WO2020074966A4

WO2020074966A4 - Adjustable bra ii

Info

Publication number: WO2020074966A4
Application number: PCT/IB2019/001151
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cheryl STEIN
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-10-09
Filing date: 2019-10-07
Publication date: 2020-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 2021-04-09
Also published as: US20200138122A1; WO2020074966A2; WO2020074966A3

Abstract

A bra comprises of a pair (two) of bra cups to hold the breasts and a band reaching around the torso to secure the bra in place. The band comprises of a front under bust band attached to and underlying the bra cups, with a front enclosure or not, a back band comprising of two bands that meet at the centre with a buckle and fold out with hooks (or buckles & tunnels) on each side, right and left, a length adjustment feature for independently adjusting the length of the band conducive to the need of the wearer. Or this may be a band in the middle of the back with two buckles, one on each side. The adjustment allows for the band to be bigger or smaller according to the wearers needs.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 22 June 2020 (22.06.20)

1. A bra comprising of a pair of bra cups and a band, the band comprising a front under bust band with front enclosure , or not, attached to and underlying the bra cups and at least one back band, where one band extends from the left under bust band to the left back shoulder blade called“band one” and another extends from the right under bust band to the back right shoulder blade called“band two” which the two bands comprises a pair of length adjustment elements for independently adjusting the length of the back band which is connected to the shoulder straps or no shoulder straps. Band One and two have free ends which are secured by going thru an open buckle located mid axillary on the back approximately and band one and two folding unto itself and secured via hooks/eyes, hooks and tunnels, buttons, snaps , velcro or the like. The folded over bands one and two extend outwards from the mid axillary line of the body between the two shoulders blades and“band one” attaches to the left side of the band from the mid axillary line to the left shoulder blade with hooks and loops/eyes , buttons, snaps, buckles or even velcro, vertical tunnels (or slots) and hooks, etc. The“band two” from the right under band then attaches to the right side of the band on it’ s right side of the mid axillary line to the right shoulder blade with hooks and loops/eyes, buttons, buckles, snaps or velcro, vertical tunnels (or slots) and hooks, etc. The under band segments (free ends) of band one and band two are releasably secured to the respective left and right sides of the respective bands, which are attached to shoulder straps or not. The hooks or loops, buckles, snaps, buttons, vertical tunnels (or slots) and hooks or other affixable material like velcro etc are located on the bands one and two with the adjoining portion whether it be the hook of a loop/eye or button hole for button or the like is located on the band one and band two free ends adjusting the length appropriately to fit the girth of the wearer.

2. The bra of Claim 1 wherein the length adjustment elements are located on the back

band, where the two sides meet in the middle and fold over each side with hooks or buckles and accompanying rows of loops (eyes) or vertical tunnels (or vertical slots).

3. The bra of Claim 1 and 2 where it is not just a sports bra like other applications but generally a bra or swimsuit is claimed herein like the US patents : US patent no. US D851,860 S granted JUNE 25 2019 and entitled“ Butterfly Back Bra” ; and a continuation of Ser. no. 29/651, 089 filed Dec 6 2017 which issued as US Patent no. US D852, 459 S granted JULY 2, 2019 entitled“ Adjustable Bra”.

4. The bra of Claim 2 and 3 wherein each of the length adjustment elements comprises a pair of straps or bands adjoining from the front underhand and adjacent to the back band and attached just below the shoulder blades after passing thru a mid axillary open buckle or other device which secures the ends to which they may then fold over upon itself and be secured upon itself with hooks/eyes, hooks and vertical tunnels (or vertical slots), buttons, snaps, velcro or attachable adhesive or the like.

5. The bra of Claim 2 and 3 wherein each of the length adjustment elements comprises a pair of straps and a buckle and vertical tunnels or hooks/loops (eyes) or velcro.

The tunnels being fabric which is sewn vertically in sequence ( approximately 6- 8, more or less) so there is an open vertical slot or vertical passage way or hole on the top going thru to the bottom which serves to have the hook attached to and from band one and band two’s free end to go thru and be secured by it’s hooks end at the bottom of the vertical slot or tunnel. These are not described as“loops” which is a loop of fabric or‘eyes’ of‘hook & eyes’, nor as a“channel” which could be horizontal , this aspect of the“vertical slots“ distinguishing it from other applications.

6. The bra of Claim 2 and 4 & 5 wherein the bra is a front and/or back closure bra and the band comprises a pair of back bands, each with vertical tunnels located on it’s free ends of band one and band two. It being a front closure bra distinguishes it from other applications.

7. The bra of Claim 4 & 5 wherein each of the length adjustment elements comprises a pair of straps extending from the front under bust band and adjacent to the back band and attached or secured approximately‘just below the shoulder blades on each left and right side of the mid axillary line’ of the back of the wearer. This distinguishes it from other applications.

8. The bra of Claim 1 and 4 & 5 wherein the length adjustment features are located on the back bands and the respective shoulder straps, over each of the shoulders of the wearer , are attached to and terminate and are located on the back bands one and two. This distinguishes it from other applications.

9. The bra of Claim 1 and 4 & 5 wherein there are NO shoulder straps and it is strapless with just bands one and two going thru a central mid axillary open buckle or such. This again distinguishes it from other applications.

10. The bra of Claim 1 and 4 wherein the bra’s straps criss cross or are T- shaped (or racerback).

11. The bra of Claim 1 and 2 wherein the back band (s) comprise(s) a series of tunnels on each length of the back band, under or proximate each of the shoulder blades of the wearer when worn, before meeting in the middle with each one of the adjustment elements and free ends passing through the buckle and attaching the respective free ends hook through the appropriate vertical tunnels of the band (or in the first figures case the hooks onto the loops/ eyes).

12. The bra of Claim 11 wherein the bra is a back closure bra and the band comprises a pair of back bands. The bra is then placed around the girth and adjusted properly to fit comfortably before being turned around to the attachments back band one and two being on the back side of the wearer and it has no front closure system. This may be strapless or not.

13. The bra of Claim 11 wherein the bra is a front closure bra and the back band comprises an adjacent extension of the front band to the back adjoining band with the two back bands folding upon each other and being secured just below each respective left and right shoulder blade or approximately thereof. This is a distinction from other applications.

14. The bra of Claim 11 wherein the bra is strapless or criss crossed shoulder bands or T- Shaped back or racer back.

15. The bra of Claim 5 wherein the back band (s) comprise(s) a series of tunnels on each

length of the back central piece where the two back bands extend from this central mid axillary piece and meet and attach under or proximate of the shoulder blades of the wearer when worn, going thru open buckles one each below approximately each shoulder blade and then folding over onto itself and meeting towards and in the middle of the back with each one of the adjustment elements and free ends passing through each respective sides buckle and attaching the free ends hook through the appropriate vertical tunnels or vertical slots of the central band.

16. The bra of claim 15 wherein the bra is a back closure bra and the band comprises a pair of back bands within and extending outwards from the central piece. This not having shoulder straps or if they did distinguishes it from other applications in that the central piece contains the two free ends that respectively fold upon themselves toward the center mid axillary and are secured thereof.

17. The BRA of Claim 15 wherein the bra is strapless or criss crossed shoulder bands or T- shaped back or racer back.

18. The Bra of Claim 15 wherein the length adjustment elements are located on the back

band where there is a strap (or band) lying across horizontally in the middle back extending out from a central piece mid axillary and are extended left and right, and connecting thru two buckles one on each left and right side, left and right, approximately under each shoulder blade, where the back strap goes thru the respective buckles and ties it’s free ends onto its central self with hooks & loops/ eyes or buckles and vertical tunnels or buttons, snaps or a releasable adhesive or the like. Velcro may also be used as a form of attachment of the free ends. This distinguishes itself from other applications in that it goes thru“two buckles” as well has“two free ends” going thru the security device of vertical tunnels, two sided, not one sided.

19. While the Claim 5 & 15 may be captured by earlier applications they show only one

side being utilized whereas my applications indicates the use of TWO sides fully utilized to add or subtract the girth length.

20. The diameter of the left and right extensions of the under bust bands and central portion of Claims 1 thru 19 may vary from 1 inch to 4 inches or more or less and is captured within the scope of this invention as a varying but inclusive factor.

21. Claims 1 thru 20 draw attention to and are applicable to that of an everyday bra (or swimsuit) and not necessarily just a sports bra as some inventions may claim.

22. While hooks and vertical tunnels and buckles have been illustrated for use in

combination with the back band as part of the length adjustment elements, other types of fasteners that permits adjustment of the effective length of the back band 16 L and 16 R may be used within the scope of the present invention. Thus , for example, buckles (different types) snaps, clasps, clamps, buttons, rings, ties, zippers, metal slide or clips or even velcro may be used instead .

23. It will be understood that the independent adjustment feature described herein may be incorporated into strapless bras, underwire bras, non- underwire bras, sports bras, posture bras, minimizer bras, leisure bras , bralettes, front enclosure bras, swimsuits, and the like and are all covered with the scope of my invention. When the bra is a front enclosure bra, as preferred, the back may be first adjusted before putting on and conversely with no front enclosure the wearer may put on the bra using solely a back adjustment feature and adjust accordingly. Either way is protected within this present invention.

24. Having described the invention in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and

variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the claims. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that all examples in the present disclosure are provided as non- limiting examples.

25. The expression of the invention is within both the claims and description and both must be considered in detail in defining it along with the accompanying figure drawings to demonstrate it’s uniqueness and novelty.

MY STATEMENT (Article 19 1) : (no disbaraging comments - all relative to amendments ) :

There are three distinctions made by the international searching authority (ISA) in it’s opinions (Box No. V) and relates to my amendments as the searching authority also indicated to me that“my language and words were limiting in the original claims”, thus NOW my claims are more detailed and expanded on to distinguish them from other application, this all found in my original application. I appreciated this feedback very much as I am not a lawyer. The following describes the three examples whereby my application was found similar to other applications and in my amendments it helps clarify the differences from mine too.

NIKE“tempesta”:

1. (Dl) (patent No. US 2016081398 Al) This patent which dates back to 2014 specifies

“sports bra only” in it’s claims and abstract (not Bra generally) . nike

(tempesta) uses the term“bra” generally in a“follow up utility claim AFTER my filing date (dec 6 2017) of a design BRA (USA patent) showing a similar design” but in her original utility patent she claimed only“sports bra”. I believe in Nike Getting the world patent, the searching party failed to consider my US design patent which predates them using the term“bra”

“generally” (mine dec 6 2017 filed, granted June 2019) covering now what is internationally accepted as“Nike’s design”(?) I believe this search failed to recognize my design patent and use of a General Bra. Indicating not thorough search performed as my design is public on the internet since granted plus as pointed out in Nike claims they use the word“loops” not meaning vertical tunnels which I use and they use“channels” to describe‘horizontal openings thru the band’. NIKE never uses the term“Tunnels” or“vertical openings” or “vertical tunnels” or“vertical slots” to describe what I cover, this clarified further in my amendments. I believe Loops do not mean tunnels they mean loops, something round which holds. Not a vertical tunnel which an item travels thru to secure something. (See claim 5)

My invention is a front closure bra distinguishing it from other applications (See claim 6)

Compared to One sided loops:

2. (D2) the other pointed out ( patent no. US2006252346A1 ) has only one side utilized with tunnels and hooks not two, so mine is different and inventive. This concept is clarified further in my amendments and helps distinguish it from this one.

(See claim 9)

third one pointed out:

3. I looked up“inventive” and it is defined as something different and unique whether it be a combination of existing but in creating something not before seen. Patents are published so that people may“improve” upon the inventions and make them better or more efficient thus making them in turn“novel” and“new.” So I believe my application to be novel and new and will request the demand for international preliminary examination as part of CHAPTER II of the PCT.

My invention has attachments located under each shoulder blade as in Claim 13

amendment. My invention has shoulder straps located under each shoulder blade as in Claim 8

amendment

(1)3): ivatent no. US7033244B1 :) describes“a nursing bra” which contains a back strap connected to two buckles but‘the under bust front band goes thru the two buckles’ and connects to the under bust front , not the free ends located on the central band and again specifies“loops”, NOT“ vertical tunnels“ or“vertical slots” to use to secure the attachments. The only commonality is two buckles and a back strap, very vague.

(See claims 15 & 16 amendment)

Sincerely,

Ms. Cheryl A. Stein dated June 21, 2020 re: International application No. PCT/IB2019/001151 “Adjustable Bra II”