Bra structures with variable rigidity fabrics

Abstract

A bra cup component has an inner fabric layer with lower, middle and lower cup areas. The lower cup area is knit fabric of a first synthetic yarn that is initially flexible and then becomes more rigid after being heated to a temperature higher than any temperature the bra would experience during washing and wearing. The upper cup area knit of a second polyester yarn. An outer fabric layer over the inner fabric layer is attached around the perimeter and is closely adjacent the upper cup area and spaced from the lower cup area to form a support space. An underwire area is around a lower portion of the lower cup area so that the lower cup area extending between opposite ends of the underwire area for creating a bust lifting effect.

1 . A component for a bust cup comprising:
 a fabric layer having a lower cup area and an upper cup area;   the lower cup area being a fabric including at least a first by weight of a first yarn comprising a synthetic yarn having a characteristic of being intially flexible, and then becoming a more rigid after being heated to at least a selected temperature that is higher than any temperature the component would experience during washing and wearing; and   the upper cup area being a fabric including a second yarn that is different from the first yarn and which has a characteristic of being initially flexible and remaining flexible after being heated to at least the selected temperature.   
     
     
         2 . A component according to  claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer includes a middle cup area between the lower and the upper cup areas, the middle cup area being a fabric blend of the first and second yarns, and including less than the first fraction by weight of the first yarn. 
     
     
         3 . A component according to  claim 1 , including, in the lower and the upper cup areas, an elastic yarn blended respectively with the first and second yarns. 
     
     
         4 . A component according to  claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer includes a middle cup area between the lower and the upper cup areas, the middle cup area being a fabric blend of the first second yarns, and including less than the first fraction by weight of the first yarn, the lower, middle and upper cup areas each including an elastic yarn blended respectively with the first and second yarns of the lower, middle and the upper cup areas. 
     
     
         5 . A component according to  claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer includes a middle cup area between the lower and the upper cup areas, the middle cup area being a knitted fabric blend of the first and second yarns, and including less than the first fraction by weight of the first yarn, the lower, middle and upper cup areas each including an elastic yarn knitted respectively with the first and second yarns of the lower, middle and upper cup areas, the first yarn having a sheath of ethylene vinyl alcohol and a core of a synthetic polymer, the second yarn being a synthetic polymer that is different from ethylene vinyl alcohol. 
     
     
         6 . A component according to  claim 1 , wherein the first yarn has a sheath of ethylene vinyl alcohol and a core of polyester, and the second yarn is polyester. 
     
     
         7 . A component according to  claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer includes a middle cup area between the lower and upper cup areas, the middle cup area being a knitted fabric blend of the first and second yarns, and including less than the first fraction by weight of the first yarn, the lower, middle and upper cup areas each including elastic yarn knitted respectively with the first and second yarns of the lower, middle and upper cup areas, the first yarn having a sheath of ethylene vinyl alcohol and a core of polyester, the second yarn being a polyester, the first fraction by weight of the first yard in the lower cup area being between about 50% to 95%, the second yard being present in the upper cup area in an amount of between about 50% to 95% by weight, and the elastic yarn being present in the lower, middle and upper cup areas in amounts of between about 5% to 40% by weight, the first and second yards beach being present in the middle cup area in amounts of between about 30% to 50% by weigh. 
     
     
         8 . A component according to  claim 1 , including an underwire area containing an underwire below the lower cup area, the underwire area having upwardly extending opposite ends with an upper portion of the lower cup area extending between the opposite ends of the underwire area for creating a bust lifting effect. 
     
     
         9 . A component according to  claim 1 , including an outer fabric layer over an outer surface of the lower and upper cup areas of the first-mentioned fabric layer, the outer fabric layer being attached to the lower and upper cup areas around a perimeter of the component with the outer fabric layer being closely adjacent the upper cup area and being spaced from the lower cup area to form a support space, the component also including an underwire area containing an underwire below the lower cup area the underwire area having upwardly extending opposite ends with an upper portion of the lower cup area extending between the opposite ends of the underwire areas for creating, along with the support space, a bust lifting effect. 
     
     
         10 . A component according to  claim 1 , including an outer fabric layer over an outer surface of the lower and upper cup areas of the first-mentioned fabric layer, the outer fabric layer being attached to the lower and upper cup areas around a perimeter of the component with the outer fabric layer being closely adjacent the upper cup area and being spaced from the lower cup area to form a support space, and underwire area containing an underwire below the lower cup area, the underwire area havingt upwardly extending opposite ends of the underwire area for creating, along with the support space a bust lifting effect, and a middle cup area between the lower and the upper cup areas, the middle cup area being a knitted fabric blend of the first and second yarns, and including less than the first fraction by weightr of the first yarn the middle cup area also being spaced from the outer fabric layer to contribute to the support space. 
     
     
         11 . A component according to  claim 3 , wherein the elastic yarn is spandex. 
     
     
         12 . A component according to  claim 1 , wherein the first yarn has a sheath of ethylene vinyl alcohol and a core of polyester and the second yarn is polyester the selected temperature being above about 220° C. 
     
     
         13 . A component according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower cup area has a maximum height of between about 20% to 60% of a maximum height of the component, the upper cup area having a maximum heignt of between about 20% to 60% of the maximum height of the component. 
     
     
         14 . A component according to clai  1 , wherein the fabric layer includes a middle cup area between the lower and the upper cup areas, the middle cup area being a knitted fabric blend of the first and second yarns and including less than the first fraction by weight of the first yarn, the lower cup area having a maximum height of between about 20% to 70% of a maximum height of the component the upper cup area having a maximum height of between about 20% to 70% of the maximum height of the component and the middle cup area having a maximum height of between about 5% to 50% of the maximum height of the component. 
     
     
         15 . A component for bra cup comprising:
 an inner fabric layer having a lower cup area and an upper cup area;   the lower cup area being a knitted fabric including about 50% to 95% by weight of a first yarn comprising a sheath of ethylene vinyl alcohol and a core of polyester and having a characteristic of being initially flexible and then becoming more rigid after being heated to at least a selected temperature that is higher than any temperature the component would experience during washing and wearing.   the upper cup area being a knitted fabric including a second yarn of polyester which has a characteristic of being initially flexible and remaining flexible after being heated to at least the selected temperature the second yard being present in the upper cup area in an amount of between about 50% to 95% by weight, and an elastic yarn being present in the lower and the upper cup areas in amounts of between about 5% to 40% by weight and   the lower and upper cup areas both including at least some elastic yarn.   
     
     
         16 . A component according to  claim 15 , wherein the inner fabric layer includes a middle cup area between the lower and the upper cup areas the middle cup area being a knitted fabric blend of the first and second yarns and the elastic yarn and including less than the first fraction by weight of the first yarn, the lower cup area having a maximum height of between about 20% to 70% of a maximum height of the component the upper cup area having a maximum height of between about 20% to 70% of the maximum height of the component and the middle cup area having a maximum height of between about 5% to 50% of the maximum height of the component. 
     
     
         17 . A component according to  claim 15 , including an outer fabric layer over the inner layer, the outer fabric layer being attached to the lower and upper cup areas around a perimeter of the component with the outer fabric layer being closely adjacent the uppper cup area and being spaced from the lower cup area to form a support space, the component including an underwire area containing an underwire around at least lower portions of the lower cup area, the underwire area having upwardly extending opposite ends with an upper portion of the lower cup areas extending between the opposite ends of the underwire area for creating along with support space a bust lifting effect. 
     
     
         18 . A component according to  claim 15 , inluding a flexible foam layer between the inner and outer fabric layers. 
     
     
         19 . A component according to  claim 15 , wherein the first yarn has a sheath of ethylene vinyl alcohol and a core of polyester and the second yarn is polyester the selected temperature being above about 180° C. 
     
     
         20 . A component according to  claim 15 , wherein the elastic is spandex. 
     
     
         21 . A component for bra cup comprising:
 an inner fabric layer having a lower cup area and an upper cup area; and   an outer fabric layer over the inner fabric layer the outer fabric layer being attached to the lower and upper cup areas around a perimeter of the component with the outer fabric layer being closely adjacent the upper cup area and being spaced away from the lower cup area to form a support space.   
     
     
         22 . A component according to  claim 21 , including an underwire area containing an underwire around at least lower portions of the lower cup area the underwire area having upwardly extending opposite ends with an upper portion of the lower cup area extending between the opposite ends of the underwire area for creating, along with the support space a bust lifting effect. 
     
     
         23 . A component according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the inner and outer fabric layers includes a foam layer. 
     
     
         24 . A component according to  claim 21 , including a flexible foam layer between the inner and outer fabric layers. 
     
     
         25 . A component according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the inner and outer fabric layers is a knitted fabric including a yarn of polyester and an elastic yarn of spandex. 
     
     
         26 . A component for bra cup comprising:
 an inner fabric layer having a lower cup area and an upper cup area;   and outer fabric layer over the inner fabric layer, the outer fabric layer being attached to the lower and upper cup areas around a perimeter of the component with the outer fabric layer being closely adjacent the upper cup area and being spaced away from the lower cup area to form space; and   an underwire area containing an underwire around at least lower portions of the lower cup area the underwire area having upwardly extending opposite ens with an upper portion of the lower cup area extending between the opposite ends of the underwire area for creating along with the support space a bust lifting effect.   at least one of the inner and outer fabric layer including a foam layer and at least one of the inner and outer layers being a knitted fabric including a yarn of polyester and an elastic yarn of spandex.