brassiere has
`been incorporated and the like. In some embodiments, the
`breast cover comprises a flexible cup having a resilient shape
`adapted to provide support for the female breast such as a bra
`cup.
`In general, a pocket of the present invention may be
`directly in contact with the breast of the wearer or may be
`further covered by one or more layers of lining material,
`padding, or other suitable materials.
`Further, an individual pocket may be subdivided into mul(cid:173)
`tiple smaller pockets.
`
`3
`pockets of the present invention. In some embodiments how(cid:173)
`ever, the article of apparel may exclude halter tops, tank tops,
`and/or dresses; in other embodiments the article of apparel
`may be limited to undergarments and swimwear.
`The pocket can be formed of an extensible material that
`can, for example, elastically deform along at least one axis
`under mild loads ( e.g., less than 3 pounds of force per inch of
`material width) to extents such as at least 10%, at least 20%,
`oratleast30% (e.g., when tested with a six-inch long strip one
`inch in length held between the jaws of universal testing
`device for measuring mechanical properties of textiles). Such
`materials can include woven or nonwoven fabrics comprising
`Spandex®, Lycra®, nylon, neoprene, polyurethanes, poly(cid:173)
`olefins, polyesters, wool, rayon, etc. The fabrics may be
`single layer or multilayer, including laminates and compos(cid:173)
`ites. The fabrics need not be substantially extensive and may
`be made of any soft, flexible material, including those com(cid:173)
`monly used for liners or interior surfaces of bra cups in bras,
`swimsuits, etc. The fabric may have an open area due to the
`presence of apertures ( e.g., a mesh or lace) such that the area
`occupied by openings have a maximum diameter of at least
`0.5 mm occupies at least 10% of the area of the material of the
`pocket layer. Open areas greater than 10% may be used, such
`as at least 20%, at least 30%, or at least 40%.
`The pocket can be formed from a pocket layer that is
`substantially rectangular, rounded rectangular, or other suit(cid:173)
`able shape that has been attached to the interior surface of a
`breast cover using any known method such as sewing, ultra(cid:173)
`sonic welding, adhesive attachment, etc. The attachment of
`the pocket layer to the breast cover is along a portion of the 30
`perimeter of the pocket. The portion of the perimeter that is
`not directly joined to the breast generally defines the opening
`of the pocket for receiving objects, and can be oriented toward
`the top of the breast cover and near the upper boundary of the
`article that comprises the breast cover, allowing the user to 35
`reach under the upper boundary of the article and into pocket
`between the breast cover and the breast to retrieve or place
`objects, as desired.
`The distance between the mouth of the pocket and the
`nearest upper boundary of the article can be less than 1 cm, 40
`less than 2 cm, or less than 3 cm, or may be between about 0.5
`and 5 cm, such as between 0.5 and 4 cm or between 0.5 and 2
`cm.
`Rather than forming a pocket by joining a single pocket
`layer to the breast cover, the pocket layer itself may be part of 45
`a pre-formed pocket having a first body-side pocket layer
`co-extensive with a second pocket layer away from the body
`and toward the breast cover, with the first pocket layer joined
`to the second pocket layer along a portion of the perimeters of
`the first pocket layer to define an internal pocket chamber in 50
`the pre-formed pocket. The pre-formed pocket may then be
`attached to the interior surface of the breast cover by any
`known means such as stitching, thermal or ultrasonic weld(cid:173)
`ing, adhesives, etc. The resulting construct, for purposes of
`the present invention, will still be understood to have a pocket 55
`layer (i.e., the first pocket layer) joined to the breast cover
`along a perimeter of the pocket layer, though the joining in
`this case involves connection of the first pocket layer to an
`intermediate layer, the second pocket layer, which in turn is
`joined to the breast cover.
`In many embodiments, the placement of the pocket toward
`the lateral side of the breast and its orientation and size keeps
`the pocket from covering the nipple of the breast to be more
`comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.
`The pocket may further comprise securing means to close 65
`the pocket to reduce or eliminate the possibility of small
`objects falling from the pocket during use, including bending
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of an article of
`apparel comprising a pocket for concealing objects.
`FIG. 2 is a back view of the article of FIG. 1.
`FIG. 3 shows a front view of another article of the present
`invention.
`FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a portion of an article of the
`present invention.
`FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of a portion of an article of the
`present invention comprising a padding layer.
`FIG. 6 shows a detail of a pocket in an article of the present
`invention.
`FIG. 7 shows a detail of a pocket having a flap.
`FIG. 8 shows a detail of a pocket having closure means to
`secure the flap in a closed position.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the
`present invention, references are made in the text hereof to
`embodiments of a brassiere containing concealed pockets for
`60 concealing objects such as portable electronic devices, keys,
`toiletries, money and other valuables, pepper spray, insulin
`pumps, inhalers, syringes or other drug delivery devices, only
`some of which are depicted in the figures. It should neverthe-
`less be understood that no limitations on the scope of the
`invention are thereby intended. One of ordinary skill in the art
`will readily appreciate that modifications such as the size and
`shape of the brassiere, the inclusion of fewer and/or addi-
`
`p. 10
`
`

`

`US 7,753,759 B2
`
`5
`tional elements, ornamental features, and the inclusion of
`additional breast enhancers are deemed readily apparent and
`obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, and all equivalent
`relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and
`described in the written description do not depart from the
`spirit and scope of the present invention. Some of these pos(cid:173)
`sible modifications are mentioned in the following descrip(cid:173)
`tion. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be
`interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and
`as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in 10
`the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appro(cid:173)
`priately detailed system, structure, or manner.
`It should be understood that the drawings are not necessar-
`ily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating
`the principles of the invention. In addition, in the embodi- 15
`ments depicted herein, like reference numerals refer to iden(cid:173)
`tical or nearly identical structural elements in the various
`drawings.
`Moreover, the term "substantially" or "approximately" as
`used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative repre- 20
`sentation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a
`change in the basic function to which it is related.
`FIG. 1 provides a front view of the article of apparel 10 of
`the present invention, here in the form of a bra, which com(cid:173)
`prises two breast covers 12A, 12B, respectively, here in the 25
`form of bra cups, having exposed exterior surfaces 14A and
`14B and opposing interior surfaces 16A, 16B for contacting
`the body. A medial portion 22 joins the two breast covers 12A,
`12B, and a torso band 18 subtended by a lower torso strip 20
`extends laterally outward from the breast covers 12A, 12B, 30
`terminating in S-hooks or other connection means (not
`shown) to join the two ends of the torso band 18 when worn.
`Shoulder straps 26A, 26B with strap adjustment means 28A,
`28B, respectively, cooperate with the torso band 18 in secur(cid:173)
`ing the article 10 on the body of a wearer (not shown) to 35
`provide support for the breasts of the wearer (not shown).
`A pocket 30 is provided on the interior surface 16A of a first
`breast cover 12A. The pocket 30 has a mouth 32 near the
`upper boundary 24 of the breast cover 12A of the article 10,
`with the mouth 32 accessible to a hand (not shown) reaching 40
`into the breast cover 12A between the shoulder strap 26A and
`the medial portion 22 of the article 10 (more specifically,
`between the point of attachment 42A of the shoulder strap
`26A to the breast cover 12A and the medial portion 22 of the
`article 10). A majority of the pocket 30 is positioned toward 45
`the lateral side 50A of the breast cover 12A, remote from the
`medial portion 22 and toward the upper lateral portion of the
`breast (not shown), remote from the medial portion of the
`breast (not shown), such that objects in the pocket 30 will tend
`to compress the breast tissue on the upper lateral portion of 50
`the breast, and particularly the upper portion of the breast near
`the underarm where fatty breast tissue is predominant in
`many women, allowing the breast to be comfortably com(cid:173)
`pressed to minimize bulk from concealed object (not shown).
`In practice, we have discovered that this tends to cause the 55
`breast to deform to receive the bulk of objects (not shown) in
`the pocket 30, rather than causing readily visible bulges in the
`article 10 due to the presence of the objects. Thus, objects can
`be readily concealed due to the placement and construction of
`the pocket 30, according to the present invention.
`The breast covers 12A, 12B may include padding, decora(cid:173)
`tive elements, breathable material, water-resistant or swim(cid:173)
`wear material, rigid or flexible support, elastics, support for
`cup enlarging inserts or prosthetics, or other additions known
`to the art.
`FIG. 2 shows the interior side of a portion of the article 10
`of FIG. 1. The pocket 30 is now visible on the interior surface
`
`6
`16A of breast cover 12A toward the lateral side 50A. The
`pocket 30 has a distorted rectangular shape with three sides
`34A, 34B, and 34C attached to the breast cover 12A by
`stitches 44 ( e.g., pearl stitches or any other suitable stitching),
`while a fourth side 34D remains free and defines the mouth 32
`of the pocket 30. The shape of the mouth 32 is typically
`determined by the shape of the side 34D, which may be
`concave, as shown in FIG. 2, or may be substantially straight,
`convex, or have any combination of curved or linear compo(cid:173)
`nents defining an aesthetically pleasing design. In use, how(cid:173)
`ever, it has been discovered that a somewhat concave shape to
`the mouth 3 2 can make it easier to slide objects into the pocket
`30.
`The pocket 30 has a length L extending from the side 34D
`defining the mouth 32 and the remote lower side 34B that
`terminates the pocket 30. The pocket 30 also has a width W
`shown here as the width at the mouth 32. The ratio ofL/W is
`the pocket aspect ratio.
`The pocket 30 also has a longitudinal axis 36 extending
`along the length L of the pocket 30. The angle a is the acute
`angle between longitudinal axis 36 and the vertical axis 38. In
`many embodiments, a finite acute angle a can assist in pro(cid:173)
`viding the proper positioning of the pocket such that the
`mouth 32 is readily accessible but that the majority of the
`pocket 30 is positioned to place objects on the lateral side of
`the breast (not shown), away from the centerline of the body
`( or away from the medial portion 22 of the article) to provide
`for lateral deformation of the tissue toward the lateral side of
`the breast located near the lateral side 50A of the breast cover
`12A.
`This orientation of the article 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
`with respect to defining the angle a, should be understood to
`substantially correspond to the typical orientation that would
`be observed when the article 10 is worn on the body of wearer
`(not shown) standing upright with the sternum of the wearer
`substantially aligned with the vertical axis 38. In some
`embodiments, the angle a, which can be called the offset
`angle, can range from about 10 degrees to about 70 degrees,
`such as from about 10 degrees to about 60 degrees, from about
`10 degrees to about 50 degrees, from about 10 degrees to
`about 30 degrees, or from about 20 degrees to about 60
`degrees, or greater than 10 degrees, greater than 20 degrees,
`or greater than 30 degrees.
`FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the article 10 of the
`present invention, again in the form of an item of clothing
`such as a bra, swimsuit, or halter top.As inFIGS.1 and 2, two
`breast covers 12A, 12B are joined by a medial portion 22 and
`are attached to shoulder straps 26A, 28B and a torso band 18.
`A pocket 30 is attached to the interior surface 16A of a first
`breast cover 12A and positioned on the lateral side 50A of the
`first breast cover 12A. Here one side of the pocket is coex-
`tensive with the lateral side 50A of the breast cover 12A. The
`pocket 30 is shown containing a concealed object 48.
`FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the lateral side ofa breast 56 in
`contact with a portion of an article 10 of the present invention,
`showing a breast cover 12 having an interior surface 16 and an
`external surface 14, further having an underwire frame mem(cid:173)
`ber 66 beneath the breast 56 (alternatively, various plastic,
`elastic, or other members may be used to provide added
`60 support). A pocket 30 is disposed between the upper portion
`of the breast 56 and the upper portion of the breast cover 12.
`The pocket 30 contains an object 48 which slightly deforms
`the breast 56 in deformed region 58 without causing a readily
`visible bulge or outline in the exterior surface 14 of the breast
`65 cover 12.
`FIG. 5 is a cross-section similar to that of FIG. 4, but
`wherein the article 10 is a padded bra wherein the breast cover
`
`p. 11
`
`

`

`US 7,753,759 B2
`
`7
`12 further comprises a layer of padding 68 under the interior
`surface 16. In contrast to FIG. 4, no object is shown in the
`pocket 30. Rather, the pocket 30 is filled with a removable
`section of padding material 70 that may comprise the same
`type of padding material used to form the padding layer 68 of
`the article 10. When it is desired to insert an object (not
`shown) into the pocket 30, the removable section of padding
`material 70 may be removed to provide additional volume for
`concealed objects, further assisting the wearer in concealing
`objects without providing a bulky appearance from their pres- 10
`ence.
`FIG. 6 shows a detail ofa pocket 30 attached to the interior
`surface 16 of a breast cover 12, having a first side 34A, a
`second side 34B, a third side 34C, and a fourth side 34D that
`interacts with the interior surface 12 to forms the mouth 32 of 15
`the pocket 30, here having a concave shape. The sides 34A,
`34B, 34C are joined to the interior surface 16A with stitches
`44 though many other attachment means could be used. The
`pocket 30 is shown holding a concealed object 48.
`FIG. 7 shows a detail of a pocket 30 similar to that of FIG. 20
`6 except here the pocket 30 further comprises a flap 52
`attached to the interior surface 16 of the breast cover 12 along
`a flap line 54. The flap 52 is shown in the closed position,
`providing additional restraint to prevent a concealed object 48
`from falling out of the interior of the pocket 30.
`FIG. 8 shows a detail of a pocket 30 similar to that of FIG.
`6 but with additional mechanical closure elements 56, 58 in
`the form of a first closure element 56 and a second closure
`element 58, wherein the first and second closure elements 56,
`58 cooperate to securely close the flap 52 onto the pocket 30. 30
`The first and second closure elements 56, 58 may be a hook
`layer and a loop layer in a hook-and-loop mechanical closure
`system such as a Velcro® attachment system, a snap and snap
`receiving element, a magnet and metallic element attracted by
`magnets, two opposing layers of a cohesive material, and the 35
`like. Pockets 30 having such closure elements 56, 58 can be
`implemented in articles of apparel suitable for athletic activi(cid:173)
`ties, swimming, or wherever there is an elevated risk of
`objects falling from a pocket 30.
`
`25
`
`Further Details
`
`40
`
`The present invention may be adapted for nursing bras and
`related garments, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No.
`3,449,763 to Grate, issued Jun. 17, 1969; U.S. Pat. No. 4,208, 45
`743 to Whitcraft, issued Jun. 24, 1980; U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,
`398 to Knapp, issued Mar. 26, 2002; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,
`086 to Eggen, issued Mar. 18, 1997. The present invention
`may also be adapted for strapless bras such as those described
`in U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,638, "Strapless Brassiere," issued Sep. 50
`7, 1965 to W. Jean. Women's swimming suits, either the top
`portion of two-piece suits or one-piece suits, may also be
`adapted for use with the present invention. The material of
`construction for the breast covers or other portions of the
`article of apparel may comprise an elastomeric woven or 55
`nonwovenmaterial, including spandex, materials comprising
`Lycra® fiber (marketed by Invista Corp., Wichita, Kans.),
`polyurethane, nylon, polyolefins, and the like, or it may be a
`woven or nonwoven or composite thereof without substantial
`elastomeric properties. The material of construction for the 60
`breast cover or the pocket itself may have substantial uniaxial
`or biaxial stretch.
`Among the many varieties ofbras that may be used with the
`present invention, underwire bras may be of any known kind,
`and may include underwires comprising metal, plastic, or 65
`other materials. Examples that may be adapted for use within
`the scope of the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,
`
`8
`316, "Brassiere Frame," issued Jan. 9, 1979 to H. L. Schwartz,
`which describes a protective device for the end of a narrow flat
`arcuate wire in the pocket of a brassiere for framing the lower
`circumferential portion of a brassiere cup.
`The bra may be constructed according to principles given
`in any of the following patents:
`U.S. Pat. No. 3,244,175, "Brassiere Construction," issued
`to May 11, 2004 to H. Sturges;
`U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,362, "Brassiere," issued to K. Plew;
`which describes a brassiere of the type having a pair of
`cups, torso bands, and shoulder strap, and apparatus for
`connecting the pair of shoulder straps, wherein said
`apparatus includes a strip of fabric loops extending
`along free upper edges of the pair of torso bands and free
`upper edges of the pair of cups, a pair of fabric loops that
`are overlying aligned with each other, and disposed in a
`space between the pair of cups at free upper edges of the
`pair of cups, an upper strip of material that may be
`silicone overlying the strip of fabric loops and the pair of
`fabric loops for preventing discomfort to a wearer and
`keeping the brassiere in place, and a lower strip of mate(cid:173)
`rial such as silicone that overlies the free lower edges of
`the pair of torso bands for further keeping the brassiere
`in place.
`U.S. Pat. No. 7,413,495, "Braand/orBraPadforProviding
`the Appearance of Symmetry to Asymmetrical Breasts,"
`issued Aug. 19, 2008 to M. Sobah-Wilhelm, which
`describes an apparatus comprising a strap portion, a first
`cup, and a second cup. The first cup may be connected to
`the strap portion and may be selected from a number of
`available sizes. The second cup may be connected to the
`strap portion and selected from a number of available
`sizes. The first cup and the second cup are different sizes.
`U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,865, "Brassiere," issued Feb. 3, 1976 to
`J. Newmar.
`U.S. Design Pat. D438691, "Sports Bra," issued Mar. 13,
`2001 to A. Zagame.
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,005, "Sports Bra," issued Mar. 28,
`1989 to R. Braaten.
`U.S. Pat. No. 2,005,094 issued Zweben,