Brassiere construction using multiple layers of fabric

Abstract

A body-shaping garment and fabric is provided. The garment includes an inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer. The inner fabric layer is placed in an angular orientation relative to the outer fabric layer. Further, the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer have sufficiently isotropic hysteresis.

1 . A body-shaping garment, comprising: 
 a body-contacting portion for contacting a formable body area having an inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer,    wherein the inner fabric layer defines a first X-X′ axis and first Y-Y′ axis and the outer fabric layer defines a second X-X′ axis and second Y-Y′ axis, and the inner fabric layer and outer fabric layer are oriented such that the first X-X′ axis of the inner fabric layer is at a first angle Θ 1  to the second X-X′ axis of the outer fabric layer, and    wherein the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer together provide a material having hysteresis values for each fabric layer with a coefficient of variation (S) value defined by:            S   =           std   ⁡     (       H       L   &     ⁢   L       ,     H       W   &     ⁢   W       ,     H       L   &     ⁢   W         )         mean   ⁡     (       H       L   &     ⁢   L       ,     H       W   &     ⁢   W       ,     H       L   &     ⁢   W         )         ×   100   ⁢   %     ≤     10   ⁢     %   .                 
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said garment is a brassiere.  
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said body-contacting portion is a breast-receiving cup.  
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the first angle Θ 1  varies from 15° to 165°.  
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer are oriented such that the first X-X′ axis of the inner fabric layer is at a second angle Θ 2  from a horizontal axis defined by the garment, and wherein the second angle Θ 2  varies from 0-180°.  
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer comprise circular knit, tricot warp knit, raschel warp knit, lace, flat knit, woven, and non-woven fabric.  
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer each comprise a copolyether-based spandex.  
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer are molded.  
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 2 , wherein said brassiere includes a pair of cups, and wherein each cup is one of full, half or partial coverage types.  
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 9 , wherein the inner fabric layer is joined to the outer fabric layer.  
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 10 , wherein the garment comprises: 
 a left cup;    a left wing part;    a left shoulder strap;    a bridge;    a right cup;    a right wing part;    a right shoulder strap;    a fastener; and    a mating fastener or hook band, and    wherein the left cup is attached at one edge to the left wing part and at another edge to one end of the bridge,    the left shoulder strap is connected at one end to a distal end of the left wing part and at an other end to an upper part of the left cup,    the right cup is attached at one edge to the right wing part and at an other edge to one end of the bridge,    the right shoulder strap is connected at one end to a distal end of the right wing part and at an other end to an upper part of the right cup, and    the fastener is connected to the distal end of the right wing part and the mating fastener is connected to the distal end of the left wing part.    
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 11 , further comprising a sheath attached to at least one of a pair of cups, defined by the right cup and the left cup, and a pair of wing parts, defined by the right wing part and the left wing part; and an underwire contained within the sheath.  
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the brassiere is at least one of an unbanded underwire, a banded underwire, a hidden underwire, a demi-cup underwire, a soft cup invisible support and a triangle soft cup minimal bra.  
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 9 , wherein the cups each comprise two to five layers of fabric.  
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said formable body area is selected from the group consisting of breasts, thighs, buttocks, the abdominal area, and the groin area.  
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the body-contacting portion includes two or more layers of a fabric each including an elastic fiber and one or more intermediate layers.  
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more intermediate layers are positioned between layers including an elastic fiber.  
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more intermediate layers comprises a composition selected from the group consisting of a fabric, a film, a fiberfill, a foam, nonwovens and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said garment is selected from the group consisting of activewear, sportswear, hosiery, bandages, and intimate apparel.  
     
     
         20 . A multi-layer fabric having at least two layers comprising: 
 an inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer,    wherein the inner fabric layer defines a first X-X′ axis and first Y-Y′ axis and the outer fabric layer defines a second X-X′ axis and second Y-Y′ axis, and the inner fabric layer and outer fabric layer are oriented such that the first X-X′ axis of the inner fabric layer is at a first angle Θ 1  to the second X-X′ axis of the outer fabric layer, and    wherein the inner fabric layer and the outer fabric layer together provide a material having hysteresis values for each fabric layer with a coefficient of variation (S) value defined by:            S   =           std   ⁡     (       H       L   &     ⁢   L       ,     H       W   &     ⁢   W       ,     H       L   &     ⁢   W         )         mean   ⁡     (       H       L   &     ⁢   L       ,     H       W   &     ⁢   W       ,     H       L   &     ⁢   W         )         ×   100   ⁢   %     ≤     10   ⁢     %   .                 
     
     
         21 . A garment comprising: 
 a body-shaping area;    said body-shaping area comprising a multi-layer fabric having an inner layer and an outer layer;    wherein the inner fabric layer defines a first X-X′ axis and first Y-Y′ axis and the outer fabric layer defines a second X-X′ axis and second Y-Y′ axis, and the inner fabric layer and outer fabric layer are oriented such that the first X-X′ axis of the inner fabric layer is at a first angle Θ 1  to the second X-X′ axis of the outer fabric layer; and    said inner fabric layer and said outer fabric layer each include an elastomeric fabric and each provide a multi-directional elasticity.